Hotel profile: K'gari Beach Resort

The remote K’gari Beach Resort is a hotel, pub, restaurant and bakery all in one, plus it’s home to some of the best doughnuts in the state.

Light, beach decor, just a minute’s walk to K’gari’s famous 75 Mile Beach and one of the best bakeries you’ll find in Queensland. Hands down, K’gari Beach Resort is the idyllic home base for a secluded beach getaway.

Formerly known as Eurong Beach Resort, the resort is only accessible by 4WD – like much of the island – making it a rather peaceful place to be year-round, especially during off-peak season. Enjoy stunning beach views, explore K’gari’s 4WD tracks, try your luck at fishing and spot some of the local wildlife.

Location

car driving along 75 mile beach on k'gari — 75 Mile Beach is on your doorstep. (Image: Jessica Miocevich)

You’d be hard-pressed to even find somewhere to pitch a tent closer to the iconic 75 Mile Beach. Of course, beauty and serenity often come at a cost, and in this case, that cost is accessibility.

While Kingfisher Beach Resort does offer bus transfers from its ferry to K’gari Beach Resort, you really do need to have your own 4WD or join a tour to explore the full island. Having said that, this place is so serene with everything you need in one spot – that I couldn’t blame anyone for wanting to settle in and relax here, and here alone.

Style and character

Think coastal grandma chic. Rooms are simple and colour palettes match the beach, ocean and forest surrounding the property. Each room features a print of local photographer (and tour guide) Peter Meyer‘s works to really add to the sense of place.

It’s almost like a (very) small coastal town here, with simple but inviting accommodation, a bakery, restaurant and pub all on the property.

Facilities

Pool

A large, lagoon-style swimming pool forms the centre of the resort. Perfect for cooling down after a day of exploring.

Outdoor BBQ

Make use of the public outdoor barbecue to sizzle up your catch of the day, then eat it in the provided (and shaded) pavilions.

Tennis court

If racing along the very straight 75 Mile Beach isn’t enough to cure that competitive streak, challenge your holiday-mates to a match on the tennis court.

Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.

Housekeeping

Towel changes and amenity checks are provided on the third day of every stay, while full housekeeping services (including linen changes) are provided on the seventh.

Rooms

Resort Rooms

bed in K'gari Beach Resort Resort Room — The coastal-inspired rooms have all the basics covered. (Image: Jessica Miocevich)

Simple but cute is the name of the K’gari Beach Resort room game. Relax into the beach holiday vibe in one of these coastal-inspired rooms.

Each room features a queen and king single bed, sleeping up to three people. You’ll also get your own deck or patio to take in the view and a full bathroom. Air-conditioned rooms can be purchased for an additional fee and are subject to availability – otherwise, you’ll need to make do with a ceiling fan.

King Rooms

K'gari Beach Resort king room — Add a TV and air con. (Image: Jessica Miocevich)

For groups of two, opt for a King Room, featuring a king bed, air conditioning and heating, a big screen television, a balcony or patio, an ensuite bathroom and a microwave so you can reheat your leftovers from McKenzie’s on 75.

Food and drink

McKenzie’s on 75

Serving indoors, outdoors and even by the hotel pool, pop in for a casual buffet breakfast from 7am to 9am every morning, or head over later in the day for a lunch buffet or signature house-made pizzas. From 5:30pm, the dinner menu offers up classic pub grub with burgers, steaks and salads. And let’s not forget dessert. They also offer a kids’ menu at night.

Of course, you can always just pop in for a snack or a cold beer and cocktails.

Eurong Bakery

Who knew some of Queensland’s best doughnuts were hiding out at one of its most remote bakeries? This is where you would find me for lunch every day of my holiday. Besides the doughnuts, find a range of hot and cold pastries, muffins and freshly made sandwiches ready to be eaten at the bakery or taken away on your day’s adventure.

Open daily from 7am to 3:30pm, it’s a very cute place to spend some time. Be transported right back to your childhood days of begging your parents for lunch and/or treats at the end of a family beach day – but this time you don’t need permission. It’s open, simple decor is inviting, and its coffee and milkshakes will invite you to linger longer.

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General Store

Forgot some essentials? Find everything from groceries, meat and fresh produce to resort wear, maps, ice, and fuel at the General Store. It’s open daily from 7:30am to 6:00pm.

Experiences

Island tours

aerial of people swimming in Lake Mckenzie on k'gari fraser island — Dive into the unique colours of Lake McKenzie. (Image: Jessica Miocevich)

Join single, two- or multi-day tours guided by passionate locals and designed to immerse you in the island’s unique ecosystem and cultural stories.

