Destinations > Queensland > Whitsunday Coast

Whitsunday Coast

The Whitsundays is a group of 74 tropical islands that is an extremely popular spot for yacht charters. The main towns in this region are Mackay and Proserpine, although most backpackers head straight for Airlie Beach.

Mackay

This sugar-processing city mid-way up the Queensland coast doesn't hold a lot to interest the traveller, but you may want to stop here to break your journey if you're driving up the coast. Mackay is also a good base for exploring the Eungella National Park, about an hour inland.

Practical Information

Mackay Visitors' Centre

320 Nebo Road, South Mackay

Tel (07) 4952 2677 or 1300 130 001

Website www.mackayregion.com

Open Mon-Fri 8.30am-5pm, Sat-Sun 9am-4pm

63 Sydney Street, Mackay

Tel (07) 4951 4803

Website www.mackayregion.com

Open Mon-Fri 8.30am-5pm, Sat-Sun 9am-4pm

Queensland National Parks & Wildlife Service

2 Wood Street, Mackay

Tel (07) 4944 7800

Open Mon-Fri 8.30am-5pm

Coming & Going

Coaches stop at the bus terminal on Milton Street, between Gordon and Victoria Streets. The airport and train station are located about 4km south of the town centre.

Local Transport

Mackay Transit (tel (07) 4957 3330; website www.mackaytransit.com.au) runs local buses but services are infrequent on some routes and they don't go anywhere other than the outlying suburbs. Buses only operate Monday to Friday.

Accommodation

Gecko's Rest

34 Sydney Street, Mackay

Tel (07) 4944 1230

Larrikin Lodge

32 Peel Street, Mackay

Tel (07) 4951 3728

Sights

Artspace Mackay

Mackay's art gallery is host to a selection of temporary art exhibitions.

Gordon Street, Mackay

Tel (07) 4968 4444 (Mon-Fri); (07) 4957 1775 (Sat-Sun)

Admission free

Open Tue-Sun 10am-5pm

Eungella National Park

Eungella National Park is about an hour inland from Mackay. It is home to Australia's largest stretch of subtropical rainforest. The park's highlight is the impressive Finch Hatton Gorge.

At Broken River there is a viewing deck that is an excellent place for spotting platypus. Dusk and dawn are the best times to catch a glimpse of a platypus and it helps if you are both quiet and patient.

Eungella National Park is difficult to reach without a car but there are tours to the park that operate from Mackay, which include the excellent Jungle Johno Tours (tel (07) 4951 3728) that are geared to backpackers. Jungle Johno has half-day tours for $59 ($53 YHA) and full day tours for $75 ($68 YHA) that take in the park's main attractions including Finch Hatton Gorge and Broken River and give you the opportunity to see Eungella's unique array of wildlife.

Proserpine

Proserpine is a busy town serving the region's sugar cane farms and it stands in sharp contrast to energetic Airlie Beach.

There's no backpackers' accommodation here, but it is the main transport hub of the Whitsunday region and many backpackers pass through here en route to Airlie Beach and the Whitsunday Islands.

Coming & Going

Proserpine enjoys good transport connections with a busy regional airport, train station and frequent coaches up and down the coast.

McCafferty's/Greyhound and Premier Coaches pass through here en route to Airlie Beach and Whitsunday Transit (tel (07) 4946 1800; website www.whitsundaytransit.com.au) provide good connections between Proserpine and Airlie Beach with many services timed to meet airline and train connections.

Proserpine's Whitsunday Coast Airport is 12km south of Proserpine and is served by both Qantas and Virgin Blue. Whitsunday Transit's buses meet every flight but it is essential to book ahead for the airport bus transfer.

Whitsunday Transit also has transfers between Proserpine train station and Airlie Beach.

Airlie Beach

Beautiful Airlie Beach is a relaxed tropical town with great hostels and it is one of the most popular backpacker destinations between Brisbane and Cairns. There's not a lot to see here but there are plenty of things to do such as skydiving and scuba diving as well as sailing trips around the 74 islands of the Whitsundays chain.

