Airlie Beach, Whitsundays, Queensland :: AustraliAccommodation

Accent on Queensland, Australia

Airlie Beach - The Whitsundays - Queensland - Australia

Airlie Beach is the main tourist centre in the Whitsundays.

Airlie is basically a main road with shops, hotels and hostels on either side. To the North is the ocean and to the East is Shute Harbour a few kilometres away. Shute Harbour is the port for most of the Whitsunday islands which include Hayman Island, Hamilton Island, Daydream Island , Hook Island, South Molle Island and many more.

Getting there

If you are an overseas visitor you will have arrived somewhere else and travelled to the region by bus, rail, car or plane.

Greyhound and Premier Bus Company run services daily North from Brisbane and South from Cairns and Townsville.

It is possible to hire a car and travel on your own or in a group. Backpackers sometimes hire panel vans that are semi fitted as campers.

Queensland Rail has a line that runs from Brisbane to Cairns along the coast. Proserpine is the nearest station to Airlie Beach with buses making the final connection.

Jetstar, Virgin Blue and Qantas Link have daily flights to either Proserpine on the mainland or Hamilton Island which has its own airport.

Where to stay.

Airlie Beach is no longer a country town. It is a backpacker and independent traveller centre as well as the home to five star resorts on the mainland and on some islands.

It is pretty safe to say that there is no need to to book ahead. Everything from holiday apartments , caravan park cabins, tent sites, hostels, motels, youth hostels and hotels are all there. Rates can be expensive in main holiday seasons.

What to do at Airlie Beach

Daytime

Get up early. Just like most parts of Queensland ,the mornings in the Whitsundays are beautiful. Warm, clear, no wind and everything is fresh. The water is calm and there is a lot to see in the town and on the beach. A walk to the sailing club near the main street and then to the huge concrete sand lined lagoon on the foreshore walk take up an hour.

The morning weather is more comfortable from April to October. The Summer is hot and humid with a possibility of cyclones.

Later on in the mornings there are plenty of tourist options.

Float plane flights from the Airlie Airport to Whitehaven Beach and some other special locations are popular.

Dozens of huge ferries, yachts, barges and charter yachts congregate on the wharves at Shute Harbour each morning taking hundreds.. yes hundreds, of people on water activities or transfers to the numerous islands.

The choices here are amazing. Big catamarans take hundreds of people each trip while ex racing yachts take intimate groups on day and three day tours of the Whitsunday region.

Tour companies run day trips to beaches and wildlife sanctuaries and these can meet you at your accommodation.

The local bus company runs regular service to Proserpine Bus Terminal, the airport at Proserpine or the highway. Even catching the bus is full of delights for tourists. You pass dozens of accommodation places, clubs, resorts, shops and caravan parks. After one trip you have the "lay of the land" and can make informed choices about where to go and what to see in The Whitsundays.

Nighttime.

This little town does not sleep. The huge hostels are near to licensed premises and the odd ale or two is consumed over steak and seafood dinners in "food barns" that face the main street.

The tourists and locals themselves become the tourist attractions at night.

Generally things are under control but at the end of a long night on the town, some people are boisterous and are best avoided by crossing the street if possible.

As in any location where people are having fun and letting down their guard there are thieves. Use lockers and keep your bags close to you at all times.

Girls, watch your drinks. Buy your own is the best policy.

If open dining is not for you there are other options. The hotels near the lagoon part of town have restaurants serving all kings of food. No need to list them because there are all sorts and nobody will be disappointed.

Things to do for free

Walk along the wooden boardwalks around the point to the new marina on the way to Cannonvale where most people do their grocery shopping.
Sit on the rock wall and look at the dozens of yachts moored just off shore from Airlie Beach Village in the sheltered bay. Watching the "yachties" is a pastime in itself. There are all sorts from luxury yachts to makeshift houseboats.
Swim in the huge... - yes huge !- man made concrete pool that is about half the size of a football field. Surrounded by sand "beaches" and grassy spots to sunbake.The lagoon is probably the most popular place in town.
Walk along the main street. There is a lot to see and to buy.
Catch the regular commuter bus to Shute Harbour to watch the tourist boats come and go. Mornings are best and then the afternoons for the returnees. You will see many a girl from Ireland getting off a boat with a face like a cooked lobster claw.

Safety

Watch your possessions.
Don't hitch hike
Watch your drinks
Stay together
Do not swim alone... it is the ocean after all.

What to do after "Airlie".

Travel to one of the island resorts for a fully catered stay.
Head North to Cairns via Bowen, Townsville, Magnetic Island, and on the way do NOT pass the turn off to Etty Bay near Innisfail. It is a small cove where rain forest tumbles over granite boulders to meet the sea. There is a caravan park and that's about it.
Head South and call into Rockhampton, Mackay, Fraser Island and the Fraser Coast, The Sunshine Coast, Brisbane and The Gold Coast.

Summary

Airlie Beach is a "must see" location in Queensland. There is a "tourist trail" or "backpacker trail".
Independent travelers and organised tours for young people generally start in Sydney ( Bondi Beach ? ) and move to Byron Bay, The Gold Coast, Brisbane, Noose, Fraser Island and then Airlie.

It is a major tourist destination in Queensland.

If you have a lot of money it is a great place. If you are on a budget you will do different things but you will enjoy Airlie Beach and the Whitsundays. It is special.

- About the Author:

Greg Rogers run a string high profile information web sites.
For more of his work: GetAwayQueensland

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Accent on Queensland, Australia

Airlie Beach - The Whitsundays - Queensland - Australia

What to do at Airlie Beach

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