Since I last visited the island they’ve spent considerable funds on constructing a stadium-style seating area around their already brilliant Living Reef, allowing larger groups to watch and take part in the feeding programs they run throughout the day.
The Best Expedition arrived to take part in the ‘Reef Education and Awareness Day’, the first of its kind at the resort.

Local schools came across to take part in the day and my first job was to tell the kids all about the adventures I’d had so far out on the ocean.

There’s something I really love about sharing my experiences with younger children, they seem excited and inspired about what happens in the big wide world. As they’ll be the ones looking after it in a generation’s time it makes sense to get them interested at this stage in life.

We headed out to the Living Reef, an open-air lagoon the size of two Olympic swimming pools and home to all manner of ocean creatures.

One of the best parts of this job is definitely getting to hand-feed the stingrays on Daydream. My first time was two years ago and I never tire of it. Pancake and his friends are suckers for sardines and prawns and with the help of the massed crowd we fed them until they were full.

We headed into the classroom to learn about the Great Barrier Reef, its future and how recycling and better waste management can lead to cleaner oceans and healthier marine life.

By the end of the day our work had produced 100 little Reef Ambassadors, who will hopefully go back to their homes thinking more about the environment and looking after it.

Not so much of a problem for me you’d think. Interviews for a TV camera are one thing, presenting to an audience of 1000 in Dubai is another thing…but when it’s 300 people, most of whom I know, it really is a very different occasion and one that I was just a little bit scared about.

Heading up to the Whitsundays was superb, the chance to stay on Hamilton Island for a couple of nights with some friends, do some filming for the BBC and Etihad Airways on Hamilton Island Golf Course and then cross the Whitsunday Passage to the holiday island that is Daydream. Never being one to tow the line when it comes to dress codes I thought I’d kick the evening off by stripping off my trousers and relaxing in boardshorts and flip-flops (thongs to all you Aussies).

The evening was broken down into different categories ranging from accommodation to sustainability. I had a pretty privileged position having experienced most of them during my Best Job days. A particularly big well done has to go to Fantasea Adventure Cruising and Parardise Bay Eco Escape who picked up three awards each and were very worthy winners.

The rundown of the winners each have links to their relevant sites so please click through and have a look at what they offer:

Coming very soon…another great dive here in Queensland. This time on the wreck of the HMAS Brisbane. Watch this space

Weather: Blustery wind but that sun has still got his hat on! 30c

It’s like going back home every time I arrive at Daydream Island. My first visit to West Molle, or Daydream as it’s now more affectionately known, was back in May during the final of the Best Job in the World when all 16 of the finalists got a chance to get close to the fish and sharks in the touch pool and sample the delights of the kitchen in Mermaids restaurant.

Daydream is one of the Molle Island group and sits about 4kms from the mainland, it’s a tiny place though measuring 200m wide and a kilometre long but there’s loads to do and never feels over crowded or developed.

As Bre and I arrived off the ferry from Hamilton we were greeted by the usual smiling faces of the band, the four playing away at the top of the jetty just as the traditional shell necklaces are dropped over our shoulders and we make our way to reception to check in.

Our room is on the first floor over looking the Whitsunday Passage with its crystal clear blue waters today broken up by small breaking white crests as the wind is up to around 25 knots. There was a plan to have a parasail but it’s been cancelled and instead we’ll be taking to the water by more extreme means – jetskis and the banana tube ride! Much more my idea of fun….come on the adrenaline needs to keep flowing!

The south end of the island houses the activities and together with Merryn, our host for our stay, we don our rash vests (or rashies as the locals call them) and lifejackets, drop our belongings off at the reception and make for the beach. There’s something about preparing to jump onboard a fast, engine-driven machine that ignites the little boy inside me and I become a little over-excited, that’ll be the adrenaline then Ben.

I jump on the floating rocket-ship and familiarise myself with the controls – nothing complex here….push the finger trigger to go faster, let it go to stop…which I won’t be doing much of course. Bre hasn’t had the chance to get onto a jetski yet and had been harping on at me about it for ages, now she finally had her chance and I could see from her facial expressions just how much she loved it!

The choppy conditions made it great fun…it’s great racing flat out across a super-smooth ocean but throw in a few waves and a bit of surface chop then all of a sudden it becomes more about jumping and having a blast!

But the fun didn’t stop there, as soon as we touched terra firma and beached the jetskis our next experience was waiting there for us…the banana tube ride! Now, I haven’t been on one of these for years and had forgotten quite what a battle of attrition it is trying to stay on the thing as it bounces and scythes its way through the water.

Daydream Island has the largest open lagoon in the southern hemisphere which is made up of three separate pools, harboring all types of marine life including coral, anemones, rays, sharks and so many fish the water sometimes appears to boil as they come to you expecting food.

Bre and I were lucky enough to be introduced to some of the smaller residents of the pools which are kept in a different nursery area until they are old enough….the very cute striped sharks which have been hatched from eggs, or purses as they’re known. As they get older they loose their distinctive brown stripes and eventually, once they can fend for themselves, are released into the main pool to socialise with the others.

