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Meet the Dolphins – Explore Tangalooma, Brisbane
‘No stress, No crowds,
No mobile phones, No worries! Just
about sums up a holiday on this island of beauty, tranquility and
adventure. Escape to beautiful Moreton Bay - third largest Sand
Island, with a scenic cruise that in just over an hour will
bring you to the crystal clear waters and sandy shores of Tangalooma
- Brisbane's island getaway!
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Tangalooma's
wide range of resort facilities caters for everyone and
offers guests of all ages the perfect destination for unique
adventure, education, or nature based experiences in a truly
relaxed
environment.
From sun up
to sun down Tangalooma is a haven for those who want to
relax and have fun, and with over 80 activities on offer there
is
something for everyone to enjoy.
But the highlight
of any stay at the resort is the opportunity to closely interact
with nature. Be enchanted by the playful antics of the wild
dolphins that visit Tangalooma jetty each night. Echo, Nari
and the rest of the family are always full of chatter and
love to show off. Hand feed them as they gather at the shore
or watch from the jetty, either way the experience is unforgettable!
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Moreton
Island Moreton Island
was a key centre during the early days of Brisbane's penal settlement.
European settlement began in 1848 with a pilot station at Bulwer.
Cape Moreton lighthouse was the first lighthouse made from local
sandstone and still operates today. By 1920, five more lighthouses
were built, though only two now operate.
Between
1952 and 1962, Tangalooma operated a whaling station processing
about 600 whales a year, mostly humpbacks. When the whaling station
closed, the buildings were redeveloped into what now is Tangalooma
Island Resort.
Whaling
Station
Tangalooma whaling station operated from 1952 until 1962, during
which period it harvested and processed 6277 Humpback Whales. Whaling
took place when the Humpback whales migrated along the coast in
winter, in an eight- to ten-week season during which the processing
factory ran 24 hours a day. The operation was at first very successful,
employing a crew of about 140 people, but, in its final years, a
collapse in catch levels made it uneconomic to continue. When the
station began whaling, the population of eastern Australian Humpbacks
was estimated at 10,000; when it ended, the number of whales had
been reduced to an estimated 500.
In 1963 the hunting
of Humpbacks was banned in Australian waters; since then the population
has been recovering. Following the closure of the station, it was
sold for resort development.
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Marine
Education and Conservation Centre
The TMECC promotes environmental awareness. It employs full-time
marine biologists and other scientists to conduct education
programs
and nature-based tours to enhance visitors' awareness of the
surrounding ecosystems.
Wild
Dolphin Resort
The resort is well-known for the hand-feeding of wild dolphins.
Every evening at sunset a pod of up to nine bottlenose dolphins
swims to the beach in front of the resort where selected guests
can feed them, an activity supervised by the TMECC. Apart
from the dolphin feeding program, there are many tours and
other activities on offer, including whale watching cruises.
Accommodation
consists of about 300 rooms, as a variety of hotel units,
villas and apartments. The highlight of any visit to Tangalooma
is the opportunity to hand feed one of the wild bottlenose
dolphins that visit the shores each evening at sunset. There
are upto 11 of these playful creatures that visit regularly,
each with their own distinctive and unique personalities.
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You can learn
more about their quirky ways at our free daily Dolphin
Behaviour and Data Collection Presentation in the Marine
Education and Conservation Centre.
The wild dolphin
feeding program operates to strict guidelines to ensure that
the dolphins maintain their natural instincts and independence.
The dolphins are only fed between 10 to 20 percent of their
daily food requirements to ensure that they also hunt for
themselves and do not become reliant on us.
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When it comes
time to feed the dolphins be prepared to get wet. Feeding
the dolphins often requires you to walk into waist-deep water,
so wearing shorts or swimwear is ideal. A member of the Dolphin
Care Team will be there to guide you through each step
of the feeding process.
So come and
witness the undoubtedly unique experience of hand feeding
a pod of wild bottlenose dolphins.
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Contributed By: Swapnil
Gunjal, Travel Writer swapnilgunjal0201@gmail.com
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