Climate
Average temperatures: January max 31C (88F) - min 22C (72F); July max 23C
(73F) - min 10C (50F). Average annual rainfall - 1672mm (66 ins), with
over 1000mm (39 ins) falling ÊJanuary-March. The driest months are June-November.
Characteristics
Mackay is surrounded by miles and miles of sugarcane fields, which give
the city its title of Sugar Capital of Australia. The district produces
about one-third of Australia's total sugar crop, which is exported through
the Port of Mackay. Tram tracks meander through the fields, for the miniature
engines that transport the cane to one of the seven sugar mills in the
district. In some places the fields are torched between June and December,
just before harvesting, and the night skies turn red with the reflections
from the fires. These days this method is more frequently replaced by
'green harvesting', which involves cutting rather than burning. See under
Points of Interest for details of a sugar farm tour.
North-east of Mackay, just off the coast from Shute Harbour, is the Whitsunday
Group of Islands containing some of the most popular of the resort islands
of the Great Barrier Reef. Although these islands are not coral cays, the
scenery is similar to those featuring in your dreams of lazing on a palm-fringed
beach on a tropical island. The beautiful Eungella National Park, 84km
inland from Mackay, has graded tracks leading through rainforest to waterfalls
and cool pools (see separate listing).
How to Get There By Air
The Qantas regional airlines of Airlink and Sunstate service Mackay, Ê131
313.
By Bus
Greyhound Pioneer, 13 2030, stops at Mackay on its Brisbane/Cairns route.
McCaffertys, 13 1499, also operates a Brisbane/Mackay service which takes
the inland route from Rockhampton.
By Rail
Queensland Rail Travel Trains operate The Sunlander, The Queens-lander
and The Spirit of Tropics from Brisbane throughout the week, contact 13
2235.
The number for the Mackay Railway Station is 4952 7418.
By Road
From Brisbane, via the Bruce Highway, 975km (606 miles).
Mackay is 1079km (670 miles) south of Cairns.
Visitor Information
Mackay Tourism and Development Bureau Ltd is in 'The Mill', 320 Nebo Road,
4952 2677, and they are open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, Sat-Sun 9am-4pm. Their
email is mtdb@mackay.net.au
Local Transport Car Hire
The following companies operate in the area.
Avis, Mackay Airport, 4951 1266.
AAA Rental-U-Drive, 6 Endevour Street, 4957 5606.
Budget Rent-A-Car, 19B Juliet Street, 4951 1400
Thrifty Car Rental, 3 Mangrove Road, 4957 3677.
Mackay Economy Rentals, 139 Sydney Street, 4953 1616.
Hertz Rentals, Mackay Airport, 4951 4685.
Network Rentals, 196 Victoria Street, 4953 1022
Cut Rate Rentals, 105 Alfred Street, 4953 1616
Public Transport Buses service the Mackay area on weekdays only, not on public holidays,
4957 8416 for timetable information from Mackay City Buses.
Taxis
Taxi Transit, Victoria Street, 4951 4990.
Mackay Taxis, Victoria Street, 13 1008.
Accommodation
Mackay has a wide range of accommodation, from international resort hotels
and motels, to caravan parks and camping grounds. Here is a selection
with prices for a double room per night, which should be used as a guide
only. The telephone area code is 07.
Ocean International Hotel, 1 Bridge Street, 4957 2044. 46 rooms, licensed
restaurant, swimming pool, spa, sauna, putting green, barbecue - $165-265.
Mercure Inn Mackay, 166 Nebo Road, 4951 1555. 34 units, 2 suites, licensed
restaurant, undercover parking, pool - $130.
Marco Polo Motel, 46 Nebo Road, 4951 2700. 30 units, licensed restaurant,
swimming pool, spa, sauna, gym - $100.
Shakespeare International, 309 Shakespeare Street, 4953 1111. 37 units,
17 suites, licensed restaurant, swimming pool, spa, bar-becue - $100.
White Lace Motor Inn, 73 Nebo Road, 4951 4466. 36 units, licensed restaurant,
swimming pool, spa - $90-120.
