Bedarra Island Resort

When you simply do not wish to be found, when you need to escape and unwind, there is no better place to disappear than Bedarra. Bedarra is an all-inclusive, private, tropical haven – Australia’s most unique resort and the ultimate in barefoot luxury.

Bedarra is Australia’s most unique resort, and the ultimate in barefoot luxury. Bedarra comprises just ten private villas hidden amongst 45 hectares of tropical rainforest, offering solitude, privacy and sublime views over the turquoise waters of the Great Barrier Reef.

Accommodating a maximum of 20 other guests, you are guaranteed a sanctuary of seclusion and solace and a personalized island escape like no other. Bedarra offers an unparalelled escape to enjoy rest, relaxation and precious shared time together.We pride ourselves on offering unique experiences without equal.

Enjoy a candlelit dinner for two on your own private beachfront deck, pack a chef-prepared gourmet hamper in your own dinghy for a romantic picnic on one of the nearby deserted islands or simply disappear into a hammock with a book while being serenaded by the soundtrack of swaying palms and gentle waves.

PRIVATE ISLAND VILLA
Bedarra features only eleven guest villas, each hidden amongst the tropical rainforest and enjoying spectacular ocean views. All villas on Bedarra offer their own magical experience, each being slightly different from the others.

Some villas are situated literally a few steps from the beach, several feature private infinity edge plunge pools, some have outdoor rainforest bathrooms and some offer expansive private sundecks and daybeds…

While each of our villas is unique, they all offer a true escape from civilisation, a private sanctuary of solitude and relaxation to revitalise the soul – and the ultimate in barefoot luxury.

THE BEACH HOUSE
The Beach House is situated right on the beach, nestled amongst the fringing coconut palms and rainforest. Featuring a wet-edge plunge pool and oversize deck, the villa offers spectacular beachfront views over the sand and ocean.

The villa is a two-storey design, featuring the custom lounge and bar on the upper level and the bedroom and bathroom on the lower level. The lower level opens out onto the expansive deck creating an inviting indoor/outdoor living experience.

The deck is surrounded by rainforest-clad granite boulders and enjoys a daybed, sun lounges and outdoor seating. The bathroom spills out onto the rainforest deck to the outdoor shower hidden amongst the rainforest. The villa features a work desk, LED televisions, pod espresso machine, mini bar, tablet and ipod. Total area of the villa is 99.5m2 (61.5m2 internal and 38m2 deck).

NAUTILUS VILLA
The Nautilus Villas sit just above the beach and enjoy spectacular rainforest framed views to the beach and stunning views of the headland across the bay. With a large lounge seating in the living area downstairs and cathedral ceiling bedroom upstairs, the villa is a sanctuary of rest and relaxation.

Offering an expansive and private deck with sun lounges and a beautiful outdoor rainforest bathroom with shower and bath at the rear of the Villa, Nautilus is the epitome of what a tropical island villa should be. Total area of the villa is 98m2 (61.5m2 internal and 36.5m2 deck)

THE POINT
The Point is located at the northernmost point of Hernandia Beach and offers seclusion, isolation and absolutely breathtaking views over Hernandia Bay. The villa is split over two levels and designed to maximise the panoramic views with bedroom located on the upper level and living on the lower level.

The sleeping level comprises a King Size bed and built-in robes and the living level offers contemporary lounge seating, LED TV, Ipod, work desk, tablet and bar with a pod espresso machine.

The expansive outdoor deck is designed to offer privacy and provides an amazing sanctuary to enjoy the expansive ocean and reef views. The outdoor area features a private plunge pool, covered outdoor lounge, daybed, sunlounges and an outdoor shower. Total area of the villa is 134.5m2 (56.5m2 internal and 78m2 deck).

DINING
The open terrace restaurant, bar and lounge are the heart and soul of Bedarra, where guests converge to indulge in a delicious and ever-changing menu or to gather at the legendary open bar.

An exquisite menu (that changes daily) is matched only by the sublime beauty of uninhabited beaches fringed by lush rainforest. We pride ourselves on offering unique dining experiences without equal.

Enjoy a candlelit dinner for two on your own private beach deck or have our chefs pack a gourmet hamper in your dinghy for a romantic picnic on one of the nearby deserted islands. Our executive chef Heath Weber and his dedicated team of professionals create a daily menu inspired by the idyllic location and the freshest local produce.

The philospophy of Bedarra’s menu is simple. Fresh high-quality ingredients, locally sourced produce, each dish cooked to perfection and then presented beautifully. Our passionate team of chefs strives to create the style of menu that perfectly matches our tropical island location.

THE RESTAURANT
The Bedarra restaurant sits beautifully within its natural surroundings – overlooking the pool area, our magnificent 300 year old Calophyllum tree and the glorious Hernandia Bay.

All meals are served in the restaurant, with romantic tables for two sprinkled around our alfresco dining terrace. We also offer a number of private dining decks on the beachfront or nestled into the tropical rainforest, providing a memorable location for romantic dining.

