Ocean Rafting

Ocean Rafting "THE ORIGINAL AND MOST AWARDED TOUR IN THE WHITSUNDAYS"

Ocean Rafting visits the “Wild Side” of the Whitsunday Islands!
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Ocean Rafting visits the “Wild Side” of the Whitsunday Islands, the uninhabited islands with beautiful natural scenery brimming with marine, bird and animal life. There are two exciting tour options, the Northern Exposure and Southern Lights. Each Ocean Rafting day offers three days in one, including an exhilarating ride to Whitehaven Beach, pristine snorkelling reefs and guided Whitsunday Island

National Parks walks. Ocean Rafting is the only tour to have direct access to the stunning and iconic Hill Inlet beach, and special snorkel sites at Hook Island and Border Island ensure a memorable underwater experience. The semi rigid inflatable vessels are super fast allowing guests to experience a fun ride, adventure and education amongst the natural beauty of the Whitsundays. The vessels were originally designed and built as rescue crafts and are driven by 500hp engines. 70% of the vessel is shaded providing comfort from our tropical sun. 32 passengers at most allows for personal snorkelling lessons and the pleasure of a small group. A buffet style lunch is served at the beach with plenty of time to swim in the turquoise ocean or just relax on the silica white sand. Ocean Rafting has been operating since 1997 and is proud to have special permits allowing its vessels to visit protected areas in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. The Skipper and Eco Host will ensure guests have a fun filled adventure and personalised service, from the courtesy bus pick up in the morning to snorkel lessons and a guided National Park walk in the Whitsunday Islands.

Ocean Rafting is excited to announce the last Women in Boating networking event for 2024! For all our local mates, head ...
26/11/2024

Ocean Rafting is excited to announce the last Women in Boating networking event for 2024!

For all our local mates, head down to support the women of the Whitsundays and our latest Master Reef Guide - Jess as they share what's up on the Reef.

Women in Boating – On the Reef
Thursday 5th December | 5.30pm – 7pm | Coral Sea Marina, The Lookout Lounge

Mingle with like-minded people and learn from women in the boating and environmental industries to be inspired by their love of the water and the Great Barrier Reef!

Discover more about... Whales of the Whitsundays, Project Manta, Waste to Wonder, Reef Restoration, Whitsunday Maritime Training Centre and Nautilass Marine… Plus - Enjoy some Reef Trivia!

Please feel free to spread the word and invite your friends to this epic event at Coral Sea Marina.

To RSVP, please reply to [email protected].

We hope you can join us!

HEY SCHOOLIES...There's still time to level-up your Schoolies celebrations with our Schoolies Special - $175* including ...
25/11/2024

HEY SCHOOLIES...

There's still time to level-up your Schoolies celebrations with our Schoolies Special - $175* including lunch and suit! 🤘🐐

Give your Schoolies celebrations a glow-up with the original high-key experience - Ocean Rafting - that simply gives you life!

Picture you and a boat-load of other Schoolies aboard our slay demon boats taking you to Hill Inlet, Whitehaven Beach and the Great Barrier Reef.

LFG! Whether your aura is chill out or flat out, Ocean Rafting will get you to the most ‘Gramable destinations your feed has ever seen!

To book, visit our 'Specials' tab on our website, or click the link in our bio, and use code ‘SCHOOLIES24’ to score the discount! 😜



*Valid for travel until Sunday 1st December 2024. Must have valid 2024 Schoolies ID/Wristband to receive this special. Standard terms and conditions apply. Refer to brochure or website for further details.

Let us book you in for the ultimate lunch reservation spot! 👌Ever imagined stepping right off a boat onto the pristine s...
21/11/2024

Let us book you in for the ultimate lunch reservation spot! 👌

Ever imagined stepping right off a boat onto the pristine sands of Whitehaven Beach for lunch? Well, with Ocean Rafting, you can! Grab a cold drink from the bar, enjoy a delicious lunch pack (or bring your own picnic) and dive into the delicious blue water for a post lunch swim.

