When Australia’s full-time travel family of six – 4 Boys and a Caravan splashed into some island life during their recent visit along the Tropic of Capricorn in Central Queensland and Southern Great Barrier Reef, they instantly fell in love with the sheer natural beauty and minimalist aura of the destination’s hero, Great Keppel Island.
Only a short 30-minute ferry ride from Yeppoon on the Capricorn Coast, Great Keppel Island, nestled among the 12 other islands of Keppel Bay, is an ideal family holiday destination.
With its stunning beaches, calm crystal-clear waters and incredibly diverse marine life, Tom, Aimee and their four boys balanced their time in paradise with plenty of adventurous family activities and essential relaxation.
From the moment we arrived on the beach, we instantly felt at ease and clocked into ‘island time!’ No stress, no worries… just good vibes, relaxation, and adventure.
With something for all ages, our days were filled with plenty of smiles and excitement as we enjoyed quality time as a family and made incredible memories.
We discovered two main accommodation options on the island – Great Keppel Island Hideaway and GKI Holiday Village. Both offering excellent options from glamping tents, comfy cabins to roomy holiday houses with an option to suit every budget. The island is mainly self-catering however there is a restaurant and bar located at Great Keppel Island Hideaway which serves excellent meals.
There is so much to do on this island from snorkelling, diving, kayaking, stand up paddle boarding, bushwalking or just plain old fun in the sun. Any equipment you need can be hired from Keppel Dive and Snorkel.
The waters here are stunning with the bluest of blues and edged with remarkable beaches. Being in the Southern Great Barrier Reef you can find the most amazing fringing coral reefs that are dotted all around the island, providing easy access for all ages. The coral here is incredibly healthy and is filled with all types of marine life. You can find sea turtles, manta rays, reef sharks, stingrays and all kinds of fish that inhabit the reef, and if you are lucky, you may even get a glimpse of the Keppel Dugong family.
There are plenty of spots to snorkel within walking distance of the main accommodation beach. Shelving Beach was a favourite for our 4 boys! They are keen snorkelers, and this was a spot that we visited multiple times during our visit as the exquisite reef is so easy to access. Another popular site for our crew was Monkey Beach, which was an exciting 45-minute exploration from our accommodation.
Hot tip: The walks can be difficult with a couple of steep sections, but if you head there at low tide, you can follow the water’s edge all the way which is a much easier walk. Make sure you take some rock shoes as there are a few oysters shells about.
If you are looking for even more adventure, consider doing a beach drop with Keppel Dive and Snorkel. They can drop you off at a secluded beach all to yourselves where you can have a picnic, snorkel or just relax in absolute tranquility. This really is the ultimate family island experience!
The whole Capricorn Coast is one of those regions that offers something for everyone. From island getaways, bush camping, comfortable resort accommodation, 4WD exploring, stunning waterfalls, breathtaking gorges, gem fossicking and adventure caving. It has it all and you could spend weeks here and see something different every day.
Yeppoon is known as the heart of the region and we can see why. It is buzzing with family friendly activities such as free water parks, skate parks, playgrounds and the renowned Yeppoon Lagoon. If you ever need any assistance in what to do in the area, make sure you head to the Visitor Information Centre in Yeppoon. The staff are proud experts on the region and can suggest the perfect activities for yourself and the family.
This is definitely one region that needs to be visited!
4 Boys and a Caravan
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We are a full-time travel family of six: Tom, Aimee and our four boys. We have been travelling around Australia in our caravan since January 2018. We sold our house in the North Eastern suburbs of Melbourne and almost everything we owned. We wanted to live a more simple, minimalist lifestyle making memories while our kids are young and spending quality time together as a family. Doing all this whilst showing our boys this amazing country we call home.
