Bustard Head is a secluded headland on the southern Great Barrier Reef, nestled within Eurimbula National Park. This remote coastal spot offers a wild, uncrowded snorkeling experience where the protected waters of Bustard Bay meet fringing reef flats. The historic Bustard Head Lighthouse — Queensland's first lighthouse — towers above the shoreline, and the clear inshore waters provide access to patchy coral bommies, seagrass beds, and sandy gutters teeming with typical southern reef marine life. Accessible only by boat or amphibious tour, it rewards those who make the journey with pristine solitude and a glimpse of the reef's quieter side.
Bustard Head
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Wave Height 0.2 mSwell Period 4.5 sWind Speed 4.5 knPrecipitation 0.0 mmTidal Phase flood
Last evaluated
The spot
Community-maintained
Community contribution: submitted by Daniel
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Moderate risk: Tidal currents
Tidal currents in Bustard Bay can be strong, especially around the headland and reef flats during outgoing tides.
Low risk: Remote access only
The area is accessible only by boat or amphibious vehicle. No road access to the headland itself.
Low risk: Stinger season
Marine stingers (box jellyfish) are present in these waters during the warmer months from October to May.
Low risk: Isolated location
Limited facilities and no patrolled beach — visitors must be entirely self-sufficient.
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Getting in
Boat
Entry
Bustard Head is located within Eurimbula National Park, approximately 50 km south of Gladstone, Queensland. The nearest boat ramps for conventional (2WD) vehicles are at Seventeen Seventy (1770). The area is also accessible via guided LARC amphibious tours departing from 1770 that travel along the coastline to Bustard Head Lighthouse.
Parking & facilities
Parking available at the boat ramp at Seventeen Seventy (1770). No vehicle access direct to Bustard Head itself — only boat or guided tour access.
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About this data
- Conditions last evaluated
- Spot data last updated
- Data sources
- Open-Meteo (marine & weather conditions), tide predictions via UTide, community contributors (descriptions, hazards, marine life).
- License
- Spot content licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. How's the Spot is open source.
Weather & swell ┬╖ Open-Meteo marine & weather APIs Tides ┬╖ UTide harmonic analysis Sea & safety ┬╖ community reports