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Frequently Asked Questions
For availability and accurate quotes please click on the 'Check Availability' link that can be found on the Welcome page or Accommodation page.
1. Do you require a deposit upon making a booking?
Pumpkin Island requires a 25% deposit to be paid upon making a booking. Unfortunately we cannot hold bookings without a deposit.
The outstanding balance is to be paid 14 days prior to arrival. Payments can be made via
Visa or MasterCard on our website through a secure payment system when making your booking or via Bank Transfers.
2. How do we get to Pumpkin Island?
Ferry transfers to Pumpkin Island leave from Yeppoon’s Keppel Bay Marina, which is located at 1 Waterline Way, Yeppoon. The trip takes between 30 and 40 minutes to Pumpkin Island.
This ferry service operates on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday at a cost of $45/adult one-way ($90/adult return) and $35/child one-way ($70/child return) for one return trip per booking.
Please note if any extra transfers are required above the one return trip per booking, you will need to contact management to discuss alternative options and associated costs.
Our ferries can travel on any chosen day for whole island bookings, however they are still dependent on the tides.
3. What are the ferry times?
For guests' convenience we have a 'Boat Departure Time' schedule where guests can check departure times. Please follow the links on the website or go directly to the Boat Departure Times page.
We kindly ask that guests arrive 45 minutes prior to departure to start loading luggage in order not to delay the ferries departure.
Due to tidal conditions and limited access onto the island, as well as guests returning from the island, the ferry has to depart promptly at the scheduled departure time and will not be delayed.
For single cottage bookings the ferry departs on a Monday, Wednesday, Friday or Sunday.
The ferry is flexible to depart any day of the week for whole island bookings.
4. Is there a baggage limit on the ferry transfer?
We encourage guests to bring everything they feel they might need for a self catering holiday experience. There are no limits as such, but please let us know if you plan on bringing any oversized items or equipment as we will need to inform the ferry crew and ensure there is ample space for all guests on board. Unfortunately the cottages can not power eskies, Thermomixes, toasters, hair straighteners, hair dryers or coffee machines, so these items can be left at home.
5. Does Pumpkin Island have a jetty facility?
No, Pumpkin Island has no jetty facility and is kept in a natural state. Our ferry departure times do depend on the tides, as Pumpkin Island is only accessible during a
mid-high tide. Please refer to our Boat Schedule for departure times.
6. How long does it take to get to the island from Keppel Bay Marina?
Between 30 and 40 minutes, depending on the weather.
7. Does Pumpkin Island have a shop or restaurant?
No, Pumpkin has no shop or restaurant and is a self catering island. Guests need to
bring all clothes, food and drinks for the duration of their stay. The island has a licensed bar in the Sunset Lounge where guests can enjoy a craft beer, cider, wines or cocktails upon request.
The award winning Waterline Restaurant on the mainland, has a menu available
and can provide self-catering packs for guests wishing to have catering. These pre
ordered catering packs need to be ordered through Keppel Bay Marina up to 48 hours
before departure from the mainland. Guests collect the catering packs from the Waterline Restaurant before boarding the ferry. You can view the menu here: Menu & What to Pack list'
8. Do you offer trips to Great Keppel Island for a day?
Yes, we do offer day trips to our Pumpkin guests who wish to exlplore Great Keppel Island for the day. We can collect guests from Pumpkin Island in the morning and have you back on Pumpkin by late afternoon. The cost is from $110pp and should be booked prior to arrival on Pumpkin.
Feel free to email us if you wish to add this adventure to your booking.
This activity will be weather dependant.
9. Do you provide Recycling on the island?
Yes, each cottage will have 2 wheelie bins. One is for general refuse and the other for mixed recycling, we ask guests to bag all rubbish. We also have a cardboard recycling bin, compost bins and two blue 10c recycling bins on the island.
We encourage guests to dispose of 10c containers/cans/bottles in our blue bins as all the proceeds go to Reef Restoration Foundation. They do some amazing work regenerating/restoring coral in the Great Barrier Reef, working with scientists from James Cook University.
10. Does Pumpkin Island have a laundromat?
Unfortunately Pumpkin Island has no laundry facilities or washing machines available for guests to use. There is a laundry tub available at the Lookout where guests can hand wash any necessary items during their stay. All the cottages have clothes airers to dry towels, clothes or swimming gear.
11. What complimentary activities do you offer?
Guests are welcome to use the glass bottom kayaks, stand up paddle
boards and snorkelling equipment. The snorkel equipment is however limited. We kindly ask guests to return the equipment, undamaged, to its allocated spots, which is well above the high water mark so nothing gets swallowed by the tides.
