However, the resort closed down in 2007 and since then, it's been taken back by nature - possums live in the rooms, goats roam the corridors and bats screech from the trees above the pools.
There's a bit of sadness about it from locals, many of whom once worked at the resort. I'm told that after it was closed, media reports made it seem like the island itself was closed for good and tourism dropped.
The current owner has been attempting to secure a boutique gaming licence in order to open a casino and expand the resort, but for now, there's a change in tone around the place. It's become a great location for a back-to-basics camping holiday, rather than a big party.
The two main places to stay - Geoff's Holiday Village and the nearby Great Keppel Island Hideaway - offer grassroots accommodation, with decked tents and cabins.
I first visit the island in style - a day sailing on Capricorn Cruises' catamaran Grace.
Husband and wife Vicki and Anthony Lomasney offer private and group cruises around the Keppels with plenty of snorkeling opportunities and local knowledge on hand. Joining me for the ride are two German couples, a local family with a grandmother visiting from the UK and a pair of local friends.
Although I'm slightly queasy from a big night out in Rockhampton, being sprayed by cool water at the front of the boat offers some relief. We stop for a swim at Monkey Bay, where many other holiday-makers and yachties are enjoying everything the ocean has to offer.
Diving into the clear blue water, I'm treated to a real underwater wonderland - some of the best snorkeling I've experienced. I follow a beautiful sea turtle around the reef and come across a variety of brightly-coloured residents, including a few Nemo-like clownfish.
The next day, I return to the island by ferry, this time to stay for a few nights in a decked tent at the Holiday Village.
Trekking out from my tent and down to the beach, my feet sink into mounds of soft, powdery white sand and I quickly find a pristine stretch of beach all to myself. An old hammock leftover from the resort remains on the beach and I stop for a lie down, thinking of that old "no man is an island" cliche.
I'm feeling pretty island-like right then, completely at peace with only the lapping waves and squawking birds as company. My schedule becomes very simplified - jump in the water, splash around, get out, walk a bit more, get too hot, jump in again.
If you're looking for an authentic island experience, Great Keppel has that great rugged and undiscovered feeling, compared to more developed locations like the Whitsundays. 90 per cent of the island's 1500 hectares is covered in bush land and there's an extensive range of flora and fauna to spot on the many walking trails.
Around my tent, I spot beach curlews, goannas and brush tail possums, which provide a relaxing soundtrack for my afternoon naps.
The Holiday Village also offers snorkeling gear and stand-up paddleboards for guests, while a watersports shop down the road rents out kayaks and more - a great way to get around the island's 17 impressive beaches.
During my stay, I'm treated to another snorkeling trip organised by the Holiday Village. Along with a Dutch family, I'm taken out on a motorised canoe with Andrew "Willo" Wilson - an on-and-off Great Keppel resident who once worked at the resort giving massages and running camel rides (yes, they actually had camels).
As you can imagine, he's got an intimate knowledge of the island and knows where to find the best marine life. We ride out to the old underwater observatory near Middle Island, another relic from the resort years. Snorkling around the structure, I see more sea turtles, huge stingrays, wobbegong sharks and countless fish. Those with good lung capacity dived down to have peek through the observatory window.
After that, it was back to another beautiful beach for a picnic lunch, including juicy fresh lychees.
When it became time to head back to the ferry and back to the mainland of Yeppoon, a little miscommunication means I nearly miss the boat - I guess I was becoming used to island time.
As I'm hoisted unceremoniously up onto the deck and we head away, I look back at the shore and think about how nice it would've been to be shipwrecked there for another week.
Read more from Tourism Queensland here
