Daydream Island Getaways Sale On Now

DAYDREAMING of warmer weather?

Escape the cooler temperatures and enjoy a tropical getaway at Daydream Island Resort and Spa in the Whitsundays with a brand new offer.

The Resort is offering a three-day package priced from $372* per person, twin share in a Garden Balcony Room – an amazing 20 per cent saving.

The package includes three nights accommodation, a scrumptious full buffet breakfast daily, a bonus $50 food and beverage voucher per room, per stay (children stay and eat breakfast free of charge), free shell necklace and mocktails on arrival, free Wi-Fi in atrium 24 hours a day and a free holiday portrait during your stay.

Guests will also enjoy over 20 free guest activities including kayaks, catamarans, stand-up paddle boards, stingray and shark feeding show, open air cinema, rainforest walk, gym and much more.

Guests can also upgrade to an Ocean Balcony Room from only $462* per person twin share (a 20 per cent saving) or a Coral Ocean Balcony Room from only $522* per person twin share (a 20 per cent saving).

The special is on sale from now until August 16, 2015 and valid for travel between May 1, 2015 - March 24, 2016 (block out dates apply).

Daydream Island Resort and Spa is located in Queensland’s stunning Whitsunday Islands in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef.

The multi award-winning resort is home to one of the world’s largest man-made living reef lagoons known as The Living Reef, a great selection of restaurants and bars, a fringing coral reef and Rejuvenation Spa offering a selection of health and beauty treatments.

For bookings free call reservations on 1800 075 040, contact your local travel agent or visit www.daydreamisland.com

*Conditions apply: Subject to availability. On sale 01 May 2015 – 16 August 2015. For travel 01 May 2015 – 24 March 2016 (Blockout dates apply). Children 0-14 years inclusive stay and eat breakfast free of charge when sharing a room with parents/adults and utilising existing bedding. Max capacity of 4 people per hotel room/suite. Max capacity of 8 people per family room. Cots can be provided free of charge. Launch transfers are not included and must be booked at time of booking accommodation.

ENDS

Get ready for your big day at Daydream's Weddings Open Day

Discover how you can plan the wedding of your dreams at Daydream Island Resort and Spa’s annual Weddings Open Day on Saturday, June 20 from 10am-3pm.

The renowned event is a one-stop-shop for brides and grooms planning a tropical wedding in the Whitsundays.

From wedding ceremony and reception venues to flowers, catering and entertainment, attendees will be provided with all the information they need to plan their own beautiful Daydream Island wedding.

The open day will commence at 10am with a morning tea and a presentation by Daydream Island Weddings, a local photographer and civil celebrant.

Attendees will then enjoy a guided tour of Daydream Island Resort and Spa’s beautiful reception and ceremony venues. These include Sunlovers Terrace; the Endeavour Wedding Chapel with panoramic views of the Whitsunday passage; romantic Lovers Cove, a private inlet featuring a deck and a white coral beach; and Sunlover’s Lookout, perfect for intimate weddings.

They will also tour other facilities like the award-winning Rejuvenation Spa – an ideal place for the bridal party to get ready before the wedding - and The Bridal Suite.

Guests will also enjoy a complimentary lunch at Sunlovers Terrace.

The day will include plenty of one-on-one time with the Daydream Weddings Team and some of the best industry professionals in the Whitsundays.

For a complete experience, couples are invited to arrive at Daydream on Friday, June 19 where they are invited to a welcome function at sunset. They’ll sample canapés and cocktails at stunning Lovers Cove with a fireworks display.

A special accommodation package is available for those wishing to attend the open day for just $250 per person ($500 per couple). The package includes two nights in a Garden Balcony Room, a full buffet breakfast daily for two, return luxury transfers from either Great Barrier Reef Airport (HTI) or Whitsunday Coast Airport (PPP). Attendees will also receive amazing savings on their wedding booking.

“If you want a unique wedding in one of Australia’s most spectacular wedding locations, Daydream Island is the perfect destination,” said Daydream Island Wedding Sales Executive Alicia Evans. “Our experienced and professional wedding team can help turn your dream into a reality whether it’s a wedding for a small, private gathering or for a larger event for all your family and friends.”