Ocean Rafting offers exclusive access to the swirling sands of Hill Inlet and has the ability to pull straight up on the beach for easy access on and off.

Christmas holidays will book out fast - reserve your spot now! 🍽

We cater for most allergies and dietary requirements too!

Meet some of the people protecting our patch of the Great Barrier Reef! 🤿Our team are fortunate enough to share the wond...
20/11/2024

Meet some of the people protecting our patch of the Great Barrier Reef! 🤿

Our team are fortunate enough to share the wonders of the World Heritage listed with our guests every day of the year. Having this opportunity, creates a natural curiosity, and love, for this incredible underwater ecosystem amongst our team. Through the Tourism Reef Protection Initiative, our team now has the opportunity to give back to this icon, and provide real data to marine park managers to help preserve and protect our patch of Reef.

The Tourism Reef Protection Initiative - funded by the Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority as part of the Government's Reef Protection Package - allows our team to continue contributing valuable data back to the managers of the . Through the Survey methods, our team are further enhancing our site stewardship activities at many of our regular snorkel sites on our tours. This Initiative also allows us to remove coral eating predators, such as Crown of Thorn Starfish and Drupella snails, preserving our local coral health and resilience.

Stay tuned as we keep you updated with all of our eco initiatives! 🤙

🥇 Stoked to shine GOLD for the second consecutive year as Queensland Tourism Awards 'Major Tour and Transport Operator'!...
15/11/2024

🥇 Stoked to shine GOLD for the second consecutive year as Queensland Tourism Awards 'Major Tour and Transport Operator'! 🥇

Everything Ocean Rafting touches turn to gold – they’ve taken out the top gong for a second consecutive year for ‘Major Tour and Transport Operators’!

Ocean Rafting’s tours are shore to thrill - offering everything from heart-racing rides to unforgettable snorkel stops. With small, personalised groups, every guest feels like a part of the crew. Congratulations to the Whitsundays team.

Silver winner: Red Cat Adventures
Bronze winner: Sea World Cruises

🎉 YOU BEAUTY! 🎉Ocean Rafting and our team are beyond stoked to take out two incredible awards at the 2024 Queensland Tou...
15/11/2024

🎉 YOU BEAUTY! 🎉

Ocean Rafting and our team are beyond stoked to take out two incredible awards at the 2024 Queensland Tourism Awards! 🫶

It's been 28 years since Ocean Rafting first brought a splash of gold to the turquoise Whitsundays waters! Now, we're stoked to bring back another splash of gold (and bronze) to the Whitsundays with the following awards:

🥇 GOLD - Major Tour & Transport Operator Award

🥉 BRONZE - Adventure Tourism Award

These accolades honor the passion and dedication of our amazing team—past and present—who have shaped Ocean Rafting into what it is today. Since 1997, we’ve been privileged to share the wonders of Ngaro Sea Country - the breathtaking Visit Whitsundays, Queensland, Australia and Great Barrier Reef - to over 2.5 million people. Remaining proudly family-owned and operated, our legacy spans three generations of the Lark and Claxton families, alongside countless incredible individuals who’ve joined our journey. Together, we’re stoked to raise these awards for our incredible team, and all of those who have made Ocean Rafting what it is today!

On behalf of the Ocean Rafting family, to our family and friends, loyal agents, supportive industry and government partners, our First Nation friends who allow us to share their Land and Sea Country, our fellow tourism operators and to you, our guests and customers who allow us to continue to do what we love most - we thank you!

These awards are for you, as much as they're for us, so cheers to us, and cheers to you! 🥂

Special thanks to Queensland Tourism Industry Council and sponsors for supporting our industry, and allowing us all to come together for another epic night. Huge congratulations to all the award winners and nominees - we’re proud to stand alongside you in celebrating Queensland's tourism industry.

A massive good luck to our very own Kerr (Ops Manager), Jas (Office Manager) and Nate (Sales Captain) as they join our i...
15/11/2024

A massive good luck to our very own Kerr (Ops Manager), Jas (Office Manager) and Nate (Sales Captain) as they join our incredible industry at the 2024 Queensland Tourism Awards! 👏

Ocean Rafting is in the running for 'Major Tour & Transport' and 'Adventure Tourism' at the Queensland wide awards tonight!

