Andrew Penovic | Financial Controller | Hamilton Island Private Apartments | Tourism Whitsundays member
I've been coming to Hamilton Island for about 20 years. I don't live here; I travel up several times a year, but that's long enough to know the place properly: its seasons, its quiet corners, and how much difference the right self-contained apartment in the right position makes to a holiday. I'm the Financial Controller at Hamilton Island Private Apartments (HIPA), and I'm also the person behind most of the articles and photos you'll see across this site.
How an accountant ended up writing about Hamilton Island
My background isn't tourism - I'm an accountant by trade, and I joined HIPA to look after the numbers. One of my first jobs was moving us onto a new website, and I ended up writing most of the words on it. When I realised our photo library wasn't up to scratch, I built a new one; it now runs to many thousands of images. HIPA has been going since 2002, when it started with four apartments. Today we manage around 50 privately owned apartments right across the island, so I get a close view of how people actually stay here.
Mapping the island, one photo at a time
Our team kept fielding the same question from guests, 'how do I get around?'
So we set about adding street-level footage of Hamilton Island to Google Maps and Mapillary, along with hundreds of photos. That's how I reached Google Local Guide Level 9, and I'm also a member of Tourism Whitsundays. None of it is glamorous, but it means that when I write about a walking track or a particular apartment's outlook, I've usually stood there with a camera.
Where you'll actually find me
Out chasing the light, mostly. I love the quiet times - early mornings and late afternoons watching those Whitsunday sunrises and sunsets shift colour. Race Week, the Triathlon and the outrigger events are great to photograph too, but I never tire of the views themselves. The thing I love most about this island is how quickly your holiday begins: you're off the plane and at your apartment in no time. And the real magic isn't on Front Street, it's out on the walking tracks beyond it.
Planning a stay?
Browse our Hamilton Island apartments or dig into the Getaway Guide for everything I've written about the island. Booking direct with HIPA gets you our best rate, free airport and ferry transfers, and a complimentary four-seat buggy with most apartments.
Talk to the team: 1300 679 559 | bookings@hipa.com.au
Find me on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/andrew-penovic