Through the warm months, marine turtles return to the quiet beaches of the Fraser Coast and K'gari (Fraser Island) to nest. Loggerhead, green and flatback turtles all use the region's sandy shores, hauling themselves above the high-tide line under cover of darkness to dig a chamber and lay a clutch of around a hundred soft-shelled eggs before slipping back to the sea.
When to go
Nesting peaks from November to February. It happens at night, and a nesting female should never be approached from the front or lit up — torchlight and camera flashes can cause her to abandon the attempt and return to the water without laying.
Watching responsibly
If you're lucky enough to come across a nesting turtle, stay well back, keep low, and switch off white lights. The same beaches host the hatchlings a few months later, so every successful nest matters. Joining a guided, permitted turtle program is the surest — and safest — way to witness nesting without disturbing it.