A massive good luck to our fellow Visit Whitsundays, Queensland, Australia tourism colleagues, and no matter the result, we're all already winners! 🎉

Watch live on the Queensland Tourism Industry Council's page!

HEY SCHOOLIES - LEVEL UP WITH THE G.O.A.T’S SCHOOLIES SPECIAL - $175* including lunch and suit! 🤘🐐Give your Schoolies ce...
13/11/2024

HEY SCHOOLIES - LEVEL UP WITH THE G.O.A.T’S SCHOOLIES SPECIAL - $175* including lunch and suit! 🤘🐐

Give your Schoolies celebrations a glow-up with the original high-key experience - Ocean Rafting - that simply gives you life!

Picture you and a boat-load of other Schoolies aboard our slay demon boats taking you to Hill Inlet, Whitehaven Beach and the Great Barrier Reef.

LFG! Whether your aura is chill out or flat out, Ocean Rafting will get you to the most ‘Gramable destinations your feed has ever seen!

To book, visit our 'Specials' tab on our website, or click the link in our bio, and use code ‘SCHOOLIES24’ to score the discount! 😜



Schoolies
Tourism Whitsundays
Whitsunday Regional Council

*Valid for travel between Saturday 16th November 2024 to Sunday 1st December 2024. Must have valid 2024 Schoolies ID/Wristband to receive this special. Standard terms and conditions apply. Refer to brochure or website for further details.

Ocean Rafting would like to say a massive thank-you, and congratulations to the  Volunteer Cruise Ship Ambassadors - Air...
12/11/2024

Ocean Rafting would like to say a massive thank-you, and congratulations to the Volunteer Cruise Ship Ambassadors - Airlie Beach for celebrating their 20th birthday! 🎉

Since 2004, these incredible volunteers have welcomed over 1 million passengers and helped make the Visit Whitsundays, Queensland, Australia one of Australia’s top cruise destinations. They've welcomed people from around the world, offered a Whitsundays smile and support to ensure they have a memorable visit in our incredible community.

Thanks for all of your work, and here's to another 20 years 🥂

This was our weekend...How's your next weekend looking?📷  Visit Whitsundays, Queensland, Australia Visit Queensland, Aus...
10/11/2024

This was our weekend...

How's your next weekend looking?

📷

Visit Whitsundays, Queensland, Australia Visit Queensland, Australia Australia.com

They've swapped salt for swagger at this years  Tourism Awards 👌Representing both Ocean Rafting, and our sister company ...
07/11/2024

They've swapped salt for swagger at this years Tourism Awards 👌

Representing both Ocean Rafting, and our sister company Ocean Safari in Cape Tribulation, our very own (left to right) Nathan, Clem and Cole are attending tonights Adventure Tourism Awards on the beautiful Gold Coast.

Both Ocean Rafting and Ocean Safari are nominated for the following:

🏅Best Day Tour/Activity - Australia & New Zealand

🏅Eco-Tourism Award - Australia & New Zealand!

We wish our team, and our industry colleagues all the best for tonights awards!

Let the adventure (awards) begin! 🎉

🎉 Happy 28th Birthday Ocean Rafting! 🎉For almost three decades, Ocean Rafting has shared our stunning backyard - the Whi...
05/11/2024

🎉 Happy 28th Birthday Ocean Rafting! 🎉

For almost three decades, Ocean Rafting has shared our stunning backyard - the Whitsundays and Great Barrier Reef - with tens of thousands of people from around the world, and provided employment opportunities for hundreds more!

After all these years, we’re proud to remain family owned and operated, and boast three generations of the Claxton and Lark families who still work in the business today!

It’s been a wild ride! With highs and lows, peaks and troughs, the business has grown, as our families, and as our team has grown. From humble beginnings in 1997 with our original vessels, Wild Thing and Jammin', the business has blossomed to now boast a fleet of 8 custom designed vessels, multiple planes operating scenic flights as part of our Fly Raft package, and sister companies in Cape Tribulation - Ocean Safari, Turtle Rock Cafe and the Safari Lodge.

