Whitsunday Region Guides Attractions Events in Queensland

Airlie Beach is the gateway to the Whitsundays, Queensland’s pristine 74 islands. It is a cosmopolitan and vibrant town filled with palm-fringed beaches, waterfront parks and alfresco dining restaurants.

Airlie Beach is the epitome of a beach town; you’ll instantly feel the carefree and relaxed attitude emanating from every space. You’ll find it in the Airlie Beach Lagoon, a manmade saltwater swimming area surrounded by sand and grassy knolls, where backpackers and travellers lounge away the day in the sun. You’ll find it in the beachside parks where afternoon barbeques proliferate and continue into the evening hours. And you’ll find it in the alfresco dining restaurants where fresh seafood overflows from every dish.

But once the sun sets on Airlie Beach, another ambiance embraces the town. You’ll find a thriving energy exuding from the bars and nightclubs where backpackers and travellers party together well into the night. This energy is both contagious and irresistible, and often encourages travellers to stay longer than first expected.

Airlie Beach is surrounded by several small communities: Bowen to the north, Shute Harbour to the west and Abel Point Marina to the east. Bowen is renowned for its impeccable beaches, while Shute Harbour is the departure point for the island ferries and Abel Point Marina is home to many of the cruising yachts. The drive between the beachfront communities winds along a jagged coastline with breathtaking views to the distant Whitsunday islands. Rent a scooter and take a picnic lunch to enjoy the picturesque scenery and fully appreciate the beauty of this area.

Airlie Beach thrives on community events with several throughout the year, including the annual Whitsunday Fun Race Festival every September. And every Saturday, a market is set up on the Airlie Beach foreshore with fresh food stalls (including local mangoes and bananas) and a variety of arts/crafts.

With all that Airlie Beach has to offer, you’ll soon see why it is one of Australia’s most popular holiday destinations.

Airlie Beach is easily accessible and only a thirty-minute drive from Proserpine Airport, the closest airport in the region.

Bowen is a jewel in the Whitsunday crown with untouched beaches, beautiful bays and a perfect tropical climate. Bowen is one of the undiscovered treats of Queensland and an ideal destination for those seeking a laidback beach holiday.

Bowen is situated in the northern region of the Whitsundays on the shores of Edgecumbe Bay, just 40 minutes drive north from Airlie Beach. It’s a picturesque seaside town that offers a beachcomber’s paradise with eight award-winning, palm-fringed beaches to explore plus great reef, beach and estuary fishing. With a daily average of eight hours of sunshine all through the year it can also lay claim to having Australia’s best climate.

The azure waters of the Whitsundays lap the shores of Bowen’s tropical beaches, recognized as some of Queensland’s most pristine. The most popular are Horseshoe Bay and Queens Beach but visitors are well provided for at most of the beaches in the Bowen area with facilities including barbecues, picnic tables, children’s playgrounds and neatly maintained parkland areas – the ideal location for a family day out by the beach. With some of the best fringing reefs of the Queensland coast lying just a few metres offshore from it’s not surprising that the area attracts snorkellers and divers keen to explore the coral gardens. Granite outcrops shelter the waters that are the habitat for a host of tropical fish that inhabit this corner of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. There are reefs waiting to be discovered just off the beaches of Horseshoe Bay, Grays Bay, Murray Bay and Rose Bay.

Bowen is now home to the famous 'Big Mango'. This is situated next to the Bowen Visitor Information Centre on the Bruce Highway. The Centre stocks a range of Mango souvenirs and preserves as well as the famous locally produced 'Mango Ice Cream'.

Just three minutes from the tourist hot spot of Airlie Beach you’ll find its quieter, less known, but just as beautiful cousin, Cannonvale.

A perfect place to base the family, Cannonvale is conveniently located close to all the sights and sounds the Whitsundays has to offer. Cannonvale’s beautiful sheltered beach is perfect for splashing about with the kids away from the big crowds. There are children’s play areas and picnic spots along the water and at the end of the beach you’ll find a curious molten rock formation begging to be explored.

As the main residential centre in the area, the town has good shopping facilities as well as cafes, banks and a post office.

From Cannonvale you can head to Shute Harbour just 20 minutes away and jump on board a cruise to the spell-binding Whitsundays archipelago and Great Barrier Reef.

In the bay next door, Airlie Beach is a hive of tourist activity. The palm fringed streets are lined with colourful cafes, cocktail bars, restaurants, gift shops, boutiques, art galleries and a myriad of things to see and do.

The Airlie Beach lagoon is a great place to while away the day. Take advantage of the barbecues, throw a frisbee or take a cool refreshing dip.

Cannonvale is approximately 90 minutes drive from Mackay. Accommodation mainly consists of self-contained units and holiday apartments.

Hamilton Island is nestled amongst the Whitsunday Islands, a group of 74 islands just off the Queensland coast at the edge of the Great Barrier Reef. Hamilton Island is one of the most popular Whitsunday islands offering an idyllic island experience.

