Hinchinbrook Island Information




Hinchinbrook Island

Location of Hinchinbrook Island

Situated almost exactly halfway between Cairns and Townsville, Hinchinbrook Island is the largest island on the Reef at a little under 40 square kilometers, and is Australia's largest National Park.

Hinchinbrook's highest point (Mount Bowen) rises to 1100 meters and is roughly central to the island. Rainforest carpets almost the entire island and mangrove swamps share the island's coast with golden sandy beaches and their local fringing reefs which provide excellent snorkelling opportunities.

The western coast of the island is only four kilometers from the main Queensland coast, separated by the densely mangrove-lined Hinchinbrook Channel, with Cardwell being the closest town.
This close proximity to the mainland makes Hinchinbrook one of the most easily accessible Reef islands by a 40 minute ferry ride, but it's not the place to go for an all-out action adventure holiday! Instead, the island is much more nature-orientated and is a haven for bushwalkers and wildlife lovers.

A tree house room, Hinchinbrook Island Resort

There is just one resort at Cape Richards on the northern tip of the island, Hinchinbrook Island Resort, which is a family owned business that focuses on preserving the natural environment of the island.
Most rooms are of the 'tree-house' variety with a few beach cabins too, making it a very pleasant place to stay. However, unlike all the other Great Barrier Reef resorts, no motorized activities are to be found here and rooms are without phones and televisions.

For these reasons, Hinchinbrook Island really is the place to visit if you want to escape everyday life and experience something other than a typical island resort!

Pete Carpenter



Hinchinbrook Island Resort web site.

Other fantastic Great Barrier Reef Islands include:-