Dunk Island was named after Lord Montague-Dunk, the Earl of Halifax by Lt James Cook in 1770, as he sailed along the Great Barrier Reef, remarking at the time that it was a “tolerable high island”. Aboriginal people had, of course, inhabited the island for a long time prior to 1770, and they called the island Coonanglebah, which loosely translates as “place of peace and plenty”.
Edmund James Banfield, easily the island’s most notable resident, settled on the island in 1897 and remained there until his death in 1923. Banfield came to the island after his doctor told him he had only months to live, believing the island lifestyle would aid his health. He lived for a further 26 years! Banfield, an author and what today we would probably call an “alternative lifestyler”, described the island as his Isle of Dreams—this unkempt, unrestrained garden where the centuries gaze upon perpetual summer. Banfield wrote several books whilst on the island, including Confessions of a Beachcomber, and he wrote regular articles for the press on Dunk Island, establishing it as a very early tourism attraction on the Queensland Coast.
By 1934 Banfield’s Cottage was being operated as a resort, with tourism taking a break during WWII as the Royal Australian Air Force occupied the island as a radar and radio station. Avis Rent-a-car built the first real resort in 1956, which eventually led to the resort that exists on the island today.
Part of the Family Island’s National Park, the beautifully landscaped resort facilities and swimming pools complement the natural beauty and lush rainforest of the island. Walking trails take you through the resort and the National Park and all the way to the top of Mt Kootaloo if desired.
Orion guests will enjoy full access to the beautifully landscaped resort facilities and swimming pools of the Dunk Island Resort. For the more energetic guests, the walking trails will take you through the resort and the National Park and all the way to the top of Mt Kootaloo.
Optional Excursions: Sea Kayak Tour ($45), Mountain Bike Tour ($40), Horse Riding ($65)