Top 5 Cruising Destinations on the Aussie East Coast

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SPERRY AUSTRALIA.

The east coast of Australia is bursting at the seams with tropical utopias and dreamy coral reefs. We have enjoyed exploring this seemingly endless coastline. And now, we have taken on the not-so-easy task of shortlisting all the best spots along the east coast to present to you our top five.

So, without further adieu, let's get stuck into it. From South to North, we have:

1 - Lady Musgrave Island (Gureng Gureng Country)

Lady Musgrave is a small coral cay, no more than 28 ha. But, although small, her surrounding reef and pristine lagoon make this one of the biggest little islands you could ever visit!

Admittedly, there's no shortage of great places to snorkel and dive on the Great Barrier Reef. Still, Lady Musgrave Island is unique because it has an outer coral wall protecting an inner lagoon. This makes the conditions usually calm with excellent visibility.

Suppose you need another reason to visit Lady Musgrave. In that case, it might be good to know that this coral cay is also a vast nesting ground for turtles! You can see Mumma turtles laying their eggs between November and February, with hatching commencing six to eight weeks later!

2 - Great Keppel Island (Woppaburra Country)

When you get to Great Keppel Island, you first need to learn a little thing the locals like to call the "Keppel Shuffle". With the wind and swell constantly changing directions around here, you'll be upping your anchor and moving around the island.

But, aside from brushing up on your anchoring skills, a visit to Great Keppel will treat you to some magical bushwalks, snorkels, and discoveries! 

If you have a keen eye and adventurous soul, expect to see things like; yachtie-made tree-top hammocks made from washed-up trawling nets, makeshift playgrounds, abandoned sheds, rocks engraved with poems and pizza ovens on beaches and on top of spectacular hills.

3 - Middle Percy Island

Ah, the legendary Middle Percy Island. This is arguably the most iconic yachtie stopover on the entire east coast. 

In the right conditions, West Bay at Middle Percy is an excellent spot to anchor, socialise, hike, swim, and explore. On the beach is a large A-frame, also known as the Percy Hilton.

Over the years, this A-frame has become a museum of yacht memorabilia. Hundreds of plaques and signs display names and dates of visiting vessels and their crews.

There are also a few basic facilities, including a camp kitchen, BBQ, fire pit, shower, toilet, and a small amount of fresh island-grown produce available for sale. These guys honestly have the best honey in Australia!

During the cruising season, large get-togethers are held around the fire at the back of the A-frame, with laughs, stories and sing-alongs aplenty!

Pro tip: be prepared for your visit by pre-making a sign of your boat name to hang up in the A-Frame. And, why not reach out to the island managers before your trip to ask if they need any supplies percyisland@gmail.com.

4 - The Whitsunday Islands (Ngaro Country)

What comes to mind when you think of the word "paradise"?

For us, images of our beautiful homeland - the Whitsunday Islands archipelago immediately spring to mind with sprawling white beaches, crystal blue waters and idyllic landscapes for kilometres on end.

Although advertised as the "74" islands paradise, there may very well be over 90 paradise-esque islands when counting all islets, outcrops and islands. 

While most islands are uninhabited national parks, a handful of island resorts are also on offer. Opt to stop into Palm Bay resort on Long Island for a delicious wood-fired Pizza, or stay the night and check out some fantastic bars at Hamilton Island marina.

5 - Lizard Island (Dingaal Country) 

Lizard Island is the turning point for many cruisers, but often not without spending a good few weeks hiding out from the often powerful trade winds in Watsons Bay - which also happens to be where the brilliant giant clam garden is situated.

Lizard Island is just a stone's throw away from some legendary Great Barrier Reef dive sites such as the Cod Hole, Dynamite Passage and the Snake Pit. The famous Cooks Look is also worth an early morning hike! This is the mountain that Cook hiked up to try and find an opening in the reef to try and get back out to the open ocean.

With all of the above locations, we've really just touched the outside of how spectacular these places are. You've got to get out there yourself to experience their full beauty.

Please message us on our social media platforms if you have any questions. We can't wait to see you out here soon!

Fair winds,

Lil & Haydo