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Gold Coast Day Tour
Code	MIE-01
Duration	12 Hours
Tour Price APR 2012 - MAR 2013	Adult: $199 Child (5-14): $149
Frequency	Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat & Sun
Style	Gold Coast Day Tour
Transport	4WD
Suitability	Open Age
Additions Upgrades	Student/YHA Discount: $20
Start	Gold Coast @ 6 am Hotel pick-up
End	Gold Coast @ approx 7 pm

“Enjoy a total travel experience on Moreton Island with a fun filled adventure exploring the National Park wilderness, the bush and beach in its natural beauty.”

Our Moreton Island tour starts with a luxury cruise aboard MiCat across beautiful Moreton Bay to Moreton Island. On arrival we board our 4WD and drive of the ferry directly on to the beach. Moreton Island is the worlds third largest sand island of which 98% is a protected National Park, with no sealed roads, 4WD is the only mode of transport!

Our first activity is to get straight into sand boarding and tobogganing. This has to be done as early as possible in the day as summer temperatures get up to 36deg. This is awesome fun, high speed, high adrenalin! Moreton Bay Escapes provide both lie down toboggans as well as stand up boards.

Next stop we cross the island to the Open Beach. We travel through thick eucalypt forest, featuring beautiful Xanthorrhoea (Grass Trees) up to 250 years old. The open beach is 38km long of uninterrupted surf beach.

Boogy Boarding and body surfing is next! We are off to North Point and Honeymoon Bay's secluded beach with great safe surf beaches. After a picnic lunch we are off to Cape Moreton Lighthouse and Information centre. This imposing rock Headland is 80m above sea level and gives us commanding views across all of Moreton Island and the beautiful Glass House Mountains. Look out to sea and spot Dolphins, Turtles and Whales (June To October). Moreton Island is home to hundreds of different birds, featuring White Bellied Sea Eagles, Pied Oyster Catchers, Pelicans and thousands of wadding birds.

Our last stop is Blue Lagoon, one of Moreton Island's beautiful fresh water lakes. Take a dip and soak up the naturally occurring tea tree oils (the fountain of youth) Once rejuvenated to return to MiCat for our beautiful cruise home. What a day!

Moreton Bay Places of Interest

The Wrecks: Fifteen shipwrecks located 50m of the beach. Home to one of Queensland's most diverse marine eco systems. Guided snorkelling to see thousands of fish, green turtles, corals and wobbegong.

The Desert: Here your driver takes the equipment to the sand hills, he will explain how best to go down the slopes. Take the sand hill at speed or try a gentle slope (speeds can be up to 65kms an hour when dry). This area is great for walks, hikes and photography.

Blue Lagoon: One of Moreton Islands fresh water lakes. Fantastic swimming in tea tree oil infused water.

Cape Moreton Lighthouse: On top of an imposing rocky headland with 360 degree views 80m above sea level. Spot, dolphins, turtles, manta rays, whales (winter), white belly sea eagles and other birds of prey.

North Point & Yellow Patch: Fantastic north facing beach with great body boarding opportunities.

Heath Island: A tidal lake system which features wading birds, soldier crabs and other marine life.

Honey Moon Bay: Spectacular secluded beach surrounded by rocky head land.

Five Hills lookout: A short walk takes us to the lookout which gives us commanding views of the Glass House Mountains and Heath Island.

Big Sand Hills: At the southern end of Moreton Island, are massive sand dunes with views over Moreton Bay all the way to Brisbane city. Big sand hill is 80m high and is the fastest sand tobogganing run on the island.

Rous Battery: Ruins nestled into the costal sand dunes, learn about our WWII history.

Eastern Beach: 35km of uninterrupted white sandy beaches. Keep an eye out for dolphins, sea birds.

Mount Tempest: The worlds highest costal sand dune. A spectacular 30min bushwalk takes you to the top of Mount Tempest, with 360 degree views of Moreton island. The walk features costal heath land with eucalypts, banksias, hakea and other endemic plant species.

A Little Bit About Mortein Island

Moreton Island is part of the Great Sandy region which stretches from Byron Bay to the tip of Fraser Island. The Great sandy region is the highest concentration of sand Islands in the world. Moreton Island is the only island in the region which has escaped major disturbance from logging or sand mining. The Island appears now much the same as 6000 years ago.

The island is approximately 38km long and 10km at its widest point. Apart from some volcanic rock formations in the North at Cape Moreton the island is entirely made up of sand. The island is 98% National Park and is managed by the Queensland National Parks and Wildlife Service. It is located about 35km from the coast and takes 2 hours to arrive by ferry.

Moreton Island Features uncrowded beaches, safe ocean swimming and untouched sub tropical forests. The eastern side is a 38km long uninterrupted surf beach. The western side is sheltered from the open sea and has fantastic ship wrecks hidden under the sea. Most of the island is vegetated with fantastic thick forests. There are three places in the centre of the island where through natural erosion there are bare sand dunes. These are the Dessert, Big Sandhills and Little Sandhills. In these areas is where we can go sand boarding and sand tobogganing. Within the island landscape there are a series of fresh water lakes with crystal clear water. Blue Lagoon offers great fresh water swimming and cooling of from the summer sun. Moreton island is the home to Mount Tempest which is the worlds highest coastal sand dune. There is a magnificent walk through the forest to the top (280m above sea level), for 360 degree views from the Sunshine Coast to the Gold Coast Hinterland.