Bobbing about on my bucket list for far too long, I’ve finally just enjoyed my first foray to heart-stealing Hamilton Island. Glamourous and gorgeous in equal measure this holiday jewel in the Whitsundays archipelago completely smashed my expectations. With an embarrassing surfeit of island vacay options in Queensland, I had assumed Hamilton Island, or Hamo as the locals call it, might just be another pleasant dime-a-dozen speck of palm-fringed sand, edging warm ocean water.  

But Hamo is so much more. This beloved resort island in the Whitsundays section of the Great Barrier Reef, serves as a magnet to a very broad church, from A-list celebrities to sun-loving families and loved-up couples. Some go for the candy-floss sunsets over the Coral Sea, others for the crystalline aquamarine water promising magical underwater encounters, while many are lured by the indulgent culinary scene, resort culture and day-spa pampering. hamiltonisland.com.au 

Crystal clear waters around Hamilton Island. Photo / Tourism Queensland

From New Zealand, whether you fly via Sydney or Brisbane, Qantas, Virgin, and Jetstar all offer direct flights to Hamilton Island, making it a very accessible escape, serenaded by a dramatic —even ethereal— entrance. The glittering spectacle of the Whitsundays fanning out into the Coral Sea is a final approach scene out the window I will never forget. Hamilton Island is owned by the Oatley family, who made their fortune in wine. Bob Oatley purchased the island in 2003 for $200 million. About half a billion dollars has since been invested ramping up the island’s stature as a premier holiday destination, with its alluring assortment of accommodations, eateries and amenities.  

The airport was just a five-minute shuttle drive away from my accommodation, the towering resort icon of Reef View Hotel. The highly outgoing, effervescent staff warmly greeted me as I settled into my super-spacious Coral Sea View Room, with all the four-star frills laid on, including mini-bar, room service and in-house movies. The appealing design palette exudes a pared-back coastal chic aesthetic, with nautical tones of navy, white and pebble grey. Best of all, the private balcony directly opposite the palm-fringed sweep of Catseye Beach, which is one of the few north-facing beaches to be found anywhere on the east coast of Australia. The lush, undulating landscape, gleaming turquoise waters and bubbly resort vibe is very reminiscent of Hawai’i. 

Catseye Beach. Photo / Tourism Queensland

Gazing dreamily over the wondrous beach and sea views, in all its playful moods and shifting light, framed by the corrugated silhouette of the Whitsundays archipelago, balcony viewing time became a much-repeated ritual. Nature reigns supreme in these parts. Directly below me, nonchalant wallabies bounced around the manicured lawns fronting the hotel, while a cheeky flock of cockatoos routinely perched on my balcony railing, hoping I would ignore the guest advice and feed them – or even worse, leave the balcony door open so they could ram-raid my accommodation. Don’t do that either! They have even learnt how to open and raid the minibar.  

Cockatoos on the balcony. Photo / Mike Yardley 

Adding to the resort ethos, hotel stays also include complimentary shuttle bus transfers to and from the airport and marina; use of catamarans, windsurfers, kayaks, stand up paddleboards and snorkelling equipment; gym, spa, sauna & tennis court hire; free WiFi; buggy hire; plus the Kids Stay & Eat Free offer, which is available across a host of eateries. The resort pools are truly dazzling. I was quite content with the 35-metre-long pool at Reef View Hotel, but across the road, the Main Pool is a watery wonderland with all the trappings of a five-star resort.  

Open to everyone, this is the largest swimming pool on the island and, with its free-form shape, it offers space for kids to splash, chilled-out nooks and shady spots flanked by tropical gardens. There’s even a swim-up bar and live music sessions. The spectacle of hundreds of golf buggies buzzing about is a quintessential Hamilton Island image. Being car-free gives Hamilton Island a distinctly relaxed and tranquil ambience. The easy-to-drive buggies make for a great way to zip about at pace, particularly went you want to lug it up to the hill-top lookouts, although I ended up savouring most of this island’s treats on-foot. 

