Whitsunday Islands
The Whitsunday group consists of some 70 islands lying within a 50km radius of Shute Harbor, the main starting point for trips to the islands. They are perhaps the best-known group, and the best-equipped to cater for tourists, in the Great Barrier Reef area.
The islands were given their name by Captain Cook, who sailed between them (through what is now known as the Whitsunday Passage) at Whitsun 1770. The name is not quite correct, for Cook in writing his log forgot that he had crossed the international date line. He did not at first observe the outer reef, some 60km from Shute Harbor - though he had been surprised at the unusually calm sea - and noticed it only when his ship, the Endeavor, ran aground on the reef off Cooktown which thereafter was known as the Endeavor Reef.
The Whitsunday Islands are continental islands, the summits of a coastal range of hills emerging from the sea which has submerged them. All but five of them have been declared National Parks. On the mainland opposite the islands is Conway National Park (Airlie Beach).
The islands were given their name by Captain Cook, who sailed between them (through what is now known as the Whitsunday Passage) at Whitsun 1770. The name is not quite correct, for Cook in writing his log forgot that he had crossed the international date line. He did not at first observe the outer reef, some 60km from Shute Harbor - though he had been surprised at the unusually calm sea - and noticed it only when his ship, the Endeavor, ran aground on the reef off Cooktown which thereafter was known as the Endeavor Reef.
The Whitsunday Islands are continental islands, the summits of a coastal range of hills emerging from the sea which has submerged them. All but five of them have been declared National Parks. On the mainland opposite the islands is Conway National Park (Airlie Beach).
Hobbies & Activities category: Region with significant interests
Attractions within Whitsunday Islands
Daydream Island
Daydream Island, also known as West Molle, is the smallest island in the Whitsunday group, with an area of only 10ha. It is covered with dense rain forest vegetation, with hills up to 50m high.
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Hamilton Island
Although it has an area of only 6 sq.km, Hamilton is the island in the Whitsunday group best equipped to cater for tourists, with 2500 beds in apartment complexes and two high-rise hotels. In
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Excursions
A popular excursion is through the hills in the north of Hamilton Island to the fauna park on the coast. Apart from the descendants of the goats, which in the past were left on the island to
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Resort Complex
In picturesque Catseye Bay with its marvelously beautiful beach is a modern resort complex (children welcome). On the slopes above the water are a white villa belonging to Keith Williams, one of
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Sport
Hamilton Island offers opportunities for every conceivable form of sport. On the main island there are tennis and squash courts, a fitness center and facilities for all kinds of water sports
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Hayman Island
This continental island (i.e. an island on the continental shelf), the most northerly of the inhabited islands in the Whitsunday group, has an area of 4 sq.km, with hills rising to 250m. Hayman was
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Excursions
Hayman Island offers a wide range of water sports and charming excursions to the outer reef. There are beautiful walking trails through the forest to the Whitsunday Lookout and Cook's Lookout. A
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Hook Island
Hook Island is a continental island, with an area of 53 sq.km, hills rising to 454m and beautiful beaches. There are safe anchorages in two long fjord-like inlets on the south coast, Nara and
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Lindeman Island
Lindeman Island, with an area of 8 sq.km and hills rising to 210 m, is popular with families, since it offers a great variety of activities for children, including an adventure playground. Unlike
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Long Island
Long Island, also known as Molle Island, has an area of 12 sq.km and hills rising to 270m. This long, narrow island lying close to the coast is separated from the mainland only by a narrow channel
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South Molle Island
South Molle is a continental island with an area of 4 sq.km and hills rising to 198m. Much of its area has been declared a national park, and the vegetation has now recovered from earlier over
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Whitsunday Island
Whitsunday Island, the uninhabited main island in the group (area 109 sq.km), is separated from Hook Island by a narrow channel. It has good beaches and diving grounds, a network of walking trails and a notably rich flora and fauna.Attractions Near Whitsunday Islands, Australia
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