Hamilton Island, Queensland
Encyclopedia
Hamilton Island is the largest inhabited island of the Whitsunday Islands
in Queensland
, Australia
. Hamilton Island, like most in the Whitsunday group, was formed as sea levels rose creating numerous drowned mountains that are situated close to the east coast of Queensland
, Australia
. The island is a popular tourist destination and was featured in the successful "Best Job In The World
" promotion.
In late August the island plays host to its annual Hamilton Island Race Week
yachting
festival, in which more than 150 yachts from across Australia and New Zealand
gather for a week of races around the islands. 'Whitehaven Day' is when the yachts descend upon Whitehaven beach for a big beach party. However this is only one of many festivals hosted on the island.
At least two major films have been on location at Hamilton Island, Muriel's Wedding
and Fool's Gold
.
for a portion of that time. In 1999, the five-star Beach Club opened. In 2003, the Oatley family acquired the resort and expanded developments to include an expanded Marina precinct, a yacht club and a luxury resort known as qualia which opened in 2007-8.
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Unlike most islands off the east coast of Australia, Hamilton Island is used almost exclusively for tourism
. However the island is catering for a growing number of residents, both employees of the various businesses on the island and also those people choosing to retire and enjoy the lifestyle. The island is on long term lease from the Commonwealth Government
by the Oatley family. The Oatleys own and run Hamilton Island Enterprises which operates the majority of accommodation and businesses on the island.
Hamilton Island Airport
is the only airport in the Whitsunday Islands that is big enough to cater for larger commercial aircraft. Hamilton Island is also catered for by several ferry
services, which can only carry passengers. Mainland motor vehicles are prohibited on the island with the exception of those for tradespeople and island public transport. Private transport needs are mostly served by a fleet of golf buggies, available to tourists for rent and are included as part of some accommodation packages. A public shuttle bus operates on the island serving major points of interests and accommodation sites.
Visitors can catch glimpses of migrating whale
s as they make their way through the warm waters of the Whitsundays around July-September each year.
promoted the Great Barrier Reef
as a global tourism destination with a website encouraging people worldwide to apply for "The Best Job In The World:", to be a "Caretaker of the Islands" to "house-sit" the islands of the Great Barrier Reef for half a year, based on Hamilton Island.
during Hamilton Island Race Week
and was completed in late 2009, and the Hamilton Island Golf Club
is new Championship resort course which opened in August 2009. The 18 hole course on neighbouring Dent Island
measures 6,715 yards/6,140 metres and is billed as the only championship island golf course in Australia.
, sequel movie of Sabrina Goes to Rome
, both movies extending from the popular TV series Sabrina, the Teenage Witch
.
Hamilton Island was the first stop for Oprah Winfrey
on her Ultimate Australian Adventure in December 2010. During her stay on Hamilton Island Oprah and 93 of her fans went on an all expenses paid trip from Hamilton Island to the Great Barrier Reef and had a Barbecue reception on Whitehaven Beach
hosted by celebrity chef Curtis Stone
with entertainment provided by The Ten Tenors
.
Whitsunday Islands
The Whitsunday Islands are a collection of continental islands of various sizes off the central coast of Queensland, Australia, situated between just south of Bowen and to the north of Mackay, some north of Brisbane. The island group is centred on Whitsunday Island, while the group's commercial...
in Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Hamilton Island, like most in the Whitsunday group, was formed as sea levels rose creating numerous drowned mountains that are situated close to the east coast of Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. The island is a popular tourist destination and was featured in the successful "Best Job In The World
The Best Job In The World
In 2009, Tourism Queensland promoted the Great Barrier Reef as a global tourism destination with a website encouraging people worldwide to apply for The Best Job In The World, to be a "Caretaker of the Islands" to "house-sit" the islands of the Great Barrier Reef for half a year, based on Hamilton...
" promotion.
In late August the island plays host to its annual Hamilton Island Race Week
Hamilton Island Race Week
Hamilton Island Race Week is a keelboat regatta set against the backdrop of the Whitsunday Islands, on Queensland's Great Barrier Reef.-History:...
yachting
Yachting
Yachting refers to recreational sailing or boating, the specific act of sailing or using other water vessels for sporting purposes.-Competitive sailing:...
festival, in which more than 150 yachts from across Australia and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
gather for a week of races around the islands. 'Whitehaven Day' is when the yachts descend upon Whitehaven beach for a big beach party. However this is only one of many festivals hosted on the island.
