Palm Cove is getting a breezy new resort just steps from the beach

The much-loved tropical destination is set to gain a new resident with The Hilton Palm Cove Cairns Resort & Spa.

Picture-perfect Palm Cove is the ultimate beachfront vacation spot, where rainforest meets reef. Loved for its year-round tropical climate and laid-back attitude, this idyllic gateway to the Great Barrier Reef is defined by its golden shoreline dotted with palm trees and its azure waters. Hilton, in partnership with Tyche Asset Management, is set to redefine tropical luxury accommodation in the area with the new Hilton Palm Cove Cairns Resort & Spa.

Palm Cove jetty — Palm Cove is home to pristine beaches. (Credit: Vince Sofia/Tourism and Events Queensland)

The resort is set to open in October 2026, just 25 minutes north of Cairns Airport and 40 minutes from Port Douglas. It will offer sophisticated coastal accommodation just minutes from the beachside village’s pristine shores and vibrant main drag, William’s Esplanade, which is lined with quaint eateries – including the popular Nu Nu – and boutique shops.

Housed in the former Hotel Grand Chancellor, which has been fully refurbished, guests can expect breezy interiors evocative of the surrounding landscape within spread-out, low-rise buildings. Coastal tones punctuated by colourful contemporary artworks and complemented by light timber joinery and natural textures, will envelop everywhere from the foyer to the guestrooms. Each of the 140 contemporary rooms and suites will feature private balconies overlooking tropical gardens or sparkling pools.

hilton palm cove cairns resort and spa restaurant — The hotel’s breezy interiors are reflective of the surrounding landscape.

Two outdoor pools, including a lagoon-style pool, are sure to keep little ones happy. While a wellness centre, equipped with floating pods, infrared sauna, steam room, therapy rooms and Japanese head massage, and two distinct bars, including a pool bar serving light tropical bites, will cater to adults in need of relaxation time. Euca Bar Grill, with its flame-led menu, will serve as the hotel’s restaurant, and Sol food truck will round out the offerings.

While it’s always been a popular holiday spot for Queenslanders, recent awards, including “Best Beach in the World" by Condé Nast Traveler, have fueled Palm Cove’s growing appeal with everyone from young families to honeymooners and nature enthusiasts. The Hilton development is a direct response to the region’s thriving tourism market, and is the third Hilton property in the region, following nearby Hilton Cairns and DoubleTree by Hilton Cairns.

hilton palm cove cairns resort and spa guestroom — Rooms and suites feature calming neutral tones.

And while you might find it hard to pull yourself away from this pretty pocket in Tropical North Queensland, basing yourself in Palm Cove also means you’re within day-trip distance of the world’s oldest tropical rainforest, the Daintree Rainforest.

Details

Address: 10 Coral Coast Drive in Palm Cove

Opening date: 31 October

Best for: Young families, honeymooners and those looking for the perfect base to discover ancient rainforests and the Great Barrier Reef

Under wide-open outback skies, discover a fossicking gem that’s managed to slip under the radar.

While the name Clermont may feel new to even the most intrepid traveller, its gilded history stretches back centuries. You’ll find it just off the highway, humming quietly under the hazy veil of Queensland’s outback sun. It’s here, hemmed in by mountains and perched atop soil heavy with the earth’s treasures, that one of Australia’s most accessible outback adventures awaits.

Thanks to deposits of gold, copper and gemstones – souvenirs left by exploding supernovas and the heave of tectonic plates – Clermont became a centre point of Queensland’s Gold Rush. And now? Australia’s fossicking capital is yours to discover.

Getting there

car driving along Capricorn Way in queensland — Take a drive through Queensland’s Mackay Isaac region. (Image: Sean Scott/ TEQ)

You’ll find Clermont in Queensland’s Mackay Isaac region. To get here, it’s an easy three-hour drive over sealed roads from Mackay. Or, if you’re heading from the Sapphire Fields of Emerald, the drive will carve out just over an hour from your day.

Whether you’re road-tripping through outback Queensland or just tracing your way through all that Australia has to offer, Clermont is remote but easily accessible.

