Pumpkin Island
A Queensland island of seven cottages let whole, running entirely on sun and wind.
Pumpkin Island lies in the Keppel group off Yeppoon in Queensland, at the southern end of the Great Barrier Reef, reached by boat or helicopter. It covers about six hectares with four beaches and is let whole to one group, or by cottage outside peak periods. Nobody else is on it.
Five cottages and two bungalows take up to around thirty-four guests, self-catering with a caretaker on the island. The property runs entirely on solar and wind with rainwater collection and no mains connection of any kind — one of the earliest fully off-grid island lets in Australia and still among the few.
Off-grid without compromise. Solar, wind and rainwater run the whole island, and the systems were built before the market rewarded it.
Self-catering at whole-island scale. Thirty-four guests cooking for themselves is a house party rather than a hotel stay, and the pricing reflects it.
Who it is not for
Pumpkin Island is wrong for guests expecting service, since the model is self-catering with a caretaker. It is wrong for travellers wanting the outer reef, which is a long boat ride from the Keppels. And it is wrong for those needing air conditioning, given the off-grid supply. And it is wrong for guests who want the island entirely staffed, since the caretaker is not a hotel team. Those wanting a serviced Queensland island should look at Pelorus or Bedarra.
Sources
- pumpkinisland.com.au — five cottages and two bungalows, whole-island hire, fully off-grid, Keppel group
- Cottage count, capacity and island area unverified. Confirm before publication.
Booking
Private Island Resorts arranges each stay on request, quoting the rates available for the island and dates. No benefit should be assumed unless it is confirmed in writing for the individual reservation.
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