RSVPs are essential. Contact Daydream’s Wedding Sales Executive by emailing weddings@daydreamisland.com or calling (07) 3259 2310 to secure your place.

ENDS

Top 5 activities on Daydream Island

If you’re looking for some holiday inspiration and keen to plan your stay ahead of time, here are five great holiday ideas to pass your days on gorgeous Daydream Island:

1) Water activities

Daydream Island is located in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and overlooking the spectacular Whitsunday Passage. Surrounded by beautiful blue water and with some amazing swimming pools of it’s own, it’s no surprise that water-based activities are top of mind for most visitors to the Resort.

There are catamarans and kayaks available for use as well as boats and jet skis for hire. In fact, these waters offer some of the best sailing in the country. There’s no better place to learn to sail than Daydream Island.

Snorkeling is one of the most popular activities with Daydream having its own spectacular fringing coral reef, providing much colour amongst all the coral formations and tropical fish species. Count how many different species you can spot during a fish feeding session. Snorkeling equipment and fish food is available for hire.

2) Living Reef

The amazing Living Reef is a must-see during your stay on the island. It’s hard to miss as it’s located at the entrance to the resort and consists of two large man-made coral reef lagoons, home for more than 140 species of colourful marine animals and 83 species of coral.

You can hand-feed resident stingrays, baby sharks and barramundi as well as learn about the wondrous marine eco-system. Lagoon favourites Pikelet and Pancake the stingrays and Bruce the sickle fin lemon shark are on show.

Free educational fish feeding sessions conducted by the experienced marine biologists are held each day. There are a range of more immersive and hands on tours available to get closer to the lagoons and their inhabitants, including the Reef Ranger and Stingray Splash experiences.

It’s educational, awe inspiring and the best way to get a Reef experience without going out to the Reef itself.

3) Rejuvenation Spa

Located at the northern end of Daydream Island, the Rejuvenation Spa is an award winning facility that combines an extensive array of health and beauty treatments to pamper and reinvigorate the mind, body and soul.

The Spa provides a holistic approach to wellbeing, offering the time-tested health benefits of naturopathy, aromatherapy, hydrotherapy and massage, along with an array of beauty therapies.

Facilities include 16 individual treatment rooms, vichy showers, thermal tables, hydrotherapy tubs, steam effusion showers, dual treatment rooms, dual spa baths and private relaxation areas.

The Spa will have you looking and feeling your best in no time, and with one of the best views in Australia.

4) Rainforest Walk

A leisurely rainforest walk is one way for visitors to Daydream to really experience the natural beauty of the island’s wildlife and flora.

Daydream’s 30-minute rainforest walk provides a truly up close and personal view of the island. The walk is a fairly leisurely hike where you will feel a world away and can appreciate an estimated 200 species of plant life on the island.

During the walk you can look out to the horizon and enjoy breathtaking views of the ocean, and sometimes even spot whales, turtles and dugongs.

In fact, a visit to Daydream is a step into a natural, living and breathing sanctuary. Getting back to nature is a perfect way to relax and unwind and that’s what Daydream is all about.

5) Relax!

Some of the best activities actually involve not doing very much. After all, a holiday for many is as much about relaxation. Daydream’s popular outdoor cinema is a great place to sit back and enjoy a movie on the big screen.

Gorgeous Lovers Cove is the perfect location for Sunset drinks and nibbles to enjoy the spectacular sunsets over the Whitsunday Passage.

Or, how about a cool cocktail, good book and a lounge chair poolside for an afternoon of taking in the tropical island surroundings?

For more information on visiting Daydream Island visit www.daydreamisland.com


ENDS for media enquiries contact Brenton Gibbs 0419 828440

Get ready for Daydream’s Easter Eggstravaganza

Daydream Island Resort and Spa is launching a series of egg-citing activities for families to celebrate Easter Sunday on April 5, 2015.

The day’s proceedings will kick off at 10am when the Easter Bunny arrives at the Atrium, followed by a photo session at Lagoon’s Lounge until 10.30am.

