Airlie Beach, an Australian resort town on Queensland’s Whitsunday Coast, it is a gateway to the Whitsunday Islands and the Great Barrier Reef. The Airlie Beach Lagoon is a man-made swimming area with a family-friendly beach and park. Airlie Beach and the nearby Whitsunday Islands enjoy a tropical climate. The Whitsunday Islands, were named by James Cook in 1770 as a sailors’ paradise. Cook named the islands as he believed he passed through the area on the Christian festival day of Whit Sunday. 

Population: 1.208 people (2016)

Language: The official language is English 

Currency: The national currency is the Australian dollar (sign: $; code: AUD). ATMs are available in the city center area. Visa and MasterCard are widely accepted.

 Places of Interest…

Airlie Beach Lagoon – One of the most popular attractions in Airlie Beach. The Airlie Beach Lagoon is a great way to cool off and relax. The lagoon is open to the public all day every day and provides great fun for all ages. 

The Airlie Creek Track – The Airlie Creek Track slowly winds up the hill behind Airlie Beach along a gravel path, featuring rare flora and fauna such as the Whitsunday Bottle Tree and the endangered Proserpine Rock Wallaby which are only found in this region. The track winds you through tranquil forest which is home to magnificent fig trees, subtropical plants, beautiful native birds and ends up at scenic natural rock pools. The walk back offers views of the beautiful blue Coral Sea and Whitsunday Islands with leafy frames. 

Whitehaven Beach – Whitehaven Beach is considered by many to be the most beautiful beach on earth. Its sand is 98 per cent silica, and so white that it can appear unreal. It is on the uninhabited Whitsunday Island, and only accessible by seaplane, helicopter or boat. Don’t miss Hill Inlet at the northern end of Whitehaven Beach. It’s a stunning, shallow inlet where the shifting tide creates a beautiful fusion of white sand and aqua water.

Great Barrier Reef – One of Australia’s most remarkable natural gifts, the Great Barrier Reef is blessed with the breath-taking beauty of the world’s largest coral reef. The reef contains an abundance of marine life and comprises of over 3000 individual reef systems and coral cays and literally hundreds of picturesque tropical islands with some of the world´s most beautiful sun-soaked, golden beaches. Because of its natural beauty, the Great Barrier Reef has become one of the world’s most sought after tourist destinations.   

The masked lapwing

Visited this place February 28, 2023.