The eight million dollar lagoon by the waterfront is a bit like a cross between a beach and a huge swimming pool and is yet another reason to stay an extra day.

Practical Information

Marine Parks Authority Information Centre

Corner Mandalay Street & Shute Harbour Road, Airlie Beach

Tel (07) 4946 7022

Open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, Sat 9am-1pm

INTERNET ACCESS

Airliebeach.com Internet Centre

259 Shute Harbour Road, Airlie Beach

Tel (07) 4946 5299 or 1800 677 119

Open 7.30am-8pm daily

Beaches

356 Shute Harbour Road, Airlie Beach

Tel (07) 4946 6244

Open 7am-8pm daily

Copy Connection

The Esplanade, Airlie Beach

Tel (07) 4948 0091

Open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm

LAUNDRY

Al's Laundry

Shute Harbour Road, Airlie Beach

Tel (07) 4945 1739

Open 6am-10pm daily

Julee's Beach Plaza Laundromat

The Esplanade, Airlie Beach

Tel (07) 4946 4977

LOCKERS

The Locker Room

Shute Harbour Road, Airlie Beach

Open 24 hours

Coming & Going

Most buses running between Brisbane and Cairns stop in Airlie Beach dropping off on Shute Harbour Road in the centre of town.

The nearest airport and train station is at Proserpine and there are regular buses that run between Proserpine and Shute Harbour stopping at Airlie Beach. The bus fare from Proserpine Airport to Airlie Beach is $16 one-way. There's another airport at nearby Hamilton Island.

Ferries operated by Blue Ferries (tel (07) 4946 5111) run between Shute Harbour and Hamilton Island, Long Island and South Molle Island. The ferry to Hamilton Island costs $30 each way.

Local Transport

Airlie Beach is small enough to walk around but Whitsunday Transit (tel (07) 4946 1800; website www.whitsundaytransit.com.au) operates a local bus service that connects it to the neighbouring towns of Cannonvale and Shute Harbour. Buses run about every half hour and cost $1.85 one-way ($3.40 return) between Airlie Beach and the shopping centre in Cannonvale. A better deal is the $8 all day ticket that includes unlimited travel on all Whitsunday Transit services including buses to Proserpine.

Accommodation

Airlie Waterfront Backpackers

6 The Esplanade, Airlie Beach

Tel (07) 4948 1300 or 1800 089 000

Backpackers by the Bay

12 Hermitage Drive, Airlie Beach

Tel (07) 4946 7267 or 1 800 646 994

Beaches

356-362 Shute Harbour Road, Airlie Beach

Tel (07) 4946 6244 or 1800 636 630

Bush Village Backpackers Resort

2 St Martins Road, Cannonvale

Tel (07) 4946 6177 or 1800 809 256

Club Habitat YHA

394 Shute Harbour Road, Airlie Beach

Tel (07) 4946 6312 or 1800 247 251

Koala

Shute Harbour Road, Airlie Beach

Tel (07) 4946 6001 or 1800 800 421

Magnums

Shute Harbour Road, Airlie Beach

Tel (07) 4946 6266 or 1 800 624 634

Reef O

147 Shute Harbour Road, Cannonvale

Tel (07) 4946 6137 or 1800 800 795

Seaview Backpackers

404 Shute Harbour Road, Airlie Beach

Tel (07) 5946 6911

Eating & Drinking

Airlie Beach has plenty of places for a cheap snack and a few more upscale restaurants but the big emphasis here is on partying all night. It all happens on Shute Harbour Road with Beaches, Magnums and Morocco's fuelling Airlie's reputation as the hottest backpacker party zone south of Cairns. Many of the bars run theme nights such as foam parties.

The closest real supermarket is in Cannonvale, a couple of kilometres outside Airlie Beach.

Whitsunday Islands

The Whitsunday Island group offers myriad opportunities for sailing, snorkelling or just cruising around the islands.

The islands are renowned for their lovely beaches, particularly the world famous Whitehaven Beach on Whitsunday Island. The 6km long Whitehaven Beach is the most popular with day-trippers but somehow that doesn't spoil its allure. Make sure you do the 650-metre walk to the lookout at Hill Inlet.

