Heron Island Freediving Retreat

General Information:

Diving in Paradise was the first company to run a freediving retreat on Heron Island in 2024. We take pride in our ability to pioneer freediving to locations within Australia and internationally, where freediving has not yet expanded. Heron Island was carefully handpicked for Diving in Paradise by Taylor, after she travelled there in 2015 and 2018 and was amazed by the abundance and diversity of life. After careful planning, our exclusive annual freediving retreat to Heron Island was born.

Heron Island is a true paradise on the Great Barrier Reef, offering a resort experience like no other. With stunning beachfront accommodations, private ferry transfers, and exclusive dive vessels, every detail is designed for comfort and adventure. Guests can enjoy the dive center, pool, spa, shop, games room, marine education centre, live music, a vibrant bar, and an exceptional restaurant—all set against a backdrop of thriving marine life and coral diversity.

Heron Island provides our student divers with unmatched privacy and ample space to relax. Each room at Heron Island is equipped with a private bathroom, kitchenette and opens directly to the beach or reef, offering stunning views and convenience. With one side of the accommodations nestled within the island’s lush forest and the other side facing the Great Barrier Reef, Heron Island offers an unparalleled connection to nature. Guests can wake up to the calming symphony of birdsong from dawn to dusk and enjoy the serenity of this unique island escape.

“Last year, we woke up to the sound of a mother turtle digging her nest in the dunes right behind our room, it was so beautiful. We then went to tell the rest of the group only to find out that 2 others in our group had discovered baby turtles hatching that same morning” – (Taylor and Elle during last years retreat).

The waters surrounding Heron Island are a true marvel. Stroll along the beach and encounter rays, sharks, turtles, and vibrant fish swimming in the crystal-clear waters of Heron’s coral atoll. At low tide, embark on a reef walk to discover the beautiful epaulette shark and other fascinating reef species. At high tide, snorkel through the atoll and explore an underwater world teeming with thousands of tropical reef fish, turtles, rays, and various shark species.

For an unforgettable experience, we recommend a snorkel or freedive in the ferry channel outside of restricted hours. A sunset dive beneath the jetty is nothing short of magical—immerse yourself in a world of coral, rays, sharks, and large schools of fish as the golden light fades over the reef.

Freediving at Heron:

Freediving retreats are the ultimate way to learn and master freediving, offering multiple days in the ocean to progress at your own pace. At Heron Island, we cater to all genders and levels of freedivers, from beginner to master, with drift dives reaching depths of up to 40 meters. Our courses not only meet, but exceed PADI standards, providing comprehensive coaching, personalized tips, and guidance throughout the retreat.

Before the retreat, each freediving student receives access to a PADI e-learning course, allowing for in-depth preparation before diving into action. Once on the retreat, students begin with theory sessions led by their instructor, followed by a static breath-hold practice, a breathwork workshop, and a guided meditation to build confidence and focus.

After completing line freediving sessions for the day, our private charter will head to the reef for a fun dive, offering an incredible opportunity to explore Heron’s underwater world. Experience the magic of vibrant reefs and marine life while putting your freediving skills to the test in one of the most stunning locations on Earth.

Wildlife Diversity and Ecology:

Our freediving retreat is thoughtfully timed to coincide with the peak of turtle season on Heron Island, offering incredible opportunities to witness these majestic creatures up close. Hundreds of turtles, including green turtles, hawksbill turtles, and loggerhead turtles, inhabit the waters around the island, creating unforgettable underwater encounters while freediving.

On land, we recommend taking a nighttime or early morning stroll around the island for a chance to witness mother turtles laying their eggs or baby turtles hatching and embarking on their first journey to the ocean. It’s a truly magical experience that connects you to the cycle of life on this pristine island.

The waters surrounding Heron Island are home to an incredible array of Chondrichthyes, or cartilaginous sharks.

From the shore and jetty, you can often spot blacktip and whitetip reef sharks, lemon sharks and giant shovel-nose sharks (also known as shovel-nose rays). During low tide, take a reef walk and keep an eye out for the elusive and stunning epaulette shark.

On our privately chartered vessel, we will have access to Heron’s most iconic dive sites. During these fun-dives we hope to encounter blacktip and whitetip reef sharks, lemon sharks, tawny nurse sharks and potentially more. While tiger sharks, whaler sharks, bull sharks, and leopard sharks are rare visitors to Heron Island, there’s always a possibility of spotting one if luck is on our side!

The other family within Chondrichthyes include the rays. Ray species commonly found at Heron Island during February are spotted eagle rays, bull rays, whip-tail rays, blue-spotted fantail rays and cow-tail rays. Manta-rays are not commonly seen at Heron Island during the summer months, however last year on our freediving retreat, we did get to see 2 manta-rays.

Like the shark species at Heron, most of the ray species can be observed from the jetty or simply from the beach at hightide.

Much like shark and ray diversity, the fish diversity at Heron Island is nothing short of spectacular. Freedivers can enjoy spotting a wide array of species, including clownfish, cod, grouper, big-eye trevally, barracuda, butterflyfish, coral trout, blue tangs, and batfish (a personal favorite of Taylor’s).

In February, the island comes alive as over 200,000 birds arrive to nest and forage for their chicks. Bird species you can observe include black noddies, wedge-tailed shearwaters, silvereyes, buff-banded rails, silver gulls, herons, terns, egrets, brown boobies, cormorants, white-bellied sea eagles, and pied oystercatchers. The island’s dynamic ecosystem makes it a stand out on the Great Barrier Reef and is one of the reasons we love coming back.

