turtle mania IN BUNDABERG

Slow down to a turtle’s pace at the annual nesting and hatching event on the beaches of Bundaberg

Every year, from November to January, mother loggerhead sea turtles emerge from the ocean to lay their eggs in the warm sands of Bundaberg’s Mon Repos Beach in Queensland, one of the largest turtle nesting areas in the South Pacific.

Beginning their slow, cumbersome climb up the beach, the female loggerheads plod their way past the high tide mark, where they can lay their eggs in safety. But the real event can be seen between the months of January and March, when the hatchlings break free from their shells, emerging from the sand for their flappy procession across the beach for their new life in the deep blue.

The endangered loggerhead turtles rarely come on shore, making this beach event a marine and wildlife experience not to be missed. At Mon Repos Beach, there’s a national park conservation and support system in place to protect these vital nesting areas from predators and human activity. For the best turtlewatching vantage point, visit at night when the gentle sea creatures typically make their beach debut.

Don’t miss: Be sure to visit the Mon Repos Turtle Centre. The learning centre provides rangers who will guide groups to beach nesting areas when hatchlings begin to emerge.

When: Laying of eggs from November to January. Hatching of eggs from January to March.

Where: Mon Repos Beach, 14 kilometres from Bundaberg CBD. Buses run during turtle season each evening.

Find out more: Department of National Parks, npsr.qld.gov.au