Many of the islands including Daydream, Hamilton, Hayman and South Molle have upmarket resorts. Although you may feel out of place here, the island resorts provide pockets of civilisation among the wilderness.

Coming & Going

FERRY

Ferries are one of the cheaper options and ideal if you just want to visit one or two of the more popular islands such as Hamilton Island, Long Island or South Molle Island. However you won't get the true Whitsunday experience.

Blue Ferries

Blue Ferries, aka FantaSea, is the main ferry operator in the Whitsundays with frequent shuttle services from Shute Harbour to Daydream Island, Hamilton Island, Long Island, South Molle Island and Whitehaven Beach on Whitsunday Island.

Tel (07) 4946 5111

Website www.fantasea.com.au

Sailing

Many backpackers opt for a sailing package, which allows you to see a variety of islands and for many people it is the only chance they will ever have of sailing a yacht.

Airlie Beach has a huge range of yachts ranging from modern catamarans and racing maxi yacht to historic tall ships and encompassing everything in between. Two-night sailing excursions cost $300-600 depending on the boat and the type of onboard accommodation provided.

With the exception of day trips on large boats with licensed bars, you can bring your own alcohol but most of the sailing boats prohibit glass, which means you can't enjoy a nice wine aboard the yacht (just beer and cask wine).

You will also need to pay the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park levy and administration charge of $27, which most sailing companies do not include in their prices.

Most sailing trips have two to three crew and eight to 20 passengers.

Aussie Adventure Sailing

This company has a great selection of classic yachts including a tall ship and several timber ketches.

Departs Abel Point Marina

Tel 1800 359 554

Website www.aussiesailing.com.au

Cost 2 days/2 nights $339-469; 3 days/3 nights $469

Koala Sail Adventures

Koala has several boats including a large luxury catamaran and a couple of maxi racing yachts. Their catamaran trip includes accommodation on South Molle Island resort, although the big modern boat is perhaps not the sailing experience that most people imagine. The maxi yachts include Anaconda II, the world's largest fibreglass maxi yacht, and The Card, a world class racing yacht that has competed in the Whitbread Around the World yacht race.

Departs Shute Harbour

Tel 1800 466 444

Website www.koalaresort.com.au

Cost catamaran trip with accommodation on South Molle Island $285; maxi racing yacht $390

Oz Sail

Oz Sail has a good selection of yachts that are small enough to really get a feel for sailing. They are good value for money and are a more authentic sailing experience than some of the huge catamarans that some other companies sail.

Departs Abel Point Marina

Tel (07) 4948 1388 or 1800 102 030

Website www.ozsail.com.au

Cost 2 days/2nights $315; 3 days/2 nights $369-399; 3 days/3 nights $399-449

ProSail

ProSail offers day sailing trips on a fast catamaran and multi-day trips on more conventional cruising and racing yachts.

Tel (07) 4946 5433 or 1800 810 116

Website www.prosail.com.au

Cost day trip $79 ($75 students, HI/YHA, VIP); 3 days/2 nights $429-459

Tongarra Cruises

Tongarra is a spacious catamaran that runs flexible two night sailing trips around the Whitsundays.

Departs Abel Point Marina

Tel (07) 4946 6952

Website www.tongarra.com

Cost 3 days/2 nights $269

DAY TRIPS

If your time is limited and you don't mind missing out on the authentic sailing experience, then a launch day trip is a good option for exploring the islands. You may feel like a tourist on these trips but you can pack a lot into one day and most of the trips offer excellent snorkelling opportunities.

FantaSea

FantaSea's day trip on a luxury catamaran visits Whitehaven Beach on Whitsunday Island and also visits the uninhabited Bali Hai Island for snorkelling and coral viewing aboard the Yellow Sub.

Departs Shute Harbour

Tel (07) 4946 6900

Website www.fantasea.com.au

Cost $89

The Kookaburra

The Kookaburra is a large launch that makes a day trip, which includes stops at Hill Inlet and Whitehaven Beach on Whitsunday Island with opportunities for snorkelling on coral reefs.

