In luxury on the Whitsundays
The Whitsundays have all you need to add some wow factor to your winter Aussie getaway.
It's the closest I'm ever going to get to Leonardo DiCaprio.
I'm standing in the Hamilton Island Yacht Club Villas and wondering how I can move in and make this my home. The luxury villas are on the waterfront, looking out to the Dent Island passage in the middle of the Whitsundays group of islands, and apparently Leo and Tobey Maguire stayed here a few months back during a break from filming The Great Gatsby in Sydney. The villas are beautiful – everything has been carefully thought out, from the innovative design by leading Australian architect Walter Barda, the landscaping by celebrity green thumb Jamie Durie and the tasteful decor and stylishly comfortable furnishings which make it feel like home. Each villa has four en-suite bedrooms and will set you back around A$1000 ($1267) per night.
But luckily, you don't need an A-lister's budget to come to Hamilton Island. As a gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, it is one of 74 islands in the Whitsundays and has a range of accommodation options available. Owned by Forbes rich-lister Bob Oatley and family, who bought the island in 2004, Hamilton Island is a destination for those wanting a tropical island getaway and a base to explore the wonders of the reef. Oatley is best known as the creator of the Rosemount wines brand and he and his family are avid sailing enthusiasts who have competed in the annual Hamilton Island Race Week a number of times. The Oatleys have pumped millions of dollars into the island and its redevelopment, making it a popular tourist destination for Aussies and Kiwis alike.
At Club Med on Columbus Isle making new acquaintances happens casually. There are almost 500 guests in a resort that winds its colorful way along the