Facts & Information

Find out about distances, climate, how to get here, dining, fun activities, wildlife and shopping.

Nestled between Queensland’s coast and the Great Barrier Reef, Hamilton Island is one of the 74 tropical islands in the Coral Sea, and the largest inhabited island in the Whitsundays.

Location

• Latitude: 20.35 Degrees South.
• Longitude: 148.95 Degrees East.

Distances

• 16km Southeast of Shute Harbour, 30 minutes by boat.
• 890km north of Brisbane, 1 hour and 20 minutes by plane.
• 1528km north of Sydney, 2 hours and 10 minutes by plane.
• 1965km north of Melbourne, 3 hours by plane.

Hamilton Island Climate

• The Island lies on the same tropical latitude as Honolulu in the Northern Hemisphere and Mauritius in the south.
• It has a year round tropical climate with an average temperature of 27.4 degrees centigrade.
• For more information on weather please visit our climate page.

Getting to Hamilton Island

• Hamilton Island is accessible via Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin which offers daily flights from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
• Qantas offers daily flights from Cairns.
• Both Jetstar and Virgin fly to the Whitsundays (Proserpine) from Brisbane and Sydney.
• Upon arriving into Proserpine airport (located on the mainland), a coach service is available to Shute Harbour where you can can catch the ‘Cruise Whitsunday Ferry’ to Hamilton Island. Click here for the Cruise Whistundays timetable.

Dining

Hamilton Island is a foodies paradise and there is always something new and exciting to tempt your tastebuds. Enjoy a huge range of cosmopolitan cuisine, including a variety of international styles and the freshest seafood you’ll ever experience. 

• Choose from over 16 restaurants and takeaway outlets.

Activities

Hamilton Island offers guests an extensive range of over 40 activities available daily. These include:

• Great Barrier Reef cruises.
• Water skiing, catamaran and yacht sailing.
• Tennis gymnasium.
• Game fishing.
• Nature walks.
• Whale watching from mid July to September.
• Scenic flights, or
• Simply just relaxing by one of the resort pools, bougainvillea pool, main resort pool and sails pool, which are located on Catseye Beach.

Note: charges apply for water sport activities.

Island Dimensions

• North to South: 4.5km, 3 miles.
• East to West: 3km, 2 miles.
• Area: 750 hectares, 2 square miles.

Wildlife

More than 70% of Hamilton Island is natural tropical bushland, making it perfect for bushwalking and to home many native Australian animals and birdlife including kangaroos, wallabies, cockatoos and lorikeets.

Sports Club

As Australia’s premier tourist destination, Hamilton Island offers guests a sports club equipped with a tennis courts, full gymnasium, sauna, spa and aerobic workouts. Charges apply.

Marina

The Hamilton Island Marina has 135 berths to cater for more and 20 boats arriving and departing each day. Hamilton Island Marina can currently accommodate vessels up to 40 metres.

Hamilton Island Childcare

The Hamilton Island Clownfish Club incorporates:

• A senior adventure room operating exciting excursions for children ages 5-14 years and junior child minding (6 weeks - 4 years)
• Fully licenced with the Department of Families, Youth and Community Care.

Parents can relax knowing that their children are enjoying safe, supervised and age-related adventures including:

• Arts and crafts.
• Beachcombing and snorkelling.
• Hiking and fishing.
• Mini-golf and pool games.

Shopping at Hamilton Island

Hamilton Island features fantastic shopping whatever you're looking for.

• 20 boutique and specialty stores throughout the Marina Village and Resort Centre, ranging from IGA to local art and fashion.

On-Island IGA Supermarket

Located at the southern end front street in the Marina Village, the IGA store offers a range of products including:

• Fresh fruit and vegetables.
• Meats and deli produce.
• Kitchen supplies and pantry items.
• Open daily from 8am to 7.30pm.

Keep an eye out for the weekly specials catalogue which can be found in store.

The Hamilton Island IGA supermarket is a plastic bag-free store, so guests are encouraged to bring their own carry bag. However, cloth bags can be purchased for 0.99c.

Hamilton Island Bottle Shop

• Located alongside the IGA Supermarket on Front Street.
• Choose from a range of local and imported beers, fine wines and spirits, plus non-alcoholic beverages
• Open daily from 10.00am – 8.00pm.

What to bring

• Forget the mobile phone.
• Leave your watch at home.
• No razor scooters or skateboards.

But, do remember:

• Swimming costumes, sunscreen and a sun hat.
• A light weight or water-proof jacket during the cooler months.
• Day pack and comfortable walking shoes.
• Smart casual attire for dining out.
• The book you’ve been meaning to finish!

Hamilton Island free shuttle service

With plenty of room on board, the Island Shuttle is a great way for families or groups to get around the Island. Use the service to transport you to and from dinner at any of the Island’s renowned restaurants and bars.

• Free for all Island visitors and guests.
• Operates every day from 6:50am until 11pm.
• Follows two key routes.
• Operates every 15-40 minutes, so it’s very easy to get where you need to go.

Hamilton Island is a superb place to stay during summer or winter. Book your accommodation now, before someone else does.