Twelve Reasons to Visit Hamilton Island in 2012 

From prestigious events to world-class cultural encounters and fabulous natural attractions, below are 12 defining reasons for travellers to visit Hamilton Island (www.hamiltonisland.com.au), the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, in 2012:

• JANUARY – Learn a new skill, with over 60 activities to choose
• FEBRUARY – Fall in love with some romance on the reef
• MARCH – Spring clean the body with a spa treatment
• APRIL – Be reef-freshed with a Reefsleep experience
• MAY – On your marks for the Hilly Half Marathon
• JUNE – Make a splash with Australia’s largest outrigger event, the Hamilton Island Cup
• JULY – Indulge in the culinary delights of the Great Barrier Feast
• AUGUST – Mingle with celebrities and sailors at Audi Hamilton Island Race Week
• SEPTEMBER – Migrate south for whale watching in the Whitsundays
• OCTOBER – Tee off for a round of golf in the sunshine
• NOVEMBER – Enjoy an intimate audience with the Australian Ballet
• DECEMBER – Be enthralled by the excitement of the SB3 World Championships

JANUARY - Visitors to Hamilton Island have over 60 activities to choose from including go-karting, bushwalking, scuba diving, parasailing, squash, tennis, fishing, sailing, kayaking, target sports and windsurfing, not to mention the new nine-pin indoor Kegel bowling alley, perfect for anyone wanting to learn a new skill for 2012.

FEBRUARY – Whether you plan to pop the question or tie the knot, there is no more romantic month than February on Hamilton Island. From a seaplane ‘Love Flight’ over magnificent Heart Reef to an underwater ceremony or a pontoon wedding, Hamilton Island has it covered. Hamilton Island Weddings also have the only commercial permit in Australia to conduct ceremonies on Whitehaven Beach, in the middle of the World Heritage listed Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

Why not treat your loved one to some ‘Romance on the Reef’. The three-night Valentine’s package costs from $4,218 per Leeward pavilion (twin share), including three nights’ accommodation at qualia, a trip to Whitehaven Beach by helicopter with a picnic and a sunset cruise on the “Atomic”, qualia’s luxury power boat. www.qualia.com.au/luxury-resort-accomodation/holiday-package-deals

MARCH – Indulge in some pampering for body and soul this month at Hamilton Island’s fabulous spas. Whether you want to unwind at Spa wumurdaylin, the Island’s first full service day spa, or revel in total pampering at the luxury Spa qualia you’re ensured of an authentic Australian wellbeing nirvana. www.hamiltonisland.com.au/beauty-wellbeing/

APRIL – Audiences set to be inspired by the upcoming BBC/Channel Nine documentary this autumn, ‘Great Barrier Reef’, can escape for their own close encounters with this spectacular natural wonder with a reef-freshing break on Hamilton Island. April is the perfect month to check in to the Fantasea Reefworld pontoon in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef, which by night transforms itself into a private floating hotel. Following a night on Hamilton Island, guests cruise out to the Reefworld pontoon at Hardy Reef where a range of activities, including semi-submersible tours and the underwater viewing chamber, allows them to explore the reef from both in and out of the water. www.hamiltonisland.com.au/great-barrier-reef-tours/

MAY – As Olympians prepare for London 2012, this month offers the ideal warm up with the Hilly Half Marathon challenge, which takes place on Sunday 6 May. A rugged 21-kilometre route uphill and down dale, the Westpac Hilly Half Marathon follows road, fire trails and walking tracks through Hamilton Island’s undulating interior. www.hamiltonisland.com.au/marathon/

JUNE - The island plays host to the annual Hamilton Island Cup from 14 – 18 June, Australia’s largest outrigger event and one of the world’s largest canoe regattas. Last year over 1000 paddlers took part from all over Australia plus international teams from Hong Kong, Singapore, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand and Canada. The Cup features more than 100 sprint and medium-distance races and caters for every type of paddler including outrigger canoe, stand up paddle boards and surf skis. The main event is the 42-kilometre marathon Hamilton Cup, an impressive sight for spectators as the canoes circle Hamilton Island and race through the Whitsundays.
www.hamiltonisland.com.au/hamilton-cup/