Set amidst pristine surroundings, Hamilton Island offers a multitude of activities to participate in and luxurious accommodation options to suit the most discerning traveller. You’ll be spoiled for choice with sea-kayaking, game fishing, scenic helicopter flights and ‘Breakfast with the Koalas’ at the Koala Gallery. Of course, you might simply want to concentrate on doing nothing at all, and lay around one of the pools or simply relax on the beach. Hamilton Island is also a gateway to other gems in the Whitsundays including Heart Reef, Hill Inlet and Whitehaven Beach.

Every taste and budget is accounted for on Hamilton Island. From the luxurious and intimate beachfront setting of the Beach Club to the sweeping views of the Coral Sea at The Reef View Hotel. If it's a little more independence you're after, you can choose from the Polynesian style Palm Bungalows or the Palm Terraces which are both ideal for families. All accommodation has easy access to the beach, restaurants and resort centre.

Hamilton Island is easily accessible with direct flights from Sydney (two hours), Melbourne (three hours), Brisbane and Cairns (one hour) with easy connecting flights from all other capital cities, makes getting there a breeze.

Hayman Island is located in the beautiful Whitsundays just off the Queensland coast, and home to Hayman, one of the world's finest resorts. Hayman Island is the epitome of tropical paradise.

On a sparkling sunny day the colour of the water of Hayman's lagoon and Whitsunday Passage are simply stunning - the hues range from turquoise to emerald and sapphire. There's excellent snorkelling directly off one of the beaches on Hayman in Blue Pearl Bay. Some argue this is the best beach snorkelling in the Whitsundays.

Hayman Island offers guests plenty of activities that range from bushwalks to tours of the nearby Great Barrier Reef. Cruise or fly by helicopter to see Heart Reef, Hill Inlet or Whitehaven Beach, it’s all possible at Hayman Island.

At the resort, all rooms have magnificent views of the Whitsundays or the tropical landscaped gardens. Visitors receive the best of both worlds, combining magnificence with the natural beauty of a tropical paradise. The most discerning traveller will be satisfied, but most likely delighted, at the luxurious amenities at the resort.

Hook Island, in the Whitsundays, is a rugged island with breathtaking lookouts and excellent snorkelling and scuba diving. The diversity of coral in the fringing reefs of the Great Barrier Reef on the northern shore (especially Crayfish Beach) offer excellent opportunities for snorkelling and diving.

Hook Island is mostly national park and boasts beautiful beaches and walking tracks. Make sure to try the track that leads to Butterfly Bay, so named because of its unique shape and the butterflies which swarm around its shores.

A visit to the observatory on the island is a must-see as you’ll be able to descend nine metres below the ocean to view coral and marine life in their own habitat. There are marine biologists on hand to explain the wonders of the reef.

There are also two magnificent five kilometre fjord-like inlets, Nara and Macona, cut into the southern end of Hook Island to provide a spectacular anchorage for yachts.

There are a couple accommodation options on Hook: camping at several sites around the island or the resort at Hook Island Wilderness Resort.

Perhaps one of the best kept secrets in the Whitsunday Region is Hydeaway Bay. It is not hard to understand why locals have kept this place to themselves for many years. Even now, Hydeaway Bay is a tiny village situated almost at the end of a dirt and bitumen road. The road branches from the Cannonvale Proserpine road.

Although Hydeaway Bay residents have built right up to the foreshore, there are still five very rough pathways to the beach. Boat access to the bay is also very limited. Nonetheless, locals say that anglers could catch a whole gamut of fish from anywhere along the beach, in a boat on the bay or by the rocks at the ends of the beach. However, wily locals say that the best thing to catch in Hydeway Bay is peace and quiet or fresh air.

The word is that the only break to peace and quiet is the times dugong, dolphins or whales pass through the bay or turtles break the surface by your boat. There are some holiday houses here for rent via Proserpine real estate agents.

Tucked away on the shores of a sheltered bay, Jubilee Pocket is just two minutes drive from the tourist haven of Airlie Beach on the road to Shute Harbour.

Jubilee Pocket’s relaxed ambience and tropical seaside location has made it popular in recent years with sea-changers. A short drive through the area and it’s not hard to see why. The township is nestled amongst rainforest and picturesque countryside and all around are fascinating things to see and do.

Nature walks, jet-ski hire and other water activities are close to hand. At Jubilee Pocket you’ll also find a number of great places where you can fish off the rocks.

The warm, tropical climate at Jubilee Pocket means that winters are very mild and water activities occur all year round.

Two minutes drive west will find you amidst the hustle and bustle of popular Airlie Beach. With its wide range of restaurants and bars, vibrant nightlife, tourist services and boutique shopping, Airlie Beach is a hive of energy set in a tropical paradise.

Five minutes drive to the east will take you to Shute Harbour where you can board a cruise to the magical Whitsundays islands. As the main gateway to the 74 islands that make up the Whitsundays archipelago, Shute Harbour is the place to arrange day trips, overnight trips, fishing charters and sailing expeditions.

Accommodation in Jubilee Pocket ranges from holiday parks to townhouses and holiday rental houses. There are also some bed-and-breakfasts set amongst the hills shrouded in rainforest.

Jubilee Pocket is approximately an hour and 45 minutes drive north of Mackay and 30 minutes from the Proserpine airport.

