360 On the Hill on Flagstaff Hill Looukout

Ever dreamt of sipping a warm cup of coffee while gazing out at the deep blue ocean and scattered islands? If you're in the Whitsundays region, 360 On the Hill in Bowen is absolutely one of the top spots to do just that!

How do you usually explore a new area when traveling in Australia? Personally, besides dropping by the local information center, I love opening up Google Maps and checking out what landmarks are nearby—kind of like opening a surprise box! I’ll pick a spot and go check it out in person.

That’s exactly how my husband and I discovered this place: Flagstaff Hill Lookout.

From up here, you get an incredible panoramic view of the bay stretching between Gloucester Island and Bowen. You can see the whole town laid out before you, almost with a full 360° view, barely interrupted by any obstructions.

You can grab a takeaway coffee from the café on the hill and relax at the public seating area at the lookout. Or if you prefer, dine in and soak up Bowen’s chill, coastal vibe. Fun fact: the restaurant also opens for dinner! Imagine coming back for a romantic meal while watching the town’s twinkling lights (we’re definitely planning to do that in the future).

The first time we visited Flagstaff Hill, the building was totally empty—it looked abandoned, and we thought, “Wow, this would be the perfect place for a scenic café or even a wedding venue!”

Then, surprise! On our second visit, 360 On The Hill had opened up—according to Google Maps reviews, it looked like they launched just about a month ago!

That day, every table was either taken or reserved. We didn’t give up though—on our third visit (this time with friends), we asked again, but it was still fully booked. So, lesson learned: we called ahead and made a reservation before our most recent trip to Bowen.

Tip: If you want to dine inside at 360 On The Hill, I highly recommend calling in advance—especially on weekends!

We each ordered a coffee, plus one brekky pizza and a bacon mushroom panini. Normally, sharing a brekky pizza with two coffees would’ve been just right, but hey—we finally got a table, so I couldn’t resist adding a sandwich.

Unfortunately, I had a cold and couldn’t really taste anything this time... which was such a shame because everything lookedamazing! But mark my words—I’ll be back once my taste buds are working again!

Here’s a funny/not so funny twist. We were seated at the best table in the house—right by the window, prime view. I sat facing out, happily soaking up the view. My husband sat across from me, back to the window. Near the end of our meal, he suddenly turned and said:

Chris: “Uhh... are those people touching our car?”

Me: “Wait, I think they are?”

Just then, two ladies at the table next to us spoke up:

Ladies: “Is that your car? A red car just bumped into it and drove off!”

My husband quickly headed outside to check the damage, and more people started gathering around the car. I told the ladies,

Me:“Wow, you’re so kind to care about a stranger’s car!”

Ladies: “The whole restaurant saw it happen. One guy even came in asking whose car it was—turns out it was yours!”

Honestly, it was awkwardly funny—our car was right there next to us, and yet I completely missed the whole thing. Didn’t even remember seeing a red car!

Unfortunately, the restaurant staff said the outdoor CCTV cameras belong to the local council, and since it was Saturday, no one had the license plate. So... the mystery remains unsolved.

Thankfully, the damage was so minor it’s barely noticeable. And to cheer myself up, I grabbed a tiramisu to-go on the way out. No regrets.

Flagstaff Hill offers breathtaking views—but parking is limited. If you're heading there on a weekend, you might need a bit of luck to snag a spot.

⚠️ Note: No camping is allowed at the lookout. The road is narrow with tight turns—not suitable for campervans.

We also learned there’s a huge development plan for this area! A resort is apparently in the works on nearby Stone Island, with a cable car terminal planned right on this very hill. Visitors could someday ride a cable car from Flagstaff to North Head Lighthouse, and then hop straight onto Stone Island.

If completed, it would be the first island resort in the Great Barrier Reef accessible by cable car—a total game changer for tourism here (and yes, they’ll definitely need more parking!).

But based on what I could find online, this plan dates back to at least 2017 (the resort’s earliest Instagram posts). There’s already a website and even a 3D animation of the cable car on YouTube. But up here on Flagstaff Hill, there’s zero sign of construction, and on Stone Island, we only saw a refurbished dock and a few buildings.

So, with Australia’s famously chill pace of development... I’d say it might still take a few more years before this dream becomes reality. I wonder if this resort project will be ready in time to catch the wave of visitors from the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.