I’ve visited the Great Barrier Reef many times over the years, but after a long boat ride to reach it from the mainland, in beautiful Queensland weather, marvelling at the coral and sea life, it’s often been hard to drag myself out of the water. I don’t want to leave.

Today, I don’t have to.

I’m among the first to experience the newly reopened Reefworld’s Reefsleep experience. I’ll be spending the night on the Reefworld pontoon, just a few metres from Hardy Reef, about 80 kilometres off Airlie Beach, beyond the Whitsunday Islands.

Reefworld has been around since 2019, but has just reopened after a $30 million upgrade to provide a more luxurious, exclusive experience. The outdoor beds, previously covered with a dome-like canopy at night, are now four-posters, with privacy screens, roofs and roll-down canvas walls. Think of it as glamping on the water.

The refurbished pontoon is now exclusive to guests staying overnight, with day trippers from Airlie Beach or Hamilton Island hosted on a separate pontoon a few hundred metres away.

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It makes for a less crowded, more relaxed vibe. There are just 16 Reefsleep beds on the pontoon, for a maximum of 32 guests (plus room for four more in the original, underwater Reefsuites below deck.

We arrive about 11am, travelling on board one of Cruise Whitsundays’ vessels from Hamilton Island.

After a tour of the facilities and an introduction to the staff, we indulge in a lunch of fresh seafood. But the meal is interrupted by a commotion off the side of the pontoon – a whale, with calf, is swimming past, just a couple of hundred metres away. It’s the first of multiple whale sightings during the stay.

After lunch, we don snorkels, flippers and, in some cases, wetsuits (the water is a little chilly since it’s still winter) and head over to the edge of the reef. I was last at this exact spot four years ago, when this part of the reef was still showing signs of the damage from Cyclone Debbie. Today, it’s looking much healthier – there are plenty of bright, colourful corals and thousands of tropical fish. The pontoon is home to a resident, enormous grouper named George, who hangs around the moorings, and Crush, a green sea turtle that proves particularly photogenic. She obligingly hangs around in front of the pontoon’s underwater observatory, munching on seaweed.

Bathroom facilities on board are shared, but I don’t have to wait when I opt for a hot shower after my swim.

After drinks and a spectacular sunset on the upper deck, we head downstairs for dinner. It’s a three-course affair, with entree options including blue swimmer crab, scallops with mushrooms, and beef brisket rendang. For mains there’s eye fillet steak, Spanish mackerel or chilli barbecue cabbage for vegetarians. There’s a wine pairing for each dish, though I opt to indulge in the single-malt whisky from Archie Rose in NSW.

Then it’s time to settle in for the night. My bed is large and as comfortable as anything you’ll experience in a hotel. There are lights, fans and USB charging ports at the bed head. I sleep well though I am awakened for a while in the small hours after the winds pick up and the canvas flaps rattle in the strong breeze. The pontoon itself, sheltered by the reef, barely moves. Facing east, I leave the flap at the foot of the bed open to catch the sunrise, expecting it to wake me. Instead I sleep through it, opening my eyes after the sun is already above the horizon.

It’s a little chilly for another snorkel, so we opt for a ride in Reefworld’s semi-submersible boat before we head back to Hamilton Island. Regular guests (those not part of this preview group) will stay longer, departing after lunch on the second day. But for the rest of us, it’s time to leave. Despite getting to stay at the reef longer than I ever have, I still find myself wishing I could remain out here a little longer.

THE DETAILS

FLY

Qantas and Virgin Australia fly daily to Hamilton Island from Sydney and Brisbane. Virgin Australia also flies to Hamilton Island from Melbourne. Jetstar flies to Whitsunday Coast Airport in Proserpine from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Virgin Australia flies to Whitsunday Coast Airport from Brisbane.

STAY

The Reefsleep experience starts from $895 a person double occupancy ($920 solo occupancy), including cruise transfers to Reefworld, meals and drinks, guided snorkelling and equipment. Scuba diving and scenic helicopter tours are available at additional cost. See cruisewhitsundays.com

The writer travelled as a guest of Cruise Whitsundays.