Hill Inlet Lookout and Snorkelling Cruise

Hill Inlet is the view that makes people gasp. At the northern end of Whitsunday Island a shallow tidal inlet meets the open sea, and every tide the water and silica sand shape each other into curling ribbons of white, cream and blue-green. From the Tongue Point lookout, reached by a short bush walk from the beach below, you see the whole pattern spread out like a living painting, with Whitehaven Beach stretching away in the distance. Photographs of this view are often used to represent the entire Great Barrier Reef region, although the inlet itself sits just inside the reef. This cruise combines the lookout with time on Whitehaven and a snorkel stop, so it covers the main island highlights in one day. The boat leaves Airlie Beach in the morning, crosses the Whitsunday Passage and lands passengers at the beach below the lookout track. After the lookout there is a swim and a beach session at Whitehaven, and the day often includes a snorkel at a fringing reef or sheltered bay where the crew supplies masks, snorkels and stinger suits.

The walk to the lookout is short and mostly easy, but it is a bush track with some uneven steps, so wear shoes you are comfortable in rather than slippery sandals. Allow roughly thirty to forty-five minutes for the walk, the time at the viewpoint and the return, and be patient at the platform, where groups queue for the best angle.

The tide is the key variable. At low to mid tide the sandbanks show their sinuous shapes, while at high tide the inlet is a plain blue bay, so ask the operator what the tide is on the day you book and choose accordingly.

The snorkel stop is the other difference from a pure beach day. Fringing reef around the islands is smaller and more variable than the outer Great Barrier Reef, but it is easy to enjoy: expect schools of small tropical fish, coral heads, giant clams and sometimes a turtle drifting by. Visibility depends on wind and recent rain, and the crew will choose the most sheltered bay for the day. If you are a nervous swimmer, ask for a flotation vest or a noodle, which operators usually have on board.

This is a good trip for people who want more variety than a straight beach day without spending the money or the time of a reef pontoon trip. You get the viewpoint, the sand and the water in a single outing. It is also a good choice for photographers, since the lookout is the best single vantage point in the islands and the light at midday is strong enough to bring out the colours.

Remember sun and wind protection. The lookout is exposed, there is little shade and the bush track can feel hot in the summer months. Bring water, a hat and reef-safe sunscreen, and keep your phone or camera on a wrist strap, since the platform is crowded and the drop beside the track is steep. Respect the signs asking visitors to stay on the boardwalk and track, because the dune vegetation is fragile and the inlet is part of a protected national park.