This message goes out to Dodgy59 and to others thinking of taking their kite gear on holidays to the "Whitsundays"
I hope this gets to you before you head or at least read this for further info. Grab a Hiking Map from the Tourist info at the Resort(Hamilton Island).
1.South to SE Coral Cove[/b] 25-30 minute hike, best to grab your golf buggy (only way around the island) and head to the Golf Course Driving range, just before you get there, there is a walking track. The track is mostly loose stone and gravel. Better to kite on a low tide as there are some sharp rocks in the water. Recommend to grab some booties as I have some scars on my feet to prove it. You can self launch but watch out for gusts as you could loose your kite in the trees if ya don't watch it. And don't kite to far over towards Mangrove Flat as the wind is protected by a large headland
2. E-SE is another site but the hike nearly takes you all of your energy getting back up the dam hills.
Escape Beach is a longer trail but worth the view and is not as protected as Coral Cove.
3. S-SW is a little spot at the Marina where the wall protecting the harbour has some sand and mud but neverless enough to set up your kite. Warning don't go to far out as the channel where Hamilton and Dent Island runs quick and the tide I hear runs for about 30mins to an hour and a half, so ask the boys at the hire sites (sunsail) at the Marina for some info into the tides, or check the net as Hamilton on the BOM and seabreeze site(for wind& tide).This spot is gusty and no-one said you can't kite there but hey if there's no sign then t it's yours. Planes do fly close, so watch the skies for 737's and waterplanes.
4. NE - Resort Beach right out the front, not a lot of space to set up on high tide wait a bit for the tide and you can teach someone or a friend to launch.
Warning there are some reefs out 50-100mtrs from the beach they can can get pretty low, only from observation.
5. N-NE, East Whitehaven Beach you can get a shuttle round there (Fantasea) or one of the cruise boats where you can stay for a couple of hours on the beach.
I didn't get enough time for the Mainland but here's some spots where I think have a good potential.
At Airlie Beach there are site only 1/2 an hour to 45mins to try out.
Dingo Beach - N-NE and flat water paradise the wind came in from the north west and at times the wind did come in but again it hit 16knots and then dropped to 9knots on a North Westerly. at the depth was no more than waist height even on low tide.
S-SE Conway Beach a local who blokarts there recommended it tide runs out a long distance but another good site.
Warning watch out for crocs at the rivermouth as there's some sightings in town (Proserpine) yeah noticed the front page of the Proserpine Times.
I recommend to see the guys at "FUN RENTAL"for a car or motor bike hire, tell you were recommended by the couple who put a large crack the windscreen of the brand spankin new Jeep Cheroke Sport 2007 model (Stone chipped the windscreen) Evo annd shaz picked us up at the Chute Harbour every day we required the car. Evo blokites so he knows a bit about kiting a conditions as he was originally from around Melboune and had seen the guys at St Kilda kiteboarding.
To tell you the truth the kiting spots on the mainland were better set up than the island itself. Unfortunately our holiday and my kiting was cut short due to the fact that my mother in law decided to come and was rushed to the mainland hospital at Proserpine General, which was more like Wandan Valley Hospital (TV show A Country Practice).
We only got as far a Mackay but I did not get the chance to kite at Mackay as I've heard some good stories of the place.
I hope this may give an insider to others who think of taking their kite gear on a trip and hope the missus enjoys herself as well. P.S My missus has agreed to never to invite my mother in law on another trip again. Just a string of bad luck!! but some good winds and kiting alond the way.

hey mate, i just came back from there, i was living on Long Island for 3 months, and kitesurfing with the locals down at conway..

thats so true about crocs u know, its f*ckin scary when ur setting up ur gear and see something running along the shore, or the river bank.

another good spot is actually on Daydream Island, the lads at the watersports shed go kiting and have plenty of gear and boats at their disposal, and the guys in the watersports shed at Long Island are great too, go see Ads and Tod, they'll set you up.

just gotta watch out for stingers, pesky things those jellies. even in off peak season theres still billions of other kinds of jellies in the area...but that can all be solved with a bundy draught at Magnums.