The beach near the resort

Dunk Island
Famous tropical island surrounded by the Great Barrier Reef.
'In these calm and shallow waters there is a never-ending panorama of entertainment. Coral gardens - gardens of the sea nymphs, wherein fancy feigns cool, shy, chaste faces and pliant forms half-revealed among gently swaying robes; a company of porpoise, a herd of dugong; turtle, queer and familiar fish, occasionally the spouting of a great whale, and always the company of swift and graceful birds. Sometimes the whole expansive ocean is as calm as it can only be in the tropics and bordered by the Barrier Reef - a shield of shimmering silver from which the islands stand out as turquoise bosses.'

So wrote Dunk Island's most famous resident, Edmund James Banfield who, known as 'Beachcomber' (and sometimes as 'Rob Krusoe') moved to the island in 1897 and until his death in 1923 recorded the life of the island in a series of books - the most famous of which was The Confessions of a Beachcomber.

The graves of E.J Banfield and his wife

A great admirer of Thoreau and a keen naturalist, Banfield did much to ensure that most of the island became a sanctuary for its wildlife. Today the southern section of Dunk Island is a National Park.

But while Banfield may have been the island's most famous resident, he was by no means the first European to make contact with its shores. As early as June 1770, James Cook sailed past and observed it to be a 'tolerable high island'. He named it after the Earl of Halifax, George Montagu Dunk.

In 1848 the HMS Rattlesnake anchored off the island and John MacGillivray studied the fauna and flora of the island. He subsequently wrote of its natural features in the Narrative of the Voyage of HMS Rattlesnake, published in England in 1852.

Located 4 km off the coast, Dunk Island is 160 km north of Townsville and 120 km south of Cairns. It used to be called Coonanglebah (sometimes spelt Gunanggulba) by the local Aborigines. Some sources suggest the word meant 'Island of Peace and Plenty'.

In 1968 Dunk was used as the setting for the cinematic version of Norman Lindsay's The Age of Consent, which starred James Mason and Helen Mirren.

Today the island is a careful mixture of tourism and national parkland. There is one resort and visitors spend their time inspecting the reef or wandering around the island's tracks, which include a fascinating path (which starts at the back of the resort) that crosses a suspension bridge and continues on past Banfield's grave to Mount Koo-Tal-Oo Lookout.

Dunk Island offers excellent access to the Great Barrier Reef. There are regular ferry services from Mission Beach. There is an area on the island for daytrippers. It has adequate facilities and a place called the Jetty Bar which serves food and drinks.

The Dunk Island Resort offers a range of facilities and activities such as swimming pools, skydiving, horseriding and Barrier Reef snorkelling and diving.

The National Parks camping area is adjacent the daytripper's area. Camping spots are limited and the maximum stay is three days for those with permits, tel: (07) 4068 8199.

Things to see:  

Dunk Island from Mission Beach

Vital Information About the Island
1. The Island Itself
Location
Located 4 km off the coast of Mission Beach, Dunk Island is 160 km north of Townsville, 120 km south of Cairns and 36 km north of Cardwell.

Description of the island
6 km long and 2km wide tropical island with rainforest, beaches and wildlife. 730 ha. of National Park. Green-clad slopes rising gently from sea to 271 m Mt Koo-tal-oo.

How do visitors access it?
The majority of guests access the island via regular domestic and intenational flights into Cairns, followed by a flight to Dunk. There is also a launch service which operates twice daily between Mission Beach and Dunk Island .

Activities on the island
Bush walking, horse riding, visit to artist's colony, visit to Coonanglebah bush farm.

2. Resorts on the Island
History
Captain Brassey bought the island in 1934 and the Banfield bungalow provided the basis for the beginnings of a resort. The RAAF occupied the island during World War II. The Brasseys returned to run the resort after the war. In 1956 Eric McElree of Avis Rent-A-Car purchased the island and upgraded its facilities to international standards. Trans Australian Airlines bought Dunk Island in 1976 and an environmentally-sensitive reconstruction program was instituted. It was during this time that the resort's main complex of restaurants, bars and lounges was built. In 1992, ownership was passed to Qantas, following its merger with Australian Airlines. On 24 th December 1997, Dunk Island was purchased by P&O Australian Resorts. Refurbishment commenced in March 1998 to upgrade all interiors of the Beachfront and Bayview guest rooms.

How big is it?
148 rooms in 12 hectares of gardens consisting of four styles of accommodation: Bayview suites, Beachfront rooms, secluded Garden cabanas and Banfield rooms. It caters for up to 360 guests.

Who does it appeal to?
Families, couples and singles.

Free activities
Walking tracks, golf on 6 hole course, catamaran sailing, windsurfing and archery. Swimming pools, tennis and squash courts, fully-equipped gym, snorkelling off Muggy Muggy Beach, volleyball, fitness classes, Teen Club, Kids Korna day care centre (3-14 years) 8.30 a.m. - 11.30 a.m. and 4.30 p.m. - 8.30 p.m. daily.

Other activities
Snorkelling trips to Great Barrier Reef (The Neptunius yacht - four different tours - The Quickcat - dive certification). The Hooker Game Boat - game fishing, Dunk Island Deep Sea Fishing Charters, skydiving, water-skiing parasailing and jet skiing, boat hire and horse rides through rainforest and along the beach, bird watching tours, clay target shooting, kids pony rides, overnight stable stay for children 8 - 14 years (school holidays only), dinghy to Purtaboi Island

Eating at the resort
Full buffet breakfast and three-course table d'hote dinner nightly or themed buffets are included in the tariff and served in the Beachcomber Restaurant with occasional beach barbecues. For lunch and snacks, choose from EJ's on the Deck (modern Australian brasserie style menu), BB's on the Beach (beach cafe style menu) or the Plantation Bar with live entertainment provided every night.

	Resorts
	Voyages Dunk Island Via Cairns Dunk Island QLD 4740 Telephone: 1300 134 044 or +61 2 8296 8000 worldwide Facsimile: +61 2 9299 2103 Rating: ****
	Camping & Other
	Dunk Island National Park Campsite (permit necessary) Dunk Island Dunk Island QLD 4816 Telephone: (07) 4068 8199
	Restaurants
	Beachcomber Restaurant Dunk Island Resort Dunk Island QLD 4816 Telephone: (07) 4068 8199