Best accommodation in Clermont

Theresa CreekDam in clermont — Camp by Theresa Creek Dam. (Image: Riptide Creative/ TEQ)

All accommodation comes with a generous helping of country hospitality here. The choice is yours between modern hotels, parking up the camper or pitching a tent.

Theresa Creek Dam lies just outside town. Begin each day with crisp country air and bright outback sunrises. Spend the night under the sparkling country stars and your days out on the dam fishing or kayaking. Even if you aren’t camping, be sure to save space in your itinerary for an afternoon on the red dirt shore.

To stay closer to town, opt for a central hotel to base yourself between exploring and fossicking, like Smart Stayzzz Inn and Clermont Country Motor Inn.

Things to do in Clermont

three people on a tour with Golden Prospecting — Join a tour with Golden Prospecting.

One does not visit Clermont without trying their hand at fossicking. There are strict rules when it comes to fossicking, so stick to areas dedicated for general permission and make sure you obtain your license beforehand. Try your luck at McMasters, Four Mile, Town Desert, McDonald Flat and Flat Diggings. To increase your odds, sign on for a tour with the expert team at Golden Prospecting. They’ll give you access to exclusive plots and expert advice along the way.

Once you’ve tried your luck on the gold fields, head to the Clermont Township and Historical Museum. Each exhibit works like an archaeologist’s brush to dust away the layers of Clermont’s history. Like the steam engine that painstakingly relocated the entire town inch by inch to higher ground after it was decimated by flooding in 1916. See the tools that helped build the Blair Athol mine, historic fire engines, shearing sheds and all sorts of relics that make up Clermont’s story.

The historic Copperfield Chimney offers a change of pace. Legend has it that fossickers found a solid wall of copper here, over three metres high, kick-starting Queensland’s first-ever copper mine.

Bush Heli Services flying over clermont queensland — See Clermont from above with Bush Heli Services. (Image: Riptide Creative/ TEQ)

For hiking, nearby Dysart is the best place to access Peak Range National Park. Here, mountainous horizons stretch across the outback as if plucked from another world. Set off for a scenic drive along the Peak Downs Highway for access to countless geological wonders. Like the slanting rockface of Wolfang Peak. Summit it, and you’ll find yourself looking out across a scene surely conjured up by Banjo Paterson. Dry scrub dancing in the warm breeze, grazing cattle, eucalypts and the gentle creak of windmills. Don’t miss visiting Gemini Peaks, either, for one of the park’s best vistas, and a blanket of wild flowers after rain.

Then, take to the skies with a scenic helicopter tour with Bush Heli-Services. Shift your perspective and cruise above all the sights from your trip. Spots like Lords Table Mountain and Campbell’s Peak are best viewed from the skies.

Before you head home, be sure to explore the neighbouring townships. Spend a lazy afternoon in the shade of Nebo Hotel’s wrap-around verandahs. The hotel’s 1900s dance hall has since been replaced with one of the area’s biggest rodeo arenas, so consider timing your trip to line up with a boot scootin’ rodeo. Or, stop by a ghost town. Mount Britton was once a thriving town during the 1880s Gold Rush. It’s been totally abandoned and now lies untouched, a perfect relic of the Gold Rush.

Best restaurants and cafes in Clermont

meal at Commercial Hotel — Stop into the Commercial Hotel Clermont.

Days spent fossicking, bushwalking and cramming on history call for excellent coffee and hearty country meals. Luckily, Clermont delivers in spades.

Lotta Lattes Cafe is beloved by locals for a reason. Start your days here for the best caffeine fix in town and an impeccable brunch menu.

For a real country meal, an icy cold beer and that famed country hospitality, head straight to the town’s iconic hotel: the Commercial Hotel (known endearingly to locals as ‘The Commie’). It’s been a staple in Clermont since 1877. The hotel even survived the flood of 1916 when it was sawn in two and moved to higher ground.

Naturally, time spent in the outback must include calling into the local bakery. For delicious pies and a tantalising array of sweet treats, make Bluemac Bakehouse your go-to while in town.

Discover more of The Mackay Isaac region, and start planning your trip at mackayisaac.com.

Palm Cove is getting a breezy new resort just steps from the beach

The much-loved tropical destination is set to gain a new resident with The Hilton Palm Cove Cairns Resort & Spa.

Details

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