Great Barrier Reef » City Info » Islands

The Great Barrier Reef is made up of over 100 captivating islands, where you can spend your holiday in comfort with the feeling of being in the seventh heaven. While some islands are privately owned, some come under the supervision of the Australian Marine Park. Each of these islands has their unique characteristics with their own idea of paradise.

• Bedarra Island

• Brampton Island

Brampton Island is a part of the Cumberland Group located offshore from the town of Macay, Queensland. Mostly known for the ‘Brampton Island National Park’, it is a part of Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area. The only resort on the island is run by Voyages Hotels & Resorts. The island put forwards a beautiful view of twelve sandy beaches, bordered by the crystal clear sapphire blue waters. Along with nature’s bounty of tropical rainforests, beaches, mangroves, corals and rich marine life, man made comforts like tennis, walking and jogging tracks, water sports, hiking, nightlife, spa treatments are also available.

• Daydream Island

The Daydream Islands is one of the seven islands forming the Molle group which in turn is a part of the Whitsunday Islands group. The island is small in size measuring just 1 km in length and 400 mtrs wide. The island is perfect place for exploring its fabulous beaches, wide variety of corals, and rainforest. Be it the families or romantic couples, Daydream island welcomes all.

• Dunk Island

Formed of granite rock, Dunk Island is the largest of the Family Islands National Park and is covered under the Great Barrier Reef Heritage Area. The island is an ideal breeding site for terns and noddies due to abundance of food from reefs and lack of predators. It is home to a variety rare sea birds, mammals, reptiles and marine animals of which some are, sea turtles, pythons, fish, lizards, tree snakes, geckos and crabs. Voyages Hotels & Resorts runs the only resort on the island where one can get a chance to discover the virgin rainforests, long sandy beaches, tropical gardens and the blue sparkling seas.

• Fitzroy Island

Fitzroy Island is a continental island situated just 35 kms from the mainland of south east Cairns. This heaven on earth is a nature’s treat with the fusion of rainforests and the reefs at a single place. The island is a part of the Great Barrier Reef Heritage Area with its location in the central region of the Great Barrier Reef. The reefs surrounding the islands are fringing reefs abundant with corals and other marine life. The island was formed when it parted with the mainland during Ice Age as the ice melted and sea levels rose, around 8,000 years ago. Of the 339 hectares of the island, 324 hectares is protected under the Fitzroy Island National Park.

• Great Keppel Island

Great Keppel Island lies near the coast of Yeppon, Queensland and it covers and area of 1,500 hectares. The island was named by Capt. James Cook after Rear Admiral Keppel of the Royal Navy. Nearly 100 species of birds, common and rare can be viewed on the island, of which some include kookaburras and rainbow lorikeets. The coast is encircled with 17 golden beaches perfect for swimming, snorkelling and diving. Among the attractions are the local Aboriginal legacy found on the island and the rich flora and fauna.

• Green Island

Green Island is a small coral cay measuring just 15 hectares, positioned 45 kms from the coast of Cairns. Just a 20 minute walk is enough to view the gorgeous island and its coral beaches. The island is ideal for enjoying a day picnic being surrounded by a 126 plant species, coral reefs, golden sands and rainforests.

• Haggerstone Island

Haggerstone Island protected under the Great Barrier Reef Heritage Area is situated 600 kms away from the town of Cairns. The island is privately owned and can house only a small number of tourists. It’s known for its 17th century shipwrecks, beach combing, WW2 artifacts, snorkelling and fishing. Isolated from the mainland, the island is surrounded by two lagoons decorated by coral gardens. Due to its remote location, many visitors who want a break away from busy city life and the crowd that comes with it are attracted to this island. The island is famous for sheltering some of world’s largest Green turtle colonies.

• Hamilton Island

Of among all the Whitsunday Islands, Hamilton Islands is the second largest inhabited island after the Whitsunday Island. The Hamilton Island Airport is the only airport on the Whitsunday Islands that has the capacity for large commercial aircrafts. The island experiences a tropical climate throughout the year and is ideal for tourists who want to enjoy all kinds of outdoor activities like snorkelling, diving, kayaking, helicopter flights, fishing, or a trip to the beaches. If you are among the lucky ones, then you can get to have a vision of the migrating whales during the months of July – September.