At least two major films have been on location at Hamilton Island, Muriel's Wedding
Muriel's Wedding
Muriel's Wedding is a 1994 Australian-French romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by P. J. Hogan. The film, which stars actresses Toni Collette, Rachel Griffiths, Sophie Lee, and Bill Hunter, focuses on the socially awkward Muriel whose ambition is to have a glamorous wedding and improve...
and Fool's Gold
Fool's Gold (2008 film)
Fool's Gold is an 2008 American adventure/romance film from Warner Bros. Pictures about a married couple who rekindle their romantic life while searching for a lost treasure. The film was directed by Andy Tennant and reunites the How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days stars Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson...
.
History
The island was purchased in 1975 by Keith Williams and Bryan Bryt, and in 1978 Keith Williams commenced construction of Hamilton Island Harbour and the resort complex shortly after. The resort opened in phases between 1982 and 1984. In 1985, a fire destroyed most of the central portion of the resort complex, which was completely rebuilt by 1986. The current Whitsunday Holiday Apartments opened in 1986 followed by the current Reefview Hotel in 1990. In 1992, the resort was placed in receivership and between 1995 and 2003 it was owned by BT Australia and managed by Holiday InnHoliday Inn
Holiday Inn is a brand of hotels, formally a economy motel chain, forming part of the British InterContinental Hotels Group . It is one of the world's largest hotel chains with 238,440 bedrooms and 1,301 hotels globally. There are currently 5 hotels in the pipeline...
for a portion of that time. In 1999, the five-star Beach Club opened. In 2003, the Oatley family acquired the resort and expanded developments to include an expanded Marina precinct, a yacht club and a luxury resort known as qualia which opened in 2007-8.
Tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
. However the island is catering for a growing number of residents, both employees of the various businesses on the island and also those people choosing to retire and enjoy the lifestyle. The island is on long term lease from the Commonwealth Government
Government of Australia
The Commonwealth of Australia is a federal constitutional monarchy under a parliamentary democracy. The Commonwealth of Australia was formed in 1901 as a result of an agreement among six self-governing British colonies, which became the six states...
by the Oatley family. The Oatleys own and run Hamilton Island Enterprises which operates the majority of accommodation and businesses on the island.
Hamilton Island Airport
Hamilton Island Airport
Great Barrier Reef Airport is the primary airport of the Whitsunday Islands Group, and airport of Hamilton Island...
is the only airport in the Whitsunday Islands that is big enough to cater for larger commercial aircraft. Hamilton Island is also catered for by several ferry
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
services, which can only carry passengers. Mainland motor vehicles are prohibited on the island with the exception of those for tradespeople and island public transport. Private transport needs are mostly served by a fleet of golf buggies, available to tourists for rent and are included as part of some accommodation packages. A public shuttle bus operates on the island serving major points of interests and accommodation sites.
Visitors can catch glimpses of migrating whale
Whale
Whale is the common name for various marine mammals of the order Cetacea. The term whale sometimes refers to all cetaceans, but more often it excludes dolphins and porpoises, which belong to suborder Odontoceti . This suborder also includes the sperm whale, killer whale, pilot whale, and beluga...
s as they make their way through the warm waters of the Whitsundays around July-September each year.
Caretaker promotion
In 2009, Tourism QueenslandTourism Queensland
Tourism Queensland is the state government agency responsible for the marketing of Queensland tourism destinations and the development of the tourist industry in the state. The agency was established in 1979 as the Queensland Tourist and Travel Corporation. Tourism Queensland was once part of the...
promoted the Great Barrier Reef
Great Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef is the world'slargest reef system composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over 2,600 kilometres over an area of approximately...
as a global tourism destination with a website encouraging people worldwide to apply for "The Best Job In The World:", to be a "Caretaker of the Islands" to "house-sit" the islands of the Great Barrier Reef for half a year, based on Hamilton Island.
New developments
In 2009 there are two key infrastructure and tourism developments completed for the resort. The Hamilton Island Yacht Club was officially opened by Queesland Premier Anna BlighAnna Bligh
Anna Maria Bligh is an Australian politician and the Premier of Queensland since 2007. The 2009 Queensland state election was the first time a female-led political party won or retained state or federal government in Australia...
during Hamilton Island Race Week
Hamilton Island Race Week
Hamilton Island Race Week is a keelboat regatta set against the backdrop of the Whitsunday Islands, on Queensland's Great Barrier Reef.-History:...
and was completed in late 2009, and the Hamilton Island Golf Club
Hamilton Island Golf Club
Hamilton Island Golf Club is a golf course located in near the Island Resort Town of Hamilton Island in Queensland's Whitsunday Islands. Despite its name, the Hamilton Island Golf Club is actually located on neighbouring Dent Island - but is named as such because the course is owned and operated by...
is new Championship resort course which opened in August 2009. The 18 hole course on neighbouring Dent Island
Dent Island (Whitsunday Islands)
Dent Island is an island just off the coast of Queensland, Australia. Dent Island is located at . Dent Island is part of the Whitsunday Group and lies immediately west of Hamilton Island. The Whitsunday Group is one of the Island Groups that together comprise the Whitsunday Islands...
measures 6,715 yards/6,140 metres and is billed as the only championship island golf course in Australia.