DINING EXPERIENCES
Our restaurant terrace provides a beautiful backdrop for dining on Bedarra, offering tranquil views overlooking our pool and front beach. We also pride ourselves on offering unique dining experiences without equal.

Enjoy a candlelit dinner for two on your own private beach or rainforest deck, pack a chef-prepared gourmet hamper in your own dinghy for a romantic picnic on one of the nearby deserted islands or have our restaurant team create your own bespoke menu and private dining experience to celebrate a special occasion.

BAR & LOUNGE
Our legendary open bar is the heart and soul of Bedarra, and is the perfect place to unwind after a day of exploration…or a day of doing nothing at all! Our nightly pre-dinner cocktail hour is a great opportunity to meet other guests and to share stories of the days adventures.

Alternatively, guests can relax in our lounge and choose a book from our extenisve library, or select a boardgame or playing cards from our island collection.

WEDDINGS
Your reception is a chance to celebrate with your family and friends, whether you prefer an elegant, three-course dinner, or a laid-back seafood inspired platter. Dine under the stars, listening to the sound of the waves while sinking your feet into the sand as you indulge in a delicious gourmet feast.

Or enjoy the romantic, intimate setting of our open terrace restaurant, or the warm, natural atmosphere of the deck, taking in panoramic views accross the bay. No matter which location you choose, Bedarra views offer the perfect backdrop for a truly unforgettable day.

Bedarra can cater for intimate weddings of up to 20 guests (10 villas) or for the ultimate indulgence choose to elope on Bedarra and then honeymoon in a truly magical and romantic setting.

HONEYMOONS
Spend your honeymoon in a luxury oceanfront villa, waking each morning to the gentle sound of the Coral Sea outside your window. Sip champagne on a private beach, take romantic walks through the rainforest, or explore the fascinating marine life surrounding the island while snorkelling or kayaking.

The calm beauty of our secluded tropical island is the perfect place to bask in newly wedded glow, indulging in the rare pleasure of being truly carefree.

ACTIVITIES & EXPERIENCES
Bedarra’s philosophy is centred on relaxation however we also offer a number of less sedentary activities to keep you active during your stay including: Sea Kayaks – Stand-up Paddleboards – Motorised Dinghies – Snorkelling Equipment – Fishing Gear – Tennis – Gym – Self-Guided Rainforest Walks – all included as part of your stay package.

For the more adventurous, outer Great Barrier Reef snorkelling or SCUBA trips, deep sea fishing charters or scenic helicopter charters can be arranged. Massages and spa treatments can also be enjoyed in our beachfront massage pavilion.

SEA KAYAKS
Sea Kayaks are available to explore the bays and reefs surrounding the resort, or for the more adventurous to circumnavigate the island to discover a multitude of private beaches and coves. Allow our chefs to prepare a small hamper to take on your journey to enjoy enroute.

STAND-UP PADDLEBOARDS
Stand up paddle boards are an amazing way to explore the fringing reef, and offer a great vantage point to view the abundant marine life around the island.

SNORKELLING AND SCUBA
Snorkelling gear is available from our watersports pavilion to explore the bays, beaches and reefs surrounding the resort. For the more adventurous, half or full-day charters can be arranged to explore the outer Great Barrier Reef.

MOTORISED GUEST DINGHIES
Motorised guest dinghies are available for guests to explore nearby private beaches, or further afield to one of the surrounding uninhabited tropical islands. Best enjoyed in conjunction with one of our chef prepared gourmet picnic hampers, a private island picnic lunch is an experience you will remember forever.

FISHING GEAR
The waters surrounding Bedarra offer some amazing fishing opportunites. Fishing gear is available on the island for guest use and can be enjoyed directly from the beach, granite boulders or from one of our motorised dinghies. For guests more serious about the fishing endeavours, deep sea and outer reef fishing charters can also be arranged from Bedarra.

TENNIS COURT AND GYM
For guests who are feeling active, we have tennis court and gymnasium available for guest use. Tennis racquets and tennis balls are provided, as are yoga mats and towels in the gymnasium.

RAINFOREST WALKS
We have a number of rainforest walking tracks on the island that lead to spectacular lookouts or private beaches. The walks provide a variety of lengths and difficulty levels, and good walking shoes are recommended. Guests are also able to be transferred to nearby Dunk Island for some longer National park rainforest walking tracks.

SPA & MASSAGES
There is no better way to relax on Bedarra than by indulging in a massage or spa treatment with the sound of waves gently lapping on the beach. Treatments can be enjoyed in our beachfront massage pavilion, or in the privacy of your own villa.

LOCATION
Covering 100 hectares of tropical rainforest, Bedarra Island is situated within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park in tropical North Queensland. Part of the Family Group of Islands, Bedarra is located approximately 10 kilometres offshore from the coastal village of Mission Beach, midway between the regional cities of Cairns and Townsville.

Arrival at Bedarra is either by launch or helicopter from Mission Beach – or helicopter directly from Cairns airport. Mission Beach is approximately 2 hours drive south of Cairns and can be reached by either self-drive rental car or limousine service.