Operating a 7 day a week, 364 day a year business is no easy feat. So to still, after 28 years be recognised as an internationally recognised tourism operation in our little home of Airlie Beach, is an outstanding achievement. As the original, and most awarded tour in the Whitsundays, Ocean Rafting remains committed to delivering another 28 years of memories to our guests, to continue to care for the local environment through a range of stewardship activities, to keep walking alongside the Traditional Owners of the lands we live and work on, and to ensure our team continues to give you the ride of your life!

We would like to once again thank you. From our incredible team - past and present, our families and friends, our industry, government and scientific partners, our First Nation friends who allow us to share their Country, our loyal agents, and to you - our guests, we thank you! We thank you for allowing us to do what we do, to welcome you onboard, and leave you with sun-kissed skin and a big bloody smile on your face! 🙏

Here’s to us, here’s to you, here’s to another 28 years! 💙💛💙💛

HEY SCHOOLIES - LEVEL UP WITH THE G.O.A.T’S SCHOOLIES SPECIAL - $175* including lunch and suit! 🤘🐐Give your Schoolies ce...
02/11/2024

HEY SCHOOLIES - LEVEL UP WITH THE G.O.A.T’S SCHOOLIES SPECIAL - $175* including lunch and suit! 🤘🐐

Give your Schoolies celebrations a glow-up with the original high-key experience - Ocean Rafting - that simply gives you life!

Picture you and a boat-load of other Schoolies aboard our slay demon boats taking you to Hill Inlet, Whitehaven Beach and the Great Barrier Reef.

LFG! Whether your aura is chill out or flat out, Ocean Rafting will get you to the most ‘Gramable destinations your feed has ever seen!

To book, visit our 'Specials' tab on our website, or click the link in the comments, and use code ‘SCHOOLIES24’ to score the discount! 😜

Schoolies

*Valid for travel between Saturday 16th November 2024 to Sunday 1st December 2024. Must have valid 2024 Schoolies ID/Wristband to receive this special. Standard terms and conditions apply. Refer to brochure or website for further details.

Where's your weekend taking you?The World Heritage wonders of the Great Barrier Reef await! For those avid snorkelers, o...
01/11/2024

Where's your weekend taking you?

The World Heritage wonders of the Great Barrier Reef await! For those avid snorkelers, our Northern Exposure tour offers two epic snorkel sites, bushwalking's to check-out the swirling sands of Hill Inlet, and plenty of time for lunch and a swim in Hill Inlet 👌

For almost three decades, Ocean Rafting has brought a splash of gold to the turquoise waters of the Whitsundays! Now, th...
25/10/2024

For almost three decades, Ocean Rafting has brought a splash of gold to the turquoise waters of the Whitsundays! Now, that gold will glisten a little brighter as Ocean Rafting splashes into the Tourism Whitsundays ‘Hall of Fame’ in the categories of Major Tour & Transport Operator and as the People’s Choice Award winner. 💙

After three consecutive years taking home these top prizes at the Whitsundays Tourism Awards, Ocean Rafting has cemented itself in the history books with the ‘Hall of Fame’ recognition - which is awarded to businesses who take home these awards three years running. 🏅

These recognitions are a testament to the dedication, enthusiasm and professionalism our team bring day-in-day-out, rain or shine! It's a reflection of 28 years of hard-work, innovation and continued passion. It recognises our adaptability to evolve with the times, while remaining true to our core values of giving people epic experiences, in some of the planets most stunning locations!

Our teams unwavering commitment to delivering consistently excellent experiences in the Whitsundays and Great Barrier Reef is reflected in the Hall of Fame recognition. What’s even better, is the fact that our guests, the community, and peers have spoken honestly, and once again selected Ocean Rafting as their favourite experience.

The People's Choice award has always been special to our team. It reflects the genuine opinions and preferences of everyday people. The award celebrates authenticity - chosen directly by the public without influence - highlighting what truly resonates with the audience, and what they value as their first choice in tourism operators.

