Michaelmas Cay
A vegetation-free white sandbar on the Great Barrier Reef where tens of thousands of seabirds nest, with snorkelling straight off the beach.
Michaelmas Cay lies about 40 kilometers northeast of Cairns. It is a low sandbar built from coral debris, protected as a national park and seabird sanctuary. During the breeding season, more than 10,000 seabirds, including sooty terns and brown noddies, gather here. Visitors can only use a roped-off section of beach, where you can walk straight from the sand into the water to snorkel. The surrounding reef often has sea turtles and giant clams. Day trips by sailing boat or catamaran usually combine the cay with nearby Upolu Cay or the outer reef, a journey of about 1.5–2 hours. There is no shade on the island, so use sun protection, and do not disturb the birds.
Opening hours
Day tours run by the boat company
Nearby sights
- Green Island
- Norman Reef
- Fitzroy Island
- Palm Cove
- Cairns Esplanade Lagoon
- Cairns Botanic Gardens
- Cairns Night Markets
- Cairns Aquarium