The Great Barrier Reef

The Great Barrier Reef is one of the world’s great natural wonders. You can visit it on a day trip, sail around it, camp on a coral cay or check into one of the many resorts.

The Reef, however, doesn’t just sit off the coast, you have to make an effort to get there. Although I’ve intended to dive on the reef, I’ve never got around to it. One of the drawbacks of diving is that you have a limited time to explore. There’s so much accessible wonder on the reef, snorkelling allows you to see a lot more for a lot longer. For those who don’t want to get wet, you can see it from underwater viewing platforms, glass-bottom boats and semi-submersibles. The following is a thumbnail guide to a number of the islands.

The Southern Reef Islands - Offshore from Bundaberg to Rockhampton

Lady Elliot Island is a small coral cay that has significant bird rookeries and turtle nesting. There’s a low-key resort (budget to deluxe) offering a casual atmosphere to accommodation. The best part is you are actually staying on the reef, so there are no boat rides to get there. Step off the beach and snorkel, swim or scuba dive in the worlds richest marine eco system.

Lady Montague also has turtles, prolific bird life and a navigable lagoon. Camping only (permit required).

The whole of Heron Island is a national park. Again turtles come ashore to lay eggs from December to March and hatching happens from February to May. The reef experience is exclusively for guests with the emphasis is on exploring and discovering the natural attractions. On Heron, meals are included in the tariff and there’s a range of resort accommodation to suit different budgets. Excellent diving and snorkelling and children are welcome.

North West Island is the second largest cay and is for camping only. It’s a breeding site for common noddy and wedge-tailed shearwaters and turtles also come ashore.

Great Keppel has 30km of white, sandy beaches and a variety of accommodation from tents & cabins to a resort. Contiki Resorts cater for the 18-35 year olds – an attraction or deterrent, depending on your holiday wish list. Nearly half the guests are singles and Contiki will arrange (same sex) room shares.

Most of the Whitsunday Islands are uninhabited and sailing your own boat, or chartering one, is a wonderful way to explore.

Brampton Island has a national park and wildlife sanctuary with beautiful beaches, bushwalking (there’s a koala colony) and a snorkelling trail with an underwater map. There’s resort style accommodation to suit all tastes with the A to Z of activities and facilities. After a refurbish that includes a new cocktail pool, Brampton is now targeting honeymooners. Children are okay but there are no organised activities.

Lindeman is home to Club Med so there’s golf and organised activities. There are secluded beaches with great bird and butterfly watching. The resort has 3 restaurants, 3 bars and 218 comfortable rooms, most have a terrace offering ocean views. Children are welcome from age two at the Petit and Mini Club Med (no crèche though) and the island is ideal for families with teenagers.

Hamilton Island has the biggest and best facilities – which can be a plus or minus depending on what you want from a holiday. There’s a wide range of accommodation, but sharing your island with up to 1500 other people may not appeal to those wanting to get away from it all. The facilities though, are excellent. Apart from the pools, restaurants, colourful cocktails and nightlife, there’s a school, shops, bank, post office and a 200-berth marina and you can fly there direct from Sydney and Brisbane. However, there’s no coral snorkelling.

Long Island is home to Club Crocodile family resort, Palm Bay Hideaway and South Long Island Nature Lodge. There are excellent walking tracks. At Club Croc, there’s a free kid's club with supervised daytime and dinnertime activities for the 4-14 year olds, so everyone gets a holiday. A good spot for a budget family break. Palm Bay Hideaway is small (20 cabins) and elegant, focusing on romantic getaways – no phones or TV – for couples, honeymooners, gay couples – children are not encouraged, simply by charging the adult rate. South Long Island Nature Lodge is a secluded island retreat catering for a maximum of ten guests with fine dining, premium Australian wines, and personalised service, in a friendly, homely atmosphere and a spectacular unspoilt natural environment. The all inclusive tariff includes helicopter tours plus private yacht cruises to explore the coral gardens, deserted beaches and unique wildlife of the surrounding Whitsunday Islands and Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. A perfect escape for couples and singles seeking a truly unique experience (no single surcharge applies).