Freediving Instructors:

Taylor McKeown is the founder and passionate driving force behind “Diving in Paradise”. Her mission is to connect people with the underwater world, blending freediving, marine conservation, and passion.

Before diving into the world of freediving, Taylor had an illustrious swimming career representing Australia from the age of 15 to 27. Her achievements include competing in three World Championships, three Commonwealth Games, the French Open, the US Open, and the Olympic Games, earning medals at every competition.

On our Heron Island freediving retreat, Taylor will deliver an inspiring keynote presentation on the elite mindset of Olympic athletes, providing tools to help divers unlock their potential. Through structured goal-setting techniques used by Olympians, she’ll motivate participants to pursue their dreams with focus and determination.

Since 2018, Taylor has been private swim coaching, applying her deep understanding of hydrodynamics, water movement, and physiology to help aspiring swimmers achieve their goals. This expertise translates seamlessly into freediving, where her detailed coaching methods benefit students of all levels.

Taylor began freediving in 2017 and has been teaching domestically and internationally since 2021. Her Bachelor of Animal Ecology fuels her passion for marine life, and she loves sharing fascinating insights with her students. For Taylor, connecting divers with the ocean’s wonders is not just a joy, it’s her purpose.

Eloise Power, known as Elle, is the visionary behind “The Mermaid Connection” a platform where people can learn freediving and master elite-level mermaid performances. Representing Australia in mermaid performance, Elle is the leading PADI Mermaid Instructor in the country. On our Heron Island freediving retreat, participants will have the option to learn the art of mermaid performance from Elle. Whether you’re entertaining at children’s parties or performing in aquariums worldwide, this skill allows you to refine your control of body movement and buoyancy in water, creating graceful, captivating performances.

With over a decade of freediving experience both domestically and internationally, Elle has been instructing since 2020. Her nurturing and encouraging teaching style, combined with her extensive background in education, makes her an exceptional PADI freediving instructor. Elle’s ability to identify and overcome potential barriers, has earned her a reputation as one of Australia’s best.

Elle is also certified in NLP Timeline Therapy, a transformative method used to address and release unresolved emotions, limiting beliefs, and unconscious patterns. During the retreat, Elle will deliver an insightful keynote presentation on mindfulness, alignment, and purposeful living, helping participants clear mental blocks and unlock their potential. She will also guide meditation sessions specifically tailored for freediving, empowering divers to access their inner calm and confidence.

Arrival in Gladstone by Air: 

Please ensure you arrive in Gladstone any time before 8:30am on the 10th of February. We depart for Heron Island at 9:30am and ferry check in closes at 9:00am sharp.

Due to reduced flight schedules the airport shuttle bus is currently not operating. Guests are required to make their own way between the Gladstone airport and marina for their ferry transfers, a short drive taking less than 10 minutes.

It is recommended that domestic flights departing Gladstone Airport are booked no earlier than 4:45pm on the 14th.

Arrival in Gladstone by Car:

If you’re making your own way to the Heron Island Ferry Terminal, you’ll find it at the Gladstone Marina Parklands, in the Gladstone Visitor Information Centre building at 72 Bryan Jordan Drive, Gladstone. Should you require secure parking, this can be booked with Complete Angler on +61 7 4972 7283 or gladstone@compleatangler.com.au. The Heron Island Ferry Terminal is located in the same building as Complete Angler.   

Luggage Requirements:

Luggage transported aboard the Heron Islander is subject to weight limitations of 23 kg per person. Each adult, child, and infant are permitted 1 x 23 kg bag per person, to be checked in prior to boarding, and 1 x small carry-on bag per person. Additional bags or oversized luggage exceeding 23kg, will be charged at a cost of $20 per item. Excess baggage may be stored at the Marina Office if required. Please note luggage is transported on the boat in containers so you will need to allow additional time to collect baggage on arrival back to the Marina.   

Packing Essentials:

-       Electrolytes and other personal medication

-       Reef safe zinc/sunscreen and other sun protection (hat, sunnies, etc)

-       Wetsuit. Personal preference based on water temp (average water temp in the water around Heron is 27º)

-       Fins, mask, snorkel, weight belt. (weights can be rented from the dive shop if you do not wish to bring your own weights) (equipment can also be rented from Diving in Paradise)

-       Large re-useable water bottle

-       Jacket (just in case we get a storm)

-       Camera/GoPro. Keep in mind that everyone will receive access to a video and photo package of the retreat.

-       After party themed outfit (theme is dress to impress) (something you would wear to a first date, we are embracing valentines day with fun acitivites)

Meals:

A breakfast buffet is included daily. We will be on the water during lunch time most days so please grab fruit, muffins etc from breakfast if you wish to snack while diving.

Dinner is available in the Shearwater Restaurant and casual drinks from Baillie’s Bar.

Additional Activities:

Heron Island has a pool table, giant chess board, pool, shop and Spa. Spa treatments can be booked on the island. Heron Island also have occasional live entertainment, if we are lucky, they may have a band booked to play on the island during our stay.

Heron Island also offer glass kayak hire and scuba dives (for those who are open water qualified).

During our retreat, we play card games, pool and go for island walks during downtime. We also have 2 keynote presentations during our stay.

Other Information:

Please be reminded, food, alcohol, and portable coolers are prohibited for transport onboard the ferry.  

Please ensure you take the necessary precautions if you are prone to sea sickness.

Heron Island has no phone service, however Wi-Fi can be purchased if you need to connect or work while you are away. Otherwise, please enjoy the 5 days without your phone and fully immerse yourself in the island life.