We travelled from Melbourne on Sunday 6th September 2026 to Hamilton Island Queensland, staying until Sunday 13th September. Jasmine had want to do a family holiday for her 40th birthday, but Covid-19 restrictions made that impossible, so it was decided to do it on her 45th birthday.

Linton and Mandy stayed at 108 Lagoon Apartment with the Jeantous family, while the De Milliano family stayed in 106 Lagoon Apartment. Each apartment rental included a four-seater buggy to transport us around Hamilton Island. Hamilton Island is located in the Great Barrier Reef of Queensland and is the permanent home to about 1300 people.

We were greeted by rainbow lorikeets most days on our balcony overlooking Catseye Beach. Other wildlife we saw included bush stone-curlews, crows, sulphur-crested cockatoos, asian mynas, agile wallabies pheasant council, currawongs, silver gulls and a red possum. No sign of any small birds.