Mackay Shopping and Entertainment Guide

Overview of Whitsunday Region

Overview of Whitsunday towns
Airlie Beach	Whitsunday

The Whitsundays coast stretches hundreds of kilometres possessing some of the most beautiful coastal landscapes of Australia, including the Great Barrier Reef and the Whitsunday Islands.

The main access point for the islands is Airlie Beach, a small but lively town, popular with backpackers and tourists alike - where you can participate in everything from sailing to diving lessons. Each September it becomes the epicentre of activities during the Whitsundays Yacht race.

The Whitsunday Islands are a collection of 74 islands Their natural beauty is nothing short of remarkable, and yet they are not overrun with resorts. Whitsunday Island, home to the heavenly Whithaven Beach, is the largest of the Whitsundays. To maintain its beauty, It has only a campsite as the only form of accommodation.

Other islands include Hamilton Island, with its own airport and a wide range of entertainment including parasailing and helicopter rides. The Great Barrier Reef, accessible from virtually anywhere on the coast, is the world's largest living organism. Over 2300 kilometres long, it stretches from Bundaberg (Fraser Coast) up to the coast of Papua New Guinea. South of Cairns the Reef extends up to an incredible 325 kilometres out to sea! Visitors can view this phenomenon through glass bottomed boats, or by snorkelling or scuba diving, activities which are abundantly available. The Great Barrier Reef contains over 400 colourful varieties of coral, which in turn attracts an array of wildlife making it Australia's most beautiful tourist attraction.

The largest center of the region is Cairns - and is universally regarded as one of Australia's top tourist destinations. Offering a whole host of activities from bungee-jumping to white water rafting to reef trips, though you will have to go a little further north to find beaches.