Vintage Travel - Brampton Island, 1954 style

Many people have heard of Airlie Beach and the Whitsundays.  I live in Mackay, which is about 1 1/2 hours drive south of Airlie, and gateway to the southern Cumberland group of islands.  One such Island is Brampton Island.  Once a tourist destination, with stars such as British band The Police holidaying there, Brampton island is now closed to all but the most intrepid day trippers - the buildings are derelict and there are no facilities.

Brampton's derelict swimming pool

Roylen Enterprises owned Brampton from 1962 until 1985,  when  TAA (Trans Australia Airlines) purchased it and completed and upgrade, before selling it to P&O Resorts in late 1997. Three million dollars was spent on a major refurbishment of the resort before it was purchased by Voyages.  In 2010 United Petroleum seemed set to  revitalise the island, but it closed in about 2012, and so far nothing new has been done.

This was Brampton Island in 2007.

Back in 1954, before the jetskis and swimming pools,  model Dawn Read travelled to Brampton Island as part of her trip after winning the "Queen of the Coral Sea " contest.

For more information on visiting Brampton island for a day trip, see here.  We don't have a boat, so haven't been, but if you have, let me know!