South Molle has a golf course, is sheltered and has great views of the Whitsundays from the island’s peaks. The 3.5 to 4 star resort accommodation has family rooms and a kids club year round for children 0-5 years and during QLD, VIC, NSW school holidays for children 6-12 years. A good value family resort that is famous for its Friday Polynesian and seafood nights.

Daydream is a small volcanic rock and coral island with dense foliage and a luxury resort that caters for couples and families. Owned by Novotel, the resort recently undertook a 40 million dollar refurbishment and has excellent facilities including a kids club, health spa and film screen at the water’s edge.

The uninhabited Whitsunday Islands offer bush and beach walking and camping only. A day trip to Whitehaven Beach is popular with yachties and day-trippers (from Airlie Beach or Hamilton/Hayman islands) simply because it’s arguably the world’s best beach. The softest, whitest sand, stunning scenery and the fact that it is a bit inaccessible make it a wonderful experience.

Hook Island has a wilderness lodge with cabins, campsites and an underwater observatory.

Hayman Island is close to the outer reef and is a luxury 5 star resort (it’s just had a $12 million facelift) that is constantly winning tourism awards for excellence. If budget isn’t high on the holiday list, this may be the island for you. Beautifully appointed accommodation reflects a relaxed resort style and superb service, fine food, breathtaking views are all apart of the Hayman Island experience. There’s the ‘Kidz Club’ and a creche.

The Tropical North islands - Offshore between Townsville and Cooktown

Magnetic Island has a permanent population and a range of accommodation (most self-contained) from budget to deluxe with excellent beaches and walking tracks. Known as ‘Maggie’ to the locals, it’s just 15 minutes from Townsville by ferry.

Orpheus is a small island surrounded by coral reefs offering 4.5 star, mostly beachfront, resort accommodation. No children here – it’s a romantic island with secluded beaches and a maximum of 66 guests at any one time. Award winning chefs specialise in fresh seafood daily and all meals are included in the tariff. For a romantic evening, Dine with the Tides under the stars on the wooden jetty The island appeals to honeymooners and international travellers and the fact that 40% of guests are having their second or third holiday there speaks volumes.

Hinchinbrook is a national park with secluded sandy beaches, waterfalls and a small eco-friendly resort. The luxury eco-resort consists of a main lodge for activities, reception, restaurant, lounge and bar. Stay in self contained beach cabins or your own private tree house where the meals are included in your tariff. Kids are welcome but there’s no club. An excellent place to unwind and you can make friends with rare dugongs or Sly the giant groper.

Bedarra is an exclusive, discreet, luxurious resort with no day visitors or children under 15. The resort takes a maximum of 35 people with only 15 villas on the whole island. All villas have spas, balconies and split-level living. The meals are prepared fresh daily by a team of chefs, and the beverages are included in your tariff, too. The place to go if you’re a celebrity wanting anonymity or a celebrity spotter with deep pockets.

Dunk Island has a magnificent rainforest with prolific birdlife, butterflies and wild orchids. There’s both camping and resort accommodation. The resort offers a variety of accommodation from garden cabanas to luxury suites, a day spa, many activities, a kids club (excellent for 3 to 12 year olds, runs all year and looks after the young ones at meal times), and a good choice of restaurants.

Fitzroy has bungalow accommodation, secluded beaches and 360-degree views from the lighthouse. This one’s also for the younger demographic that likes to party (especially Friday and Saturday nights) and for couples and families who don’t mind shared facilities. Kids are welcome but there’s no club and the nudist beaches may be a turn off for some families.

Green Island is a true coral cay with a resort and is popular with day-trippers (especially Japanese). The resort accommodation suits couples and families with plenty of activities to keep you busy. Great for a quick trip to the Reef with excellent diving and snorkelling but if all you want to do is read a book and kick back, there are probably better options.

Lizard Island has excellent surrounding reefs and game fishing. The island is also renowned for its diving and the world famous cod hole. There’s camping (permit) and a small, luxury bungalow resort – if the kids are under 10, leave them with the grandparents for this holiday. All meals and most activities are included in the tariff and although the island is remote, access is easy. It’s not cheap but sometimes you have to pay for paradise.

More Information

For more information about Queensland:

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• Accommodation
• To See And Do
• Brisbane
• Gold Coast
• Sunshine Coast
• Tropical North Queensland
• From Airlie Beach to Yeppoon

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