Hamilton Island's signature dining destination, Bommie Restaurant at the iconic Hamilton Island Yacht Club, has unveiled a bold new menu led by acclaimed Executive Chef Ryan Locke, marking the next chapter for the island's dining scene.

Overlooking Dent Passage, Bommie continues to challenge the standards for dining in the Whitsundays. Fresh from receiving a Chef Hat from the Australian Good Food Guide for the third consecutive year, the restaurant is entering a new era of confident, regional expression.

“Hamilton Island's dining is evolving with intent and creativity, and Ryan's re-imagining of Bommie is an exciting moment in that journey,” says Hamilton Island CEO Nick Dowling. “Bommie has long been our benchmark in the heart of the Whitsundays, and this new menu captures what guests love most: seasonality, native local ingredients and a true sense of place.”

Locke returns to Hamilton Island as Executive Chef, having previously served as Head Chef at Pebble Beach and Long Pavilion at qualia until 2022, before departing for senior roles on the mainland. His appointment anchors an island-wide reinvention of dining alongside Joshua Hingston's menus at qualia, and Josh Niland's share-style, family-friendly approach at Catseye Pool Club at The Sundays.

Locke also oversees boutique hotel Beach Club's Restaurant and is curating its new menu with the same thoughtful focus.

“My approach is regionally focused, Modern Australian cuisine,” says Locke. “There are certain things that dictate how I go about flavour combinations, which are mainly seasonality and sustainability. Hamilton Island's natural landscape and environment are a constant source of inspiration. The rocks, the ocean and the forestry through Passage Peak are all places I take into account when thinking about the dishes I create.”

Each morning begins with a sunrise walk to Passage Peak, Hamilton Island's highest point, before service begins. Native Australian ingredients, local and regional produce, and island foraging underpin the menu.

“We forage for ingredients on the island - paperbark and various varieties of pine used for smoking. Our house-made smoked vinegar is a favourite - we use it for seasoning sauces and dressing while succulents add freshness and natural acidity.”

Bommie's new menu is a pursuit of seasonal excellence; dishes with flavour that are deeply connected to the Whitsundays. Each course tells a story, beginning with local sourdough baked on the island and served with pine oil, macadamia and wattleseed, and butter smoked table-side with foraged paperbark.

Highlights include local Whitsunday cuttlefish shaved into delicate 'noodles' with koji-roasted cauliflower, umami textures and puffed grains, while Queensland venison with smoked beetroot, native wattle seed and black garlic pays homage to Hamilton Island's early history as a deer-breeding site.

Oscietra caviar with cultured cream on a crisp waffle tart also features, alongside a cheese course of Australian cheddar with smoked onion, toasted brioche and brown-butter custard, a refined take on the quintessential Australian cheese toastie, and desserts that play with sweet–savoury tension such as wagyu-fat caramel and a bone-marrow ice-cream.

“The Whitsundays are a constant source of inspiration. Ingredients and ideas appear naturally here; this new menu is a reflection of that,” says Locke.

Locke's return reinforces Hamilton Island's commitment to showcasing native ingredients, sustainably sourced seafood and regional produce, telling stories that connect the reef, coastline and bush in the heart of the Whitsundays.

Meanwhile, the Beach Club Restaurant has unveiled a contemporary new look and Sails Restaurant in the Resort Centre is undergoing a major transformation, set to reopen early December 2025 with a new culinary offering.

Reserve a table at Bommie here.

ENDS

Media Enquiries
Caroline Denyer
Group Communications Manager
E: pr@hamiltonisland.com.au
P: +61 (0)433 995 947

Lauren Donohoe
Senior Account Manager
E: lauren@supermassivestudio.com
P: +61 (0)434 083 369

Assets

Sample Menu

Images

Notes to Editors

About the Hamilton Island Yacht Club

Designed by Australian architect Walter Barda in collaboration with yachtsman Iain Murray, the Hamilton Island Yacht Club opened in 2009 and is renowned for its copper roof shaped like a soaring sail. Its sculptural form and ocean outlook set the scene for Locke's visually striking, produce-driven cuisine at Bommie.

About Hamilton Island
Hamilton Island is Australia's tropical island in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef, offering a diverse range of accommodation options from family-friendly escapes, like new boutique hotel The Sundays, to private luxury retreat qualia and self-catering holiday homes and apartments, along with more than 20 casual and fine-dining restaurants, two spas, a 300+ berth marina, and over 65 activities and experiences – from golf (on its very own island championship course), e-mountain biking and sunrise yoga, to adventures to iconic natural wonders such as Whitehaven Beach and Heart Reef.

Visit: http://www.hamiltonisland.com.au

Follow: https://www.instagram.com/hamiltonisland/

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