Hike to Whitsunday Peak in the Whitsunday Islands, Queensland

Hike to Whitsunday Peak in the Whitsunday Islands, Queensland

The Whitsunday Peak hike is a short day hike that leads to the highest point on Whitsunday Island. At the top, hikers are rewarded with a sweeping view of the entire Whitsunday Islands.

Whitsunday Island yacht or boat access

Access to a boat is required to access the Whitsunday Peak Hike. If you are lucky enough to find yourself on your own yacht or boat, then you are in luck.

If not, Charter Yachts Australia is a very popular charter company that also rents yachts and boats for those looking for their own adventure in the Whitsunday Islands.

Getting to the trail head

Access to a boat is required to access the Whitsunday Peak Hike. For those cruising or sailing in the Whitsundays, head to Cid Harbour, a popular anchorage on the western side of Whitsunday Island.

There are plenty of decent anchorages in Cid Harbor and the beach is only a short distance from the anchorage. You will find the hiking location marked on the map below.

Beware of sharks in Cid Harbor

For those sailing or driving to Cid Harbor, you will notice yellow buoys in the water and signs on land warning against swimming in Cid Harbor. Unfortunately, there have been numerous shark attacks in this bay in recent years.
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Hike to Whitsunday Peak

On arrival at the beach you will notice a sign indicating the start of the Whitsunday Peak hike.

The hike starts right on the beach and winds steeply up the mountain, through dense bushes and over several streams.
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The distance is approximately 5 km for the return journey. Whitsunday Peak reaches a height of 425 m, making it the highest point on Whitsunday Island.

The signage indicates that hikers should allow at least four hours for the return journey. If you are relatively fit it will probably take around 1.5 hours to climb and 1 hour to descend. But you'll probably want to allow some time for the summit, the views are incredible.

You may notice that the landscape changes as you climb higher up the mountain, from shorter shrubs to an almost rainforest-like scene towards the top.

The view

As you reach the summit of the Whitsunday Peak hike, you will be greeted with panoramic views across the entire Whitsunday Islands.

Note Hook Island to the north, the Molle Island Group to the west, and even Hamilton Island and the Southern Whitsundays on the other side.
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A quick tip

Once you reach the top, you can walk a little further through a short strip of bush to reach another viewpoint on the other side. It is not clearly marked and you have to look for a thin path leading to it.

Best time to travel to the Whitsundays

The best month to visit is September. This is due to higher water temperatures, warm days and the lowest amounts of precipitation.

However, it is possible to visit the Whitsundays all year round. The high season for sailing and cruising in the Whitsunday Islands is between May and September.

While summer definitely offers hotter weather, there is more tropical rain and the threat of hurricanes. Additionally, summer is the peak season for dangerous marine stingers in the waters of the Coral Sea.

Photos from Whitsunday Peak

If you can't wait and want photos of Whitsunday Peak, check out some of my snaps from an early morning hike.
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