Families are then invited to a traditional Easter Egg hunt at the Southern End Grass at 11am where they can search for hundreds of chocolate eggs.

The Easter Egg hunt will be immediately followed by some fun games for everyone to enjoy including Egg and Spoon Races, Potato Sack Races and Three Legged Races at the Southern End Grass from 11.15am-12pm.

There will be face painting, Easter colouring activities and Easter crafts from 12.30pm-1.30pm in the Southern End Gazebo.

The day will wrap up with an action packed game of Twilight Mini Golf at 5.30pm and a movie at the outdoor cinema from 7.30pm.

Daydream Island Resort and Spa’s resort manager Warren McCorriston said the annual Easter Egg Hunt and Easter activities were extremely popular with families.

“What better way to celebrate Easter Sunday than by being on a beautiful tropical island? It will be a fantastic day out for the whole family,” he said.

Daydream Island Resort and Spa is located in Queensland’s stunning Whitsunday Islands in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef.

The multi award-winning resort is home to one of the world’s largest man-made living reef lagoons known as The Living Reef, a great selection of restaurants and bars, a fringing coral reef and Rejuvenation Spa offering a comprehensive selection of health and beauty treatments.

For bookings free call reservations on 1800 075 040, contact your local travel agent or visit www.daydreamisland.com

5 Reasons Daydream Island is one of Australia’s top snorkelling spots

Juvenile Anemonefish at Daydream Island

IF snorkelling with the marine life of the Great Barrier Reef is on your bucket list, you may want to book a trip to Daydream Island immediately.

Located in the Whitsundays, Daydream Island is one of the most naturally beautiful islands in Australia with white coral beaches and turquoise seas.

The island is also a snorkeller’s paradise.

John Gaskell, the manager of Daydream Island’s Living Reef attraction, and resident marine biologist, said the waters surrounding the island were teaming with fish and coral.

“The diversity of fish and corals found around Daydream Island is comparable to even the most dense parts of the Great Barrier Reef,” he said.

He said the coral reefs, particularly those around popular Lovers Cove, allowed people to snorkel in a safe environment that boasted many of the region’s marine wonders.

Here are five great reasons you should snorkel at Daydream Island:

1) Easy Access

The island is easily accessible to travellers and is only a 30-minute ferry trip from the Great Barrier Reef Airport on Hamilton Island (which has direct flights daily to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Cairns).

Travellers can also fly to the Whitsunday Coast Airport in Proserpine on the mainland. From the airport, there is a 30-minute transfer to the Abel Point Marina in Airlie Beach, where a connecting ferry transfers guests to Daydream in 30 minutes.

Once you get to the island, you can immediately go snorkelling off one of the island’s most popular locations, Lovers Cove.

2) You can see Nemo’s Cousin!

Ever since the Disney movie Finding Nemo, children and adults have alike have been fascinated by the striking orange Clownfish or ‘Nemo’.

At Daydream Island, snorkellers can see ‘Nemo’s cousin, the gorgeous Red-And-Black Anemonefish. They can also see five other Anemonefish from the same genus in this part of the Great Barrier Reef.

“Evidence of breeding Red-and-Black Anemonefish is an indicator of the health of the fringing reef habitat that surrounds Daydream Island,” said Mr Gaskell.

3) Great variety

Surf Parrotfish viewed whilst snorkelling at Lovers Cove

Daydream Island has a diverse and extensive marine ecosystem. Just a few metres off the shore of popular Lovers Cove, snorkellers can see a variety of colourful fish including the aforementioned Red-And-Black- Anemone Fish, the colourful Surf Parrot fish, the Blue Tuskfish, Fusiliers and Sergeant Majors.

4) The Fish Come to You!

If snorkelling is a bit too much effort, you can just sit in the shallows and wait for the fish to come to you! A staff member will simply throw fish pellets into the water and before you know it, the fish will be swimming around your feet. Easy!

5) Education

Want to learn more about the Great Barrier Reef?

Daydream Island is also home to one of the world’s largest man-made living coral reef lagoons, the Living Reef. It features more than 140 species of marine fish and 80 species of coral and guests have the opportunity to hand feed resident stingrays, sharks and barramundi.

