30 minute Reef Scenic Flight

This 30-minute scenic helicopter tour departs Cairns airport and tracks out from the mainland with views of the city of Cairns and Trinity inlet, passing False Cape where you can see the remnants of WWII defences, Mt Yarrabah, Mission Bay and Cape Grafton. From there we strike out to the inner edge of the Reef and Green Island, a 6,000 year-old coral sand island that boasts its own native rainforest eco-system. Tracking to the north, we explore the western side of Arlington Reef, home to a diverse range of marine creatures – turtles, sharks and sting rays. Continuing north we’ll circle Vlasoff Cay a tiny sand island in the middle of the reef that reduces to only a few hundred square metres in size at high tide. From Vlasoff Cay we head west, over Upolu Cay and back to Cairns taking in fantastic views of the North Queensland coastline framed by the lush rainforest-covered eastern slopes of the Great Dividing Range.

Itinerary

1. This 30-minute Great Barrier Reef scenic flight takes in the highlights of the inner reef. There is simply no better way to appreciate the sheer size and scale of the Great Barrier Reef than from the air. Expect picture-postcard views of the reef and an abundance of wildlife - sharks, turtles, rays and even whales (July to Nov).

Meeting & end point