Dumbell Island

Dumbell Island is a small island tucked between Whitsunday Island and Border Island, and one of the top spots in the Whitsundays to find clownfish. It is a Marine National Park (green) zone, so its reef and marine life are protected. The fringing reef is home to anemones, colourful reef fish and coral, and sea eagles are often seen overhead. With a single public mooring, it is a quiet, uncrowded stop on a calm day. On a self-skippered charter, it pairs perfectly with a night at nearby Cateran Bay.

Snorkelling at Dumbell Island

The fringing reef around Dumbell Island is a favourite for finding clownfish living among the anemones. Look for colourful reef fish and corals in the shallows.

• Clownfish: look closely at the anemones, where clownfish shelter among the tentacles. Look but don’t touch, as some corals and fish can sting.
• Gear: every guest on a Whitsunday Escape charter, including children, gets a mask, fins and snorkel free of charge. Prescription masks and wetsuits can be hired.
• Best views: snorkelling is usually best between quarter and three-quarter tide, when the water is 1 to 2.5 m above the reef.
• Stay safe: don’t swim or snorkel between dusk and dawn, in murky water, or where fish are being caught or cleaned. Always swim with a buddy, and wear a stinger suit from about November to May.

Snorkelling nearby

• • Cateran Bay, Border Island: long-protected coral, batfish and giant clams, with 7 moorings and approved overnight in south and south-east winds.
  • Whitehaven Beach, Whitsunday Island: the famous white silica beach.
  • Tongue Bay and Hill Inlet, Whitsunday Island: turtles in the shallows and the Hill Inlet lookout.
  • Hook Passage: Cairn Beach snorkelling and the Whitsunday Cairn track.

Birdlife

Dumbell Island is home to a wide variety of birds, including sea eagles. Some small islands have seasonal exclusion zones to protect nesting birds, so check the updates in 100 Magic Miles before going ashore.

Best time to visit Dumbell Island

You can snorkel here all year, with water of about 23°C in winter and 27°C in summer. Dumbell Island is a daytime stop for light weather only, so plan your visit for a calm day. Stinger season runs from about November to May, so wear a stinger suit when you swim. Arrive around midday for the best light to see the reef, and leave enough time to reach your overnight anchorage by 4pm.

How to get to Dumbell Island

• Sail yourself: Whitsunday Escape is based at Coral Sea Marina in Airlie Beach, and you get a full briefing on the boat, navigation, tides and anchorages before you leave.
• Travel time from Airlie Beach: about 3 hours by power boat, or 3.5 hours by sailing catamaran under motor, TBC.

Where to moor at Dumbell Island

Public mooring. There is 1 free public mooring. It is first come, first served, with one boat per mooring and a 2-hour limit between 7am and 4pm. Use it only in daylight, in light weather. If the mooring is taken, snorkel at Cateran Bay instead.

Anchoring. Dumbell Island is a mooring-only stop.

Overnight. Dumbell Island is not approved for overnight stays. Cateran Bay on Border Island is close by, with 7 moorings, and is approved overnight in south and south-east winds.

Mooring tip: approach at under 3 knots with the sun behind you and a lookout on the bow, so you can see the reef clearly. No fishing or spearfishing is allowed here.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you stay overnight at Dumbell Island? No. Dumbell Island is a day stop in light weather only. Cateran Bay on Border Island is the nearest overnight anchorage.

Can you see clownfish at Dumbell Island? Yes. Dumbell Island is one of the best spots in the Whitsundays to find clownfish living among the anemones.

How many moorings are at Dumbell Island? There is one public mooring, with a 2-hour limit between 7am and 4pm.

Can you anchor at Dumbell Island? No. Dumbell Island is a mooring-only stop. If the mooring is taken, head to Cateran Bay.

Can you fish at Dumbell Island? No. Dumbell Island is a Marine National Park (green) zone, so fishing and spearfishing are not allowed. See Fishing in the Whitsundays for where you can fish.

Is it Dumbell or Dumbbell Island? Both spellings are used. The island is charted as Dumbell Island.