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Whitsunday and the Whitsunday Islands
Whitsunday and Whitsunday Islands encompass the large 'town' of Whitsunday (which includes the mainland settlements of Airlie Beach,Cannonvale and Shute Harbour) and the Whitsunday Islands which include 74 islands off the Central Queensland coast of which the most popular ones are
The Whitsundays has the delights of the Great Barrier Reef, the warmth of the tropics, and a range of activities from bushwalking to scuba diving. It also has a diversity of accommodation from backpackers to luxury hotels.
The islands are synonymous with beauty and paradise. They epitomise tropical sun, having a really good relaxing holiday, perfect tropical blue seas, stunning sunsets, good food and wine. Like the Gold Coast, the Whitsundays has become a collection of sleepy little villages and holiday resorts.
Oof 74 islands, only 7 have resort facilities. The whole area is part of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and the uninhabited islands are all controlled by National Parks and Wildlife.
It is possible to visit the uninhabited islands by charter boat, private boat or water taxi. However, you will need to obtain a camping permits from the National Parks Office if you are intending to stay the night.
Many of the smaller islands have no paths or tracks and exploration is often restricted to walking around the beaches and rocky points. The largest island in the group, Whitsunday, has a walking track which connects Sawmill Bay with Dugong Beach. Sawmill Bay was named after the sawmill which was established on the island at the end of the 1800s. For many years, there was an active timber industry on the island and it is still possible to see the remains of the saw mill.
Tourist Attractions
Billabong Sanctuary
Billabong Sanctuary is located 250 km north of Whitsunday and only 17 km south of Townsville (20 minutes drive) on the Bruce Highway. Open every day, from 8.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m, it offers a comprehensive range of facilities including a billabong which is an ideal venue for picnic lunches. The Blinky Bill Cafe also has snacks and meals available.
The sanctuary is home to varied Australian fauna including the Black swan, Cape Barron Goose, Magpie Goose, Sulphur Crested Cockatoo, Galah, Australian Brush Turkey, Emu, Cassowary, Kookaburra, Red Winged Parrot, Purple Crowned Lorikeet, Hooded Parrot, Masked Owl, Southern Boo-book Owl and Wedge Tailed Eagle. It has a huge range of reptiles including pythons, saltwater and freshwater crocodiles, lizards, monitors, beaded dragons, taipans, death adders and turtles. The mammals in the sanctuary include Red and Eastern Grey Kangaroos, Bettongs, Echidnas, Possums, Flying Foxes, Wombats, Koalas, Gliders, Quolls, Pademelons, Ring-tail Possums and Brush-tailed Phascogale.
The sanctuary's facilities include hands on exhibits for the children, a swimming pool, guided tours of the animals, nocturnal walks, and extensive picnic and barbecue facilities. It also reproduces some of Australia's major habitats; eucalyptus forest, rainforest and wetlands in a single location
Cannonvale
This is a holiday retreat which is close to the main centre of Airlie Beach. It is a popular haunt for locals being slightly removed from the hustle and bustle of Airlie Beach and Shute Harbour.
Cannonvale has a molten volcanic rock formation at the end of Cannonvale Beach which gives an insight into how the area was geologically created.
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