If you visit Tangalooma for a day what can you expect to see? Tangalooma is an island resort, on the western side of Moreton Island just off the coast of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

Moreton Island is the third largest sand island in the world, and has been mined for its sand over the years, so you can imagine the sand is pretty amazing.

The fine white sand, creates incredibly beautiful crystal clear blue green waters. As picturesque as those waters are it is what lies within that is the most tempting part of a day in Tangalooma.

The waters of Moreton Bay are home to many different kinds of marine animals.

On a winter day trip to Tangalooma in 2007, my sister and I managed to see:

• rare indo-pacific humpback dolphins in the mouth of the Brisbane River
• inshore bottlenose dolphins
• a herd of dugongs
• turtles
• starfish
• stingrays
• flying fish
• sea birds

We saw all of those and more on an eco cruise from Tangalooma Island Resort, all in the space of about 3 hours!

It is hard to recreate the atmosphere in a photo, but a few of these give a hint of the beauty that you can find just an hour and half away from central Brisbane by boat.

Tangalooma Island Resort runs daily cruises from their Brisbane wharf. Launches typically leave at around Brisbane at 10am and Tangalooma at 4pm. You arrive in Tangalooma usually before 11.30am which gives you plenty of time to explore.

Optional tours are possible, such as the Dugong Eco tour we took and where many of these photos were taken. During winter months it is also possible to do a Moreton Bay whale watching tour.

Tangalooma resort has many facilities, if you fancy a swim don't forget your swimming togs, towel and a snorkel if you have one. The Tangalooma Wrecks are a short walk up the beach from the resort for those who fancy something a bit more energetic than animal watching or cruising.