Lindeman Island, Australia - Travel Guide

Lindeman Island is one of the islands that make up Lindeman Group of islands in the Whitsundays, off Queensland coast in Australia. This island was technically given the name by the well known Captain Bedwell after George Sidney Lindeman, the latter’s sub- lieutenant while they were aboard HMS Virago, a Royal Navy vessel. A greater portion of this island is ideally included in Lindeman National Park that also offers protection to additional 13 islands that make up the group. The island also has an airport and a resort as well. The island came to being after the drowning of a range of volcanic mountain by the rising sea levels. 

Most people come to Lindeman Island largely due to the world class resort found on the island. Actually, this resort boasts of being the first Med Club in Whitsunday Islands. It became Australia’s only developed Club Med Village. White Horse Holding, which is a Chinese investment firm, bought the resort in 2012 and has since then refurbished the resort remarkably. As highlighted above, Captain James Cook was the first person to explore this part of Whitsunday Island. This was during his journey to Australia’s eastern coast back in 1770. During his voyage, the captain passed via the Whitsunday passage, which is a narrow channel laying between mainland coast, Hayman and Hook islands to the east before finally ending his journey at Lindeman Island. 

During his exploration, Cook probably saw Lindeman Island but never named it and it was until 1870s when Captain Bedwell named the island as he charted the waters of Whitsunday in Royal Navy HMS Virago. Even though most of the other islands in Whitsundays had been settled by 19th century, the island of Lindeman wasn’t settled largely because the locals, Aborigines regarded the island to be of great importance in their fishing regime. As such, they were ready to engage in a battle if necessary with anyone trying to occupy the island. Settlement of the island came in years later after which the government started to exploit the tourism potential of the area. 

Captain James Adderton was given a lease by the government to graze sheep on the island back in 1905. He later established several shearing sheds and a wool press for his sheep grazing business. In addition, he made efforts of clearing and fencing the island. Lindeman Island is believed to be the oldest island of Whitsundays resort islands. The first camp for tourists or visitors was established on the island back in 1923. As you would expect, the camp was quite primitive and stories say that Angus would tell the campers that when they are out of bread, they just need to bring him some floor and he would cook for them some damper. Also, he advised them that if they needed some meat, they just needed to shoot one of the goats. However, sport shooting of the goat was highly discouraged. Lindeman Island has since then developed progressively and Club Med now reigns on the island.