Tag: Whitsundays

Bushwalking with a View – Hamilton Island – Whitsundays

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Hamilton Island Bushwalking

******* Don’t feel like reading? Check out the Youtube video here ***********

Hamilton Island is well known for its beaches, marina, restaurants and bars but did you know that there are a number of bushwalking trails that will get you to peaceful coves, deserted beaches and stunning viewpoints. This is the perfect experience to reconnect with nature and make you feel like you are a castaway on a deserted island.  All this, not far from the resort area. 

Hamilton Island map
Hamilton Island bushwalking trail map

In fact, about half of Hamilton Island is not developed and there is plenty of space to get away from everything.  If you plan a trip to Hamilton Island, do not forget to bring your bushwalking shoes! 

The first hike that you might consider is Passage Peak which is the highest point on the Island. The view is fantastic, but it will get your heart pumping.   This is most definitively the best sunrise spot.  You will need to check the weather the day before for a clear day and start the trail when it is still dark. If this is what you intend on doing, do not forget your water bottle and your camera! 

Hamilton Island view

If you are up for a longer stroll, do the loop at the back of the island.  This will take you to South East Head where you will find probably one of the most Instagram ready spots on the island.  The vegetation changes and becomes a bit more arid, this area gets blown by heavy winds and salted by sea fog.  No tick forest here but rather low vegetation which enables uninterrupted sea and island views.  As you may know, the Whitsundays is blessed with 74 islands, and you can see a few from there.  Pentecost Island was named by Captain Cook when he travelled in the area on the Endeavour. Also observable in the distance are the Linderman Islands group. 

Less of a steep hill but still a healthy heart-pumping activity, take a right at Saddle Junction and head for Coral Cove or Escape Beach.  Bring a pick nick and enjoy the secluded beaches all to yourself. Spend the afternoon splashing around, try the big swing and relax.

The loop will also bring you to the big chair, where you can be the king of the hill for a moment and admire the Whitsunday kingdom for an instant. Bring your imaginary crown and you will feel like the middle kingdom is all yours.  The steep hills may bring you out your dream but worth the snaps.

If you decide to partake in any of those wonderful bushwalks, don’t forget to wear appropriate footwear, fill up your refillable water bottle, and wear reef-safe sunscreen if you are going to go for a dip in one of the secluded beaches.  Don’t forget to leave only footsteps and take only photographs.

So, there it is, just one more good reason to plan a trip to Hamilton Island. I hope to see you soon in the Whitsundays.  Until next time, travel safe and give a little bit of love to our planet. 

For cool travel eco-friendly fashion and accessories don’t forget to check out our shop here. Hope you like it.

See you next time,

Dent Island – Whitsundays: A No Golf Day on a Golf Island

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Dent Island - Whitsundays

****** Don’t feel like reading, want to see the video instead? head over to my Youtube Channel here to see the video *******

View of Hamilton Island from Dent Island

Did you know that one of the 74 islands in the Whitsunday is a Golf Club? But if you are not really a golfer, keep on reading. Visiting Dent Island does not need to be just for the golfers (If you are though, go for it, enjoy a game). The golf is in fact called the Hamilton Island Golf Club as it is accessible via ferry from Hamilton Island.

If, like me, you are not a golfer, I highly suggest lunch. The package includes the ferry, a delicious two-course meal and a buggy tour of the back nine to admire the view. You will need to book ahead as, rightly so, it is quite a popular activity.


Seriously, don’t miss out on this relaxing experience. The view is stunning and the food top-notch. Oh, and the drinks, of course…..

The departure is from Hamilton Island marina and the trip lasts about 10 minutes. On arrival to Dent Island, a shuttle took us to the clubhouse. We started with a self-driven guided buggy tour of the back nine. We followed the guide in our own little buggy and admired the truly breathtaking view. The 360 view of the ocean and nearby islands is a feast for the eyes. From the intense sea blue to the gliding boats, it makes a definite great photo spot. This is a great location to see Hamilton Island, Whitsunday Island and many more.

Hamilton Island Golf Club


After this grand tour, the sea breeze opened our appetite and we enjoyed a great meal. The food was really good and the site amazing.


Pro tip: If you are visiting between June and September, the island is a great place to spot the whales. Keep an eye on those beautiful giants!


Overall, this was a relaxing day surrounded by a superb view and a nice sea breeze. Check out the video on Youtube if you want to know more.


