Dunk Island is only 4 kilometres off the Queensland coast, opposite the town of Mission Beach, so any talk of Dunk Island transfers is really talk of a short hop across water.
Below we cover where the island is, what state it is in, and which months are driest. Before you plan a crossing, confirm current transfer arrangements and prices with the operator, and check the official site of Tourism and Events Queensland.
Where Dunk Island sits
The island lies within the locality of Dunk in the Cassowary Coast Region. It is one of the Family Islands, and most of it lies within the Family Islands National Park and the wider Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area. Its traditional name, in the Warrgamay and Dyirbal languages, is Coonanglebah, meaning "The Island of Peace and Plenty".
Dunk Island covers 970 hectares, of which 730 hectares is national park and the rest is freehold. Mount Kootaloo, at 271 metres, is the highest point. The Bedarra Island destination guide covers a neighbouring island about 7 km away, and we use climate figures from that area further down this page.
The island's recent condition
Both Cyclone Larry and Cyclone Yasi hit the island and its resort facilities hard. After Yasi, Peter Bond bought the island and redevelopment of the resort began in 2014, but it never took place. In September 2019 Mayfair 101 purchased the island, and in August 2020 the previous owners, Family Islands Operations, repossessed it after Mayfair 101 failed to meet its payment obligations.
By 2021 many abandoned resort buildings were visible from the shoreline, with significant cyclone damage still obvious. In our view, that is reason enough to treat the island as a place to check before you commit, not a ready-made resort stay.
History and wildlife worth knowing
The Bandjin and Djiru peoples have lived in the area for tens of thousands of years, paddling to the islands in bark canoes to gather food and materials. James Cook sailed past in the Endeavour on 8 June 1770 and named it after George Montague-Dunk, 2nd Earl of Halifax.
In 1897 the writer Edmund Banfield moved there with his wife Bertha, and he lived on the island until his death in 1923. His book Confessions of a Beachcomber (1908) built the island's reputation as a tropical paradise. The resort began in 1936, and the Royal Australian Air Force built an airstrip there in 1941.
More than 100 bird species live on the island, and in summer it becomes a breeding site for terns and noddies. Purtaboi Island, just off Dunk, is closed to guests from October to April because crested terns nest there.
Dunk Island weather for planning a crossing
These figures are for the Bedarra Island area, about 7 km from Dunk, using 1991 to 2020 normals. The driest months run from June to November, and February is the wettest at about 352 mm.
| Month | Max C | Min C | Rain mm | Rain days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 29.3 | 25.8 | 265.6 | 21.6 |
| February | 28.9 | 25.9 | 352.3 | 21.8 |
| March | 28.0 | 25.2 | 261.6 | 20.9 |
| April | 26.8 | 23.9 | 146.8 | 18.6 |
| May | 25.1 | 22.1 | 86.0 | 14.8 |
| June | 23.6 | 20.2 | 49.7 | 10.9 |
| July | 23.2 | 19.3 | 44.9 | 9.2 |
| August | 24.0 | 19.7 | 37.2 | 7.6 |
| September | 25.9 | 21.2 | 27.9 | 5.4 |
| October | 27.4 | 22.7 | 42.9 | 7.5 |
| November | 28.6 | 24.1 | 79.2 | 10.5 |
| December | 29.5 | 25.3 | 138.5 | 15.5 |
September is the driest month at about 28 mm with 5.4 rain days, and October has the most sunny days at 30.1.
Where to stay on the mainland
If you want a base near the coast, BIG4 Kurrimine Beach Holiday Park at Kurrimine Beach in the Cassowary Coast Regional area offers powered sites and cabins. Contact the park for current rates and availability. For wider background, see the Wikipedia entry on Dunk Island.
Frequently asked questions
How far is Dunk Island from the mainland?
It lies 4 kilometres off the east coast, opposite Mission Beach.
Who owns Dunk Island now?
Family Islands Operations, owned by the family of Peter Bond, repossessed the island in August 2020 after Mayfair 101 failed to meet its payment obligations.
When is the driest time to go?
Rainfall is lowest from June to November, with September the driest at about 28 mm.