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 

Daydream Island sold to international buyer

Iconic Queensland tropical island destination Daydream Island Resort and Spa in the Whitsundays will (subject to Government approval) be sold to China Capital Investment Group (www.ccig.com) for an undisclosed sum. It is currently intended that the sale will take place in mid March 2015.

Following an extensive international marketing campaign Daydream Island’s long-time owner Mr Vaughan Bullivant has secured a sale to CCIG Australia Pty Ltd and CCIG Investments Pty Ltd. The new owners intend to continue to operate Daydream Island Resort and Spa and invest money into the gradual refurbishment of the popular resort.

“I’m delighted that we’ve found an investor that can continue to operate Daydream with the current management team and take it securely forward,” Mr Bullivant said.

“Daydream Island has been a huge part of my life and I’ve put so much passion into making it a great tropical island experience but have known for some time it’s best for another owner to continue my vision.

“This is a great day for Daydream and whilst I’m sad to be parting ways the island has a very bright future.

“The new owners also have an opportunity to develop further the southern end of the island and offer new accommodation experiences.”

China Capital Investment Group, based in Shanghai, has several tourism assets in its portfolio with Daydream Island representing its first investment in Australia.

Chairman of CCIG Chuanyou Zhou said, "We look forward to improving the property and providing both domestic and international guests with a continued high level of quality service and enhancing their holiday experience.”

Vitamin and health magnate Mr Bullivant bought Daydream Island in 2000 and immediately reinvigorated the resort with an extensive overhaul to bring it up to international standards and become one of the most sought after holiday destinations in Australia.

Daydream Island Resort and Spa chief executive officer Scott Wilkinson said, “It’s business as usual at Daydream and we’re pleased to welcome a new owner who will continue to develop the tourism experience for our guests in our key markets.

“We’ve just experienced a busy holiday period and look forward to building on the positive guest feedback we continue to receive.

“Our leisure, weddings and conferencing sectors all have strong forward bookings for 2015. It’s going to be an exciting year ahead.”

Four and a half star Daydream Island Resort and Spa has 296 rooms and suites, each offering views of tropical waters or rainforest. The island features white coral beaches and lush rainforest and has been the recipient of numerous tourism and hospitality awards including the 2014 Whitsunday Tourism award for Best Deluxe Accommodation, subsequent induction into the Hall of Fame, and a prestigious silver award for deluxe accommodation at the 2014 Queensland Tourism Awards.

Daydream Island is home to The Living Reef which is the largest open air aquarium in the Southern Hemisphere and is located within the resort and comprises two lagoons with over 80 varieties of coral and more than 140 species of fish including sharks, stingrays, giant barramundi and many tropical marine fish including the much loved clownfish.

Guests can also indulge and be pampered at the world-class Rejuvenation Spa. The refined elegance of this spectacular facility is reflected in its 16 private rooms offering the latest in naturopathy, hydrotherapy, aromatherapy or reflexology to stimulate the senses and bring harmony to mind, body and soul.


ENDS media enquiries to Brenton Gibbs

Daydream Island to host Weddings Open Day

Daydreaming of a tropical-style beach or island wedding?

Find out how to make your dream a reality at the Daydream Island Resort and Spa Weddings Open Day on Saturday, February 21, 2015.

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 with a guided tour of Daydream Island Resort and Spa’s beautiful reception and ceremony venues. These include the Endeavour Wedding Chapel with panoramic views of the Whitsunday passage, and romantic Lovers Cove, a private sheltered inlet featuring a deck and a white coral beach.

They will also tour other facilities like the island’s award winning Rejuvenation Spa - the perfect place for the bridal party to get ready before the wedding, and the beautiful Ocean Paradise and Daydreamer accommodation suites.

The day will include plenty of one-on-one time with the 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, February 20 where they are invited to a welcome function at sunset. They’ll also sample canapés and cocktails at stunning Lovers Cove. A special accommodation package is available for those wishing to attend the open day.

Attendees will receive amazing savings on their wedding booking.

“Daydream Island is one of the most amazing destination wedding locations in Australia, with abundant natural beauty, high-quality venues and accommodation and an experienced weddings team to ensure your day is a success,” said Alicia Evans, Daydream Island Wedding Sales Executive.

“It’s perfect for brides and grooms who are looking for a unique and very special wedding location.”

