Hamilton Island - Culture and History

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.

Hamilton Island Resort was the brainchild of Queensland developer Keith Williams who created a multi-use island with everything from private dwellings (George Harrison owned one of them) through to a diverse range of hotels. In 2003 it was purchased by the Oatley family. The island centrepiece is the main Reef View Hotel which is 19 storeys high and boasts the highest external lift in Australia.

It is a comment on the current status of Hamilton Island (and the level of development which has occurred) that while it is not the largest island in the group it is the only island to have an airport capable of handling wide bodied jet aircraft. It also has a permanent population of 1000 which means it also has a kindergarten and primary school for the children of residents.