12. What about a beach bonfire?
Yes, we love watching the sunsets from our designated fire pit. We do recommend guests bring a packet of yummy marshmallows for your kids. Firewood is for sale on the island at $20 per bag.
Please note that the only fires allowed on the island are at the designated fire pit and Wood Fired Pizza Oven. No other fires are allowed to be lit on the island.
13. Is there mobile phone reception on the island?
Yes, there is full Telstra, Optus and Vodafone reception and therefor access to the internet.
14. Is there wifi available on the island?
Pumpkin Island does have limited wifi access in the Sunset Lounge. There is full mobile reception available on the island though, so guests will be able to access the internet from their mobile devices.
15. What if it rains and is blowy?
Pumpkin is located just above the Tropic of Capricorn and therefor has a sub tropical
climate, which unfortunately means we may have some days where the wind blows and it’s rainy … fortunately providing fresh drinking water and time to relax too.
We have the Sunset Lounge right on the main beach facing Yeppoon, which is a large
building with limited WiFi, a small library and some board games. Inclement weather might mean more time relaxing...
16. Is there power in the cottages?
Yes, but only 12 volt solar power which is enough to power the water pump, fans, lights and fridge. We are proud of the clean, quiet power provided by nature.
Each cottage has a USB port for charging mobile phones and smaller devices.
There is no 240 volt power available in any of the cottages.
Unfortunately the cottages can not power eskies, Thermomixes, toasters, hair straighteners, hair dryers or coffee machines and we kindly ask guests to be conservative with energy usage.
17. How far from the beach are the cottages and bungalows?
Pumpkin is a very small island, only 150 meters wide and 450 meters long.
The cottages and bungalows are approximately 20 – 30 metres from the closest beach
and all have beautiful sea views.
18. Do you have stingers?
Stingers may be present from November - May along the Capricorn Coast. We have
never had any incidents around Pumpkin Island since opening in 1964. For those concerned we highly recommend packing and wearing stinger/sun suits during stinger season (November - May).
19. What happens in an emergency?
In case of a life threatening emergency, we ask guests to please dial '000' straight away and then ensure management is informed immediately. The managers have advanced first aid training and will liaise with Emergency crew if an emergency helicopter or boat is required. The Sunset Lounge also has a defibrillator. We ask all guests to travel with travel insurance please.
20. Do the kitchens have fridges, stoves, ovens and kettles? What size is the fridge in the cottage? What about BBQ's?
All the cottages' kitchens are fully equipped with fridge/freezers and gas stoves with ovens, grills and 4 gas cook-tops. Each cottage has a stove top whistling kettle.
Fridges are 225 liters. This is like an average household size fridge with a freezer compartment.
We find that the fridges are large enough to stock a week's food and supplies for a family. Sometimes drinks will need to be kept cold in eskies with ice if large amounts of drinks are needed every day.
The bungalows kitchen has two 225 liter fridges, one for each bungalow and a gas stove with oven, grill and 4 gas cook-tops.
Guests are welcome to use the pizza oven for roasts, pizzas or baking bread.
Each cottage has it's own gas BBQ on a private deck. The bungalows kitchen has a BBQ grill and plate available.
21. Do I have to bring plates and pots, etc?
No, the kitchens are fully stocked with cooking utensils.
22. Must I bring my own linen?
All linen is supplied, including beach towels.
23. Can I drink the water?
Yes, each of the cottages have a ceramic bench top filter that needs to be topped up as they are used, allowing pure filtered rain water for drinking. We kindly suggest guests bring refillable drink water bottles to help reduce the plastic waste produced on the island.
Water is a precious resource on the island.
24. Can I fish off the island or do I have to have a boat?
Fishing is good off the island – you don’t require a boat. We do however have a 15hp
4 pax tinnie for hire (boat license required) and the use of the kayaks is complimentary.
Don't forget to bring your own fishing gear.
25. Can I snorkel around Pumpkin?
Yes, we have some beautiful snorkeling spots, but they are dependent on the marine
conditions and weather.
26. What fish are there in the area?
Mackerel, Trevally, Queen Fish, Rock Cod, Coral Trout, Amberjack, Red Emperor, Squid
and many more…we've even hooked a sailfish off the eastern rocks.
27. Can I bring my pet?
No, unfortunately the cottages and bungalows are pet free. There are a couple
of boarding kennels available in Yeppoon and Cawarral if your pets are currently travelling with you.
28. Where can I leave my vehicle when I come over?
Guests can leave their vehicles at Keppel Bay Marina carpark if they wish.
There is also the Great Keppel Island Security Car Park, which offers secure undercover
parking and a shuttle service to the harbour for a fee.
For more information please contact Bill on 0488 004 785.
