Daydream Queensland Australia

Formerly called West Molle Island, it was renamed Daydream Island in 1933 when the original hotel (long since gone) was built on it. One of the smallest islands in the Whitsundays, it measures only ¾ ml by around 200 yds at its widest. It is continental (the top of a submerged mountain) but only reaches a maximum height of 167 ft. About half is covered by tropical forest where wallabies, lorikeets, kuloo birds and sizeable lizards live.

The hotel accommodation occupies the NE corner and it is only a short distance along a coastal boardwalk to the shops, second pool and resort areas, which occupy the whole of the S tip and where day-trippers can use the facilities.

Daydream Island is located just off the coast of Queensland in the Coral Sea (3 mls NE of Shute Harbour, nearest mainland access port, 11 mls NW of Hamilton Island and its airport, 710 mls NW of Brisbane, 410 mls SE of Cairns, both with international airports). It is part of the Whitsunday group of islands and is also a member of a smaller group called the Molle Islands.

Daydream Island comprises three beaches, composed mainly of broken fragments of smoothed coral, giving the effect of a pebble beach; some small patches of fine, light coral sand. A northern water-sports beach and the smaller western Sunlovers Beach are both flanked by black volcanic rocks. Snorkelling and scuba diving over the coral reef off the beach.

A few shopping outlets exist at the S end of the resort offer souvenirs, general holiday requisites, child-care items, photographic supplies/developing, swimwear, hair and beauty services etc. Activities on the island consist of: tennis, volleyball, crazy golf, gymnasium, windsurfing, sailing, snorkelling, fish feeding, table tennis, boules, paddle boats and organised entertainments are all included. Motorised water sports incurring a charge are jet-skis, parasailing, water-skiing, (inner) tube rides behind a speedboat, glass-bottomed boats and scuba diving. By night there is a full entertainments programme with live shows, bands etc. Australia’s only outdoor cinema with a liquor licence shows recent releases.

Local excursions include trips to Whitehaven Beach, Airlie Beach, cruises to the Great Barrier Reef for scuba diving or snorkelling, cruise of Whitsunday Islands, game and deep-sea fishing, scenic helicopter flights.

Whitsundays Travel Guide

The Whitsundays has many natural attractions that are significant within Australia and globally, including the Great Barrier Reef, the second most visited attraction in Queensland, visited by over half a million international visitors each year.
The Whitsundays is a paradise of islands. Of the 74 islands, only 8 are inhabited leaving 66 virtually untouched islands which provide the perfect setting for a day of exploring or simply relaxing on the secluded beaches and coves.
The Whitsundays offers a unique combination of water, reef, island, coast and activities. These are the elements that distinguish the Whitsundays destination from other destinations both domestically and internationally.

This region caters for young couples, families with children and the 45-65 age range. Most island resorts have some form of Day Care and Kids Club, and South Molle, Hamilton and Long island have family units to promote their “Family-Friendly” atmosphere.
The Whitsundays region attracts over 600,000 visitors per annum with 67% being domestic visitors (426,000) and 33% being inbound visitors (209,754). Eleven per cent of international visitors to Queensland will visit the Whitsundays.

Of the resort islands, there is a choice ranging from world-class luxury and sophistication to budget hideaways. Resort islands in the Whitsunday region include Hayman, Hamilton, Daydream, Linderman, Brampton, Long, Hook and South Molle Island.
Don’t miss the opportunity to see something truly remarkable. Fly over the blue expanse in a seaplane or helicopter for a birds-eye view of Heart Reef. A naturally formed heart shaped reef can be seen and believed to be Mother-Natures way of saying “from the reef with love”.

Fast catamarans depart daily from the mainland and island resorts to the outer reef where you can snorkel, dive or view the natural beauty of spectacular coral and tropical fish from a semi-submersible vessel.
Discover your private section of the reef aboard your own bareboat yacht or join a day tour to the Outer Great Barrier Reef.
The Whitsunday region, famous for its tropical islands and smooth blue waters is yet another stepping stone to a myriad of Great Barrier Reef adventures.

In terms of restaurants, with the exception of Hamilton island, and the Hayman, the Resort islands each have one or two restaurants at most. The Whitsundays ‘Gateway’ has a wide range of dining choices through French, Swiss, Chinese, Thai, Mexican, Italian & Japanese to good old Aussie Steak & Seafood.