Ocean Rafting would like to thank our staff, our partners, our industry partners, our family and friends, and you - the people who after 28 years continue to support us, vote for us, and jump onboard one of our experiences for the ride of their life.

We thank you! 🙏

Visit Whitsundays, Queensland, Australia

Have you met Celeste? Check out how this rockstar made her way to Ocean Rafting 🤘
24/10/2024

Have you met Celeste? Check out how this rockstar made her way to Ocean Rafting 🤘

🌊MEET YOUR TOUR GUIDE🌊

Meet Celeste Cockram from Ocean Rafting! 🌊✨

Celeste’s passion for the ocean and Whitsundays adventures makes every trip unforgettable. From snorkelling the reef to exploring Whitehaven Beach, she loves sharing these breathtaking experiences with guests.

Star Sign: Leo
Favorite Movie: Wolf of Wall Street
Favorite Color: Pink
Favorite Holiday Destination: Somewhere new and full of culture
Favorite Music: Soul music & old rock
Favorite Quote: "Live more, fear less."

Discover more about Celeste's journey with Ocean Rafting here: https://tinyurl.com/234p6pf6

28 years ago today, the Visit Whitsundays, Queensland, Australia first shone gold - as the first two Ocean Rafting boats...
20/10/2024

28 years ago today, the Visit Whitsundays, Queensland, Australia first shone gold - as the first two Ocean Rafting boats hit the water!

Now, Ocean Rafting continues to shine gold over these turquoise waters, after taking home several awards at the 2024 Whitsundays Tourism Awards, including:

🥇GOLD & HALL OF FAME - Major Tour & Transport Operator
🏅 WINNER & HALL OF FAME- People's Choice Award
🥈 SILVER - Adventure Tourism Award

These awards are a credit to our incredible team - past and present - who continue to make our business what it is today. Since 1997, we have been privileged to share the wonders of Ngaro Sea Country - the Whitsundays and Great Barrier Reef - with the world, and now after 28 years, we're proud to remain a family owned and operated local business. With three generations of the Lark and Claxton families at our helm, and hundreds of incredible individuals who have joined our team on this journey over the years, we're proud to be able to continue to take the podium, and raise these awards for all those who have made Ocean Rafting what it is today!

On behalf of the Ocean Rafting family, to our family and friends, loyal agents, supportive industry and government partners, our First Nation friends who allow us to share their Land and Sea Country, our fellow tourism operators and to you, our guests and customers who allow us to continue to do what we love most - we thank you!

These awards are for you, as much as they're for us, so cheers to us, and cheers to you! 🥂

We would also like to thank Tourism Whitsundays for facilitating these awards - at Daydream Island Resort & Living Reef - and their continued support for our industry, and the Whitsundays region. We'd also like to congratulate our fellow operators and local businesses for their much deserved recognitions and awards.

A massive thankyou to Tourism Whitsundays, our incredible industry and government partners, our team, family and friends...
19/10/2024

A massive thankyou to Tourism Whitsundays, our incredible industry and government partners, our team, family and friends, and most importantly - our wonderful guests - who allow us to do what we do!

A massive thankyou to those who helped us be awarded as the winner of the People’s Choice Award at the 2024 Whitsundays Tourism Awards! 🏅

The WINNER of the People's Choice Award - Experience goes to Ocean Rafting 🎉 🎊 🏆

Address

Coral Sea Marina North Village, Shingley Drive
Airlie Beach, QLD
4802

Opening Hours

Monday 7am - 7pm
Tuesday 7am - 7pm
Wednesday 7am - 7pm
Thursday 7am - 7pm
Friday 7am - 7pm
Saturday 7am - 7pm
Sunday 7am - 7pm

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“ THE ORIGINAL AND MOST AWARDED TOUR IN THE WHITSUNDAYS”

The Fly component of the Fly and Raft tour is operated by Whitsunday Air Services Pty Ltd AOC# 1-KPVQ0 -06, a licensed and certified Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) carrier

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