Haggerstone Island
Great Barrier Reef and Islands, Queensland, Australia
At a Glance
Everything about Haggerstone is unique, from the extraordinary location, hand crafted rooms to the welcoming family atmosphere
An island of incredible beauty and wilderness, the small lodge offers unparalleled remoteness, cast-away comfort and exclusivity
Roy and Anna Turner have made Haggerstone their home since 1985, when Roy abandoned his days of crocodile hunting in Papua New Guinea
Helicopter picnics can be arranged for the ultimate adventure on the Barrier Reef
Fish for your lunch and picnic on freshly caught lobster on uninhabited sand cays - regular catches include Spanish Mackerel, Tuna, Mangrove Jack, Coral Trout and the occasional shark
The sea here is bountiful and with the island’s high rainfall it is the perfect place to grow fruit and vegetables - the garden is a pleasure to walk through
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Best time to Visit
Good time to visit
Average time to visit
Winter (June-Aug) is high season in Queensland; the water can be chilly - at least to Australians - but its temperature rarely drops below 22°C. April through October is peak visibility time for divers. Summer is hot and sticky across the state. In North Queensland the monsoonal Wet season is from November or December through March or April. It brings heavy rains, high temperatures, extreme humidity, and cyclones. It's no problem to visit then, and the Wet or "Green" season allows an unusual opportunity to explore this region during a truly balmy time of monsoonal calms.
Insider's View
Two of my favorite activities are sand boarding down the massive dunes and spear fishing. You really feel like Robinson Crusoe on this idyllic island where you can literally pluck an enormous lobster out of the sea and eat it fresh that evening.
Call us on 858 345 1762 to start planning your vacation to Haggerstone Island or take a look at our itineraries to Queensland
Description
Haggerstone Island is a remote, family run Robinson Crusoe style lodge in the far north of Australia. It is ideal for families or couples who want to get away from it all in an unspoiled island paradise on the doorstep of the Great Barrier Reef.
Situated 600km north of Cairns, Haggerstone Island is incredibly secluded, unspoiled and private. The interior of the island itself provides a plethora of adventures but it is its location on the Great Barrier Reef that makes it even more special. The largest protected marine park in the world with its lagoons and reefs stretches from its beach, with fantastic snorkeling and swimming.
The five private guest houses at Haggerstone are all completely unique, beautifully made with timber and driftwood, and are placed in different settings with uninterrupted views of the turquoise lagoon and uninhabited islands. The focus here is very much on barefoot luxury and the houses are open plan, airy and have large decked areas. The Tree House has three separate buildings with a rope bridge which you cross to reach the bedroom in the tree's canopy. The newly built House Mawu has three bedrooms and is a self contained home with thatched roofs and starlit bathrooms.
The food at Haggerstone Island is the freshest imaginable, with maybe fruit or home made muesli for breakfast, oysters or squid for lunch and lobster barbecued for dinner - all harvested from the island and its surrounds. Food here is fresh, simple and delicious and the sand cay is the ultimate dining area for a candlelit dinner with the waves lapping at your feet.
Days can be spent here enjoying the beach and the calm waters for swimming and snorkeling - two clear lagoons are located just off the shore's edge and have beautiful coral gardens to explore. Birdwatching and beachcombing are other popular activities and the adjacent mainland's beaches provide miles of beach for walking and even 'sandboarding'. Helicopter access is available for some spectacular inland sights, fishing locations, tropical waterfalls and it is an unforgettable opportunity to see the Great Barrier Reef from the air.
The hosts Roy and Anna have children of their own so families are more than welcome to this amazing hideaway.
Accommodation
Haggerstone has four private guest houses all with hot water, gas cooking facilities, a fridge, mosquito nets and lounge and deck areas. The Beach Hut is made from driftwood, is right on the beach and has a boardwalk leading to the open bathroom. The Kwila Hut & Lagoon Hut have polished teak floorboards, timber shutters and a sundeck with views through the coral trees to the reef. The Tree House is in three buildings joined by a bridge and the newly built three-bedroom House Mawu is a designer's dream. All include: fridge, gas cooking facilities, sink, plugs, bathroom with shower and WC, lounge and deck areas and laundry service.
| House Mawu | |
| The Kwila Hut | |
| The Lagoon Hut | |
| The Beach Hut |
Childcare
Haggerstone Island is run by a family with two children and naturally children and families are more than welcome here. There is plenty for kids to do from safe swimming in the lagoons to beachcombing, sand boarding and spear fishing and as everything is so personalized, meals can be adjusted to suit their tastes.
Facilities
Haggerstone Island has little in the way of formal facilities - nature is all you need here. The two lagoons make wonderful natural swimming pools and your hosts are on hand to guide you in anything you need.
Activities
Activities at Haggerstone include snorkeling, skin diving, spear fishing and nature trails. For an additional cost helicopter tours and fishing trips can be organized.
Reviews
Amy Welfare (Staff)
Although Haggerstone is my idea of heaven, it definitely is not for everyone. The reason I love it is that it is a totally unspoiled and magically beautiful tropical island in the very far northern Great Barrier Reef, adjacent to uninhabited tropical north Queensland. For me, the more remote the better, but of course this means that logistically it can be fairly hard to get to and once there, you can’t expect 5 star service. You are welcomed into Roy and Anna’s family life whilst staying in cool, rustic style, yet totally comfortable private houses. Roy used to be a crocodile hunter in New Guinea, so is made of strong stuff, and he loves taking guests out on the boat to go skin diving and spear fishing. A lot of seafood is eaten straight out of the sea, so it is incredibly fresh. Kick back and enjoy the peace and the wide open space and the many natural wonders that Haggerstone offers you.
Experiences
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Day Trip to the Daintree Rainforest
Explore the 135 million year old Daintree Rainforest in Tropical North Queensland, including a canopy surfing trip and a cruise on the Daintree River looking out for the resident salt water crocodiles.
Location & directions
Great Barrier Reef and Islands, Queensland, Australia
Haggerstone Island is a private island 600kms north of Cairns, adjacent to the virtually uninhabited coast, near the tip of Cape York, in the far North Queensland.
How to get there
To get to Haggerstone you must first fly to Cairns, North Queensland. From there its a twin engine, six seat private charter to neighboring Hicks Island where there is an airstrip. The 2-hour flight travels up the largely uninhabited mainland, covered with virgin rainforest, and over an aquamarine sea dotted with lime green reefs that look like giant lily pads. Transfer to Haggerstone by boat from Hicks is approximately 20-minutes.