What is Green Island near Cairns?
Green Island is a small coral cay on the Great Barrier Reef, about 27 kilometres from Cairns. It is covered in rainforest and surrounded by white beaches and reef, making it a popular day trip.
The island is part of Green Island National Park and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. A boardwalk through the rainforest lets visitors explore the island's vegetation and birdlife.
Green Island is named after Charles Green, an astronomer on Captain James Cook's voyage of 1770.
Things to do
Visitors can snorkel straight from the beach, take a glass-bottom boat tour or try helmet diving. Turtles, reef fish and corals can often be seen close to shore.
The island has a resort and a crocodile and marine attraction called Marineland Melanesia, which features crocodiles, turtles and a collection of art.
Ferries make the journey from Cairns in under an hour, making Green Island one of the easiest ways to see the Great Barrier Reef. The island is small enough to walk around in about 45 minutes.
Because the island is so close to Cairns, many visitors combine a morning on Green Island with an afternoon exploring the city's Esplanade lagoon.