Tip: There is a cute little marina with multiple food options and a decent sized supermarket. The IGA can be expensive, crowded and for vino-lovers, mostly stocks “Oatley” wines. If you own the Island you own the right to monopolise (and charge for it)… So stuff your bag full of your preferred tipple and be ready to pay a premium for that pack of Doritos!
While writing this, I’m literally Googling airfares to go back! For a quick trip from Sydney or Brisbane (or most other cities in Oz really) it’s a superb family friendly destination.
Hamilton is a small(ish) Island with a nice slow pace. The omission of cars for golf buggies also means you’re enjoying the best part of golf without even swinging a club.
The only downsides are cost and the Irukandji Jellyfish that hit Hamilton in summer. Swimming in a full body suit takes a bit of the gloss off so you may be best to travel outside stinger season. Easiest way to remember the “safe” months are those without an ‘r’ - May, June, July and August.
Overall Family Friendly Rating: 8
Location
Whitsundays, Queensland. The Lagoon Lodges are directly across from Catseye Beach on the NE side of Hamilton island
Highlights
Brad & Sar's Final Thoughts
Catseye beach is a cool location. Each morning, I’d throw our eldest boy on the nose of a paddleboard and go turtle hunting. After a short paddle, they were everywhere and seemed just as intrigued by us.
There are not many places where you can roll out of bed one moment and be swimming with the turtles the next!
Some may prefer to stay Marina side as you are walking distance to the shops and restaurants but for us, the Lagoon Lodges offered the perfect balance for a beach holiday. We preferred to walk to the beach and take the golf buggy on the short 5min drive over the hill to dinner or up to One Tree Hill for the cracking sunset!
You may need to save a few bucks to properly enjoy this place but it’s worth it. If the budget can be stretched out, we found that our 7 night stay in the Lagoon Lodges was just right to wind down and experience everything that the Island had to offer.
Family Friendly Rating: 8.5