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If you’re looking for an unforgettable experience, look no further than the Mon Repos Turtle Centre. Here, you can see baby turtles hatching and racing to the safety of the ocean waves. You’ll also learn about the importance of these creatures in ecological systems and how we can help ensure their viability for years to come. It’s a fascinating place that is sure to leave a lasting impression on you!
If you are interested in nature, or your children are, most likely you have seen videos of sea turtles hatching on beaches and speeding to the safety of the ocean waves. You may have even seen beaches on which volunteers gather to help the baby turtles get to safety, thus ensuring the possibility of a larger, more sustained population for years to come. Perhaps you are interested in the viability of ecological systems in general, and recognize that these turtles and their continued existence are a vital part of our world and its natural systems.
Have you ever wanted to see the spectacle of large sea turtles emerging from the waves, digging holes, and laying their eggs? Have you ever wanted to watch the babies hatch and crawl up from underneath the sand and start their instinctive journey down to the sea? Well, now you can!
Mon Repos Turtle Centre features the largest group of nesting sea turtles in eastern Australia. It’s also the site for the largest nesting numbers of the endangered loggerhead turtle in the whole South Pacific region.
You can book a Turtle Encounter Tour for you, your family, or a small social group. Beach access is limited to the evenings so as not to disturb the turtles unnecessarily. Even school groups can be booked with a limit of 30 students per tour plus their supervisors. Tour participation is limited so as not to crowd the beach and disturb the turtles. Once you book online you will get a text message on the tour date with your time to check in. These times are staggered between 6:30 to 7:15 p.m. to limit crowding.
From November through January, the tour features the sight of the huge female turtles engaging in the ancient ritual of coming out of the ocean to lay their eggs. From January through March, you can be treated to see the results, as hundreds of baby turtles instinctively rush down to the water.
When booking your tour, it would be a good idea to check with the staff on current Covid restrictions. You may be required to mask up, provide proof of vaccination, or there may be other restrictions in place at the time of your tour. You should be prepared for a walk up to 1.6km at night in limited night. Wear suitable shoes and a rain-repellent jacket just in case, but don’t wear any shoes with lights or bring glow sticks. Bringing drinking water and a few snacks is a good idea, as the turtles don’t arrive on a schedule. You might even bring a book to help you wait.
Some evenings may bring several turtles, allowing for several groups to tour at one time. Other evenings may see one or two coming up as late as midnight or not at all. Unfortunately, Mon Repos Turtle Centre can’t guarantee that you’ll see either the large turtles or hatchlings on any particular night, although this is rare.
When you get to the Turtle Centre, you can explore Hatchling Hall and the Turtle Tales interpretive exhibits either after your tour or before it starts while waiting for your turtle to arrive. Park rangers watch for turtles and will call your group when they arrive. You’ll need to put away any lights or mobile devices until the rangers tell you that photography is permitted. It’s important to follow instructions from the park rangers and volunteer staff.
To keep the turtles from being distressed, there are limitations on the types of lights that are permitted. There is a designated photography time, but only limited time is permitted and no videos with constant light are permitted. Devices that don’t emit light, such as GoPros, are allowed. Contact the centre if you wish further information. The staff will be happy to assist you.
The Mon Repos Turtle Centre is located in Mon Repos Conservation Park, 14km east of Bundaberg in the area of Wide Bay. The park entrance is located at 141 Mon Repos Road. From there you’ll follow Rookery Road about 750m to the Mon Repos Turtle Centre car park. You can also access the park from Nielson Park and Bargara by Bargara Road. Turn right into Potters Road at Bargara State School, turn right at Grange Road and it will take you to Mon Repos Road.
In addition to Hatchling Hall and Turtle Tales, you’ll have access to the Mon Repos Gidji Cafe and gift shop. You can learn more about these turtles, their life cycles, what they eat and how they live, why they are important to the ecosystem, how loggerhead turtles and other turtle species are being endangered, what is being done to correct this, and other facts. There are plenty of activities for your children as well that will educate them about these magnificent creatures. A certificate commemorating your visit is available for a $2.00 donation. All donations go towards helping these fascinating creatures.
If you aren’t up to a Turtle Encounter tour, Hatchling Hall, the Gidji Cafe and the gift shop are all open to the public from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. without requiring booking or a ticket. The Turtle Tales interpretive display and theatrette area is open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and will require a ticket unless you have booked an encounter tour. Tickets for Turtle Tales should be booked online, and certain concessions on pricing are available for some. Group pricing is also available. Wheelchair access is available everywhere but the Encounter Tour, due to the inability of wheelchairs to traverse the beach sand and terrain.
No matter your age, seeing the wonder of how much work goes into a mother turtle digging a hole, laying eggs, and then wearily making her way back to the water, is something that you won’t forget. Who doesn’t want to see all those cute baby turtles rushing down to the water’s edge and marvel at how quickly they can move? If you have children, you owe it to them to treat them to an unforgettable experience. Adults, too, will marvel at actually watching this ancient renewal of life ritual in person. Why not book a tour?
At Mon Repos, there is a large concentration of nesting marine turtles. This is the biggest loggerhead turtle nesting population in the South Pacific Ocean region. If they can breed successfully here, it will help protect this endangered species.
Mon Repos is special because it supports the largest concentration of marine turtles on the eastern Australian mainland. It also has a significant loggerhead turtle nesting population in the South Pacific region.
Mon Repos supports the largest number of nesting marine turtles on the eastern Australian mainland. This is the most significant loggerhead turtle nesting population in the South Pacific Ocean region. Successful breeding here is critical for the survival of this endangered species.
The Mon Repos Turtle Centre is located in Mon Repos Conservation Park, 14km east of Bundaberg in the area of Wide Bay.
Unfortunately, Mon Repos Turtle Centre can't guarantee that you'll see either the large turtles or hatchlings on any particular night, although this is rare.
From November through January
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