• Hayman Island

Hayman Island is a part of the Whitsunday Islands, located north east of Shute Harbour and 900 kms away from Brisbane. It is a small island, with just 400 hectares coverage area. The blue seas merging with the golden sands is a scene worth watching. As the sunrays play with the water, the changing colours of the lagoon turn into drop dead gorgeous hues.

• Heron Island

Heron Island is a coral cay, 24 hectares in area, situated 72 kms north east of Gladstone, Queensland. Surrounded by a fringing reef, the island supports 70% of the Great Barrier Reef’s coral species. Around 900 of the 1500 fish species found in the Great Barrier Reef region can be found in the island’s waters. The main tourist attraction is its coral life and the abundant marine life that snorkellers and divers can get to view. Its flora and fauna is protected under the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

• Hinchinbrook Island

Lush green misty rainforests mountains with unspoilt beaches and mangrove trimmed shores complete the Hinchinbrook Island. Originally inhabited by the Aboriginals, today it is most unoccupied except for the eco-resort at Cape Richards. Some of the richest mangrove bushes in Australia can be found on this island. These mangroves are home to breeding nests of a varied number of animals. Some of the activities you can try on the Hinchinbrook Island are snorkelling and walking around nature trails.

• Lindeman Island

Lindeman Island is a part of the group of the Lindeman Group of Islands located off the coast of Queensland. Protected under the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, the islands under this group include Baynham Island, Cornston Island, Gaibirra Island, Triangle Island, Keyser Island, Lindeman Island, Little Lindeman Island, Maher Island, Mansell Island, Pentecost Island, Seaforth Island, Shaw Island, Thomas Island and Volskow Island. The Lindeman Island covers an area of only 20 sq. kms highlighted with 19 kms of walking trails through the bushlands. The tallest point on the island is Mt. Oldfield from where the smaller islands as well the Whitsunday, Hamilton and Haselwood islands can be seen. It’s a regular sight of dolphins playing around the waters of the island along with an unforgettable sight of humpback whales migrating through the ocean.

• Lizard Island

Lizard Island is a part of the Lizard Island group that also includes the Palfrey Island. Categorized as a National Park, this granite island lies 57 miles north east from the town of Cooktown. Taking in view the number of ‘goannas’ (monster lizards) found on this green oasis, Capt. Cook mustn’t have taken too much time in naming this island when he landed here in 1770. The island has the best facilities for diving offering beautiful reef exploration, in both the inner and outer reef.

• Long Island

Long Island is a part of the Whitsunday Islands group located off the east coast of Queensland. It is a small island being just 9 kms long and 2 kms wide. There is a 13 km long walking track that trails through the bushy areas leading to virgin beaches. There are a lot of activities one can indulge in like waterskiing, parasailing, island hopping, cruising, tennis or view explore the island by a yatch. Get to know the dolphins, turtles, goannas, wallabies and the birds and fishes.

• South Molle Island

A division of the Whitsunday Islands group, the South Molle Island is a resort island located north east of Shute Harbour. Amongst the trio of North, Mid and South Molle Islands, South Molle is the only one that has a resort. All the three islands are nearly united, so you can easily visit the next Mid Island by just walking across. Enjoy activities like snorkelling and diving or sail through the blue waters. Have a spectacular helicopter ride and have an aerial view of the island, birds, wildlife and plants.

• Whitsunday Islands

The Whitsunday Islands are a group of 74 islands categorized as Whitsunday Group, Lindeman Group, Molles Group and Northern Group. These continental islands are situated along the coast of Queensland between the towns of Townsville and Mackay. The islands experience mild tropical climate all along the year with high seasonal rainfall. Tourism on the islands is well developed with a number of resorts offering all the comforts and facilities for a nice, relaxing trip. Activities like diving, joy ride, walking along the trails and other water sports can be enjoyed during your stay.