Main Pool on Hamilton Island. Photo / Mike Yardley 

The thing about Hamilton Island’s sweet embrace is that you can as little or as much as you want, with excursions galore on the water. One thing you really should do is strike out on the trails, with over 20km of scenic walks and private beaches to explore. Coral Cove is a heart-stealer, secluded and peaceful with lovely views south to Lindeman Island. I also jaunted up to Flat Top Hill lookout, which serves up a sweeping vista to the north and south of Hamilton Island. Want to go higher? It’s quite a thigh-burner but slog your way up to the top of Passage Peak and you’ll be rewarded with the wide-angled view of views of the Whitsundays, fanning out across the Coral Sea like a low-slung crocodile.  A winning spot to watch the slumping sunbathe proceedings in a tangerine glow is at One Tree Hill. The sunset bar is open for magic hour, so you won’t be lacking for sundowners.  

Sunset at One Tree Hill. Photo / Tourism Queensland

Hamilton Island unquestionably beckons as a red-hot dining destination with a head-turning array of culinary headliners, to stimulate all palates. If you’re partial to Southeast Asian street food, Coca Chu has your name written on it. Overlooking the soothing silica white sands of Catseye Beach, Coca Chu’s fun, vibrant menu bursts with bold Asian flavours, inspired by the hawker food scene, intertwined with fresh Aussie produce and zesty cocktails. I started with Coffin Bay oysters drizzled in finger lime and yaksu dressing, before noshing on the most splendid bowl of noodles mixed with clay pot sesame chicken, baby corn and broccolini. 

For posh nosh, I dined at Beach Club Restaurant, a child-free venue with a serene beachfront setting, and sporting a contemporary, seasonal menu. This was an elegant, graceful experience, where I savoured two superbly executed dishes. The beef tartare was dressed in aged parmesan, smoked mayonnaise, horseradish, pickled shallot and toasted croutons. I followed that up with a plate of chicken rillette, that was accompanied with horseradish mayonnaise, cornichons, capers, crispy shredded potato. An irresistible fine-dining encounter. 

Catering to higher-end visitors, The Sundays is a new luxury boutique hotel opening that has fast cultivated a solid reputation with discerning travellers. It’s also home to the Catseye Pool Club, where island-style dining is to the fore, blending the spirit of a long lunch with distinct tropical Queensland feels. It’s helmed by world-renowned Australian chef Josh Niland and his wife Julie. With a kick-ass negroni in hand, I ordered up the wild fish tacos, which my charming waiter from Milan, Fabio, highly recommended. He wasn’t wrong.  

Tacos and sides at Catseye Pool Club. Photo / Mike Yardley 

Fabio effortlessly transformed into a human conveyer belt rolling out a spree of condiments from which I would construct my tacos with. The fish fillets and white corn tortillas were served alongside a selection of bowls loaded with avocado, coriander, lime, cucumber, garlic, green chilli and a bush tomato salsa. These tacos were the best and biggest flavour explosion of the entire trip. Be sure to leave room for Julie’s Chocolate Cake, which is served with passionfruit curd and crème fraiche. Feeling indecently greedy, I sampled the glazed pineapple galette, topped with sugarcane rum ice cream. Magnifico! 

One final culinary treat I would suggest is to skip across the water for lunch at the Hamilton Island Golf Club. Set on neighbouring Dent Island, it’s just a 15 minute ferry ride across the Dent Passage from the marina. Celebrating its 15th anniversary this year, the Hamilton Island Golf Club is unquestionably one of the most beautiful golf venues on the globe. During construction, massive sandstone boulders the size of cars were extracted from the site and crushed into sand to create the bunkers.  

The steep ridges and deep vales makes this a particularly challenging course – and a “carts-only” course, too. The extraordinary views as you are trying to tee off will leave you breathless. Blame any bad shots on the visual distractions. But whether you’re going for the golf or not, definitely stay for lunch in the Clubhouse, wrapped in panoramic glory. The a la carte menu is mouth-watering, including seared scallops in saffron butter sauce and slow-cooked wagyu steak.  

The Hamilton Island Golf Club from above. Photo / Tourism Queensland 

Whether you’re a sun-seeker, adventurer or epicurean, the Whitsundays is the perfect destination for every type of holiday, with direct 90-minute flights from Brisbane to Hamilton Island. It’s just one of the many jewels in Queensland’s crown. For more holiday inspiration on the many marvels of the Sunshine State, head to queensland.com 

Mike Yardley is Newstalk ZB’s resident traveller and can be heard every week at 11.20am on Saturday Mornings with Jack Tame.