Long Island is located in the beautiful Whitsundays off the Queensland coast and boasts three island resorts. Long Island is mostly national park and has over 13 kilometres of walking tracks that end at stunning lookouts and beautiful secluded beaches.

The three resorts include: Ocean Hotels Long Island Resort, Peppers Palm Bay and Paradise Bay Eco Resort.

Ocean Hotels Long Island Resort is located on Happy Bay in the north of the island and has three levels of accommodation.

Peppers Palm Bay is a boutique resort that boasts no telephones or televisions and caters to a maximum of 42 guests.

Paradise Bay Eco Resort is located on Paradise Bay and promotes connection with nature to a maximum of 12 guests. There’s also a camping ground located at Sandy Bay on the western side of the island.

Heading out through Mackay and beyond the Hibiscus Coast lies the charming Midge Point area. Midge Point is an ideal place to bushwalk, go fishing and crabbing and generally relax in a peaceful and tranquil area by the beach. It is home to various accommodation houses such as the friendly Travellers Rest Caravan Park set in 68 hectares of semi tropical rainforest. The park is well shaded under the large tress with direct beach access offering hours of fishing, walks and fossicking. Traveller’s Rest Caravan Park is famous for its morning smoko- a great way to meet your fellow travellers.

A little further north of Midge Point is Laguna Whitsunday's Resort, home to Queensland’s number one resort golf course. Set amongst almost 2,000 hectares of coastal bushland, Laguna Whitsunday's Resort is world class. This 150 room, five star resort offers a variety of deluxe rooms and suites and a choice of one, two or three bedroom villas. Enjoy a host of resort activities including golf, horse riding, watersports, beach and pool volleyball, tennis, archery, nature walks.

Proserpine is the administrative and service centre for the Whitsunday Shire. Proserpine was named by the explorer George Dalrymple, after Persephone the Greek goddess of fertility, recognising the fertile qualities in the region. Since the late 1800’s, sugar cane and cattle grazing have been the economic mainstays (the eerie glow of cane fires make a spectacular sight from late June onwards). Now tourism is playing a drawcard here.

Although it has many modern facilities (including a state of the art Hospital, primary and secondary schools, library, and sporting facilities for swimming, tennis, bowls, squash, netball, football, golf, and indoor cricket), the town’s Main Street is a reminder of how life used to be – particularly the ‘art deco’ period evident in the shop architecture which has been well preserved. Old-fashioned courtesies survive in Proserpine, particularly at many of the charming retail outlets.

You will find an excellent counter lunch at any of the four Main Street pubs and soon find yourself yarning with the locals.

You’ll find pleasant picnic grounds at Pioneer Park (at the town’s entrance), and Mill Street Park (both with picnic tables, toilets and playgrounds), also the Cultural Centre. The bus stop for Airlie Beach and Shute Harbour is at the Mill Street Park, which has an enormous historical shady fig tree. Rotary Park in Faust Street also has children's playground equipment.

The town is also a good launching pad for a relaxing tour of the region. Heading north-west on Crystalbrook Road takes you to the Peter Faust Dam (or Lake Proserpine). The dam has been stocked with sooty grunter, barramundi and sleepy cod and has become a haven for anglers keen to test their skill against Australia's mightiest freshwater game fish. There are also shaded picnic sites, barbecues, toilet facilities, swimming and water-skiing areas.

Shute Harbour, near Airlie Beach, is the major mainland port facility for the transfer of visitors to the Whitsunday Island group. It is the stepping off point for visitors to and from resort and island destinations.

The port is one of the busiest small vessel facilities in Australia and is also a major base for sea plane activity. Daily scheduled ferries and water taxi services are offered by commercial operators. Among the vessels home ported at Shute Harbour is Australia’s 1962 America’s Cup challenger, ‘Gretel’ which lost the challenge 4 –1 against the American yacht ‘Weatherly’ but remains a graceful and surprisingly fast old lady. To get to Shute Harbour drive for about eight pleasantly winding kilometres through Conway National Park from Airlie Beach. The park itself has a camping and picnic area. There is plenty of parking for those heading out to the islands.

In the heart of Queensland's Great Barrier Reef, lie the Whitsundays, 74 islands floating like jewels in the tropical warm waters of the Coral Sea. Discovering the Great Barrier Reef is one of life's must-dos and it's easily accessible from Queensland’s mainland coast at Airlie Beach or directly from the islands. It is a cosmopolitan and vibrant town filled with palm-fringed beaches, waterfront parks and alfresco dining restaurants.

The best way to fully explore this lovely region is from the bow of a sailboat…cruise through the islands and drop anchor for a quick snorkel and fall asleep at night to the gentle rocking of the waves under a canopy of stars. Spend the day exploring the pure white silica sands of Whitehaven Beach and Hill Inlet from one of the world's most exquisite lookouts, or enjoy the views of the reef from the cockpit of a seaplane. Paddle a sea kayak gracefully through the water, follow bushwalking trails overlooking the Coral Sea or simply relax with a cocktail by the pool.

You’ve got over 74 unique experiences at your fingertips.