Airlie Beach is the gateway to the Whitsundays, and an absolute MUST when doing your east coast road trip. Matt and I were unable to explore Airlie Beach to it’s fullest, but I sure did research some wicked things to do.
Explore Airlie Beach Township
Airlie is such a beautiful town. A lovely main street that backs onto a beautiful sandy bay, lined with palm trees. There’s plenty to have a look at, so don’t skip the town itself.
Stroll the main street – check out all the local shops, the fresh seafood restaurant and the bars (which are heavily influenced by either backpackers or yacht owners haha).
Saturday markets – check out the Airlie markets! Held every single Saturday, you’ll find some locally made jewelry, art and other fun things.
Swim at the lagoon – of course the ocean isn’t necessarily the safest place to have a swim, so a beautiful pool has been provided!
See the Whitsundays
Queue the sad faces – Matt and I couldn’t afford to do anything fancy during our time at Airlie Beach, but I sure did research! Here were my three top picks:
Let me know if you give it a go! I’d love to know what to do when we go back! Luckily I saw enough of Queensland’s beautiful blue waters on the Great Barrier Reef.
Explore the Region
There’s so much more to see away from the coast! Matt and I did some fishing at Lake Proserpine. It was such a beautiful place.
We also checked out a waterfall in Conway National Park, but they weren’t kidding when they said that the waterfalls were seasonal! Hot tip: don’t hit the waterfalls in dry season!
Where is Airlie Beach?
Airlie Beach is north of Mackay but south of Townsville, so the perfect stop on your east coast of Australia road trip! Be sure to add it on to your itinerary.