There’s also the Living Reef Ranger program for those guests who want an extended hands-on Living Reef experience and become more educated about the Great Barrier Reef ecosystem and the animals that live within it.

Bookings can be made at the Activities Desk.

For more information on visiting Daydream Island visit www.daydreamisland.com

Taste of the Whitsundays - Blackened Yellow Fin Tuna

This amazing dish -- blackened yellow fin tuna, with olive and potato ragout, basil pesto, has been created by our executive chef, Ashley Duff.



If you would like to make this for yourself at home, here’s the recipe:


Name:  Blackened yellow fin tuna, with olive and potato ragout, basil pesto


Serves: 4


Amount                        Ingredients/Details

¼ cup                          Fine chopped parsley
¼ cup                          Fine sliced basil leaves
4 each                         Yellow fin tuna steaks 200g
50 grms                       Black, white, pink pepper corns
20 grms                       Unsalted butter
1 each                         Brown onion, fine dice
1 clove                        Garlic fine chopped
6 each                         Dutch cream potatoes, medium dice
2 each                         Roma tomato, de-seeded and small dice
100 grms                     Kalamata olives, de-seeded, sliced
4 leaves                      Basil fried
Pinch                           Sea Salt
Pinch                           fresh ground pepper
250mls                        white chicken stock
250mls                        Clam juice
Taste                           Olive oil           
1 each                         Lemon zest & juice
50 mls                          Basil pesto

 Procedure:

1. Roast pepper corns in a dry pan and crush, add lemon zest
2. Season tuna steaks with sea salt
3. Drizzle tuna with olive oil and press tuna steaks into the pepper mix, top and bottom set aside
4. Melt butter in a heavy based pan with a little olive oil, on a high heat
5. add onions and sauté without colour
6. Add garlic and lightly fry until lightly coloured
7. Add potatoes and cook until starting to brown add tomatoes stir
8. Add the clam and chicken stocks, bring to simmer and reduce heat to medium
9. Simmer for 20mins or until stock has been absorbed and potatoes and tender
10. Add olives, fresh parsley and basil
11. Season with salt and pepper
12. Het heavy base pan with olive oil
13. Cook tuna for 1 ½ mins on each side, rest steaks for 2 mins then slice in half
14. Fry basil leaves and drain on paper towel
15. With a large kitchen spoon, place 150grms of the potato and olive ragout in the centre of a large white plate
16. Place tuna steaks on top and garnish with fried basil and a drizzle of basil pesto

Marine life dazzles in Daydream’s new night tours

SEE the marine world come alive at night with Daydream Island Resort and Spa’s exciting new Night Tours at its popular Living Reef lagoons.

Holidaymakers will be able to see the fascinating inhabitants of Daydream’s Living Reef – one of the world’s largest man-made living coral reef lagoons – from a completely different perspective.

Living Reef Manager John Gaskell said the Night Tours were a fantastic opportunity to see what marine creatures got up to at night.

“We’ve found that marine creatures, particularly the big rays, tend to be quite active at night time so it’s an excellent time to see them up close,” he said.

“They will be able to feed baby sharks, hold a baby bamboo shark and a sea star, feed and touch the huge stingrays and learn about Australian marine life from Daydream Island’s resident marine biologists. It’s an unforgettable experience.”

The Living Reef is home to more than 140 species of colourful marine fish, 82 species of coral and 15 species of other invertebrates such as starfish, sea cucumbers and crabs. It comprises two lagoons and holds more than 1.5 million litres of water.

New marine animals are continually being discovered in the Living Reef, with many of these on display in tanks in the Living Reef centre. Ever popular clownfish also call The Living Reef home and are a continual favourite with guests and one of the iconic images of Daydream Island and The Great Barrier Reef.

The Night Tours are available every Friday from 6.15pm at the Living Reef Centre. Prices are $25 per person or $70 for a family (two adults, two children).

Bookings are essential – please book at the activities desk before 4pm on Daydream Island Resort and Spa or call 1800 075 400.

For more information visit www.daydreamisland.com