The best Hamilton Island hikes and walking trails

Carla GrossettiBy Carla Grossetti
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Explore the natural beauty of this iconic island on foot.

What better way to see the delights of Hamilton Island than on one of its many walking trails, which include popular new routes that zigzag across the island from Hideaway Bay in the north to Escape Beach in the south. The walks were created as part of an annual event on the island, they have proved so popular that they are now a permanent activity.

Visiting Hamilton Island? Here are the best hiking and walking trails that offer wide-open views of the beach, bush and nature.

Passage Peak

Distance: 2.7 kilometres

Grade 3: Challenging with many steps

Lace up your boots and set off before sunrise to climb to the top of Passage Peak, where a new viewing platform has been built at the high point of the walk to cater for those who want to see the break of day. The upgraded track is part of the Hamilton Island Icons Trail where, after pottering along the seaside path at the start of the Scenic Trail Entrance, walkers must carve off toward the northeast of the island to tackle the trail to Passage Peak. Download the Island app  and receive commentary along the way to The View from the lookout, which is the No.1 icon on the Icons Trail and the highest point on Hamilton Island.

Passage Peak walk Hamilton Island
Sunset views from the Passage Peak walk. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Saddle Junction

Distance: 1.8 kilometres

Grade 3: Moderate walk

Enjoy a slow 30-minute amble up to Saddle Junction to get the heart racing before breakfast. The junction is where the Passage Peak, South East Head, Escape Beach, Middle Head and Coral Cove trails intersect, and if you walk for about 100 metres and hang a left, you will join the Flat Top Hill trail which leads to a viewing area that looks out over the watery world of the Whitsundays. Keep your eyes peeled for the Proserpine rock wallaby, which is native to the Whitsundays mainland and islands. BYO binoculars to look for whales and dolphins.

Keep your eyes peeled for the Proserpine rock wallaby. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Southeast Head Trail

Distance: 4.4 kilometres

Grade 3: Moderate walk

The Icons Trail has opened up a side of the island that wasn’t previously accessible to visitors, making it a draw for travellers who want to work wellness into their holiday plans. Linger a bit longer at Southeast Head to take photographs at the Insta-friendly icon dubbed The Chair, which looks like it’s been left there after a giant’s dinner party. Want to burn off a few more calories? Include a walk to Passage Peak.

GIant chair Hamilton Island
Stop for a photo on The Chair.

Escape Beach Trail Walk

Distance: 12.4 kilometres

Grade 3: Moderate walk

The Whitsunday Islands formed after the last glacial period (30,000 to 50,000 years ago) when the sea level rose, leaving the higher coastal peaks as islands. Admire the landscape as you loop along from the Scenic Trail Entrance through Saddle Junction and onto Escape Beach. Pack a picnic and enjoy on the beach, which is protected by huge rocky outcrops. Snap a selfie in the Giant Hammock (icon No. 3) as gentle waves kiss the sand.

Escape Beach
Enjoy a refreshing dip at Escape Beach. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Coral Cove

Distance: 3.1 kilometres

Grade 3: Moderate

Start at the Scenic Trail Entrance and head to Saddle Junction before meandering through a forested section and completing the circuit to Coral Cove, where you will find a biscuit-hued beach featuring a Giant Swing (Icon No. 4) and more stirring scenery. On a clear day, the beach boasts views of Lindeman Island, which rears up out of the ocean. Stay, sway and play all day as it’s likely you will have this stretch of sand to yourself.

 

Giant Swing Hamilton Island
This biscuit-hued beach features a Giant Swing.

Flat Top Hill Lookout

Distance: 1.2 kilometres

Grade 3: Moderate

Like the eighties haircut of the same name, Flat Top Hill levels out at the very top of the trail, which starts from the Resort Trail entrance outside the Reef View Hotel . Look out for sea birds when you reach the lookout at Flat Top Hill, where you will see a series of lovely beaches and bays to the island’s north and south. Download the map  of the walking trails to help you find the Resort Lookout Trail entrance. Head to One-Tree Hill for a cocktail  to take selfies of your silhouettes and the sun setting over Daydream Island and the mainland beyond.

 

Flat Top Hill Hamilton Island
Views from Flat Top Hill.

Resort Lookout

Distance: 1.7 kilometres

Grade 3: Moderate

The view from the Resort Lookout is spectacular whatever the weather. When it’s blue-on-blue, it’s hard to tell where the sea ends and the sky begins. But even if the sky is bruised, black and blue, and heavy with storm clouds, you should don your wet weather gear and soldier on as the views from the second-highest point on Hamilton Island are spectacular. Follow the path through the Whitsunday bushland to the Resort Lookout which is one of the more well-trodden walks in the Whitsundays. The lookout drops off to sheer cliffs and allows an excellent panoramic view of Hamilton Island and a great vantage point for sightings of sea birds and marine life.

Rest your head at one of the top Hamilton Island accommodations.

 

Carla Grossetti
Carla Grossetti avoided accruing a HECS debt by accepting a cadetship with News Corp. at the age of 18. After completing her cadetship at The Cairns Post Carla moved south to accept a position at The Canberra Times before heading off on a jaunt around Canada, the US, Mexico and Central America. During her career as a journalist, Carla has successfully combined her two loves – of writing and travel – and has more than two decades experience switch-footing between digital and print media. Carla’s CV also includes stints at delicious., The Sydney Morning Herald, and The Australian, where she specialises in food and travel. Carla also based herself in the UK where she worked at Conde Nast Traveller, and The Sunday Times’ Travel section before accepting a fulltime role as part of the pioneering digital team at The Guardian UK. Carla and has been freelancing for Australian Traveller for more than a decade, where she works as both a writer and a sub editor.
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Embrace that Sunday feeling at Hamilton Island‘s newest resort

    Australian TravellerBy Australian Traveller
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    This new, family-friendly Hamilton Island resort embraces life in the slow lane.

