July 21st, 2024Return to Hamilton Island – after 30 years

After 30 years Kyle Barnes and Donna Kelly returned to Hamilton Island, the place where they met while working on this tropical paradise. Kyle, a Kiwi, was a skipper, while Donna, a born and bred Frankston girl, was a Japanese speaking interpretor. It was a fun time to be in hospitality and then to find new and lasting love. They shared their thoughts on the past and the latest Return to Hamilton Island…

Kyle said:

Travelling back to Hamilton Island with just north of 30 years of wrinkles on my face and a couple of inches of well-earned lunches under my belt felt like slipping on an old pair of shoes. 

Or more to the point, slipping off an old pair of shoes. You see it was a place where I wandered barefoot back in the day. There was even a bar called the Barefoot Bar.

In fact I never bothered with shoes and they weren’t a requirement of my job which was more or less simply messing around on boats.

Life was simpler and warmer then. Mind you, I do remember my new love at the time, who just happens to be my older love now, instructing me to wear shoes on a night out.

I had to lay down the law in my fledgling romance and stated that I wouldn’t be told what to do. As it turns out our night out was over on the mainland which happened to have a strict “no shoes, no entry policy” in most of the bars.

And the dingbat of the week award was once again won with the wry “told you so” look from my future bride.

The island has changed a lot since the nouveau riche have discovered it and for me it seems to have lost a lot of its Australiana with a lot of rules and regulations, but it is the world we live in.

As I lurched my golf buggy to the side of the road looking for a park, a staff member in the following buggy instructed me not to park there and pretty much told me to move on.

Back in the day, there is no way we would say something to an island guest, in fact we had as little to do with them as possible. Except for this one night where I and eight of my new besties, including Donna, thumbed down a lift from a lovely guest couple on a buggy.

They were equally as intoxicated as us and even with our total numbering 11, we got that thing blasting around the island until security caught up with our drunken mob of reprobates.

We quickly abandoned the vehicle, and the fun-loving couple, secreting ourselves in the bush in order not to get the dreaded NBO (next boat out) treatment. And I guess that sort of nonsense behaviour is where the rules have come from.

I can see this very clearly with an older head on my shoulders, but shit it was fun. I worked for a watersports and adventure company that is still there operating with the brothers that I used to work with.

My job would vary from changing a tyre out on the parachute plane, to jumping out of said plane and towing folks behind the parasailing boat.

One day I was on the parasailing pontoon, clipped Donna into a harness and decided to hang on as she took off into the air. The idea was to let go once we had some height which would create a rocket effect for her, but my grip started to weaken as we rose above 20 metres.

I went through the mental argument of “did I have enough strength to hang on for another five minutes to finish the journey?” And the answer was no.

By then I was about 70 metres up and consequently I let go, hitting the water like a rock on cement. Once again I guess that’s why they now have rules for mad bastards like me in my 20s who liked to play rough.

My recent stay in Hamilton Island was a relaxing affair and obviously a lot safer than in years gone by.

It still has that sense of going barefoot in the sand and is an extremely safe, family-friendly place that caters for most budgets. The island is very accessible with various airlines servicing the little slice of paradise and has all you need for a relaxing stay.

From the time you land (where I almost expected Tattoo from Fantasy Island to yell out “the plane, the plane” and right the way through the stay this place puts out those tropical vibes, and it’s right here in Australia.

Words: Kyle Barnes 

Donna said:

I don’t know why it took 30 years to return to Hamilton Island. And I am sorry it did. It is such a piece of paradise in our own country. Sandy beaches, swaying palms, beautiful breezes and wonderful vibes.

Of course, this time around we were tourists, just soaking up the sun and kicking back at the many cool bars and restaurants, and cruising around in our golf buggy. Back then, we were workers.

Kyle was a skipper who I inadvertently found a job for when I got another bloke sacked for inappropriate behaviour. I was a Japanese- speaking tour guide – home after three years of living in Japan but not quite ready to settle back into life in Frankston.

Kyle always said he fell in love with me but I always wonder if it was the accommodation. There was nothing for staff when I arrived so I was popped into a room on the 18th floor of Hamilton Towers, now the Reef Hotel.

We met for a drink one night, I invited him for one more at home and he never returned to his shared donga. That is a real word.

So we worked hard but we also played hard and it was a lot of fun. Rules were few and far between and the worst thing that could happen was an NBO or Next Boat Out. I don’t know anyone, apart from that one bloke I mentioned, who got NBO’d.

I remember Kyle coming to collect me, while I was working, to take me out for a parasail. No worries. Came back dripping wet and just continued on, helping the Japanese guests decide on which tour they would like in my sodden clothes.

Went out on the Adventure Cruise, which was really about fishing, and after Kyle dropped anchor we left the punters and climbed onto the roof for a bit of a chat. Maybe stole a kiss? No worries.

We held a competition to see how many we could fit on a buggy, 11, and wandered the island from tip to tip checking out private beaches and generally having fun.

We found a lovely swing seat – see below – and managed to break it despite both being quite a few kilos lighter back in the day.

There were karaoke nights, arm wresting competitions (which Kyle mostly won), a wonderful staff restaurant where meals were just $2 and drinks about the same, but no-one was game to go in the staff pool, nicknamed the sperm pool for good reason.

We also got the barge to Airlie Beach a bit, to either hit a bar or shop for food at mainland prices we could afford.

Kyle’s story next to this talks about the barefoot incident but I can tell it better.

“Where are your shoes?” I asked as we met at the barge. “Don’t tell me what to do, this is who I am,” retorted Kyle. Standing outside the bar looking at the sign which said clearly “no shoes, no entry” I look at him and asked “How do you feel now, dickhead.” Got to make sure they know who is boss early on. 🙂

Anyway, this time around we were much more sedate – and we stayed one floor higher, on the 19th floor, a two-storey Reef Suite. It was fantastic – views forever, right over Catseye Bay. Huge room, full kitchen (not that we cooked), two king beds upstairs. And lovely staff. Thanks for the towel animal!

We didn’t worry about $2 meals. Romanos, an Italian restaurant on the marina, was fantastic and also loved the Reef Hotel bar for its cocktails, and the Marina Tavern for a more casual menu but a great view over the boats.

One Tree Bar was clearly the spot to watch the sunset but it was pretty busy so we headed back down the hill to the Hamilton Island Yacht Club. That’s the sun setting over on the right (photo below). Beautiful.

We chatted with quite a few staff members and they are all clearly loving being a part of the experience. Lots of Aussies but also plenty of people from overseas enjoying hospitality with a place that does it so well.

It’s very much now a destination for couples, friends and families. When we lived there it was probably 90 per cent for the Japanese but I guess the way their yen has gone it’s no longer an option.

Some of it is a little expensive, like our suite, but really if you have the money well worth investing for a bit of extra luxury.

Food and drinks were really just normal prices – especially if you are used to going out around our region. And there are plenty of walks and activities that are free for all to just enjoy.

Having the airport on the island itself was also great, you are in holiday mode the moment you land – whisked off to your lodgings, ready for the adventure to begin.

Will we go again? You bet and we won’t be waiting another 30 years. I reckon a yearly trip is the go – and maybe one day we will find that swing seat waiting. If it’s been repaired. Hmmm.

Words: Donna Kelly  

Kyle and Donna travelled at their own cost with Qantas but stayed at the Reef Suites courtesy of Hamilton Island. They are fabulous! Pictured above clockwise from right: the infamous swing seat from 1994, the Reef Suite view, sunset at the yacht club Images: Donna Kelly & unknown