Is there a ferry to Brampton Island, Queensland?

There is no ferry to Brampton Island, Queensland, since the Brampton Island Resort shut down in 2011. You can, however, visit Brampton Island on a full day snorkelling cruise from Mackay.

Where is Brampton Island?

Brampton Island is in the Whitsunday Islands off the coast of Queensland. It is at the southern end of the archipelago, and the nearest port is Mackay, around 32km to the south-west.

It is, as with most of the Whitsundays, a gorgeous island with white sand beaches and lush, tropical green hills.

What happened to the Brampton Island Resort?

Brampton Island was once home to one of the most attractive resorts in Australia. However, the Brampton Island Resort was sold in 2010, then closed for redevelopment in 2011. The resort has never reopened, and has essentially been left to rot.

Which Whitsundays cruise should I choose?

For those with limited time: Whitehaven Beach half day tour.
For the highlights reel: Whitehaven Beach and Hamilton Island day trip.
To see the reef two ways: High speed Whitsundays cruise plus scenic reef flight combo.
For romance, sparkling wine and sunset under sail: Multi-beach and reef Lady Enid cruise.
To see several islands: Sailing and snorkelling adventure.
For an overnight sailing adventure: Matador two day yacht cruise.

Is there a ferry to Brampton Island?

There is no ferry service to Brampton Island. The only way to get to this once-proud Whitsundays resort island is by private boat. Obviously, that is going to be beyond the budget for most people, especially when other Whitsunday Islands are much easier to get to.

If you just want to get to one of the islands, Hamilton Island, Daydream Island, South Molle Island and Whitsunday Island are much easier to reach than Brampton Island.

How to get to Brampton Island

The other way to get to Brampton Island is on a Whitsundays cruise. There are dozens of cruise options available, but most of those that depart from Airlie Beach don’t go this far out. Even the multi-day cruises will tend to concentrate on the islands that aren’t quite as far from the Port of Airlie or the Shute Harbour Marine Terminal.

There is, however, a Whitsundays cruise that goes from Mackay. The Wildcat cruise visits several islands on a full day snorkelling tour. Sometimes this includes Brampton Island, but the exact choice of islands depends on weather conditions.

The Wildcat cruise is arguably the best thing to do in Mackay. At the time of writing, it costs $189 and should be booked online.

Three great Mackay experiences to book in advance

(Highly recommended ✅) Whitsunday Islands boat cruise – with snorkelling and paddleboarding.
Cape Hillsborough sunrise tour – meet wallabies on the beach.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Finch Hatton Gorge waterfalls tour.