Ferry from Daydream Island to Hamilton Island Marina

Daydream Island Guide

Daydream Island Ferry Port

Forming one of the seven landmasses of the Molle Archipelago found off the north-east coast of Australia is the paradisiac Daydream Island. With broad stretches of sandy beaches overlooking the sapphire-blue sea and thriving coral reefs teeming with exotic marine life, this tiny isle is a magnet for tourists looking to soak up the sun in tropical tranquillity. The port of Daydream Island is found in a small bay on the eastern coast. It consists of a narrow wooden pier that juts out into a slice of ocean sandwiched between the stunning Daydream Reef. It’s little more than a departure point featuring a few sheltered waiting benches, though the nearby resort hotel has plenty of amenities on offer including a restaurant selling hot food and a tourist information point. Due to the small size of the island, travelling to the port is simple. The road outside the entrance to the pier leads in a straight-line from the unique Living Reef aquarium in the north to the quiet beaches in the south. However, due to the lack of public transport and the inability for passengers to bring cars, most of the 1-kilometre long island can only be traversed on foot. One passenger service currently leaves from the port multiple times throughout the day. A Cruise Whitsundays line sails the half hour trip to the Australian mainland town of Airlie, an area of the Queensland region that sits on the rugged shores of Pioneer Bay.

Hamilton Island Marina Guide

Hamilton Island Marina Ferry Port

Hamilton Island, the largest of the Whitsunday Islands that crown the Great Barrier Reef off the western coast of Australia, is an undulating stretch of tree-topped hills that rise and fall into the glassy depths of the surrounding sea. It’s effortless tropical allure has not escaped notice; the resort having won the Australian Traveller 'Most Desirable Island Escape' Award in 2015. Much of the island coastline is streaked with broad, golden beaches lined by coconut palms. From the comfort of the velvet sand, one can see the verdant peaks of the other isles and atolls that skirt the skyline. The east-facing Catseye Beach is the perfect place to watch the sun rise too, its warmth gradually spilling over the curve of the horizon. The port of Hamilton Island is found within a small, sheltered bay on the north-western coast between the piers of the Hamilton Island Marina. It’s little more than a wooden jetty that juts away from the promenade. Upon this promenade are a host of passenger facilities including coin-operated washers and dryers, showers, toilets, a post-office and a few cafes selling hot and cold snacks. Travelling across the island is easy. A complimentary shuttle bus service regularly tours the twisting roads that scale the island slopes, whisking passengers to the main tourist spots. The Hamilton Island Airport, the only commercial airport along the barrier reef, is just a 10-minute walk from the harbour-side too, flights heading to Sydney and Melbourne on the Australian mainland. Two ferry routes currently leave from the Hamilton Island Marina. Daily lines operated by Cruise Whitsundays sail west to the towns of Airlie Beach and Shute Harbour on the ragged coastline of Queensland, Australia found across an island-studded stretch of the Coral Sea.