Pack in all the iconic sights – picturesque Lake McKenzie, Pile Valley rainforest, Eli Creek, the historic Maheno Shipwreck, the colourful sands of The Pinnacles and 75 Mile Beach – into one day. Or take your time to visit these spots and more at a more relaxed pace. Add in hidden gems like Lake Wabby and the Champagne Pools (with overnight stays at K’gari Beach Resort included in the price).

Private 4WD tour

kingfisher bay resort 4wd tour driving passed ss maheno on k'gari island — Go your own way with a bespoke tour. (Image: Jessica Miocevich)

If you can, this is my absolute top tip for exploring K’gari when you’re not confident to hit the sandy tracks on your own (this option is for a maximum group of four people). It’s not just about being alone on the tour – although it is a bonus – it’s about the freedom to create your own bespoke itinerary (plus a provided picnic lunch along the way), with an expert guide who will have plenty of stories and expertise to give context to what you’re looking at. It’s also about stopping at the icons between the waves of tourists, and only going where you really want to.

Access for guests with disabilities?

It would be difficult to get around the resort and K’gari Island with mobility issues.

Family-friendly?

kids looking over hotel room balcony at k'gari beach resort — Kids are welcome here. (Image: Courtney Atkinson)

Absolutely, although K’gari Beach Resort is more about families making their own fun in nature, rather than Kingfisher Bay Resort, which has extra entertainment on site.

Details

Transfers are available from Kingfisher Bay Resort (where the K’gari ferry docks), but for exploring the island, you’ll need a 4WD.

Address: K’gari Beach Track, K’gari Island
Website: Visit eurong.com.au
Contact:(07) 4120 1600
Cost: Rates start at $183 per night.

From poolside bites and tasting flights to seafood plates and dry-aged steaks, a foodie adventure on Hamilton Island is worth every bite.

Hamilton Island’s sun-lacquered shores have long magnetised travellers craving an escape from reality. But what’s less expected – and more interesting – is just how assuredly this Whitsundays idyll delivers on the culinary front. Dialling up the flavour as much as the barefoot allure, the Hamilton Island food scene offers world-class dining and drinking options, spanning slick fine-dining moments to just-caught seafood served within sight of the sea. Let’s dig in.

Catseye Pool Club

Framing the electric blues of Catseye Beach from The Sundays hotel, Catseye Pool Club is Hamilton Island’s latest culinary prodigy. Shown to our table, we thread through rattan chairs, Zellige tiles and tumbling greenery that opens up to Coral Sea shimmer.

The poolside restaurant is the brainchild of Sydney-based chef duo Josh and Julie Niland, who have brought their relaxed yet elevated dining ethos north. The menu – designed to bring people together – is made for sharing, each hero ingredient orbited by a palette of sides to mix, match and layer as you please.

My thyme cocktail – woody with scotch, lifted by lime leaf – pairs perfectly with the charcoal grilled prawns entree, which is served with tumeric and lemongrass marinade, macadamia satay sauce and a thai-leaning sour green mango salad. Each forkful lands differently, but all are a delight. Then comes the coral trout. True to Josh Niland’s ‘scale-to-tail’ philosophy, the fish is presented whole in a theatrical crescent, a tiny fork stuck into its cheek in a nod to Niland’s declared prize cut. Ribbons of zucchini resembling gauzy curtains bring brightness and snap, while kasundi lends depth and warmth. It’s tongue-tantalising, special occasion dining with humanity.

Sails Restaurant

A more casual poolside dining scene awaits at nearby Sails Restaurant, where Eastern Mediterranean flavours are dished up with an island twist. Chermoula chicken skewers and barramundi souvlaki lie on the more filling side of the menu, while the sumac squid and stone-bread flatbread with za’atar – arriving alongside pomegranate molasses, beetroot hummus and crushed macadamias – are perfect light bites after a dip in the pool. And don’t miss the garlic lemon scallops.

The setting is equally part of the draw. Sunlight floods the high-ceilinged dining room, while outdoor tables look out across the glittering expanse of Catseye Beach. Holidaymakers in oversized sunglasses sip spritzes beneath umbrellas, the gentle clink of plates mixing with splashes from the adjacent pool. It’s the kind of place you’ll want to linger long after lunch.

Bommie

Tucked into a sleek curved wing of the Hamilton Island Yacht Club, Bommie delivers experiential fine dining with a sense of occasion. Led by award-winning Executive Chef Ryan Locke, the seasonal menu champions local and native Australian ingredients whipped up into a modern display of creative precision.

Inside the dim-lit dining room, guests can choose between the Tasting Menu or Chef’s Signature Degustation. Sourdough with pine oil sets the tone for the six-course tasting menu, beautifully presented in a bed of pine needles alongside smoked paperbark butter. I love how the squid ink choux pastry is served with flavour-popping native finger lime, which our waiter encourages us to eat caviar-style. Standout moments continue with the wattle-seed-crusted venison elevated by red fruit and pickled beetroot swirls; the meat is perfectly pink in the middle and an homage to the island’s history as a deer farm.