Sugar City, 66 Nebo Road, 4968 4150 or 1800 645 525 (toll free). 21 units,
barbecue, licensed restaurant, playground, room service, car parking, pool
- $75-90.
Alara Motor Inn, 52 Nebo Road, 4951 2699. 34 units, licensed restaurant,
swimming pool, spa, sauna - $85-100.
Ocean Resort Village, 5 Bridge Street, 4951 3200 or 1800 075 144 (toll
free). 34 units, kiosk, tennis half- court, undercover parking, 2 pools
- $80.
Coral Sands Motel, 44 MacAlister Street, 4951 1244. 46 units, 2 suites,
licensed restaurant (closed Sun), swimming pool, sauna, barbecue - $70-75.
Country Plaza Motor Inn, 40 Nebo Road, 4957 6526. 38 units, licensed restaurant,
undercover parking, pool, spa - $75-80.
Paradise Lodge Motel, 19 Peel Street, 4951 3644. 12 units, undercover parking
- $60-65.
Pioneer Villa, 30 Nebo Road, 4951 1288. 18 units, licensed re-staurant,
swimming pool, barbecue - $65.
Hi Way Units, Nebo Road, cnr Webberley Street, 4952 1800. 7 units, undercover
parking, swimming pool - $50.
Bona Vista Motel, cnr Malcomson Street & Norris Road, 4942 2211. 18
units, licensed restaurant, swimming pool, barbecue - $45-55.
Boomerang, South Nebo Road, 4952 1755. 23 units, unlicensed restaurant,
playground, pool - $40-45.
Budget Accommodation
The places listed below offer double rooms at less than $50 per night:
Mackay Townhouse, 73 Victoria Street, 4957 6985.
International Lodge, 40 MacAlister Street, 4951 1022.
Austral Hotel, 189 Victoria Street, 4951 3288.
Taylors Hotel, cnr Wood & Alfred Streets, 4957 2500.
There is a Youth Hostel at 32 Peel Street, 4951 3728. 6 rooms at $19 per
person twin share.
Northern Beaches
Approximately 15 minutes drive north of Mackay.
Dolphin Heads Resort, Beach Road, Dolphin Heads, 4954 9666 or 1800 075
088 (free call). 2 units, licensed restaurant, swimming pool and spa, tennis
court - $165.
Ko Huna Beach, Homestead Bay Avenue, Bucasia, 5954 8555 or 1800 075 128
(toll free). 60 units, 2 licensed restaurants, swimming pool and spa, mini
golf, tennis, watersport activities - Ê$98-130.
The Shores, 9 Pacific Drive, Blacks Beach, 4954 9444. 36 units, cooking
facilities, undercover parking, 2 swimming pools, spa, tennis court - $85-145.
Blue Pacific Village, 24 Bourke Street, Blacks Beach, 4954 9090. 38 units,
licensed restaurant, barbecue, playground, undercover parking, cooking
facilities, swimming pool, half-court tennis, heated pool, spa - $83-130.
Pacific Palms Beachfront Units, Symons Avenue, Bucasia Beach, 4954 6277.
6 units, cooking facilities, swimming pool, undercover parking - $62-69.
La Solana, 15 Pacific Drive, Blacks Beach, 4954 9544. 12 units, barbecue,
playground, cooking facilities, swimming pool, half-court tennis - $55-85.
Tropic Heart Units, 64 Waverley Street, Bucasia, 4954 6965. 7 units, barbecue,
undercover parking, cooking facilities, swimming pool - $44-65.
Hibiscus Coast
Approximately 40-45 minutes drive north of Mackay
See under Cape Hillsborough and Halliday Bay, which have separate listings.
Sarina
Approximately 30 minutes drive south of Mackay.
Sarina Motor Inn, Bruce Highway, 4943 1431 or 1800 248 087. 16 units, licensed
restaurant, undercover parking, room service, pool - $50-60.
Tramway, 110 Broad Street, 4956 2244. 12 units, cooking facilities, playground,
undercover parking, pool - $48-60.
Tandara, Broad Street, 4956 1323. 15 units, licensed restaurant, undercover
parking - $42-45.
