7: Go coastal camping

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Coastal camping is really about finding a little patch of your own, as far away from other people as possible. It’s about fresh, salty air; falling asleep to the roar of the ocean; and waking up with morning swims instead of showers. It’s where you can go just a little bit feral – but in the nicest possible way (it’s impossible to feel dirty with a sparkling ocean on your front doorstep).

It’s Robinson Crusoe living at its finest – pick the right spot and you’ll have abundant fresh seafood at your beck and call; a gorgeous beach all to yourselves; and the recipe for some fantastic family bonding time. Kids can get hands-on with everything from pitching the tent to collecting wood for the fire, before being let off the hook to catch a few fish on their own. Even washing up doesn’t seem so bad, when it’s done in a bucket by the campfire under a brilliant blanket of bright stars after downing a few perfectly-burned marshmallows and mugs of tea.

Try these

It’s a good idea to research your chosen campsite before setting out so you’re familiar with the facilities and whether bookings and permits are required.

NSW

Gillards or Middle Beach Campgrounds, Mimosa Rocks National Park: Located on the South Coast, Gillards is the go for campervans and Middle Beach is great if you don’t mind a short walk to your tent from your car.

Red Cliff and Lake Arragan, Yuraygir National Park: About 150 kilometres south of Byron Bay, near the famous surf beach of Angourie, you’ll enjoy panoramic coastal views, abundant bird life and isolated beaches.

Vic

Johanna Beach, Great Otway National Park: A perfect stop-off along the Great Ocean Road.

Thurra River, Croajingolong National Park: Located in coastal woodland on the shallow Thurra River, there’s a nice long beach, sand dunes and forest to explore.

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SA

Pondalowie Bay, Innes National Park: The largest of seven campgrounds in Innes National Park on the Yorke Peninsula offers good waves, a bunch of great fishing spots and even a shipwreck.

Rocky River, Flinders Chase National Park: Kangaroo Island is a nature-lover’s paradise. Flinders Chase includes the Remarkable Rocks and Western Kangaroo Island Marine Park.

Qld

Cape Tribulation Camping, Cape Tribulation: Surrounded by rainforest, you can start snorkelling metres from your tent.

Dundubara, Fraser Island: Amenities include dingo fences, a communal fire ring and hot showers.

Tas

Cosy Corner, Bay of Fires National Park: Peaceful Cosy Corner has two areas: one for larger vehicles, and another with more protected sites.

Camping at Bruny Island, Cloudy Bay: This pet-friendly, 50-acre timber reserve with flushing toilets offers a range of campsites for different-sized groups, close to the beach. Bookings essential.

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WA

Cape Range National Park, Coral Coast: Roll out of your tent and onto the reef for a spot of snorkelling.

Lucky Bay, Cape Le Grand National Park: For sheer, white-sand-hitting-turquoise-sea beauty, you can’t beat this place.

 

6 << Discover the underwater world of rock pools           Learn to surf >> 8

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7 wellness experiences on Hamilton Island for complete rejuvenation

(Credit: Riley Williams)

    Eleanor Edström Eleanor Edström
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    Conjuring calm and active adventure in equal measure, Hamilton Island is a tropical tonic for body and mind.

    Hamilton Island knows a thing or two about indulgence. There are long lunches to linger over, seafood towers to savour and poolside loungers designed for guilt-free idling. But for health-minded travellers wanting to feel energised inside and out, this sliver of the Whitsundays takes wellbeing just as seriously. Think yoga mats rolling out at dawn, kayaks skimming turquoise water, state-of-the-art fitness facilities and spa therapists working tropical magic. These Hamilton Island wellness experiences promise to restore, rebalance and leave you feeling brand new.

    1. E-Mountain biking

    mountain bikers on Hamilton Island wellness
    Follow Hamilton Island’s mountian biking trails. (Credit: Harry Gruttner)

    For travellers with an appetite for adrenaline, Hamilton Island’s new self-guided e-mountain biking experience is worth carving out a morning for. Start at HI Trails HQ, where you’ll be fitted with a full-suspension, pedal-assisted e-mountain bike and given a run-through of a nine-kilometre section of the island’s 25-kilometre trail network. The electric boost makes the ride more accessible (and the climbs more manageable), though an intermediate level of fitness is still recommended.

    As a first-time mountain biker, I start off wobbly – taking my time to get used to switching gears and electric modes – and wonder if I’ve overestimated my coordination. But soon something clicks. Suddenly we’re zooming through pockets of eucalyptus and out onto ridgelines with sweeping views of electric blue waters, catching our breath at hidden bays with barely another soul in sight. More than 70 per cent of the island remains untouched, so witnessing these lesser-explored pockets feels like a blessing. It’s the kind of adventure that leaves you buzzing, accomplished and blissfully tired out.