GREAT BARRIER REEF
The Great Barrier Reef is one of the great natural wonders of the world. Bedarra is located approximately 20 nautical miles from the spectacular outer Great Barrier Reef, with half and full day charters available departing directly from the island. Guests can enjoy snorkelling or SCUBA charters to the reef, or as an alternative scenic helicopter flights are also available.

MISSION BEACH
Mission Beach is a beautiful coastal village located a scenic two hour drive south of Cairns, and is best reached by self-drive hire car or private vehicle transfer. Helicopter and launch transfers depart from our office at South Mission Beach, where we also have a lounge, amenities, refreshments and off-street parking available.

Our mainland office is located at 2 Commodore Street, South Mission Beach. Our reservations team can arrange private vehicle transfers on your behalf, or can make recommendations for one-way vehicle hire options if required.

HELICOPTER TRANSFERS – CAIRNS
Private helicopter transfers depart from Cairns for a 45 minute scenic flight past Queensland’s highest mountains and over the picturesque Coral Sea before arriving at Bedarra Island.

Flights depart from the General Aviation terminal at Cairns Airport. Please allow 15 minutes for vehicle transfers between Cairns Domestic or International Airport and the General Aviation Terminal after collecting your luggage.

For arriving guests, a friendly member of our team will meet you at the baggage carousel and transfer you to the General Aviation terminal for your flight. For departing guests, we will transfer you back to the Domestic or International terminal after your flight.

For guests making their own way to the General Aviation Terminal the address is Royal Flying Doctor Street, Cairns Airport.

SUSTAINABILITY – A BEAUTIFUL LOCATION
Bedarra is one of the most beautiful places in the world and we are passionate about keeping it this way. We are not just paying lip service to the philosophy of sustainability, we have made real changes to the operation of the resort to significantly reduce our impact on the environment.

Upon taking over the resort, we undertook a Sustainability Analysis of the island to determine the population of guests and staff the resort could reasonably sustain on a long-term basis. A particular emphasis was placed on water resources, power consumption and waste production and recycling.

The major result of our analysis has been the reduction in the number of guest villas from sixteen to only ten, with a similar decrease in the quantum of staff accommodation.

The benefits have been twofold; the consumption of resources has been significantly reduced and our guests share the island with fewer others, further enhancing the feeling of privacy and seclusion for which Bedarra is renowned.

ENERGY
An off-grid hybrid solar system coupled with a battery bank and a back-up generator has replaced the 3 x 185 Kva diesel fuelled generators on the island. Diesel consumption at the resort has reduced by 97% as a direct result of the new off-grid system and the associated re-fit of electrical fittings and appliances with low power alternatives throughout the resort.

A more tangible benefit for our guests is the elimination of the incessant hum and smell of diesel engines operating constantly throughout the day and night.

WATER
The resort’s water supply is provided from several perennial granite filtered freshwater springs located on the island, in conjunction with the collection of tropical rainwater which is collected in our island storage tanks.

Previously, the resort had produced its water supply utilising a diesel-powered desalination plant involving the production of significant greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere, in conjunction with a high salt concetration brine by-product which was dispersed directly nto the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

We have also replaced a large amount of older water reticulation infrastructure on the island to reduce the risk of any potential water leaks and have increaed our resort water storage capacity by 50% to over 1,000,000 litres.

WASTE AND RECYCLING
Firstly, the amount of waste arriving at the island has been reduced by giving preference to suppliers that do not use excessive packaging for their produce.

All cardboard and paper waste is composted on the island, as is plant based organic waste which is composted and then used to fertilise our island vegetable gardens. Aluminium and plastic waste is separated and transported to the mainland for recycling.

Unfortunately there are no glass recycling facilities in North Queensland, so most glass ends up as landfill. To counter this, we have invested in a glass crushing machine on the island that reduces all glass to sand. This glass sand is then used by us as aggregate in concreting and landscaping applications throughout the resort.

A bio-cycle septic system has been installed on the island to replace the 25 year old sewerage treatment plant, with all treated effluent being dispersed underground through sand beds or via landscaping irrigation systems without any risk of contact with the ocean or fringing reefs

FUTURE PLANS
Our aim is to consume zero fossil fuels in the operation of Bedarra, while still providing a luxury island experience for our guests.

We are in the process of designing an upgraded off-grid solar system that will increase our energy generation and storage capcity by almost 300% and are planning to instal this system prior to mid-2020, This upgraded system will reduce consumption of diesel at the resort to almost nil.

We are also planning to upgrade our composting systems to further reduce landfill waste, increasing water storage on the island and converting all petrrol fuelled vehicles and garden tools to battery powered alternatives.

We are continually striving to provide a luxury island experience in a more sustainable manner that will truly benefit the environment and this spectacular location. We look forward to welcoming you to Bedarra and sharing with you the natural beauty of the island and our philosophy of sustainability.

Rooms: 11

Price: from 981 EUR per night

Source: www.bedarra.com.au