Annual Sporting Events
- Hamilton Island TriathlonTriathlonA triathlon is a multi-sport event involving the completion of three continuous and sequential endurance events. While many variations of the sport exist, triathlon, in its most popular form, involves swimming, cycling, and running in immediate succession over various distances...
- Hamilton Island Race WeekHamilton Island Race WeekHamilton Island Race Week is a keelboat regatta set against the backdrop of the Whitsunday Islands, on Queensland's Great Barrier Reef.-History:...
(Sailing) - Hamilton Island CupHamilton Island CupSet against the backdrop of the Whitsunday Islands, on Queensland's Great Barrier Reef - Hamilton Island Cup has evolved to become a 4 day multi-disciplined outigger paddling regatta and Australia's premier outrigger canoeing event.- History :...
(Outrigger Canoe RacingOutrigger canoe racingOutrigger canoeing is a sport in which an outrigger canoe is propelled by means of paddles. Its umbrella organisation is the International Vaʻa Federation...
) - Hilly Half MarathonHalf marathonA half marathon is a road running event of . It is half the distance of a marathon and usually run on roads. Participation in half marathons has grown steadily recently. One of the main reasons for this is that it is a challenging distance, but does not require the same level of training that a...
(Cross Country RunningCross country runningCross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
)
Popular Culture
Hamilton island was the holiday location in the 1999 movie Sabrina, Down UnderSabrina, Down Under
Sabrina, Down Under is a 1999 television movie produced for ABC. It is a sequel to Sabrina Goes to Rome and is a companion to the Sabrina, the Teenage Witch TV series. The movie features only two characters from the TV series: teenage witch Sabrina Spellman , and talking cat Salem Saberhagen...
, sequel movie of Sabrina Goes to Rome
Sabrina Goes to Rome
Sabrina Goes to Rome is a 1998 television movie produced for ABC. The movie is part of the Sabrina, the Teenage Witch TV series and is the first TV movie made for the series. The movie features only two main characters from the series, the protagonist Sabrina Spellman , and other main character...
, both movies extending from the popular TV series Sabrina, the Teenage Witch
Sabrina, the Teenage Witch (TV series)
Sabrina, the Teenage Witch is an American sitcom based on the Archie comic book series of the same name.The show stars Melissa Joan Hart as Sabrina Spellman, a teenager with magical powers, who lives with her aunts Hilda and Zelda , and their magical talking cat Salem...
.
Hamilton Island was the first stop for Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey is an American media proprietor, talk show host, actress, producer and philanthropist. Winfrey is best known for her self-titled, multi-award-winning talk show, which has become the highest-rated program of its kind in history and was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2011...
on her Ultimate Australian Adventure in December 2010. During her stay on Hamilton Island Oprah and 93 of her fans went on an all expenses paid trip from Hamilton Island to the Great Barrier Reef and had a Barbecue reception on Whitehaven Beach
Whitehaven Beach
Whitehaven Beach is a 7 km stretch along Whitsunday Island. The island is accessible by boat from the mainland tourist ports of Airlie Beach and Shute Harbour, as well as Hamilton Island....
hosted by celebrity chef Curtis Stone
Curtis Stone
Curtis Stone is an Australian celebrity chef, author and television personality, nicknamed "The Quiet Terminator" by fans following his performance on The Celebrity Apprentice 3.-Background:...
with entertainment provided by The Ten Tenors
The Ten Tenors
The TEN Tenors are an Australian musical ensemble who have toured world-wide. In a typical set, the group performs Queen standards, including "Bohemian Rhapsody", and "The Show Must Go On"; tracks from Meat Loaf medley; AC/DC and much more...
.
See also
- Dent Island
- List of islands of Australia
- Tourism in AustraliaTourism in AustraliaTourism is an important industry for the Australian economy. In the financial year 2009/10, the tourism industry represented 2.6% of Australia's GDP at a value of approximately A$34 billion to the national economy. Domestic tourism is a significant part of the tourism industry, and was...