The Whitsundays & Mackay are mid-way up the Queensland coast and are home to 74 islands just waiting for you to explore.
Protected by the Great Barrier Reef the waters are a haven for sailing holidaymakers and Island hoppers.
Airlie Beach is the main town of the Whitsundays and is the perfect start and finish to your Whitsunday adventure.
Mackay is a little closer to Brisbane and has direct flights. It is a popular spot for fishing charter and Barrier Reef experiences.
Getting to the Whitsundays
The Whitsundays has two airports that offer flights from Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Melbourne and Sydney. Brisbane offers the best range of connecting flights to the region. The two airports that service The Whitsundays on a daily basis are Great Barrier Reef Airport, Hamilton Island (HTI) and Whitsunday Coast Airport, Proserpine (PPP).
Great Barrier Reef Airport is located on Hamilton Island and is serviced by Qantas, Virgin Australia and Jetstar. Cruise Whitsundays operates ferries from Hamilton Island to transfer passengers to Airlie Beach and other island resorts. Whitsunday Coast Airport is approximately 40 minutes from Airlie Beach. The airport is serviced by four domestic carriers: Qantas, Skytrans, Virgin Australia and Jetstar. Buses and taxis meet every flight to transfer guests to Airlie Beach or to ferries bound to the island resorts. Car hire is also available at the airport.
Queensland Rail services include the Spirit of Queensland, linking Proserpine to all the major destinations from Cairns to Brisbane and beyond to Sydney and Melbourne. Taxis and Whitsunday Transit buses meet every arriving train to provide transfers from Proserpine to Airlie Beach, Shute Harbour and the island resorts. Coach transfers between Proserpine and Airlie Beach are included in rail travel passes.
Source: Getting To The Whitsundays | Tourism Whitsundays – The Whitsundays
