Great Keppel Island

Infobox Australian Place | type = town
name = Great Keppel Island
state = qld

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caption = Shelving Beach on Great Keppel Island
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timezone = UTC+10
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dist1 = 15
location1= Yeppoon (W)

Great Keppel Island lies 15 kilometres from the coast off Yeppoon, Central Queensland, Australia [Gazetteer of Australia | name = Great Keppel Island | id = 136500] . The island is the largest of the eighteen islands in the Keppel Group, and covers an area of more than 14.5 square kilometres. The islands were named by Captain James Cook in 1770 after the then First Lord of the Admiralty, Admiral Augustus Keppel. [gutenberg|no=8106|name=Captain Cook's Journal During the First Voyage Round the World]

The island has always been attractive to visits from people, with centuries old middens testifying to the quantity of seafood found in the surrounding waters. During its early European history, the island was used to raise sheep, however it is now a tourist destination. The tropical climate and numerous beaches attract tourists from all points, and a number of accommodation houses cater for them, in particular the large Great Keppel Island Resort. The island is served by ferries and aircraft.

Much of the island is national park, and the island itself lies in the Keppel Bay Islands National Park.

It was once a resort owned by Contiki, dedicated to making it a "backpackers island", though has recently been taken over by Mercure Resort, making it more of a family resort.

Photos of Great Keppel Island

References

External links

* [http://www.greatkeppelresort.com.au/ Great Keppel Resort]