Airlie Beach
Tucked away nicely between the turquoise sea and pine forests, with rolling hills providing a vivid backdrop,
the busy town of Airlie Beach serves as the main gateway to the popular Whitsunday Islands. It's become somewhat of a traveller's mecca where a string of lively cafes, pubs and clubs, packed into the relatively short stretch of Shute Harbour Road and the adjoining Esplanade, keep the place constantly buzzing with a vibrant atmosphere. While backpackers passing through Airlie Beach on their way to the Whitsundays take full advantage of the party vibe, the town is also a popular and convenient travel base for many holiday-makers and sailing enthusiasts. See our detailed Airlie Beach map. Things to See and Do
Airlie Beach itself only has a couple of small beaches but this is compensated for by the wonderful artificial Airlie Lagoon. The inviting open-air landscaped pool comes with showers and changing rooms and is located on the foreshore between Shute Harbour Road and the sea. On the eastern side of town, away from the hustle and bustle of Shute Harbour Road is Conway National Park. The area consists mostly of mountains and mangroves and has some excellent walking trails through rainforest. Activities The main activity at Airlie Beach is probably sailing through the Whitsundays and there are certainly plenty of cruises, yachts and boats to choose from around town, particularly at Abel Point Marina and Shute Harbour. Apart from sailing, you can also enrol for a dive course, indulge in some watersports, go on fishing charters, kayak around the Whitsundays or get the adrenaline juices flowing via tandem skydives or parasailing.
Getting to Airlie Beach
The closest mainland airport to Airlie Beach is the Whitsunday Coast Airport near the adjacent town of Proserpine. Ask your place of accommodation if they can arrange for transfers or just catch a bus by Whitsunday Transit and get off at one of the two stops on Shute Harbour Road. Hamilton Island also has its own airport and you can get to Shute Harbour in Airlie Beach by catching a ferry from Fantasea Cruises. Both airports at Proserpine and Hamilton Island service flights by Qantas, Virgin Blue and Jetstar to and from most of the major centres in Australia. To drive yourself to Airlie Beach, simply follow the Bruce Highway between Brisbane and Cairns and use the turn-off located approximately 1km north of Proserpine. Otherwise, Greyhound Australia has daily coach services to Airlie Beach with the long-distance bus stop located on the Esplanade just off Shute Harbour Road near the Airlie Beach Hotel. Alternatively, a range of trains serviced by Queensland Rail run regularly between Brisbane and Cairns to the Proserpine Railway Station. Getting to the Whitsunday Islands The Whitsunday Airport is a small airport located between Airlie Beach and Shute Harbour servicing flights by Air Whitsunday and Aviation Tourism Australia to and from the various Whitsunday Islands. Check their websites to see what your options are. To travel by boat, Fantasea Cruises runs ferries from Shute Harbour to Hamilton Island, Daydream Island and Long Island while a range of boats operate out of Abel Point Marina, offering cruises and trips out to the Whitsunday Islands as well as the Great Barrier Reef.
Tourist Information
For more information on Airlie Beach, Contact Us or the Airlie Beach Tourist Information Centre located at 277 Shute Harbour Road. The accredited Whitsundays Information Centre at Propserpine is also a good source of unbiased information.
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