Caravan Parks
Beach Tourist Park, 8 Petrie Street, Illawong Beach, 4957 4021 or 1800
645 111 (tollfree). (No pets allowed) 150 sites, playground, kiosk, pool
- powered sites $21 for two, villas $55-60, units $70 for two.
Andergrove Caravan Park, Beaconsfield Road, Andergrove, 4942 4922. (Pets
allowed on application) 160 sites, barbecue, playground, pool - powered
sites $18 for two, on-site vans $35 for two, cabins $45 for two.
Tropical Caravan Park Melanesian Village, Bruce Highway, 4952 1211. (Pets
allowed on application) 170 sites, barbecue, playground, kiosk, pool -
powered sites $19 for two, on-site vans $28 for two, villas $55-60 for
two, units $45 for two.
Premier Van Park, 152 Nebo Road, 4957 6976. (No pets allowed) 42 sites,
barbecue, kiosk pool - powered sites $14 for two, cabins $30-35 for two.
Eating Out
Most of the motels have licensed restaurants, and many hotels serve inexpensive
counter meals. Here are a few restaurants that you might like to try:
Pippi's Italian Restaurant, cnr Palmer & Grendon Streets, 4951 1376.
BYO, Italian & Mediterranean, open Tues-Sat from 5.30pm.
Romeo & Juliet's Restaurant, 309 Shakespeare Street, 4953 1111. Licensed,
a la carte - fresh local produce and fine Aussie wines are the specialties.
Open nightly from 6.30pm.
The Beachhouse Seafood Restaurant, 2 Ocean Avenue, Slade Point, 4955 4733.
Metres from the water's edge. Generous platters and Live Mud Crab Tank.
Open for dinner seven nights, lunch Thursday, Friday and Sunday.
Valencia Restaurant, 44 MacAlister Street, at the Coral Sands Motel, 4951
1244. Licensed, a la carte, piano bar - open for dinner from 6.30pm, and
for lunch Mon-Fri.
Toong Tong Thai Restaurant, 10 Sydney Street, Mackay, 4957 8051. Dinner
7 days from 5.30pm, lunch Mon-Fri 11.30am-2.30pm.
McDonald's is at the corner of Hicks Road and the Bruce Highway, 4942 3999.
Pizza Hut has a free delivery service Mon-Thurs 4-11pm, Fri-Sun noon-11pm,
4957 2481.
Entertainment
If you fancy seeing a movie, head for the cinema complex in Gordon Street,
4957 3515. For some live entertainment contact the Mackay Entertainment
Centre, also in Gordon Street, 4957 1757 or 1800 646 574, to find out
about current shows.
The Conservatorium of Music, 418 Shakespeare Street, has regular classical
and jazz concerts, often featuring overseas artists, 4957 3727.
For night owls, there are a few night clubs where you can dance to the
wee small hours:
Whitz End, The Whitsunday Hotel, 176 Victoria Street, 4957 2811.
The Blue Moose Nightclub, 144 Victoria Street, 4951 2611. hOpen Wed-Sun
nights.
The Balcony, 144 Victoria Street, 4957 2241.
Katie O'Reilly's Irish Bar & Restaurant, 38 Sydney Street, 4953 3522.
The Saloon Bar, 99 Victoria Street, 4957 7220.
If you are in town on a Thursday night you might like to go to the greyhound
racing at the Mackay Showground in Milton Street, 4951 1680.
Shopping
Centrepoint Shopping Centre, 4957 2229, is in Victoria Street, in the heart
of the city, where you will also find some good street shopping.
Caneland Shoppingtown, 4951 3311, is in Mangrove Road.
Mt Pleasant Shopping Centre, Phillip Street, North Mackay, is more convenient
for those staying to the north of the city.
Weekend markets are held as follows:
The Foundry Markets on Harbour Road - hThursday, Sat-Sun 8am-4pm.
Mackay Showground Markets in Milton Road - hSat 8am-1pm.
Victoria Street Markets - hSun 8.30am-12.30pm.
On the first Sunday of every month Paxtons Markets are held in River Street
h9am-1pm, and on most long weekends the Eungella Markets are staged at
Dalrymple Heights Oval.
