GREEN ISLAND RESORT

Green Island, 27km north-east of Cairns, is a coral cay 660m long by 260m wide. The island is a national park with a beautiful beach, good snorkelling, and prolific fish. The five star Green Island Reef Resort provides luxury accommodation for up to 92 guests.

LIZARD ISLAND

Lizard Island is situated 270km north-east of Cairns. The island has twenty three beaches and is surrounded by reefs which are teeming with marine life, including hundreds of species of tropical fish and crustaceans, huge green turtles, Manta Rays, Sting Rays and occasionally Dugongs. The exclusive Lizard Island Resort is quite isolated and thus a favourite retreat for celebrities.

DUNK ISLAND

Dunk Island is an easy and affordable day trip from Mission Beach. It's 4.5km off the coast, and has walking tracks through rainforest and good beaches. It is noted for its prolific birdlife (nearly 150 species) and many butterflies. The P&O owned Dunk Island Resort at Brammo Bay on the northern end of the island, offers nice rooms at affordable prices. South of Dunk are the seven tiny Family Islands. The exclusive Bedarra Island Resort offers all-inclusive accommodation at the more expensive end of the scale.

ORPHEUS ISLAND

Lying off the coast near Ingham, Orpheus Island is a narrow 13sq km granite island surrounded by coral reefs. It's a quiet, secluded island with good camping, snorkelling and diving. Orpheus is mostly National Park and is heavily forested, with lots of birdlife; turtles also nest here. Orpheus Resort is low-key but sophisticated, and has a Mediterranean flavour, with stylish rooms which are a cut above the usual Great Barrier Reef resorts.

HERON ISLAND

Only 1km long and 0.17 sq km in area, Heron Island is 72km east of Gladstone. The Heron Island Resort, owned by P&O, covers the north-eastern third of the island, the rest is national park, but you can't camp there.

FRASER ISLAND

Fraser Island is one gigantic, 120km by 15km foliated sand bar - the worlds largest. The northern half of the island is protected as the Great sandy National Park. Fraser Island is a delight to those who love fishing, walking, exploring by 4WD or nature lovers. There are amazing varieties of plants and trees in the forests and there are also around 200 lakes, some of which are superb for swimming. The impressive and luxurious Kingfisher Bay Resort on the west coast has 'wilderness cabins', hotel rooms, and villas available.

GREAT KEPPEL ISLAND

Although it's not actually on the reef, Great Keppel is the equal of most islands up the coast. It covers 14sq km and boasts 18km of very fine white-sand beaches, as well as some good fringing coral reefs. If you get tired of the beach Great Keppel also offers some interesting bushwalks. The Great Keppel Island Resort offers mostly all-inclusive packages, with accommodation available in Beachfront and Garden units, or at the more up-market Ocean View villas.

HINCHINBROOK ISLAND

Across the channel from Cardwell, Hinchinbrook Island looms huge and green, with mangroves rising to forest along the mountain range that runs along the island's spine and peaks at Mount Bowen. There are numerous rainforest and bushwalks, and if this does not appeal then there are several beaches and creeks to laze about on. Hinchinbrook Island Resort places an emphasis on seclusion and the natural environment - the accommodation is comfortable and stylish without being luxurious.

LADY ELLIOTT ISLAND

Eighty kilometres north-east of Bundaberg, Lady Elliot Island is a 0.4sq km vegetated coral cay at the southern end of the Great Barrier Reef. It is very popular with divers and snorkellers, and has the advantages of superb diving straight off the beach, as well as numerous shipwrecks, coral gardens, bommies and blow holes to explore. The Lady Elliot Island Resort is the only accommodation, and has basic tent-cabins, and timber lodges, or more expensive motel style Reef-units.

HAMILTON ISLAND

The most heavily developed resort island in the Whitsundays, Hamilton Island is about 5sq km and rises to 200m at Passage Peak. It is more like a town than a resort, with its own airport, a 200 boat marina, shops, restaurants, bars and accommodation for more than 2000 people. Hamilton Island Resort has a variety of hotel rooms, apartments, lodges, bures and other buildings. There are numerous activities available including helicopter joy rides, game fishing, parasailing, cruising and scuba diving.

DAYDREAM ISLAND

Tiny Daydream Island, about 1km long and a few hundred metres wide, is the nearest resort to Shute Harbour. Daydream Island International Resort is a modern, family orientated resort, with meals, transfers, use of tennis courts, a gym, pools, water sports all included.

HAYMAN ISLAND

The most northerly of the Whitsundays, Hayman Island is 4sq km and rises to 250m above sea level. It has forested hills, valleys and beaches, but it has become such an exclusive resort island that day-trip operators no longer call there. The Hayman Island Resort, fronted by a wide, shallow reef that emerges from the water at low tide, is luxurious five star hotel dripping with style.

BRAMPTON ISLAND

Brampton Island is part of the Cumberland Group. It is approximately 32km north-east of Mackay, about 5sq km, and joins Carlisle Island by a sand bank, which you can walk across at low tide. The island has forested slopes, good walks and fringing coral reefs with good snorkelling. The Brampton Island Resort is a good mid-range family resort with a restaurant, café, tennis, golf and watersports, available.