Hamilton Island is located off the coast of northern Queensland, Australia, in the Cumberland group of islands in the Great Barrier Reef. It is 170 miles (270 kilometers) south of Townsville and 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of Mackay.
The island has been developed as a tourist resort. It has a floating marina and a wildlife park. The resort has a sports club, pools, restaurants, shops, and a convention center. Its airstrip can accommodate jet aircraft.
The name Hamilton Island first appeared on charts in 1866 following a survey of the area by the British Commander George Nares, captain of H.M.S. Salamander. The island remained uninhabited until 1930, when a doctor named John McDonald secured a grazing lease. He remained on the island until 1951, when Percy Moody took over the lease. In 1975, Keith Williams, a Queensland businessman, bought the lease to set up a commercial deer farm. In 1979, the Queensland government gave approval for the island to be developed as a tourist resort. Its airstrip opened in 1984.
