Behold the point where rainforest meets ocean in the rugged Cape Hillsborough National Park, swim in crystal-clear rock pools at Finch Hatton Gorge and search for the elusive platypus in the rivers of the Eungella National Park. On the water, spot dugongs in the designated sanctuary at Clairview or snorkel right from the beach on Keswick Island, one of the southernmost of the Whitsunday Islands on the Great Barrier Reef.
A Net Free Fishing Zone runs from Cape Hillsborough to St Helens, meaning commercial fishing is banned, making it ideal for recreational anglers. Fish right on the edge of the Great Barrier Reef, hook up a monster on a deep-sea expedition or troll around one of the islands just offshore. Inland, head for estuaries or dams in search of freshwater fish.