Stunning Hamilton Island

I am going to start of my blog with one of my most favourite places on earth, Hamilton Island on Australia's Great Barrier Reef.

Hamilton Island is arguably one of the most beautiful islands in the world and it’s so easy to see why. As one of the largest Whitsunday Islands on Queensland’s Great Barrier Reef in Australia, this resort is popular with

the Australian domestic market with the likes of pop star Kylie Minogue and model Miranda Kerr spending time in this beautiful environment. Lush forest, beautiful beaches, stunning scenery and fantastic sea food all add to the island’s draws so if you have already booked your flights to Australia, you should definitely book a connecting flight up to HamiltonIsland.

Flying is the easiest way to get to island from Australia’s big cities with flights from Jetstar, Qantas and Virgin Australia flying from Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Cairns. Driving up the coast from Brisbane is possible although you would be looking at a good 12 hour drive non-stop so flying is by far the easiest and quickest way. If you are up in the region anyway, ferries from Shute Harbour near Airlie Beach on the mainland shuttle passengers to and from the island.

Early on in the year, you should expect a bit more rainfall than other times. Don’t be surprised to find yourself in the middle of a rainstorm for a few hours before the clouds clear and you can head back to the beach. The beaches are of course one thing that draws visitors to the island but there are so many other things to enjoy while you are here. From spa treatments and relaxing golf games to kayaking and snorkeling, there’s plenty on offer. In fact, a must-do whilst on the island is a bushwalk up to the top of Passage Peak at sunrise. This 2.6km trek up some steep terrain will make sure you’ve earned your breakfast and the views from the top back across the island and out to the rest of the Whitsunday Islands are simply breathtaking. I was cacking my pants the whole way up, scared that one of the numerous giant spider webs I walked through would be home to a hairy spider, ready to bite me!

Beautiful Catseye Beach - Image courtesy of www.hamiltonisland.com.au

Hamilton Island is just one of the many draws to this wonderful country. I've had several amazing trips to Australia but this one was by far my favourite. It also combined other areas of Queensland like Brisbane, and Caloundra. Many people, though, book flights to Australia with various onward connections combined in the ticket which can save a lot of money. You can add trips to Ayers Rock in the heart of Australia or perhaps take in the scenic views along the Great Ocean Road in South Australia. There are various festivals and celebrations that take place throughout the year as well. The sailing event of the year at Hamilton Island is the Audi Hamilton Island Race Week which takes place in mid-August each year, drawing thousands of sailing fans from across the world. It’s a popular event, though, so if you plan on visiting during this time then make sure you book up your accommodation early. If it’s too busy and you are determined to be here for the races, there is a range of accommodation on the nearby islands and in Airlie Beach on the mainland, also a popular location for backpackers as they explore the beautiful Whitsunday Islands and the Great Barrier Reef.

One of the incredible rooms at Qualia -
Image courtesy of www.hamiltonisland.com.au

The island itself is home to some four hotels along with various holiday homes and Yacht Club Villas, often stayed at by the rich and famous. With a dozen or so restaurants on the island as well as self-catering options, all budgets are well catered for. You can even hug a koala in between munching on your breakfast cereal. I cannot stress how much I love this place. You'll see from the photos that it is simply stunning.

I'm yet to do it but on my never-ending list of things to do, is to work on the island. They have so many careers there, the problem is to get the visa into Australia. That's the part I'm working on...