islands

Hayman Island is the most northerly of the Whitsunday Islands, off the coast of Central Queensland, Australia.[1][2] It is a private island open to the public, most famous for its luxury resort which was built in the 1950s by Ansett Transport Industries. The island is a significant drawing point for tourism in Queensland. The island is small at just an area of 294 hectares (726 acres). In 1947, Ansett Transport Industries acquired the island.[7] Work began on the Royal Hayman Hotel, which was opened in 1950 by Australian Deputy Prime Minister, Arthur Fadden in anticipation of a royal visit to Australia, for which Hayman was granted a Royal Charter. Arrival on Hayman was by Catalina and Sandringham flying boat. In July 1985, a two-year, $300 million project commenced transforming the island into a luxury resort.[8] The works were carried out by Thiess Contractors[9] and in 1987 Hayman was invited to join The Leading Hotels of the World. In May 1998, Hayman Island was sold to the BT Hotel Group.[7] The resort undertook another significant renovation in 2001 and received many of its modern five-star luxury amenities. Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hayman_Island

Pentecost Island is an uninhabited island located between Hamilton Island and Lindeman Island. It was the first island in the Whitsunday group to be named and the only one in the group named by Cook, in June 1770 with the phrase 'More remarkable than the rest (of the Cumberland Isles), being small in the circuit, very high, and peaked and lies EBS 10 miles from Cape Conway'. It was on the feast of Pentecost, during the festival of Whitsun, that the crew of the Endeavor found themselves sailing between inhabited island paradises dotted throughout the crystal clear waters of the Coral Sea. Pentecost is an ancient Jewish Festival and it was during Pentecost after the crucifixion of Christ that the Holy Spirit was visited upon the Disciples. This visitation is celebrated in the Christian Church on Whit Sunday and therefore the association between the names Pentecost and Whitsunday is obvious. The island has the distinction of being one of the features sketched by the artist on Endeavour, Sydney Parkinson, during the voyage along the east coast of New Holland. Two pencil sketches were made, one from the south-west and another from the west, both illustrating the distinctive profile of the island. Another sketch was made by crew member Charles Praval but is more distant and less detailed. The peace and tranquility of this passage belied its unpredictable and violent beginnings. Formed 110 million years prior; born of raging volcanoes and the violent realignments of the planet's tectonic plates; centuries of debris fused into solid rock, and by the time Cook ventured north through the passage the beauty of the area was undeniable. Despite its inhospitable structure, on 22 February 1934, Edward Alexander Roberts applied for occupation license 556 over the island, though it is difficult to fathom what use it could be put to as there is practically no level ground on it. In the event, the Minister for Public Lands refused the application on 7 March 1934. The island was declared a national park in 1938. In some older writings, the island is called 'Lion Island' presumably because someone saw in its profile the shape of a crouching lion, but it takes some imagination to believe anyone could see the shape of a lion here. Source: www.australiaforeveryone.com.au/files/qld-tropical/pentec...

With a sweeping beach, tranquil setting, and the iconic jetty, Picnic Bay on Magnetic Island is a spectacular location to enjoy a relaxing swim, beachside dining, or a spot of fishing on the jetty. Snorkel and explore the abundant marine life of Picnic Bay or see what you can spot from above while taking a stroll along the jetty. If you are lucky, you might spot a turtle or a shy dugong. Source: www.queensland.com/au/en/things-to-do/attractions/p-56b26...

Picnic Bay (formerly Camoomilli) is a town and suburb of Magnetic Island in the City of Townsville, Queensland, Australia. Picnic Bay is also the bay on the southernmost corner of Magnetic Island where the town is situated. The first known settlement of Picnic Bay was by Harry Butler and his family who established a small dairy, orchard, and mixed farm in Picnic Bay in 1877 when Magnetic Island has declared a quarantine station family experimented in the cultivation of pineapples in the bay and as part of a tourism venture built a guest house establishing an intermittent ferry service from Townsville. The Butler family cared for the sick who were quarantined on the island prior to the construction of the permanent quarantine station at West Point.[12] Having purchased the Butler family's huts in Picnic Bay in 1898 Robert Hayles, an entrepreneur formerly a pastoral worker in western Queensland, erected a two-story hotel, dance hall, and a temporary jetty at the western end of the bay to establish a larger tourist operation in the bay.[11][13]. In 1900 Hayles applied to build a permanent wooden jetty (6 feet wide and 100 feet long). The jetty was approved by the Queensland Marine Department in March 1900 and the jetty was hurriedly constructed. In 1903 Cyclone Leonta struck Townsville and Magnetic Island and caused serious damage to Hayles' new jetty. Hayles carried out extensive repairs on the structure but by 1910 the structure was in poor condition. In 1909 Hayles was granted a creek-front location in Ross Creek on the mainland and was able to establish a consistent passenger service to Magnetic Island. With Hayles establishing a regular ferry service to Magnetic Island the permanent population of the island began to grow.[11] In June 1910 Hayles was granted another permit to construct a jetty in Picnic Bay. Although it is unclear whether the second jetty was constructed in addition to the one constructed in 1900 or to replace it, a letter dated February 1917 from the Townsville Harbour Board to the Marine Department acknowledges the presence of two privately owned jetties in the bay. In 1911, Hayles' hotel was destroyed by a fire and a new hotel began construction. At around the same time, Hayles further expanded his business on Magnetic Island launching further tourism ventures in Nelly Bay, Horseshoe Bay, and Arcadia. In June 1920 the Townsville Harbour Board was vested control of the jetty at Picnic Bay, as well as those established in other bays.[11] In 1957 a permit was issued for the construction of a new jetty in picnic bay by the Department of Harbours and Marine. Successfully completed in October 1959, the Picnic Bay Jetty was completed by John Holland using £43,000 financed by The Commonwealth Aid Marine Works Trust Fund. In 1977 a shelter was erected for passengers waiting for ferries at the end of the Picnic Bay jetty by the Townsville City Council. In 1985 the Townsville Harbour board gained approval to build a larger shelter shed on the Jetty. Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Picnic_Bay,_Queensland