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Date: April 2006
Location: Whitsundays, Queensland Australia
An island sojourn, a sailing adventure, a delicious dinner by the
pool, and breakfast on high - all highlights of a fabulous long weekend in the
Whitsundays - Queensland's most famous island
group.
I haven't mentioned the wander along the bicentennial boardwalk in Airlie
Beach, sunset drinks on the water at Coral Sea Resort, quiet moments on the
balcony of the hotel, exploring Bowen, or the massage and sunset cruise on Hamilton
Island.
While a week or longer would be ideal - these three nights were a tempter to what
one day will be a much longer visit. After leaving Brisbane
at midday and flying directly to Hamilton
Island, I was enjoying a mocktail and checking into the Beach Club by mid-afternoon
The weather was unseasonably cool, so sadly the inviting pool wasn?t tested on this occasion, but that gave more time to enjoy the accommodation and the island.
The Beach Club is five years old and the premier accommodation on the island. The rooms ooze island luxury with their fittings, furniture, cream shutters, lawn and beachfront access. The most outstanding feature, though, is that from the front balcony the island appears to be your own - all you can see is water, the surrounding islands, the palm trees lining the beach and rocky outcrops of the island.
Behind you Hamilton bubbles with life as visitors go about the business of enjoying their holidays. The golf buggies they travel in beetle around the island, the view from the lookout is as glorious as ever. There are great plans in place for the island including a refurbishment of the Reef View Hotel and construction of a six and a half star development so exclusive it will be landlocked and accessed only by launch.
After a glorious twilight sail, complete with champagne and nibblies on the lovely old Banjo Patterson, the island air tempted an early night, although the new restaurant at the Beach Club was tempting. Breakfast by the pool the next morning was also to die for!
The massage which followed may have only been for half an hour but was tremendous
(some locals in Airlie later admitted
they travel to the island for their massages)
and was the perfect wind-down before we took the Fantasea Cruises Blue Ferry transfer
to Daydream Island where guests are greeted by the statues of three mermaids sitting
on a rock in front of the island. The day visitor area is vibrant, and great fun
- from the amazing themed mini-golf course to the coral lagoon, bakery and restaurant,
pool, magnificent chapel and lush gardens.
The spa facilities have to be seen to be believed and the coral reef that meanders through the center of the resort really is bringing the reef to the people - it is thriving with its coral bommies, reef fish, sharks and manta rays.
After a light but delicious lunch on the patio at Mermaids it is time to keep
moving and catch the transfer back to Shute Harbour and on to Airlie Beach. Fifteen
minutes later we are making our way into Airlie
Beach, the hub of the Whitsunday region.
The accommodation options in Airlie are extensive and will suit all tastes and
budgets. They include glorious waterfront and hillside resorts and apartments
on the hill overlooking the town. There is two, three and four star accommodation
that is all very central, bed and breakfasts', backpacker
hostels, and caravan parks.
Take your pick and even if you end up out of Airlie a little at nearby Cannonvale it's not a problem because many places offer courtesy coaches, as do tour operators. There is also a regular bus service and taxis.
I stayed at the Airlie Beach Hotel which offers very comfortable and affordable accommodation It is ideally situated next to the water and the lagoon and is only a stones throw from the shops, other bars and restaurants, although it has both of its own as well which are well worth visiting.
The sunset walk along the boardwalk included a sundowner at Coral Sea Resort and was followed by dinner at Pescatori?s Restaurant, located poolside at Water's Edge Resort on the hill overlooking Airlie. The waiter and the food were remarkable and the balmy night and great wine (a new selection recommended by the waiter) topped off the end of another great day.
Day Three started very early when the Cruise Whitsundays' courtesy coach collected passengers for the Camira Sailing Adventure. A full day of sailing awaited, as well as time on gorgeous Whitehaven Beach with its unbelievably white sand, snorkelling with the fish on the pretty reefs at Border Island, more great food and a sail home at sunset. It was a day to remember and one that guaranteed another early night.
The flight back to Brisbane was booked for
midday but still allowed time for a quick run up to Bowen in a hire car. The entrance
to the city is industrial to say the least, but keep driving because what waits
on the water side is magnificent. Horseshoe, Murray and Rose bays are majestic,
protected havens just waiting to be visited and the Queen's Beach includes a stinger
net swimming enclosure.
Caravan parks still claim some of the best vantage points on Bowen's foreshore areas and are well patronised as a result. A climb to the top of the hill at Horseshoe Cove is well worth the effort, and the best secret is atop Flagstaff Hill.
A stylish, modern building known as the Flagstaff Interpretational Centre is also
home to a restaurant/caf "360 on the hill", so-named because of the panorama.
It offers casual breakfasts and lunches, then on Thursday, Friday and Saturday
nights takes on a new persona with a set menu, white table cloths and candles
- and of course switches the day time vista to the twinkling lights of Bowen and
the mainland. A word of warning - be hungry when you get there. The freshly cooked
breakfast could fill three men easily and the pancakes were so fluffy and their
topping of raspberry coulis and natural yoghurt is so filling they almost can't
be finished - well except by someone who always like to tackle a food challenge.
All too soon it was time to make the return drive back down through the cane fields to Proserpine to hand the hire car over and board the plane. The Whitsunday weekend was over!
- By Adrienne Costin
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