Departs Abel Point Marina

Tel (07) 4946 5299

Cost $90; includes buffet lunch

Mantaray

Mantaray makes a day trip to Whitehaven Beach and Mantaray Bay on Hook Island allowing around two hours snorkelling time at Mantaray Bay.

Departs Abel Point Marina

Tel (07) 4946 4321 or 1800 816 365

Cost $90; includes lunch

Ocean Rafting

Ocean Rafting's day trip is on a large high-speed inflatable raft that visits Hook and Whitsunday Islands and includes a guided national park walk and snorkelling on the reef.

Departs Coral Sea Resort, Airlie Beach

Tel (07) 4946 6848

Website www.oceanrafting.com.au

Cost $76

Ragamuffin

Ragamuffin is legendary among yacht racing circles as one of the most successful boats in the famous Sydney to Hobart yacht race. This 24 metre racing yacht now makes one-day sailing trips that either feature snorkelling at Blue Pearl Bay on Hayman Island or a picnic lunch at Whitehaven Beach on Whitsunday Island.

Departs Shute Harbour

Tel (07) 4946 7777 or 1800 454 777

Website www.maxiaction.com.au

Cost $99

ReefJet

ReefJet's island day trip visits Hook Island, Hayman Island and Whitehaven Beach on Whitsunday Island. They also make a trip to the outer Great Barrier Reef, which gives you up to five hours snorkelling on the reef.

Departs Airlie Beach

Tel (07) 4946 5366

Website www.reefjet.com.au

Cost island day trip $90; outer reef day trip $120

Whitehaven Xpress

Whitehaven Xpress visits Mantaray Bay on Hook Island and includes a barbecue lunch at Whitehaven Beach on Whitsunday Island.

Departs Abel Point Marina

Tel (07) 4946 7172

Cost $90

Whitsunday Island Adventure Cruises

Whitsunday Island Adventure Cruises visits Whitehaven Beach, Hook Island and Long Island and includes admission to the underwater observatory on Hook Island.

Departs Shute Harbour

Tel (07) 4946 5255

Cost $69

Accommodation

Apart from pricey resorts or sleeping on a yacht, camping is the main accommodation option in the islands. The Queensland Parks & Wildlife Service runs 21 campgrounds on the islands, but you'll need to buy a camping permit from the Marine Parks Authority office in Airlie Beach (see Practical Information listing under Airlie Beach). Camping permits cost $4 per night.

Bowen

Bowen is a small seaside town that has some nice beaches. It is a good spot for fruit picking work and – because of the nearby beaches – it is a good alternative to working in Bundaberg.

Practical Information

Bowen Visitor Information Centre

Bruce Highway, Mt Gordon

Tel (07) 4786 4222

Website www.bowentourism.com.au

Open 8.30am-5pm daily

Coming & Going

Greyhound buses stop at 40 Williams Street in Bowen's town centre. Bowen is also on the main Brisbane-Cairns train line with the station a couple of kilometres south of the town centre.

Accommodation

Barnacles Backpackers

18 Gordon Street, Bowen

Tel (07) 4786 4400

Bowen Backpackers

Corner Dalrymple & Herbert Streets, Bowen

Tel (07) 4786 3433

Reefers by the Beach

Corner Soldiers & Horseshoe Bay Roads, Queens Beach, Bowen

Tel (07) 4786 4199

Ayr

This busy farming town in the Burdekin region between Bowen and Townsville doesn't offer many attractions other than fruit picking work, which both hostels can help organise.

Practical Information

Burdekin Visitor Information Centre

Plantation Park, Bruce Highway, Ayr

Tel (07) 4783 5988

Website www.burdekintourism.com.au

Open 10am-4pm daily

Coming & Going

Greyhound coaches stop at Rotary Park on Graham Street. Trains on the Brisbane-Cairns line stop at the new train station on Railway Street.

Accommodation

Ayr Backpackers

54 Wilmington Street, Ayr

Tel (07) 4783 5837

Delta Backpackers

139 Queen Street Ayr 4807

Tel (07) 4783 3991