Don’t forget to book your day out!

Until next time travel safe and enjoy this beautiful country!

Cheers,

Julie

How to travel more sustainably in North Queensland

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How to travel more sustainably in North Queensland

Missing those exotic places. Can’t go to Bali this year because of travel restrictions? Well, come and visit the Sunshine State! If you need vitamin sea and a good dose of sunshine, North Queensland is blessed with both of those and even more. Australia, check out your backyard, there is just not enough superlative to describe what you will find.  So, holiday here this year!

Get your free guide!

But wait….. do I hear, I want to be a responsible human and travelling can be at odds with my carbon footprint reduction objectives. Humm, yes, that can be true. When we travel, it is not only our carbon footprint that increases, but we also change our habits such as buying more food on the go. It is not good for the earth. How to turn this around? Could sustainability and travelling go hand and in hand?

So let’s have a chat about our impacts and how we can handle this a bit better, one step at the time. Small steps. I am a strong believer that each small step counts and that we should do what we can. We each live different lives and what is easy for someone can be difficult for someone else.  But, if we all make a small effort, life can be better. We all need to adapt this to our own circumstances. And if the only thing you do is remembering to take a bamboo toothbrush and swap your regular sunscreen for a reef safe one, then, it is a win.  

If you are ready to go on a journey with me then, I have prepared a great resource for you. I have compiled a guide to help you have fun by exploring North Queensland and doing it a bit more sustainably. The guide includes two different itineraries for a week-long trip and discusses how we can make better choices for the environment.

I have been blessed with living and travelling through both of those regions and they are quite dear to my heart. You can’t care about what you don’t know or experience and that is what travelling is all about. So, we can learn to care for the places we discover and ensures that future generation enjoys them as well, just as much as we did. I hope that this book will inspire you to explore this beautiful region and to care for our planet. You can find the free guide here.

See you soon and until next time, travel safe and sustainably!

A day to remember: Whitehaven Beach and Hill Inlet

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Whitehaven and Hill Inlet

One of the bucket list things to do in the Whitsundays, Queensland, Australia – is to visit Whitehaven Beach and Hill Inlet.  Rated one of the top beaches to visit in the world and top things to do in the Whitsundays, let’s go see if it can hold on to its reputation!

The pure white sand and the ethereal blue of the sky and sea blend in a swirl of contrasts at Hill Inlet. Say no more, let’s go and explore!

A few facts about Whitehaven before we take you there….

With 98% silica content, the sand is incredibly white and makes a swishy sound when you walk on it.  I have never been on a beach that has such a distinctive sound! Even if you go there when it is scorching hot, the sand will not burn your feet if you walk on it.  Amazing! The only thing you have to be mindful of is the sand going into electronic equipment like phones and camera…. Apparently, it can make a lot of damages.

So, here is how our day went. We departed from Hamilton Island – but it would be as easy to go from Airlie Beach, just a bit longer. The boat we took departs from Airlie Beach, pick some passengers on Hamilton Island and then heads up to Whitehaven Beach. There are a few companies that will bring you there for a day trip but we went with Cruise Whitsundays and it was quite a stable and quick ride. About 30 -40 minutes later we were ferried ashore to Whitehaven Beach where canopies were set up. Make sure you bring your reef-safe sunscreen as the sun is quite intense! Some people stayed on the beach of a leisurely stroll or swim, others like us took a small boat to go to Tongue Bay, where we headed up for a bushwalk to an observatory where we could admire the Hill Inlet swirls.  Seriously, be prepared to be dazzled! Thank you, mother nature, for this beautiful display. Seriously worth it in every way.

We headed back down to the other side of the hill where we were picked up and ferried back to Whitehaven beach right on time for lunch. Now, we could have just relaxed on beach for the rest of the afternoon, but instead, we decided to go for a bushwalk.  We did a short circuit, bout 1 hour, to take advantage of the various vantage points and we were not deceived!

Whitehaven beach is located on the largest of the 74 islands of the Whitsundays appropriately called Whitsunday island which is a national park. That means that there are no developments and the viewpoints are quite exceptional.

After relaxing a bit on the beach, it was already time to go back but, oh! what a day.

A majestic place where time stops and the beauty of nature will make you forget all your troubles. Just go there and have a look for yourself, there is just nothing else like it!

Want to see more? Have a look at our Youtube video here.