Great Keppel Island is a 1454 hectare tropical island edged by 17 sandy beaches. It is the largest in the 14 islands known as the Keppel group.
The first European to travel through the area was Captain James Cook who sailed through the Keppel group between 25 - 27 May 1770. He experienced some difficulty with the shallowness of the water. During this time he named Great Keppel Island and Keppel Bay (after Admiral August Keppel - first Lord of the Admiralty) and Cape Capricorn.
Cook did not land at Great Keppel. Nor did Matthew Flinders who must have sighted the island in 1804 when he circumnavigated Australia.
It wasn't until 1847 that the first European, a naturalist named McGillivray, set foot near Leeke's Creek. Of course Aborigines had been using the island for thousands of years prior to this. There are well preserved middens (mounds of shells) at the western end of Long Beach.
The first European to travel through the area was Captain James Cook who sailed through the Keppel group between 25 - 27 May 1770. He experienced some difficulty with the shallowness of the water. During this time he named Great Keppel Island and Keppel Bay (after Admiral August Keppel - first Lord of the Admiralty) and Cape Capricorn.
Cook did not land at Great Keppel. Nor did Matthew Flinders who must have sighted the island in 1804 when he circumnavigated Australia.
It wasn't until 1847 that the first European, a naturalist named McGillivray, set foot near Leeke's Creek. Of course Aborigines had been using the island for thousands of years prior to this. There are well preserved middens (mounds of shells) at the western end of Long Beach.
Keppel Bay Marina at Rosslyn Bay Harbour on the Capricorn Coast
Sep ...
Police Boat, Marine Parks boat and Fisheries Boat at Rosslyn Bay Harbo ...
We followed these boats out of Rosslyn Bay Harbour
September 2008
View of Double Heads as we were leaving Rosslyn Bay Harbour
Septemb ...
Yacht in Keppel Bay
September 2008
Sailing boat making it's way past the coastline.
September 2008
View of the coastline on our trip from Rosslyn Bay to Great Keppel Isl ...
The water is always clear at Great Keppel - this is our boat the Freed ...
Fisherman's Beach is nearly deserted
September 2008
Boys paddling in the water.
September 2008
Low tide at Fisherman's Beach on Great Keppel Island.
September 200 ...
Fisherman's Beach on Great Keppel Island
September 2008
Relaxing under a palm tree on Fisherman's Beach
Taken from my chair where I was relaxing in the shade.
Kookaburra at Great Keppel Island.
September 2008
Kookaburra's view of Great Keppel Island
View from my chair - Great Keppel Island - first Island on the Great B ...
Kookaburra in a tree - hello I'm back, I've been away and have no hope ...
The koala gets its name from an ancient Aboriginal word meaning "no dr ...
Ms Perky