    2. HI Fitness Club

    HI Fitness Club reformer pilates
    Stretch out with reformer pilates.

    If mountain biking isn’t quite your speed, there are plenty of other ways to stay active on the island. One of the newest Hamilton Island wellness experiences, HI Fitness Club now has 24-hour access, offering a fully equipped modern gym, group classes spanning HIIT to yoga, plus two bubbling spas and a sauna waiting to loosen sore muscles.

    I drop in for a Reformer Pilates class. Each of the four machines has its own mini screen with a wide selection of high-quality virtual classes, meaning I can select one that suits my level and mood that day. Beyond Pilates, the virtual library is like a choose-your-own adventure for fitness enthusiasts: dance, Body Pump, Body Combat and GRIT Cardio are among the options. Or perhaps challenge a family member or friend to a hit of tennis at one of the three courts.

    3. Walking trails

    runners on hamilton island
    Get the blood pumping on a morning run.

    We set out early. By 6:45am, we’re halfway up Passage Peak, the highest point on Hamilton Island and widely considered its most impressive vantage point. From the Scenic Trail Entrance, the viewing platform takes around an hour to reach by foot, with moderate inclines that will get your heart pumping without feeling too punishing. The payoff at the top is immediate. Bush-clad Whitsundays islands scatter across the horizon in every direction, the sunrise brushing the scene with soft melon and gold tones. I take my time soaking up the 360° panorama, remembering how powerful an active start in nature can be for clearing the mind and energising the day ahead.

    While Passage Peak is one of the most popular hikes on Hamilton Island, Flat Top Hill Lookout and the longer Southeast Head Trail are also excellent choices.

    4. Spa wumurdaylin

    Spa Wumurdaylin on hamilton island wellness experiences
    Feel your worries melt away at Spa wumurdaylin.

    In a tranquil treatment room at Spa wumurdaylin, the world disappears. The space is all brown stone tiles, bamboo racks and lush garden views, setting the tone for my Soul Temple treatment. My therapist, Kass, begins with a full-body, exfoliating orange buff sugar scrub that feels divine. Next comes the vertical Vichy shower and underwater massage to knead out muscle knots. The sound of cascading water is reminiscent of a tropical rainstorm, and stress becomes a distant memory.

    It’s a prime example of the transportive power of the island’s spa, where guests can come to reset the mind and loosen tension in the body. The menu spans radiance facials to deep release rituals and mud wraps, all using products from pH-balanced skincare brand LaGaia Unedited. Concluding with herbal tea, I leave in a blissful daze.

    5. Sunrise yoga

    sunrise yoga session at the sundays on hamilton island wellness experiences
    Start your day on the right foot.

    Morning movement doesn’t get more surreal than sunrise yoga on The Sundays’ seaside terrace. As we roll out our mats, morning light spills across Catseye Beach below, turning the water into a sheet of molten gold. But the setting only does half the healing. I match my breath to the rhythm of the waves and feel my body gradually lengthen and wake as instructor Tyla Rae guides us through a slow, mindful flow.

    Available exclusively to guests of The Sundays, this session captures the spirit of wellness on Hamilton Island – immersion in nature, slowing down by the sea, recalibrating both body and mind. To round out the experience, the perfect ocean cool-off awaits just steps away.

    6. Getting out on the water

    people on sup boards at the sundays hamilton island
    Try your hand at a host of watersports.

    Speaking of ocean delights, Catseye Beach’s host of watersports delivers spades of fun and rejuvenation. Glide over the crystalline water in a kayak, test your sailing skills in a mini catamaran, spot schools of fish (and a turtle if you’re lucky) from a stand-up paddleboard, or slip into an underwater wonderland when you snorkel off the beach.

    Out here, the water is so clear it feels like floating in glass, and the green silhouettes of the Whitsunday Islands rise on the horizon. Half an hour on the water here is all you need to reset your entire mood.

    Guests staying at qualia, Beach Club, The Sundays, Reef View Hotel, Palm Bungalows and Hamilton Island Holiday Homes have complimentary access to all these water activities, making it easy to dive right in.

    7. Take a swing

    Dent Island Golf course
    Enjoy incredible views with a swing of golf.

    For others, mindfulness comes from calm concentration – and golf fits the bill to a tee. Designed by five-time British Open winner Peter Thomson, Hamilton Island Golf Club is perched along the scenic ridges of Dent Island. It’s Australia’s only golf course on its own island, making it one of the most scenic golf courses in the world. The experience is suitable for golfers of all skill levels, with spectator bookings also available for those simply wishing to take in the views. Follow the game with a well-earned lunch at the Clubhouse restaurant.

    Find out more ways to unwind in the Whitsundays at hamiltonisland.com.au.