Dreaming of a private island escape? Gather 34 of your closest friends or just your nearest and dearest and claim Pumpkin Island as your own. Dive into luxury on the Southern Great Barrier Reef—because paradise is better with a squad. This is the ultimate escape for couples, family gatherings, or large groups.

Where is Pumpkin Island?

Pumpkin Island is located in the Southern Great Barrier Reef, off the coast of Queensland, Australia. It lies within Keppel Bay, next to Great Keppel Island, near the Capricorn Coast. The island is just a short 14-kilometre boat ride from the cute coastal town of Yeppoon.

Pumpkin Island is approximately 65 kilometres (about 40 miles) from Rockhampton. To reach the island from Rockhampton, you would need to drive to Yeppoon, which takes about 45 minutes, and then take a boat ride from Yeppoon to Pumpkin Island, which takes around 30 to 45 minutes. It once was known as XXXX Island, where people came to drink, drink and drink.  Now, it’s a 34-person (maximum) haven with seven self-catering units.

It’s not hard to understand the attraction of this small island.  This place is so beguiling, I reckon if Cinderella’s carriage had turned into Pumpkin Island instead of the edible kind, she would have been laughing at her evil stepsisters.  I stayed at Pumpkin Island Eco Retreat for two nights, revelling in the freedom of the island. The only footprints on the beach outside my eco-friendly hut on the six hectares of paradise known as Pumpkin Island were mine.

While there were others on the island, it felt like I had it all to myself, and I loved the seclusion. My afternoon was filled with lazy beachcombing and picking small but sweet oysters off the rocks.

Hammock on Pumpkin Island

Plan Your Trip?

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Freshly picked strawberries

Take me back to Pumpkin Island

I’ve got my favourite beach swing chair just a few metres from the water’s edge, a bed where I am lulled to sleep by gentle waves lapping the beach. There’s also a plunge pool if I don’t want to take a few steps down to the water for a swim.

Although small, the island is big enough and hilly enough to provide interesting walking.  There are a few secluded spots for swimming and some great diving available.

Strawberry roulade dessert
Strawberry roulade dessert

Sustainable tourism on Pumpkin Island

You’ve probably already thought, “This sounds like the perfect place for a wedding/party/celebration,” and you would be right. That means hiring the whole island, and that is perfectly possible, too.

The eco-cabins are very beach chic and powered by sun and wind. The cottages only have sustainable 12-volt solar and wind power, which keeps the water pump, fans, lights and fridge going. There is a USB port where you can charge your phone. Rainwater keeps the tanks filled. 

This is the sort of place where you want to curl up with a book or play board games with the kids after a day of water and beach activities. It is sustainable tourism at its best.

Strawberry roulade

What’s wrong with Pumpkin Island?

If there is one flaw here, it is that the phone reception is excellent, although you could pretend otherwise. All this bliss does come with the proviso that you bring your own food, although the managers will stock it up for you if you request it. This eco-hotel offers sustainable travel for those with a sustainability conscience who want to enjoy some of the very best the Southern Great Barrier Reef has to offer.

Getting there

The Pumpkin Express leaves from Yeppon’s Keppel Bay Marina and takes about 45 minutes to reach Pumpkin Island. Find out more about Pumpkin Island here.

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Disclaimer: Ed+bK was a guest of Pumpkin Island.