Exploring South Molle Island, Whitsundays, Australia

Exploring South Molle Island, Whitsundays, Australia

South Molle Island is a small 4.5 square kilometer island located just a few hours from Airlie Beach and Shute Harbour.

The island was a popular tourist attraction in the 50s and 60s due to the now abandoned Bauer Bay Resort
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Molle archipelago

The Molle archipelago is conveniently located in the heart of the Whitsundays. South Molle is the largest of the four, with North Molle and Mid Molle just to the north.

At low tide the water goes down and you can walk over to Mid Molle Island.
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Daydream Island is just to the west and was once called West Molle Island. I think the name has it all. Daydream is still a bustling luxury hotspot, while the rest is virtually deserted.

However, I will hopefully convince you that this island near Airlie Beach is a much better alternative if you have the means to get there.
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Sailing and anchorage information

South Molle Island offers the best anchorage for people sailing or cruising on Whitsunday Island. The best anchorage in developed southeast trade winds is at the northern end of South Molle Island, known as Bauer Bay.

There are several buoys on the east side of this bay. These buoys were previously used for boats wanting to access the resort.

The best anchorage in the bay is right next to these buoys. Spion Kop's elongated cliffs provide good shelter but can produce some powerful bullets in strong winds.
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READ THE WHITSUNDAYS SAIL LOG: SAIL LOG WEEK 3 – SAILING TO SOUTH MOLLE ISLAND

South Molle Island

South Molle Island has three high points and is surrounded by rolling grasslands. There are several secluded bays with fringing reefs to explore.
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Most travelers and backpackers head to the Whitsunday Islands and the Hamilton Islands. However, if you have the time and want an entire tropical island to yourself, then you should definitely stop by South Molle Island.

South Molle Island Abandoned Resort

The once bustling Bauer Bay resort is now completely deserted. The South Molle Island Resort was destroyed during Cyclone Debbie in 2016.
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A few months earlier, the same year, the resort was sold to new Chinese owners for a total of $25 million. This included the resort and a land lease.

I'm sure they weren't too happy after being forced to shut it down and give up. However, while we were on South Molle Island, the owners landed by helicopter. We were told they are already planning to rebuild.
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Hikes and bushwalks on South Molle

The resort occupies a large portion of Bauer Bay beach, but the rest of the island is a national park.

There are several hikes on the island, some leading to the tops of viewpoints and others to small, secluded coves.
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The terrain is primarily grassy hills with pockets of dense rainforest. The QLD National Parks Authority does an excellent job of keeping the trails open. There are even some old signs for mountain bike trails that are wide and well maintained.

All routes on the island start at the western end of Bauer Bay Beach. There are national park signs and weathered hiking information boards at the start.

Spion Kop viewpoint

By far the highlight of the viewpoints and hikes on South Molle Island is the Spion Kop Lookout. It takes about 1-2 hours from the beach to the viewpoint.
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This large, vertical rock face juts out from the northeastern tip of the island. The rock face is topped with native shrubs and a few lonely pine trees.

The route winds up behind the abandoned resort, through dense rainforest and over some rolling, grassy hills. The end of the hike has a boardwalk, but you will be rewarded with the best views at the top of the rock.

From the top you can see across Bauer Bay, the central and northern Molle Islands and even all the way to the mainland. On the other side you have sweeping views of Hook Island and the Whitsunday Islands.
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Balancing Rock Lookout

Balancing Rock Lookout is another epic viewpoint on South Molle Island. This walk is much closer to the resort beach and only takes 30-40 minutes.
alt=“Balanced rocky view of the South Island of Molle”>
Follow the signs up and around the bay until you reach a ledge that you can climb up to. Keep walking and climb around the corner for a view of Bauer Bay, the resort, and Daydream Island on the other side.
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Camping on South Molle Island

While we didn't camp on the island since we had our boat, there are campsites in Paddle Bay and Saddle Bay. However, remember that it is a national park and camping permits and fees apply.

Check out the maps and details here for up-to-date information about camping on South Molle Island.

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