Under the moonlit skies of Cape Hillsborough National Park, marine turtles come ashore to lay their eggs on the dark, sandy beach. Flatback, green and loggerhead turtles all nest along this coastline, returning year after year to lay their eggs.
Although Cape Hillsborough may not rival the famous loggerhead rookery at Mon Repos near Bundaberg, this protected stretch of coastline remains important for nesting turtles.
Life Begins Beneath the Sand
Hidden beneath the warm sand, each nest contains dozens of eggs. After weeks of incubation, the tiny turtles begin breaking through their shells. Working together, they dig toward the surface, sometimes taking several days to emerge as a group. Once above ground, they face their first challenge: crossing the beach to reach the sea.
Witnessing an Ancient Ritual
While camping at Cape Hillsborough, we witnessed one of nature’s most remarkable sights: a loggerhead turtle coming ashore to lay her eggs and tiny hatchlings emerging from the nest.
After nesting, the enormous turtle slowly made her way back down the beach and disappeared into the waves.
In the soft light of dawn, dozens of tiny turtles scrambled across the sand towards the ocean. So small and vulnerable, they instinctively head for the water, beginning a journey few will survive.
A Race Against the Odds
Their journey has only just begun, but the odds are already stacked against them. Before they even reach the ocean, they must avoid ghost crabs, goannas, wild dogs and seabirds waiting for an easy meal. Only about one in every thousand hatchlings survives its first year and as few as one in ten thousand will reach adulthood.
If they survive, they return around thirty years later to the same stretch of coastline where they hatched, continuing one of nature’s most extraordinary life cycles.
💡Helpful Tips for Seeing Loggerhead Turtles
- Loggerhead turtles nest at Cape Hillsborough from November to January, and hatchlings emerge through April.
- Hatchlings rely on the moon’s natural glow to guide them safely to the ocean. Artificial light can confuse and disorient them, so never shine torches or bright lights on turtles as they come ashore, return to the sea or make their way down the beach.
- For the best chance of seeing turtles, visit between sunset and sunrise during a full moon and high tide. If you’re fortunate enough to witness this incredible event, watch quietly from a respectful distance and follow any instructions given by local turtle conservation volunteers.
Protecting the Future of Marine Turtles
Sea turtles face many challenges throughout their lives. Fishing, boat strikes, pollution, the illegal wildlife trade, beach erosion and climate change all threaten their survival. While conservation efforts have made a real difference, these remarkable animals still need our protection. Every hatchling that reaches the ocean represents hope for the future, and everyone who helps protect nesting beaches helps ensure this ancient journey continues for generations to come.
State Library of Queensland
Where to Stay: Camping at Smalleys Beach
We camped at Smalleys Beach in Cape Hillsborough National Park, about 5 km from Cape Hillsborough Beach, renowned for its kangaroos at sunrise. Smalleys Beach camp is a bush setting on the ocean’s edge, with some sites offering great views. The shaded camp has picnic tables at each site, drinking water and flushing eco-toilets.
🏝️Keep Exploring Queensland’s Wild Coastlines
Dreaming of an Australian adventure filled with wild landscapes and incredible wildlife encounters? Watch kangaroos gather on the beach at sunrise or experience the magic of Humpback whales in Hervey Bay.
🐾Where to Next?
🦘Cape Hillsborough: A Beautiful Sunrise with the Kangaroos
🐋Whale Watching in Hervey Bay: Close Encounters with Humpback Whales
Thank you for writing such a great blog! I love your photos and all the information about the turtles. Great work…. Keep it up!!
Thank you for visiting, reading our blog & commenting Sam.
Great stuff Ray & Sue. You are always rewarded for your love of wildlife. We are sure they know this. What are the odds of seeing them here?
Hi Steve and Louis thanks for your comments. No it is not often the turtles are seen here, so we were very fortunate. They are seen though, on both Smalleys Beach & Cape Hillsborough Beach once in a while so you can get lucky!
Wow! Love the blog & the new website is just gorgeous Ray & Sue. Would love to meet you both one day. You are an inspiration with your photography & love of wildlife & conservation.
Thank you Laila for your consistent and lovely comments. Maybe one day our paths will cross in this big country of ours.
Wow great work again guys. Incredible photography and love the new design of the website. Though it’s a great blog I am not sure what you mean by the kangaroos are only just up the road.
Do you mean the kangaroos at the resort? Don’t you have to be staying at the resort to see them? As it would be very rare to see the turtles do you think Cape Hillsborough is really worth the detour while doing a road trip or Australian trip?
Thanks Justin. Cape Hillsborough is a large national park with two main accessible beaches – Smalleys beach & Cape Hillsborough Beach. There’s about 5 kms driving distance between them. The resort and kangaroos are at Cape Hillsborough Beach. No you don’t have to stay at the resort to see the kangaroos on the beach at sunrise. All you need to do is be there a little before sunrise & park outside the resort and walk down to the beach. However the resort is a nice place to stay; during the day the kangaroos lounge outside the accommodation so you have more opportunities to see them. The resort also does look after the wildlife & the kangaroos wouldn’t be there without them. And yes it is worth the detour because to see the kangaroos on the beach at sunrise is beautiful and pretty much guaranteed.
Awesome! Awesome! Awesome! Blog & new website. Once again you have captured another icon in your own unique way. Love the blog & the bit of history. When you see images like that it is a wonder we have any wildlife left. That camp site looks like the ultimate spot! I do want to a ask similar to what Justin asked above, would your recommend a stop at cape hillsborough for just one night? Is there a good chance to see the kangaroos on the beach? Also eungella would you recommend one night stop there? We were thinking of one night in both places but not sure if thats practical.
Thanks for your comments Shelby. The camping spot is in an ultimate & beautiful bush setting. Yes we would recommend Cape Hillsborough for one night, as you will see the kangaroos for sure, it is really beautiful & only about half an hour drive off the highway.To see the platypus in Eungella we think a minimum of two nights. The drive from Mackay is over an hour & the platypus can be very elusive. Two nights will give you a very good chance of spotting them.
Fantastic, how something so small manages to survive at all in the sea without the threat of humans is amazing. Love your work thank you.
Thank you Noela. They are certainly one of the miracles of life!
Absolutely stunning!! Love the new website! Inspirational.
Firstly let me tell you how gobsmacked I am by your high quality & stunning work. Shelby was telling about this site for some time & I have only got around to having a look. I could spend hours on this website! Its almost like a small nat geo. What a unique experience to not only see these turtles but have them all to yourself. Keep up this blog, I for one will be a regular reader.
Hi Sue. We are glad you finally made it to our blog! To see the turtles was a great experience. We still now pinch ourselves to make sure it really happened! Thanks for your comments, they made our day.