- Island Paradise – Check
- Beautiful location – Check
- Great weather - Check
- Complimentary glass bottom kayaks - Check
- Seclusion – Check
- Beach bonfires - Check
- Environmentally Friendly – Check
What more could one want?
14 kilometres off the Queensland coast of Yeppoon is a small island paradise some call the best kept secret of Queensland’s Great Barrier Reef. Pumpkin Island has no shops, restaurants or pubs. A self-sufficient island where the power is generated by the sun and wind ensuring the ‘untouched’ feel remains. It was here that I decided to take Duane for his 26th Birthday.
When making a booking you receive via email a list of meal options for your stay. This gives you the choice of bringing your food and drinks with you or alternatively having it waiting for you upon arrival. If you choose to have your food provided, the local Yeppoon Marina Restaurant will meet your every need. They pack meals for guests to collect before their departure to make their island stay easy and carefree. Now that’s what I’m talking about!
Upon arrival at the Yeppoon Marina, our pre-ordered BBQ pack, seafood and freshly made custard tart (Duane’s favourite) was waiting, along with the boat to transfer us to the island.
As we approached Pumpkin Island we could see 4 bungalows lining the shore of the main beach – they are all fantastically positioned to ensure maximum privacy and waterfront views. However, we were in for a treat. We moved to a smaller boat and were whisked around to the other side of the island where our secluded luxury cottage named Pebble Point welcomed us. Pebble Point came with its own plunge pool, waterfront balcony, relaxing hammock and luxury interior – even better the bathroom was huge and the bed super cozy. As we walked up onto the balcony no words could express the beauty, serenity and total relaxed vibe of this Island.
We unpacked and decided to take a walk around the island. We walked along the main beach, hiked up to the highest point and then back down along the eastern side of the island where another beach is located – the views were stunning.
After the afternoon exploring we sat down with the owners of the island (yes, this is a privately owned island) and the backpacking couple that were there helping out with the cleaning and maintenance. We had a few drinks to celebrate being in such a perfect location and called it a night.
The next morning we awoke to the sound of ocean waves. At high tide the water comes right up to your balcony. We were quick out of bed as we had decided there was no better way to take advantage of the high tide than throwing a line into the ocean. We hooked up the fishing rods, attached some bait and cast out off the balcony into the ocean. We managed to catch a few small fish over the courses of the morning. It was great fun and where else can you fish directly off your balcony in such beautiful surroundings?
After the morning of fishing we decided to head to the main beach to relax and test out the glass bottom kayaks. We then went and again shucked fresh oysters directly off the rocks and played around in the rock-pools. As the sun set we headed back to our luxury cottage where we cooked up our BBQ package and watched the sun set with a few glasses of wine.
May I just add that this day, we did not see a single other person – we really were on our own island paradise!
The next morning it was time to depart Pumpkin Island. We had such a fantastic stay and will return again one day. If you are ever along the Queensland Coast and looking for relaxation, seclusion and luxury, Pumpkin Island is the place for you!
Pumpkin Island also has in place many environmental initiatives to ensure this paradise stays untouched for many years to come.
Check it out at: http://www.pumpkinisland.com.au/
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Thank you so much for your wonderful write up!
No worries guys, we had a fantastic time whilst we were there and will always give credit where credit is due. It is an amazingly beautiful island which is kept that way by your efforts to keep it environmentally friendly and simple – so well done
Hopefully our post inspires others to experience Pumpkin Island for themselves as there isn’t another island quite like it within the Great Barrier Reef.