1. Do you require a deposit upon making a booking?
Pumpkin Island requires a 25% deposit to be paid upon making a booking. Unfortunately we cannot hold bookings without a deposit.
The outstanding balance is to be paid 14 days prior to arrival. Payments can be made via
Visa or MasterCard on our website through a secure payment system when making your booking or via Bank Transfers.
2. How do we get to Pumpkin Island?
Ferry transfers to Pumpkin Island leave from Yeppoon’s Keppel Bay Marina, which is located at 1 Waterline Way, Yeppoon. The trip takes between 30 and 40 minutes to Pumpkin Island.
This ferry service operates on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday at a cost of $45/adult one-way ($90/adult return) and $35/child one-way ($70/child return) for one return trip per booking.
Please note if any extra transfers are required above the one return trip per booking, you will need to contact management to discuss alternative options and associated costs.
Our ferries can travel on any chosen day for whole island bookings, however they are still dependent on the tides.
- Pumpkin Xpress is a 12 meter long, 4.4 meter wide aluminium catamaran with seating for up to 34 guests.
- Keppel Xpress is a 10 meter long, 3.5 meter wide aluminium catamaran with seating for up to 12 guests.
3. What are the ferry times?
For guests' convenience we have a 'Boat Departure Time' schedule where guests can check departure times. Please follow the links on the website or go directly to the Boat Departure Times page.
We kindly ask that guests arrive 45 minutes prior to departure to start loading luggage in order not to delay the ferries departure.
Due to tidal conditions and limited access onto the island, as well as guests returning from the island, the ferry has to depart promptly at the scheduled departure time and will not be delayed.
For single cottage bookings the ferry departs on a Monday, Wednesday, Friday or Sunday.
The ferry is flexible to depart any day of the week for whole island bookings.
4. Is there a baggage limit on the ferry transfer?
We encourage guests to bring everything they feel they might need for a self catering holiday experience. There are no limits as such, but please let us know if you plan on bringing any oversized items or equipment as we will need to inform the ferry crew and ensure there is ample space for all guests on board. Unfortunately the cottages can not power eskies, Thermomixes, toasters, hair straighteners, hair dryers or coffee machines, so these items can be left at home.
5. Does Pumpkin Island have a jetty facility?
No, Pumpkin Island has no jetty facility and is kept in a natural state. Our ferry departure times do depend on the tides, as Pumpkin Island is only accessible during a
mid-high tide. Please refer to our Boat Schedule for departure times.
6. How long does it take to get to the island from Keppel Bay Marina?
Between 30 and 40 minutes, depending on the weather.
7. Does Pumpkin Island have a shop or restaurant?
No, Pumpkin has no shop or restaurant and is a self catering island. Guests need to
bring all clothes, food and drinks for the duration of their stay. The island has a licensed bar in the Sunset Lounge where guests can enjoy a craft beer, cider, wines or cocktails upon request.
The award winning Waterline Restaurant on the mainland, has a menu available
and can provide self-catering packs for guests wishing to have catering. These pre
ordered catering packs need to be ordered through Keppel Bay Marina up to 48 hours
before departure from the mainland. Guests collect the catering packs from the Waterline Restaurant before boarding the ferry. You can view the menu here: Menu & What to Pack list'
8. Do you offer trips to Great Keppel Island for a day?
Yes, we do offer day trips to our Pumpkin guests who wish to exlplore Great Keppel Island for the day. We can collect guests from Pumpkin Island in the morning and have you back on Pumpkin by late afternoon. The cost is from $110pp and should be booked prior to arrival on Pumpkin.
Feel free to email us if you wish to add this adventure to your booking.
This activity will be weather dependant.
9. Do you provide Recycling on the island?
Yes, each cottage will have 2 wheelie bins. One is for general refuse and the other for mixed recycling, we ask guests to bag all rubbish. We also have a cardboard recycling bin, compost bins and two blue 10c recycling bins on the island.
We encourage guests to dispose of 10c containers/cans/bottles in our blue bins as all the proceeds go to Reef Restoration Foundation. They do some amazing work regenerating/restoring coral in the Great Barrier Reef, working with scientists from James Cook University.
10. Does Pumpkin Island have a laundromat?
Unfortunately Pumpkin Island has no laundry facilities or washing machines available for guests to use. There is a laundry tub available at the Lookout where guests can hand wash any necessary items during their stay. All the cottages have clothes airers to dry towels, clothes or swimming gear.
11. What complimentary activities do you offer?
Guests are welcome to use the glass bottom kayaks, stand up paddle
boards and snorkelling equipment. The snorkel equipment is however limited. We kindly ask guests to return the equipment, undamaged, to its allocated spots, which is well above the high water mark so nothing gets swallowed by the tides.
