Welcome To The Sundays

With Raza Syed, General Manager

With nearly two decades of dedicated service on Hamilton Island, General Manager of The Sundays and Beach Club, Raza Syed, brings a wealth of experience, a passion for people, and a deep love for the Whitsundays to his role.

Raza’s journey in hospitality began over 25 years ago, backed by a degree in Business Hotel and Resort Management.

“What inspired me to pursue a career in hospitality is my passion for working with people and the joy that comes from creating memorable experiences for guests,” he shared. “There’s something incredibly rewarding about welcoming people during special moments in their lives and ensuring they feel cared for, comfortable, and happy during their stay with us.”

Over the years, Raza has held several key positions at Hamilton Island, including Front Office Manager, Executive Assistant Manager, and General Manager of the Reef View Hotel. His current leadership role sees him overseeing all operations at The Sundays and Beach Club, where his focus is on delivering seamless, meaningful guest experiences.

What makes The Sundays so special to Raza is the ethos it’s built on: “The Sundays is inspired by the essence of what makes a Sunday so special—relaxation, connection, and adventure. Guests can expect an extraordinary experience for all ages amidst the natural beauty of the Whitsundays and in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef.”

As General Manager, he is passionate about shaping a resort experience that brings people together. “I’m excited to create a space where families can relax and reconnect, where ‘you time’, ‘play time’, ‘family time’, and ‘downtime’ all blend into one,” he says. From sunrise yoga sessions to open-air movies on the deck, every touchpoint is designed to inspire calm, connection, and joy.

Outside of work, Raza is a proud husband and father to two children—a 10-year-old daughter and a 13-year-old son. His own experience as a family man helps shape the inclusive and welcoming atmosphere The Sundays is known for.

With a proven track record in leadership and a heartfelt commitment to hospitality, Raza continues to shape unforgettable stays and foster a culture of warmth and excellence at one of the Whitsundays’ most exciting new resorts.

‍

Meet Carrie Williams

Project Designer, Development & Construction

With a natural flair for design and a deep love for the Whitsundays, Carrie Williams, The Sundays’ Interior Designer, has brought a fresh and distinctive style to the resort. Having called Hamilton Island home for nearly a decade, she combines local insight with creative expertise in this exciting new development.

Originally arriving for a three-month holiday, Carrie quickly connected with the island. “That was almost 10 years ago,” she says. “Now I’m raising my daughter Luca here in this beautiful, nature-filled environment.” Carrie began the project when Luca was eight months old. “As both the designer and the target market, it really helped shape the interiors and brand.”

While she doesn’t come from a traditional hospitality background, Carrie’s passion has always been in the building and design space. “I’ve always known I wanted to be a designer in the building industry – it’s something I’ve been drawn to since I was very young,” she explains.

Having worked on a number of projects across the region, Carrie was thrilled to take on The Sundays. “This was definitely the biggest project I’ve ever completed,” she says. “I feel incredibly proud. It’s been a massive team effort over the years. We’ve been working solidly on this for about two and a half years now, with a lot of stakeholders and a huge number of trades involved in bringing it to life.”

As the Project Designer, Carrie has been the driving force behind the resort’s look and feel. “Depending on the stage of the project, I might be documenting plans, presenting concepts, selecting materials, or onsite answering queries and overseeing installs,” she explains.

When it came to the visual direction, Carrie had a strong vision rooted in the natural landscape. With the support of the brand and marketing team, she was also able to push creative boundaries.

“I really wanted everything to feel like a natural extension of the surroundings, as though you’re completely immersed in the landscape. Every decision I made in the bones of the building was guided by that intention—to create something timeless, soft, and in harmony with nature."

“I wanted the interiors to feel warm and inviting, like a seamless continuation of Catseye Beach. It was important to me that the space felt earthy and grounded, while also incorporating playful touches to reflect the brand’s personality and connect with our audience. My aim was for everything to feel soft, minimal, and enduring, with just a few unexpected details through the art and furniture to keep it fun and fresh.”

That desire for playfulness led her to search for the perfect venue artist. “I searched for a significant amount of time to find the right artist for the brand. As soon as I stumbled across Tiarna, I instantly thought she was perfect for the project. We wanted a young Queensland artist who could bring a playful energy to balance out the soft, earthy interiors. As you can read in her bio, she also has family Indigenous connections to Queensland, which made it even more special.”

Carrie also designed all the furniture from scratch with a Sydney furniture supplier and manufacturer FFORM furniture while sourcing local suppliers for the installation. Sustainability was a key focus—each piece was created to be durable and long-lasting.

She loves the resort’s energy and uniqueness. “It has such a different feel to anything else on the island. I love the location – and the Pool Cabanas! It’s also one of the first luxury venues here that truly welcomes children.”

A boardwalk connects the hotel to the restaurant, with a mid-way event deck for yoga, kids’ activities and movie nights. “It’s a beautiful little detail designed to help create lasting memories,” she says.

Tiarna Herczeg

For designer Carrie Williams, finding the right artist for The Sundays was about more than just aesthetics. It was about energy, story and spirit. She was searching for someone whose work could bring warmth and playfulness to the venue’s soft, earthy interior. That search led her to Tiarna Herczeg – an artist whose deeply personal style felt intuitively aligned with the spirit of the hotel.

Tiarna Herczeg (she/her) is a proud First Nations and Hungarian artist based on Gadigal land. She is Kuku Yalanji and Kuku Nyungkul Warra, with strong family ties to Hopevale, Cherbourg and Laura in Far North Queensland. Born on Dharug Country in Western Sydney, she spent much of her life moving between there, Rockhampton and the Blue Mountains - places that continue to shape and inspire her work.

Tiarna’s art is deeply intuitive and personal. She paints from instinct rather than intention, using the process as a way to listen, learn and reconnect with self and Country. Each piece reflects a story, a memory or a feeling tied to the places she has lived, visited or imagined.

Rather than aiming for perfection, Tiarna leans into freedom and spirituality. Her large, gestural brushstrokes and vibrant colours create flowing, organic forms that reflect the richness and vitality of Country. Painting has become her anchor in a life of movement, helping her remain grounded and connected to culture. Her work is a powerful expression of identity and belonging, offering a sense of place both to herself and to those who experience it.

Her custom artworks—reflecting the colours and stories of the Whitsundays—now adorn the walls of each guest room and appear throughout The Sundays, including its signature restaurant, Catseye Pool Club. The Sundays is now open and welcoming guests

Photo: Tiarna Herczeg Art in The Sundays. Photo credit: Kara Rosenlund 2025

‍