Arts & Crafts
Pioneer Potters in Swayne Street, North Mackay, 4957 6255, has a good selection
of handmade local pottery and sculpture. It is open Wed and Sat 10am-4pm.
The Beach Pottery, 6 Blacks Beach Road, Blacks Beach, offers functional
stoneware pottery by local potters. It is hopen Mon-Thurs 10am-5pm, and
weekends by arrangement.
Bucasia Gardens and Gifts, Bucasia Road, about ten minutes drive past Mt
Pleasant Shopping Centre, has a wide selection of local pottery, crafts,
dried flowers and giftware. It is open daily 9.30am-5pm, 4954 8134, and
also has a coffee shop, plants and pots.
Homebush Store Pottery & Craft Gallery is situated 26km south-west
of Mackay in an historic building, Sunnyside Road. Opening in the early
1900 as the local store for the people of Homebush and surrounding areas,
it has now been restored and is operated as a pottery workshop. Also available
are works of art, fibre arts, woodturned objects, hand painted T-shirts
and handmade cane baskets. The Gallery is open Fri-Tues 9am-5pm, 4959 7339.
Points of Interest
John Mackay discovered the Pioneer River Valley in 1860, but he named the
river the Mackay. He returned with stock and registered "Greenmount" the
first pastoral run in the district in 1862. Others followed and the settlement
was named Mackay in his honour. The river's name, however, had to be
changed to Pioneer because there was already a Mackay River.
It was only a few years before sugar became the main industry, pioneered
by the efforts of John Spiller, T. Henry Fitzgerald and John Ewen Davidson.
Nowadays Mackay Harbour is home to the world's largest bulk sugar terminal.
The port for Mackay was originally on the river, but because of the enormous
tides (around 6.5m), a new port was built on the coast.
Tourism Mackay have put together a City Walking Tour that visits the historic
buildings, including the Police Station (1885), Court House, Commonwealth
Bank (1880), Town Hall (1912), Holy Trinity Church, Masonic Temple, National
Bank, Mercury Building, Pioneer Shire Chambers, Post Office and Customs
House (1901).
The closest beach to the city is Harbour Beach, on the southern side of
the outer harbour wall. It has a children's playground, toilets and shady
picnic areas, and is patrolled during summer by the Mackay Surf Club.
Queen's Park Orchid House, cnr Gordon & Goldsmith Streets, has an excellent
display of native and foreign orchids.
Illawong Fauna Sanctuary, at Illawong Beach, 4km from Mackay centre, is
a beachfront family recreation area amid tropical land-scaping. There are
kangaroos roaming free, a swimming pool, trampoline, video games and full
catering facilities, as well as crocodiles (not roaming free). Feeding
times are 9am, 11.30am and 3.30pm. For further information, 4959 1777.
The sanctuary is open 9am-6pm daily, and until 10pm on Friday night.
You can get a good panoramic view of the city and the countryside from
the Mt Oscar Lookout in Norris Road, North Mackay.
Tours of the Racecourse Sugar Mill, Peak Downs Highway, are conducted during
the crushing season, from June to November, 4953 8276 for more information.
Polstone Sugar Farm Tours, Masotti's Road, Homebush, adjacent to Orchid
Way, conduct a 2 hour tour covering the history, equipment and process
of growing and preparing sugar cane for the mill. Costs, including refreshments,
are $15 adults and $8 children, 4959 7298.
North of Mackay are several popular beach resorts.
Blacks Beach is approximately 6km in length, and is probably the best beach
in the area for swimming and fishing. Bucasia and Eimeo beaches are in
the semi-rural area, about a 10 minute drive north of Mackay, and are long
sandy beaches that are safe for swimming and have good play areas for kids.
They also offer good views of the countryside and off-shore islands.
Beaches
Illawong (Far Beach) and Iluka (Town Beach) offer views of Flat and Round
Top Islands and Dalrymple Bay/Hay Point coal loading terminal.
Harbour Beach has a surf lifesaving patrol, toilets, adventure playground
and picnic area.
Lamberts Beach has a lookout that provides island views.
Blacks Beach is a long secluded beach with picnic facilities.
Dolphin Heads has accommodation available.
