Maʼalpiku Island National Park (fringing reefs)

Maʼalpiku Island National Park (also known as Restoration Island) is a remote continental island rising 116 m from the turquoise waters of Far North Queensland, crowned with granite boulders, paperbark scrub, and wind-sheared heath. Its fringing reefs — part of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area — wrap the island in a ribbon of coral gardens, offering snorkelers a pristine, off-the-beaten-track experience. This is where Captain Bligh and the Bounty loyalists landed in 1789, revived by the island's oysters and native fruits. The surrounding waters are clear, warm, and brimming with coral bommies, making it a wild, uncrowded alternative to the more frequented reef sites.