The Whitsundays is blessed to home six of the world’s seven turtle species. They visit the Whitsundays to feed, breed, lay eggs and are often spotted whilst snorkelling.

Turtles lay their eggs on Whitsunday Island beaches from November through to February. Their tracks are often seen on beaches the following morning. If you visit the beaches late a night you may be able to see them. Their eggs hatch from January onwards.

Turtles are found in most of the Whitsunday waters. The shallow waters of Tongue Bay, Apostle Bay and Dugong Inlet are popular.

Whitsunday Escape Staff Rescue Baby Turtles

One of Whitsunday Escape’s staff members was walking her kids to school this week, when they made a remarkable discovery – a baby turtle flapping and stuck in the swimming net on Cannonvale Beach.

Upon further investigation, she discovered about 50 hatchlings caught in the net.

They quickly called Eco Barge Clean Seas who run the local Whitsunday Turtle Rescue Centre, and founder Libby Edge came to the rescue.

In the end, the group of parents and kids saved over 60 baby turtles.

Turtles hatch at night, lured by the pull of the full moon. They make their way safely across the cooler night time sands and head towards the light over the ocean. In this instance, the moon had risen over the headland of Airlie Beach, and the turtles had marched diagonally sideways along the beach, getting trapped in the swimming net along the way.