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

Follow Daydream Island on Twitter @_daydreamisland

Follow Daydream Island weddings at www.facebook.com/DaydreamIslandWeddings

ENDS

What is your Metabolic Age?

Over the years society’s view of a healthy body has changed dramatically, from the super muscular to the ultra-skinny.

Today, health practitioners recognise that health is determined by more than just a number on the scales.

According to naturopath, Catherine Lanzon, at Daydream Island’s Rejuvenation Spa, a simple weight measurement doesn’t tell the whole story. A person can be perfectly fit or perfectly fat at exactly the same weight. What may vary, however, is a person’s body composition.

Catherine uses Body Composition Analysis as a key tool in providing accurate information on not only weight, but muscle mass, total fat percentage, visceral fat, bone mass and hydration. Body Composition also gives an indication of metabolic age, which is a measure of how rapidly the body is ageing due to diet and lifestyle factors. Your metabolic age can be higher or lower than your actual age depending on diet and lifestyle.

“At the Rejuvenation Spa, we like to take a holistic approach to assessing health. As well as extensive beauty and spa services, we also offer traditional naturopathy services,” says Catherine.

The body composition test can be taken in addition to a one-hour wellness consultation, which looks at diet, exercise, stress management and sleep hygiene.

“The leading causes of mortality in Australia are lifestyle diseases, namely coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes and obesity. Body Composition analysis can provide great motivation for individuals to change diet and lifestyle to combat these diseases.

“Today’s modern lifestyle involves people dragging themselves out of bed every morning and grabbing a coffee like it’s a lifeline, followed by multiple caffeine and sugar hits throughout the day. Caffeine is a stimulant which depletes our ability to handle stress. Our high stress lifestyles often see us gravitating towards the most available sedative, alcohol. Unfortunately both caffeine and alcohol can lead to poor quality sleep and so the cycle continues.

“We want our clients to have optimal energy and vitality so they are bright, bubbly and enthusiastic about a new day. That’s what we try to achieve in a consultation.”

For more information visit http://www.daydreamisland.com/fw_rejuvenation_spa/naturopathy.html 


Daydream Island hosts major Plumbing Plus conference

Daydream Island Resort and Spa has underlined its reputation as one of the premier conference destinations in Australia after welcoming a 200-strong conference delegation to the island in October.

Plumbing Plus, Australia’s leading independent supplier of bathroom and plumbing products, held its annual staff conference at Daydream from October 22-26, 2014.

Daydream Island CEO Scott Wilkinson said that Daydream Island’s depth of experience as a conference destination was unrivalled in the Whitsundays.

“We were delighted to host Plumbing Plus’s annual conference at Daydream Island and exceed their expectations,” he said.

“We are committed to ensuring our conference delegates always have an exceptional experience, from our quality accommodation and conference venues to food and beverage and the extensive leisure activities around the island.

“The island’s natural beauty and its location in the world-renowned Whitsunday Islands are a major attraction.”


He said interest in the Whitsundays as a conference destination was growing and it was exciting to see the region attracting groups of this size.


Karen Maher, Daydream Island’s Business Development Manager, said Daydream Island’s conference team worked closely with Plumbing Plus to create a memorable and fun event that met all of its needs.

“We hosted some amazing entertainment including stand-up comedy from Mikey Robins, musical performances from pop star Samantha Jade and Darryl Braithwaite and a show by illusionist and magician Matt Hollywood,” Ms Maher said.

“Delegates also enjoyed a range of leisure activities including a cruise to the magnificent Whitehaven Beach where a special marquee was set-up for lunch, and a Hawaiian welcome dinner.”

Conference group at Lovers Cove

Plumbing Plus’s conference organiser Vickie Scobie from Conference In Style praised the Daydream Island team running the event.

“The staff on Daydream Island should be highly commended for the many hours they endured to ensure we had a great time,” Ms Scobie said.

“It was a memorable event and one that I am sure our delegates will be talking about for some time to come.

“The size of the island was perfect for a group of this size, it contained the delegates but on the same note we were able to have three different events in three different areas of the island adding variety to every dinner venue without having to travel far.”

Daydream Island Resort and Spa is an ideal destination for conferences, meetings, trade shows, product launches and organisational incentive or team building activities.  Daydream can cater for conferences of all sizes. It is big enough to host major events for up to 300 delegates (catering for up to 600 including partners) and yet small enough to provide a personal touch.

