Frommer's Australia from $50 a Day 13th Edition - To Parent Directory

THE WHITSUNDAY COAST & ISLANDS 319
water-skiing. Of the two resorts, South Molle is prettier and a tad more upscale
than Club Crocodile Long Island. It also has faster and more frequent connections
to the mainland and other islands.
If you’re looking for an alternative to these “big” island resorts, consider the
quiet, low-key affairs tucked away under the palms, often with few facilities to
speak of. Hook Island Wilderness Resort and Whitsunday Wilderness Lodge
fall into this category. Unlike South Molle Island Resort and Club Crocodile,
these resorts usually don’t offer day trips to the Great Barrier Reef, fishing expeditions,
dive excursions, or sail-and-snorkel trips, but that suits their quiet,
nature-loving guests just fine.
Hook Island Wilderness Resort This humble collection of cabins and
campsites on a white sandy beach is one of the few really affordable island resorts
on the Great Barrier Reef. That makes it popular with backpackers and anybody
who just wants to laze in the pool and Jacuzzi or chill out. Guests can also dive,
rent canoes, play beach volleyball, visit the underwater observatory, hike, and fish
in the four-person flat-bottom boat. Good snorkeling is footsteps from shore, and
the resort’s dive center conducts first-time and regular dives off the beach. Hook
is a national park and the second-largest Whitsunday island. The cabins are very
basic, with beds or bunks sleeping six or eight. All come with fresh bed linen, but
you must bring your own bath towels. A store sells essentials, but try to bring
everything you need.
Hook Island (40km/25 miles northeast of Shute Harbour), Whitsunday Islands. (Postal address: P.M.B. 23,
Mackay, QLD 4741.) & 07/4946 9380. Fax 07/4946 9470. www.hookislandresort.com.au. 20 tent sites; two
10-bed dormitories; 10 cabins, 4 with bathroom (shower only). A$79 (US$51) cabin without bathroom double.
Extra adult A$24 (US$16), extra child 4–14 A$18 (US$12). A$119 (US$77) cabin with bathroom double; extra
adult A$29 (US$19), extra child A$22 (US$14). A$24 (US$16) dorm bed adult, A$18 (US$12) child 4–14. A$15
(US$9.75) tent site adult, A$7.50 (US$4.90) child 4–14. Ask about packages. MC, V. Transfers from the mainland
cost A$36 (US$23) per person, round-trip. Boat leaves Shute Harbour at 9am and leaves Hook Island for
the return trip at 3pm (trip time: 1 hr). Book through the resort. Amenities: Cafe and bar; outdoor pool;
Jacuzzi; watersports equipment (snorkel gear, canoes, and sea kayaks); tour desk. In room: A/C, minifridge, coffeemaker.
Long Island Club Crocodile Club Croc is probably the most unpretentious
of all the Whitsunday resorts, and its package deals make it popular with families
and young couples. It faces a wide, curving bay that has good reef snorkeling.
Lots of beachfront watersports await: catamaran sailing, windsurfing, surf skiing,
jet-skiing, water-skiing, scuba diving, and more. You can join organized activities,
like jet ski races, or do your own thing. Entertainment can be anything from a
raging dance club to casino games, live bands, karaoke, talent shows, or cane toad
races. Other free activities include aerobics, beach and pool volleyball, basketball,
table tennis, and tennis. There are also 20km (12 miles) of national park trails
where you often see wallabies. There’s a kids’ playground and a free Kids’ Club
for 4- to 14-year-olds.
The beachfront rooms have a Mediterranean look, with glass-louver windows
and a view of the sea through the trees. Garden rooms, located behind the
beachfront rooms, are a little older and darker. Both types have air-conditioning,
minifridges, TVs, telephones, Internet access, and patios or balconies.
Beachfront rooms also have a minibar and safe. Your best value, however, are the
appealing Lodge rooms, which have polished timber floors, freshly painted
walls, and a fan (but no bathroom, telephone, or view). They’re compact but
nice if you just want a bed and don’t mind shared bathroom facilities. They have
no air-conditioning, so take them only from April to October. Hair dryers are