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Tourist Attractions - Abel Point Marina, Great Walks, Hook Island & More

Whitsundays Tourist Attractions

You'll never be bored while visiting the Whitsundays, with a whole range of tourist attractions that will suit everyone. You can snorkel or scuba the beautiful coral reefs and discover a kaleidoscope of fish in their natural habitat.

Many people love to charter yachts, motor cruises or catamarans around the Whitsundays so you can set sail and skipper yourself or hire a crew to do all the work for you.

There’s plane rides so you can get a great view from up high or watch the scenery pass you by as you kayak your way around the islands.

At your resort you’ll find all sorts of water sports for all age groups and abilities.

The Whitsundays is blessed with stunning natural beauty, from islands and reef, to rainforest and sandy coastlines.  No matter where you stay, you’ll enjoy the five star natural beauty of the region. If you want to take things down a notch you can lie in a hammock with your book and a view of the coral sea or sunbathe on a beautiful white sandy beach. You can be as active or as lazy as you want, it’s your holiday! Major tourist attractions in the Whitsundays are listed below - if you know of any that should be here and aren't, please let us know.

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Whitsundays Tourist Attractions

Abel Point MarinaAbel Point Marina

Shingley Drive Airlie Beach
Phone: (07) 4946 2400
Website: www.abelpointmarina.com.au

Abel Point Marina is the largest marina in North Queensland and is a major gateway to the Whitsundays. With the current upgrades taking place, the Marina is offering more and more state of the art facilities and luxury conveniences.

If you’re visiting the Whitsundays for a holiday you’ll find plenty of boat charters, reef cruises, island hoppers, diving trips and even jetski tours departing every day. And for those visiting in their own boat or yacht, there are plenty of berthing, boat repairs, cleaning, supplies and rigging services on offer. Basically, the Abel Point Marina is where just about any Whitsundays holiday really begins.

While you’re on the Marina you should definitely try some of the local seafood in the cafes & restaurants on hand. Whether you’re after a quiet drink, light snack or a gourmet feast, you’ll be able to enjoy serene views of the boats on the water as you dine.

Airlie Beach LagoonAirlie Beach Lagoon

Main Street Airlie Beach
Phone: (07) 4945 3711
Website: www.tourismwhitsundays.com.au

Ideally situated in the centre of Airlie Beach, the Airlie Beach Lagoon is a man-made saltwater swimming lagoon that even includes its own sandy beach. This is where you can enjoy laying on the beach in the tropical Queensland sun, free from the risk of stingers. There’s no admission fee and the lagoon is patrolled so you can enjoy a safe day at the beach.

With shallows that get deeper as you swim out, a children’s pool, grassy knolls and landscaped gardens, there’s something for the whole family to enjoy.

Hook Island Underwater Observatory and PeirHook Island

Hook Island Whitsunday Islands
Phone: (07) 4946 9380 

Hook Island is made up of 58 square kilometres of National Park. The island is fringed with diving reefs and you can walk straight into the ocean and snorkel. However, if you'd like to explore the waters below while remaining dry you can hop on board the Semi-Submersible which seats 52 people.

Take a picnic and go for a walk through the forest, kayak around the island, play a game of beach volley ball or do nothing at all and relax. There's a cafe overlooking the beachside pool that's open from breakfast through to dinner. The Barefoot Bar is open to guests as well as visitors, and serves from midday onwards.

You can even camp on the island for a truly wilderness experience, discovering the several Aboriginal cave shelters on the walking tracks, and the historical observatory that takes you nine metres below sea level for a look at the coral and marine life surrounding the island.

The Big Mango

Bruce Highway, Mount Gordon
Phone: (07) 4786 4222

It's well worth taking a visit to The Big Mango just to take your picture with this iconic, supersized fruit and to pick up the locally made Mango Ice Cream. Located about 4km south of Bowen, the town that was responsible for naming the delicious Bowen Mango.

It sits beside the Bowen Visitor Information Centre where the friendly staff are always happy to help you with brochures and ideas for things to do in the area. Most importantly, they sell a variety of Mango themed souvenirs, including delicious, freshly picked Bowen Mangos

Whitehaven beachWhitehaven Beach

Whitsunday Island
Website: www.tourismwhitsundays.com.au

Stretching over seven kilometres, Whitehaven Beach is a living postcard of North Queensland. With its crystal clear waters and perfectly white sand, this island beach provides the perfect escape where you can really relax.

One of the most beautiful and photographed beaches in Australia, Whitehaven Beach always has scenic flights and boat trips taking tourist out to see the breathtaking views. Spend your day walking along the shore as the waters change through a stunning fusion of colours, or hike up to the lookout at Tongue Point for a full view of the bay.

If you want more than just a day trip there is the option to anchor overnight off the beach or even book a National Park campsite on the southern end of the beach itself. It’s an experience you’re not likely to forget.

Great Barrier ReefGreat Barrier Reef

An absolute 'must see' when visiting the Whitsundays and Northern Queensland, visitors can take in a cruise, go snorkelling, scuba diving, coral exploring or take in the views of the Reef from above on a scenic flight - there are plenty of ways to enjoy the Great Barrier Reef!

The world’s largest living structure, the World Heritage listed Great Barrier Reef is just a short trip from the Whitsunday Coast and islands. Many people from around the world dream of one day seeing the magical, naturally romantic formation of Heart Reef from the air, and scuba diving at the Great Barrier Reef is the ideal place to do it.

There's a huge range of options when it comes to diving on the reef. Choose from scuba diving trips to snorkelling above or even hopping on board a glass bottomed boat to enjoy the reef in comfort.

aerial of the whitsunday islandWhitsunday Great Walk

Conway State Forest, Whitsundays
Phone: 131 304
Website: www.nprsr.qld.gov.au

Head away from the coast and enjoy a different kind of Whitsunday's experience as you take on the Whitsunday Great Walk. The walk begins at Brandy Creek and winds its way through Conway National Park, Conway State Forest and ending at Airlie Beach.

All up the walk is a 30 kilometre trek through some of the best tropical rainforests in North Queensland. There are four walk-in camping spots along the way so it really is a great treat.

Whitsundays Indigenous History

Ngaro Sea Trail Map
Ngaro Sea Trail Information Fact Sheet

The Ngaro people are the traditional owners of the Whitsundays area and knew both the islands & waterways of the region well. You can follow in their footsteps by following the Ngaro Sea Trail. You'll traverse Hook Island, Whitsunday Island and South Mole Island following a course that takes you by land and sea.

The Ngaro Sea Trail highlights many iconic features that have made the area famous throughout history, taking travellers on a scenic journey over pure white sands and turquoisewaters, past ancient rock art, rugged headlands, through rainforests, rolling grasslands and up to breathtaking views.

Have a look at the sea trail map to decide whether you want to tackle the whole course or just try some of the smaller sections of the tour.