12. What about a beach bonfire?
Yes, we love watching the sunsets from our designated fire pit. We do recommend guests bring a packet of yummy marshmallows for your kids. Firewood is for sale on the island at $20 per bag.
Please note that the only fires allowed on the island are at the designated fire pit and Wood Fired Pizza Oven. No other fires are allowed to be lit on the island.
13. Is there mobile phone reception on the island?
Yes, there is full Telstra, Optus and Vodafone reception and therefor access to the internet.
14. Is there wifi available on the island?
Pumpkin Island does have limited wifi access in the Sunset Lounge. There is full mobile reception available on the island though, so guests will be able to access the internet from their mobile devices.
15. What if it rains and is blowy?
Pumpkin is located just above the Tropic of Capricorn and therefor has a sub tropical
climate, which unfortunately means we may have some days where the wind blows and it’s rainy … fortunately providing fresh drinking water and time to relax too.
We have the Sunset Lounge right on the main beach facing Yeppoon, which is a large
building with limited WiFi, a small library and some board games. Inclement weather might mean more time relaxing...
16. Is there power in the cottages?
Yes, but only 12 volt solar power which is enough to power the water pump, fans, lights and fridge. We are proud of the clean, quiet power provided by nature.
Each cottage has a USB port for charging mobile phones and smaller devices.
There is no 240 volt power available in any of the cottages.
Unfortunately the cottages can not power eskies, Thermomixes, toasters, hair straighteners, hair dryers or coffee machines and we kindly ask guests to be conservative with energy usage.
17. How far from the beach are the cottages and bungalows?
Pumpkin is a very small island, only 150 meters wide and 450 meters long.
The cottages and bungalows are approximately 20 – 30 metres from the closest beach
and all have beautiful sea views.
18. Do you have stingers?
Stingers may be present from November - May along the Capricorn Coast. We have
never had any incidents around Pumpkin Island since opening in 1964. For those concerned we highly recommend packing and wearing stinger/sun suits during stinger season (November - May).
19. What happens in an emergency?
In case of a life threatening emergency, we ask guests to please dial '000' straight away and then ensure management is informed immediately. The managers have advanced first aid training and will liaise with Emergency crew if an emergency helicopter or boat is required. The Sunset Lounge also has a defibrillator. We ask all guests to travel with travel insurance please.
20. Do the kitchens have fridges, stoves, ovens and kettles? What size is the fridge in the cottage? What about BBQ's?
All the cottages' kitchens are fully equipped with fridge/freezers and gas stoves with ovens, grills and 4 gas cook-tops. Each cottage has a stove top whistling kettle.
Fridges are 225 liters. This is like an average household size fridge with a freezer compartment.
We find that the fridges are large enough to stock a week's food and supplies for a family. Sometimes drinks will need to be kept cold in eskies with ice if large amounts of drinks are needed every day.
The bungalows kitchen has two 225 liter fridges, one for each bungalow and a gas stove with oven, grill and 4 gas cook-tops.
Guests are welcome to use the pizza oven for roasts, pizzas or baking bread.
Each cottage has it's own gas BBQ on a private deck. The bungalows kitchen has a BBQ grill and plate available.
21. Do I have to bring plates and pots, etc?
No, the kitchens are fully stocked with cooking utensils.
22. Must I bring my own linen?
All linen is supplied, including beach towels.
23. Can I drink the water?
Yes, each of the cottages have a ceramic bench top filter that needs to be topped up as they are used, allowing pure filtered rain water for drinking. We kindly suggest guests bring refillable drink water bottles to help reduce the plastic waste produced on the island.
Water is a precious resource on the island.
24. Can I fish off the island or do I have to have a boat?
Fishing is good off the island – you don’t require a boat. We do however have a 15hp
4 pax tinnie for hire (boat license required) and the use of the kayaks is complimentary.
Don't forget to bring your own fishing gear.
25. Can I snorkel around Pumpkin?
Yes, we have some beautiful snorkeling spots, but they are dependent on the marine
conditions and weather.
26. What fish are there in the area?
Mackerel, Trevally, Queen Fish, Rock Cod, Coral Trout, Amberjack, Red Emperor, Squid
and many more…we've even hooked a sailfish off the eastern rocks.
27. Can I bring my pet?
No, unfortunately the cottages and bungalows are pet free. There are a couple
of boarding kennels available in Yeppoon and Cawarral if your pets are currently travelling with you.
28. Where can I leave my vehicle when I come over?
Guests can leave their vehicles at Keppel Bay Marina carpark if they wish.
There is also the Great Keppel Island Security Car Park, which offers secure undercover
parking and a shuttle service to the harbour for a fee.
For more information please contact Bill on 0488 004 785.