    White sand beaches, gentle waves and getting on ‘island time’ have always made Hamilton Island the first spot that comes to mind when thinking of Queensland’s Whitsundays. Always a place to recharge and relax, modern wellness travel here means so much more than a spa treatment or green juice. And a new kind of tropical island stay has now arrived on Hamilton Island.

    pool at The Sundays Hamilton Island
    Learn to slow down and rejuvinate. (Image: Kara Rosenlund)

    The Sundays reimagines laid-back luxury, combining boutique, beachfront accommodation with an encouragement to slow down and appreciate life’s simple pleasures so every day feels like Sunday.

    Laid-back luxury

    The Sundays is nestled into the picturesque gardens on the northern end of Catseye Beach. Despite a feeling of being away from it all, the resort is a conveniently short walk from Hamilton Island’s main resort centre and restaurants, so guests can have the best of both worlds.

    This new boutique stay is all about savouring the now. From complimentary sunrise yoga to moonlight movies for kids and a daily sundae ritual by the beachside pool, it makes a compelling case for doing less, better.

    Even the architecture is designed to harmonise with the surrounding tropical landscape, pairing soft curves with a grounded coastal style that shows off the panoramic Coral Sea views and adds to the hotel’s calm aesthetic.

    Plus, with direct flights to Hamilton Island from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane in under two and a half hours, as well as complimentary hotel transfers from the airport or marina, getting here is as easy as the vacation itself.

    balcony view from room at The Sundays
    Enjoy fantastic views from your balcony or terrace. (Image: Sharyn Cairns)

    Perfectly designed rooms with amazing views

    Every small detail has been considered in the creation of the 59 guest rooms and suites, from in-room amenities by LEIF to walls adorned with custom artworks by First Nations andHungarian artist Tiarna Herczeg. There’s even a signature in-room scent by The Raconteur.

    Designed by Hamilton Island’s own designer, Carrie Williams, the result is relaxed Australian style using natural textures and soft hues to lull guests into a mellow state. This soothing palette runs throughout the resort, from its sun lounges to the shaded cabanas.

    Every room and suite has been built with a balcony or terrace, perfectly framing postcard-perfect views of the surrounding reef and lush greenery.

    inside a room at The Sundays
    Stylish rooms feature natural, soothing tones. (Image: Sharyn Cairns)

    Excellent activities and amenities

    Each day has been planned with a relaxed structure, so guests can get involved in as much or as little as they wish.

    Greet each day with morning yoga, pilates and island walks. Recharge with daily (and deliciously complimentary) sundaes by the pool. Wind down with moonlight movies twice a week and take advantage of family-focused features.

    Guests have complimentary access to a range of water sports – from stand-up paddle boards to catamarans – so they can get their blood pumping before relaxing by the resort pool.

    Or take a few extra steps to set up for a day on the sand without any crowds at the exclusive, guest-only beach. Settle in with a poolside aperitif for a front-row view of the stunning Catseye Bay.

    aerial shot of The Sundays pool and catseye beach
    Find picturesque Catseye Beach on your doorstep. (Image: Kara Rosenlund)

    Delectable dining

    What is rejuvenation if not a hearty choice of fresh, delectable dishes? That’s what guests will discover at The Sundays’s onsite restaurant, Catseye Pool Club .

    Open all day for hotel guests and lunch and dinner for island diners, this relaxed yet elevated menu was created by acclaimed culinary duo, Josh and Julie Niland. It celebrates that community feeling of mealtimes while championing seasonal Australian produce.

    “The vision behind [Catseye Pool Club] reflects so much of what I value – bringing people together to create memories in beautiful surroundings,” explains Josh.

    table spread including a lobster dish from Catseye Pool Club, The Sundays
    Enjoy classic Aussie meals with a twist at Catseye Pool Club. (Image: Kara Rosenlund)

    Based on elevated versions of classic Aussie family dinners, expect refined simplicity. Think roasted Sun Farms Sommerlad chicken with sides like chicken fat roast potatoes, gravy and tomato and grilled bread salad, or barbecued line-caught Bowen coral trout with garlic saltbush and Warrigal greens.

    A day spent by the pool can be complemented by a dedicated poolside menu, featuring wood-fired souvas. Don’t want to leave the room? Kick back and soak in the views with tasty treats delivered straight to your door, whether you’re after a full breakfast or late night snack.

    view from catseye pool club at The Sundays hamilton island
    Enjoy dinner and a view. (Image: Kara Rosenlund)

    Exploring the island

    While daily life at The Sundays is very much about the art of staying still, guests who seek more can explore the island with ease.

    Take a day trip to the striking Whitehaven Beach, or see the iconic Heart Reef from above on a helicopter tour. Pop over to Hamilton Island’s championship golf course for a hit, or explore over 12 kilometres of the island’s stunning nature and wildlife. Later, slow the pace back down with a visit to Spa wumurdaylin .

    Looking for more tasty treats? Visit one of the island’s restaurants – there are more than 20 to choose from.

    Hikers on passage peak hike on hamilton island
    Take on the beautiful hikes of Hamilton Island. (Image: Nick Leary)

    Book your stay at The Sundays through hamiltonisland.com.au.