The Stingray Splash allows you to actually stand in the water with these amazing creatures and they came right up to you, brushing against my legs and feet as I temptingly dangled a prawn in their face. It doesn’t take long to digest a single prawn when you’re that hungry I imagine….it doesn’t even touch the sides.

Dinner for the evening was to be taken at Mermaids Restaurant on the beach and was up to and almost beyond the standard I’d been expecting from Daydream…or maybe it was the fact that management were dining with us tonight, I went for the Spanish Mackerel and wasn’t disappointed at all – it’s a really chunky fish that’s so different from the type we get back in the UK.

Early the next morning there were still a whole heap of things we could and should have done but the priority had to go to trying to get a complete round of mini-golf in before our boat departs….we’ve come close to missing it and only completed 9 holes before.

Bre is particularly good at her short golf game and convincingly kicked my ass….even getting a hole in one at the famous ‘Whale Hole’ which usually ends up being a 6 or 7 shot task! Here’s the video to prove it:

We raced back up the jetty to meet the ferry which signalled the end of another action-packed adventure on Daydream Island….it never fails to deliver a busy, excellent way to entertain adults and children alike. Me more than most….

End of day location: Hamilton Island
Distance covered: 18kms

Daydream Island (View Larger Map)- First stop after an interesting Fantasea ride across the Whitsunday Passage due to the high winds thumping from the south at 25 knots! A few green people on board.

Every time I’ve been here previously its been with TV cameras in tow so a real chance to explore the other side of the island which I haven’t yet discovered.

The island is only 1km long and 200m wide, so a real tiddler but full of character. It’s one of the collection of Molle Islands, is also called West Molle and is only 15 mins ride from Airlie Beach.

Bre and I wandered the blustery beach front, found a couple of sun loungers and worshipped the golden ball in the sky for twenty minutes – I find sunbathing pretty damn boring so we upped sticks and headed to the Mini-Golf on the opposite end of the island, on the way passing loads of things for the kids to do to keep them amused. I will be bringing my sister and her family here – a whole day of amusement!

Mr Tree at Daydream's mini-golf

Brilliant course too, 19 holes, each really well made to represent a part of Australia. My nephews would have loved it here – big whale tails, crazy tunnels to putt through, obstacles galore but not enough time to complete it before racing back to our departing boat! Yikes cut that one short I’m afraid…

High-speed Catamaran sailing

Back on Hamilton Island I’d had a call from Keith at Adrenaline Rush letting us know if we wanted we could head out on his 36’ Nacro designed catamaran for an afternoon of spray and the wet-stuff.

Don’t need to be asked twice here so Bre and I met Mark, a friend from the island, headed to the beach to meet him and jumped onboard. This is one sleek machine and the only one of its kind in Australia licensed to carry passengers.

Keith at the helm of Adrenaline Rush

A pumping wind always helps, as we strapped into our harnesses to hang on the trapeze outside the hull of the beast, ‘Adrenaline Rush’ shot forward slicing through the water with its ultra-smooth lines. Hanging with your ass just over the waves is totally exhilarating at speeds of up to 20 knots and now I want one.

Hanging on the trapeze

Monohulls are good but for pure speed and excitement then a catamaran is the way forward!

Catamaran's are super sleek

Two hours later we were back in the marina; wet, salty but so so satisfied! Bring on Race Week at the end of August.

Weather: Blustery 25 knot winds with warm sunshine

I’ve just spent the last couple of days with the crew from Channel Nine’s Getaway travel program. The presenter sent out for the toughest gig of her life, Natalie Gruzlewski, claims she has the best job in the world – or so she thought until she arrived on Hamilton Island’s shores hey!

The show’s been running since 1992 and attracts more than 2 million viewers a week with the lucky presenters being sent to the four corners of the globe covering ‘tough’ stories about exotic, locations, basking in warm temperatures and staying in luxury accommodation….HANG ON A MINUTE THAT’S MEANT TO BE MY JOB!

Format for the program – Best Job in the World v’s best job in the world

Enter a day of bitter rivalry played out in front of the cameras as I jostle for position with Nat showing her how to spend a ‘Day in the Life’ of the Island Caretaker with me relaxing whilst she and the crew have to work there butts off!

• I fall asleep having a massage at Rejuvenation Spa while Nat has to work and deliver her lines
• We race jet-skis around the island
• Have a go at feeding the fish at Daydream Island – get your hand in there girl!
• Head to head at the mini golf for some serious putting
• Introduce Nat to the locals – the Koalas of course!

I really had a laugh filming this, the crew of Gillie (cameraman) and Gary (sound engineer) love what they do too, with Rochelle being the most relaxed Producer (easy when you have hubby and your little man with you I suppose) and it shows with most shots being reeled off after one take – I like that!

Setting up for the shoot

Feeding the fish at Daydream Island

The day ended with Nat conceding that I do indeed have the Best Job in the World and her bombing me in the pool to show her distaste. Mind you on January 1st when my contract finishes I‘d like to be in her position – any chance of a guest presenter’s role Getaway bosses?!

The Getaway team

The show goes to air on Thursday 13th August at 19:30 on Channel 9, Australia.