Daydream Island Resort and Spa is a 4.5 Star resort offering 296 well-appointed rooms and comprehensive conference facilities including five individual conference rooms. White coral beaches, rainforest, pampering spa treatments and adventurous activities combine to stimulate and inspire delegates.

The resort is easily reached from Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane through the Great Barrier Reef Airport on Hamilton Island, or Whitsunday Coast Airport at Proserpine.

Daydream Island is also available for sole-use booking by prior arrangement.

For more information on conferences and incentive bookings please call Karen Maher, Business Development Manager on 07 3259 2301 or visit www.daydreamisland.com email meetings@daydreamisland.com 

Iridology - An eye on health

It’s often said that the eyes are the windows to the soul.

But did you know that the eyes are also the windows to your health?

Iridology is the traditional health practice of determining a patient’s physical health by analysing distinct changes in the colours and markings of the iris.

According to iridology, markings in the iris correspond to different parts of the human body, such as the lungs, the stomach, the kidneys and the brain.

Daydream Island Resort and Spa is proud to offer iridology as part of its extensive health and beauty services. The Spa provides a holistic approach to wellbeing, with a focus on rejuvenating and re-invigorating to provide optimal health and vitality.

Rejuvenation Spa’s resident Naturopath, Catherine Lanzon, says iridology is an important tool for analysing a person’s overall health.

“Although it’s not diagnostic, iridology is indicative of a person’s general health,” she says. “It’s a very fairly unique service that we offer our guests.”

The iridology service is offered as part of a one-hour wellness consultation at Daydream Island’s Rejuvenation Spa.

Ms Lanzon says she begins each session by taking a thorough medical and diet history, before photographing the irises with a specialised camera.

“It’s very intriguing. I might see blood glucose irregularity caused by a two litres of coke diet or a high sugar diet, or I might see liver spots,” she says.

“I will then make recommendations based on my observations. For example; if they have cholesterol rings and a high cholesterol diet, I would advise them to take steps to remedy their diet. I would also refer them to their GP for appropriate testing.

“Iridology is a powerful tool of assessment that can help us learn about our strengths and weaknesses and take care of our bodies.”

Interested in an iridology consultation?  For more information visit: www.daydreamisland.com/fw_rejuvenation_spa

Daydream Island awarded silver at Queensland Tourism Awards

Daydream Island Resort and Spa has been judged the silver award winner in the keenly contested Deluxe Accommodation category at the 2014 Queensland Tourism Awards.

The state awards follow on from the recently concluded regional tourism awards where Daydream was successful in winning this category in the Whitsunday Tourism & Business Awards 2014.

Daydream Island Resort and Spa Chief Executive Officer Scott Wilkinson said he was delighted to finish so high up in the Queensland awards which pitted Daydream Island against other hopefuls from around Queensland.

“The Queensland Tourism Awards are extremely competitive and even to be a finalist is a great achievement,” Mr Wilkinson said.

“To finish second in this important category for accommodation is testament to the highly dedicated team we have at Daydream in providing a great experience for our guests.

“We’re competing against operators from all tourism regions around Queensland in these awards.

“It’s most pleasing to be able to carry out the vision of our owner Mr Vaughan Bullivant in providing a fabulous tropical island holiday experience.”

Daydream Island Resort and Spa was this year also inducted into the Hall of Fame for winning the Deluxe Accommodation category three years in a row at the Whitsunday Tourism & Business Awards 2014. The resort took out the Best Tourist Attraction for the Living Reef - one of the world’s largest man-made living lagoons, and the People’s Choice categories.

Daydream has also just been ranked as one of the Top Hotels in the Whitsundays region by international hotel search website, Trivago, based on consumer ratings.

Daydream Island Resort and Spa is located in Queensland’s tropical Whitsundays in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef, only a 30 minute boat ride from Great Barrier Reef Airport (HTI) and a 30 minute ferry ride from Airlie Beach.

The award-winning resort features 296 rooms and suites - so there’s plenty of space for the whole family - a great selection of restaurants and bars, lagoon swimming pools, a fringing coral reef to explore and a Rejuvenation Spa offering health and beauty treatments.

The whole family can enjoy over 20 free guest activities which include kayaks, catamarans, stand-up paddle boards, a stingray and shark feeding show and an open air cinema.

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

Media enquiries to Brenton Gibbs