JULY – Foodies should flock to Hamilton Island to enjoy the ultimate food and wine event, set against the stunning backdrop of the Whitsundays. The Great Barrier Feast kicks off with guest chef, Guillaume Brahimi, (6 – 8 July) from the much-applauded Sydney Opera House flagship restaurant, Guillaume at Bennelong. www.hamiltonisland.com.au/feast/

This month, Hamilton Island also plays host to a special photography workshop with two of Australia’s best known photographers, David Oliver and Peter Eastway. AWAY in the Whitsundays photography course runs from 29 July – 3 August, offering the opportunity for hands on expert tuition in one of the most beautiful locations in the world.
www.hamiltonisland.com.au/photography-course/

AUGUST – This is the month that Hamilton Island hosts Australia’s largest and most prestigious off-shore yachting event - Audi Hamilton Island Race Week 17 – 25 August. From serious offshore racing and fabulous super-yachts to onshore glitz, glamour and gourmet fare, Audi Hamilton Island Race Week offers guests the opportunity to experience the best the Whitsundays has to offer. www.hamiltonisland.com.au/race-week/

This is also an ideal time for family travel – Hamilton Island’s winter is mild and comfortable for younger members of the family. Excursions to the Great Barrier Reef, snorkelling safaris and a trip to see the island’s koalas, kangaroos and wombats at ‘Wild Life Hamilton Island’ make holidays for children both educational and fun. Accommodation and meals in selected restaurants are free for children up to the age of 12, whilst the Clownfish Club offers activities for children up to 14 years. www.hamiltonisland.com.au/family-holiday-activities/

SEPTEMBER - is whale watching season when visitors can see baby humpbacks that have been born in the warm waters of the Whitsundays, travelling past the coast in pod sizes of between eight and ten whales. Whales, which can vary in length from five to 18 metres, can also been seen in their migrating season (June to September) from Hamilton Island itself.

OCTOBER – Spring is a perfect time for guests to tee off with a round of golf at the Hamilton Island Golf Club, Australia’s only 18-hole championship golf course situated on its own island. The 6,120 metre, par 71, course is located on Dent Island, a five minute boat ride from Hamilton Island. Created by five-time British Open champion Peter Thomson, the course is gaining a reputation as one of the world’s top courses not least because of the stunning Whitsunday views from each hole.

The crowning glory of the course is the Chris Beckingham-designed clubhouse, ideally perched to take in the fantastic views of Passage Peak and the Coral Sea. The clubhouse offers an idyllic spot for non-golfing partners to relax over a laid-back lunch or for golfers to take stock of the day’s game over a cold drink. www.hamiltonislandgolfclub.com.au/

NOVEMBER – The Australian Ballet returns for the fifth consecutive year to present an intimate outdoor performance at Hamilton Island’s luxury resort, qualia. Pas de Deux in Paradise will be staged from 16 – 18 November. www.hamiltonisland.com.au/australian-ballet/

Also this month, the Fujifilm Triathlon (10 November) and Fujifilm Whitehaven Beach Ocean Swim and Junior Triathlon (11 November) take in some of the Whitsunday’s most iconic locations for a sporting epic. www.hamiltonisland.com.au/triathlon/

DECEMBER – Hamilton Island will host the 2012 SB3 World Championships from 13 - 20 December. Laser SB3’s are a one-design Sports Yacht which are fast and technical by nature and attract some of the best sailors in the world. The racing is extremely close not to mention exciting and each boat is sailed by three or four people with a maximum crew weight of 270kgs. The surrounding Whitsunday waterways and the island’s wide range of facilities will make the 2012 championship an event not to be missed. www.hamiltonisland.com.au/sb3-worlds-2012/

- ENDS –

Notes to editors:
Hamilton Island is located off the Queensland coast of Australia, within the Whitsunday Islands at the edge of the Great Barrier Reef. Here visitors can experience everything that is great about Australia – natural landscapes, calm turquoise waters, secluded beaches, beautiful weather, fascinating coral reefs, diverse flora and fauna. Hamilton Island offers a wide range of accommodation options, not to mention over 60 activities and all within a short direct flight from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane or Cairns. There are also great connections from other Australian cities. www.hamiltonisland.com.au www.facebook.com/hamiltonisland

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