Pebble Beach

Exclusive to qualia Resort guests for lunch and dinner, Pebble Beach is Hamilton Island’s most serene expression of seasonal island dining. Ocean-facing chairs dot a timber deck that spills straight onto the resort’s private beach, while crystalline turquoise waters stretch to meet distant islands – a scene far prettier than any postcard could capture.

The recently refreshed menu doubles down on seasonality and bright, layered flavours. While the more substantial T-bone steak with hazelnut honey carrots tempts, we go lighter: Coffin Bay oysters with Champagne foam and keffir lime dust kick us off splendidly, followed by Byron Bay burrata served with balsamic and caramelised figs. The fennel and orange salad topped with succulent grilled chicken is utterly delectable, but it’s the zingy, oh-so-fresh soft shell fish tacos that I can’t stop thinking about. It all goes down a treat with a glass of delicate Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve Champagne.

Beach Club Restaurant

A lunch or dinner table at Beach Club Restaurant is best booked in advance – and it’s easy to see why. Looking out over the hotel’s palm-fringed infinity pool, the restaurant spotlights elegant contemporary Australian cuisine with a stellar (also Aussie-leaning) wine list to match.

I am completely enamoured by the grilled Queensland prawns, which are brought to life with a smoked compound, local fried curry leaves and lime. Digging into the butter-soft lamb rump served atop pea ragout and parsley Paris mash feels like a warm, nostalgic hug. And dessert – vanilla bean ice cream drizzled with hot salted honey and apple gel – ends the night on a high note.

Expect warm and discreet service; our waiter Marco tells us that the tiny decorative starfish on our table are there to help the staff remember whether we prefer sparkling or still water, so they don’t need to bother us by asking multiple times.

Talk & Taste with Courtenay Morgan-Fletcher

There’s more to Hamilton Island’s foodie scene than restaurant reservations alone. For wine-curious travellers seeking something a little more immersive, Beach Club has recently introduced Talk & Taste – a tutored tasting hosted by Bommie Assistant Manager and wine enthusiast Courtenay Morgan-Fletcher. Held twice weekly for a maximum of eight guests, the experience explores Australian wine culture through four thoughtfully selected drops paired with native-inspired bites.

We opt for the white wine and seafood option. Alongside pours from Eden Valley and Launceston, a nibbling platter arrives featuring sashimi, salmon roe, Mooloolaba prawn ceviche and palate-cleansing ginger. The seafood is pristine and pared back, allowing the wines to take centre stage.

The real highlight, however, is discovering just how nuanced winemaking can be. Courtenay speaks of viticulture as both art and science: harvest grapes a week too late and ripeness tips into ruin; plant the same varietal on different elevations and the sun, slope and water flow will shape entirely different expressions. Pinot noir, she explains, with its delicate skin and high water content, yields lighter fruit-forward wines, while thicker-skinned shiraz delivers depth and structure. I leave feeling fascinated and inspired by Courtenay’s evident passion.

coca chu

Sweet and hot. Sour and salty. Dining at ever-popular coca chu is a sensation-swirling experience that’s not to be missed if you’re a sucker for punchy Southeast Asian flavours. Located at the Main Pool end of Catseye Beach, this lively hangout is all swaying lanterns, driftwood, high beamed ceilings and giant open windows that let in the balmy ocean breeze.

Drawing from hawker traditions, the grilled betel leaf is a neat, vibrant mouthful of chilli fried cashews and spiced beef. The tofu surprises – soft beneath a tumble of dill, mint and coriander, and glossed in moreish peanut sauce. The massaman curry is pure comfort: creamy, fragrant, fall-apart meat. It’s generous and expressive cooking that I, for one, cannot get enough of.

Marina Cafe

Sometimes, all you crave on holidays is a bacon and egg roll done properly and a creamy fruit smoothie. Boasting harbour views, an easygoing atmosphere and clean modern interiors, Marina Cafe is a popular local haunt for a reason. The casual menu lures families and couples alike with its all-day brekky, seasonal salads and sandwiches – from a roasted pumpkin bowl to prosciutto and rocket on herby focaccia.

The acai bowl, topped with toasted nuts and berries, is a refreshing start to my day. Whether you sit in or takeaway, it’s a good-vibes-guaranteed place to refuel before or after your Whitsundays adventures.

Discover your foodie getaway now at hamiltonisland.com.au.

K’gari Beach Resort has a bakery that’s hiding Qld’s best doughnuts

The remote K’gari Beach Resort is a hotel, pub, restaurant and bakery all in one, plus it’s home to some of the best doughnuts in the state.

Location

Style and character

Facilities