A boat arriving at the wharf in front of Daydream Island resort

Daydream Island
Small island close to Shute Harbour and easily accessible to day trippers.
Geologically the Whitsunday Islands are all drowned mountains. Prior to the last Ice Age they were connected to the mainland and would have all been prominent mountains in the area. The melting of the polar caps drowned the valleys between the mountains creating a network of 74 islands of which only 7 have resort facilities. Beyond the resorts the whole area is part of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and the uninhabited islands are all controlled by National Parks and Wildlife.

The first European to explore the area was Captain James Cook who travelled through the area on his journey up the eastern coast of Australia in 1770. He passed through Whitsunday passage, a narrow channel which lies between the mainland coast, South Molle and Daydream Islands to the west and Dent, Whitsunday, Hook and Hayman Islands to the east, on Sunday 4 June which happened to be Whit Sunday (the seventh Sunday after easter) - hence the name of the area.

Things to see:  

Vital Information About the Island
1. The Island Itself
Location
In the Whitsunday Group only 15 minutes by water taxi from Shute Harbour on the mainland.

Description of the island
Small island with the one resort. Both the beaches and the bushwalks on the island are quite short.

How do visitors access it?
Fly to Hamilton Island. There is a regular ferry service (45 mins) to the Island from Hamilton. Fly to Proserpine airport and board a coach to Shute Harbour. A launch takes holidaymakers across the 15 minute crossing.

Activities on the island
Bush walking through rainforest, snorkelling at Sunlovers Beach, swimming.

2. Resorts on the Island
History
Originally known as West Molle Island, Daydream became a resort around 1933 when it was purchased by retired army major Paddy Murray and his wife. In 1947 the island was purchased by Sir Reginald Ansett. He closed the resort in 1953, dismantled the buildings and moved the equipment. Daydream was closed until 1967 when it was sold to a Gold Coast entrepreneur who re-established the resort.

Daydream changed hands several times in the ensuing years before being purchased by its present owners, The Williams Corporation in November 1999.

How big is it?
1 km long and 500 metres wide

Who does it appeal to?
In recent times Daydream has moved from a very child-orientated destination to a more general tourism orientation. It is now designed to appeal to the general market being a suitable destination for conferences,weddings and the general leisure market for all ages. There is still a child care facility available.

Sailboats on the beach at Daydream

Free activities
Tennis, volleyball, gymnasium, windsurfing and instruction, sailing and instruction, fish feeding, ping-pong, bocce, water aerobics, three swimming pools, spas, sauna, Board games, organised group activities, paddle boats. Open air cinema

Other activities
Jet skiing, parasailing, waterskiing, tube rides, glass bottom water bikes, dinghy hire, snorkelling, scuba diving, coral viewing and fish feeding

Eating in the resort
Waterfall Cafe (informal dining - open for breakfast and dinner), Sunlovers Restaurant (premier restaurant), The Tavern (casual dining), Langfords Lounge (lunch and cocktails), Pool Bar (lunch and refreshments), Skip's Cafe and Bakery (lighter dining, sandwiches, cakes, hot dogs etc)

	Resorts
	Daydream Island Resort PMB 22 Mackay 4740 Daydream Island QLD Telephone: (07) 4948 8488, 1800 075 040 Facsimile: (07) 4948 8499