09 Feb 2026
Journey Beyond is proud to announce a major refurbishment Cruise Whitsunday's Reefworld, the award-winning pontoon permanently moored on the Outer Great Barrier at Hardy Reef, delivering unparalleled guest access to the Great Barrier Reef.
When Reefworld opened in 2019, it was a dual-purpose pontoon welcoming both day visitors and overnight guests. In that time, Reefworld has hosted almost 340,000 visitors, cementing its position as one of Australia's most extraordinary tourism experiences. Home to the nation's first underwater accommodation, the award-winning Reefsuites, and the popular Reefsleep experience where guests spend the night on the pontoon under a canopy of stars. Reefworld has become a standout experience in the Whitsundays.
Journey Beyond is currently investing $30 million to reimagine the overall Hardy Reef experience, delivering a significantly enhanced Cruise Whitsundays guest offering for visitors to the reef. Cruise Whitsundays' newly refurbished Heart Pontoon will return in April 2026 as the exclusive base for Great Barrier Reef Adventure day tours, whilst the Reefworld pontoon will be elevated to be an exclusive haven for overnight guests only.
Reopening on 1 July 2026, Reefworld will relaunch as an overnight only pontoon, exclusively for Reefsleep and Reefsuites guests. This evolution removes shared access with day visitors, giving overnight guests uninterrupted, private use of the entire pontoon from sunrise to sunset so guests can fully immerse themselves in the magic of the World Heritage–listed Great Barrier Reef.
The all-inclusive experience allows guests to indulge in premium dining and beverages, enjoy guided snorkelling adventures with marine experts, and learn from knowledgeable hosts who bring the reef's stories to life. Whether relaxing on deck, exploring vibrant underwater worlds, or retreating to their unique overnight accommodation, guests can unwind, connect, and experience the reef in a way that is truly intimate, immersive, and unforgettable.
Chris Tallent, Journey Beyond CEO says, “As part of Journey Beyond's ongoing investment strategy and the continued premiumisation of the Cruise Whitsundays portfolio, the refurbishment of Reefworld represents our commitment to taking our guests further and elevating their experience on the Great Barrier Reef. This upgrade will ensure Reefworld remains Australia's number one unique accommodation offering on the Reef, enhancing the unforgettable overnight stays available on the pontoon in one of Australia's most iconic locations, the Great Barrier Reef.
“This next phase cements Reefworld as a globally unique, reef-immersive stay,” said Tallent. “Overnight guests will feel like they have the Great Barrier Reef entirely to themselves from the first snorkel of the day to the final glass of Champagne beneath the stars.”
The refurbishment will include:
- Reimagined Reefsleep bedding and furnishings
- All-inclusive elevated dining and beverage offerings, with locally inspired menus and premium service
- Enhanced guest flow, comfort, amenities and privacy
- Refreshed design elements that reflect the beauty and tranquillity of the reef
“We're incredibly proud of Reefworld and the thousands of guests who've created lifelong memories here,” said Shaun Cawood, General Manager Cruise Whitsundays. “This next chapter will see Reefworld return as a world-class product, one that reinforces our position as the only operator with permanently moored pontoons in the Whitsundays, and one that continues to set the benchmark for immersive, premium reef experiences.”
From 2027, a new 35metre catamaran will join the Cruise Whitsundays fleet. The multideck vessel will offer passengers a variety of indoor and outdoor seating options, including a spacious openair upper deck with an expansive viewing platform. It will also feature a dedicated, exclusive area reserved for Reefworld guests.
Reservations are now open to experience an unforgettable new era of reef experiences.
Overnight stay at Reefworld is from AUD $895 per person double occupancy, $920 solo occupancy. Overnight stay at Reefsuite is from $1495 per person double occupancy, $2,690 per person solo occupancy. *Low season T&C's apply
Reefworld will temporarily close from 15 May to 29 June 2026 to undergo an extensive revitalisation and reopen on 1 July.
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Images | https://journeybeyond.canto.global/b/HBSF2
Media contact | Cheree McEwin – Journey Beyond, Group Manager, PR & Communications
| cheree.mcewin@journeybeyond.com
About Cruise Whitsundays
Cruise Whitsundays, operated by Journey Beyond, is one of Australia's premier tourism operators and the largest marine-based tour and transport provider in the Whitsundays. Providing close encounters with the Great Barrier Reef, Whitehaven Beach and islands of the Whitsundays, Cruise Whitsundays delivers unparalleled experiences and lifetime memories for visitors to the region. Cruise Whitsundays operates 9 modern, well-equipped, air-conditioned vessels, plus a world-class sailing catamaran, and offers a range of tours throughout the Whitsundays, as well as the region's only inter-island resort connection service, with regular daily departures at two islands, one airport and two mainland ports.
www.cruisewhitsundays.com
Cruise Whitsundays is privileged to operate in such a spectacular natural wilderness and takes its commitment to the environment seriously. It has Advanced Eco Certification for several of its experiences and along with Hamilton Island is a proud supporter of Eco Barge Clean Seas, an organisation dedicated to the protection of the Whitsundays' marine life and aquatic environment. Our dedication to protecting the reef forms an integral part of the Journey Beyond 'Journey Lightly' program. Journey Lightly embodies our steadfast commitment to people, place, and planet.
https://www.journeybeyond.com/journey-lightly/
About Journey Beyond
Australia's leading experiential tourism group, Journey Beyond, is privileged to operate 20 brands spanning the country and New Zealand, connecting guests to the land, and to each other. Headquartered in Adelaide, Journey Beyond formed in 2016 and now comprises tourism brands including: iconic trains The Ghan, Indian Pacific, Great Southern, The Overland; premium small-group outback operator Outback Spirit; eco-luxury lodge Sal Salis Ningaloo Reef; aquatic adventures Cruise Whitsundays, Rottnest Express, Sailaway Port Douglas, Horizontal Falls Seaplane Adventures, Darwin Harbour Cruises and Journey Beyond Cruise Sydney; our tallest members, Melbourne Skydeck and Eureka 89; the historic Vintage Rail Journeys; The Telegraph Station in Alice Springs; Monarto Safari Resort; Exmouth Dive & Whalesharks Ningaloo, New Zealand coach tour specialist Grand Pacific Tours, and Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia.
www.journeybeyond.com