Eimeo Beach has a small picnic area next to an avenue of century old mango
trees.
Sunset Beach has a shaded foreshore picnic area.
Bucasia Beach has a summer swimming enclosure, picnic area and views to
Dolphin Heads and islands.
Shoal Point Beach has a picnic area, toilets and lookout.
The Esplanade offers views of islands, Cape Hillsborough and Hibiscus Coast,
and there is a causeway to Little Green Island. South of Mackay
Twenty-five kilometres south of Mackay, at Hay Point, is the Dalrymple
Bay Coal Terminal Complex, the largest coal export facility in the southern
hemisphere. The wharves stretch 3.8km out to sea, and coal trains up to
2km long arrive at the port daily. The Port Administration Building has
recorded information and a viewing platform, 4943 8444.
The Big Prawn is at Lot 1, Grasstree Beach Road, Grasstree Beach, and is
the only commercial hatchery in Australia that is open to the public.
The sugar town of Sarina is 37km south of Mackay. It has a population of
around 9,000, some picturesque scenery, and some excellent beaches. (See
also separate listing.)
Cape Palmerston National Park is 80km south of Mackay and has 4WD only
access. It offers long sandy beaches, palm forests, fresh-water lagoons
and large stands of melaleuca. Attractions include Ince Bay to the north,
Temple Island and the volcanic plug of Mt Funnel. There is camping, but
facilities are very basic.
Beaches
Campwin Beach, 8.5km from Sarina, is home to a rich fishing and prawning
industry. Boat launching and mooring facilities are available and there
is easy access to nearby islands.
Armstrong Beach is 9.5km from Sarina and has a picnic and camping, and
an orchid nursery that is open by appointment only.
Sarina Beach, 13km from Sarina, has a picnic area, store, boat ramp, and
a surf lifesaving patrol. Coral Lookout is at the southern end of the beach.
Grasstree Beach, 13km from Sarina, has a picnic area and boat ramp in a
wide sheltered bay.
Salonika Beach, 24km from Sarina, is a quiet sandy beach with an inland
lagoon teeming with birdlife.
Halftide Beach, 28km from Sarina, is home to the Tug Boat Harbour that
services Hay Point Coal Terminal.
North of Mackay
Cape Hillsborough National Park, 45km (28 miles) north-east of Mackay,
covers 830ha and features a variety of vegetation, elevated lookouts and
peaceful beaches. It is not unusual to see a couple of kangaroos lazing
on the beach undisturbed by humans doing the same thing.
Cathu State Forest is 70km (44 miles) north of Mackay. Drive along the
Bruce Highway to 3km north of Yalboroo, turn left and continue for 12km
(8 miles) along the gravel road to the Forestry Office. Within the forest
is the Jaxut State Forest Park which has shaded picnic areas with friendly
kangaroos, camping facilities and toilets.
Midge Point is reached by turning right off the Bruce Highway at Bloomsbury,
and travelling 18km through the Condor Hill to the village of Midgetown.
Named after a small survey vessel, the Midge, in the early 1920s, this
area has been 'discovered' by developers, and has become a tourist destination.
Beaches
Roughly 25km north of Mackay, turn right onto Seaforth Road then travel
20km to the Hibiscus Coast. This includes the beachside settlements of
Seaforth, Halliday Bay, Ball Bay and Cape Hillsborough. These beaches are
all nesting sites for green and flatback turtles who lay their eggs during
the three month period from October each year. The baby turtles hatch between
late January and early April.
Halliday Bay has a sandy beach swimming enclosure, accommodation and a
restaurant. It is reached from Cape Hillsborough Road.
Seaforth is 48km north-east of Mackay, and offers camping and picnic facilities
overlooking the beach.
Belmunda Bay is reached by turning right about 5km along the Cape Hillsborough
Road. The bay has secluded beaches with several fishing shacks. After rain
has fallen, the nearby freshwater lakes are visited by crowds of water
birds, including the brolga.
Festivals
The Sugartime Festival is held in the first week in September each year.
Sports
Golf
There are three golf courses within 40km of Mackay city:
Mackay Golf Club, Bucasia Road, Mackay, 4942 1362.
The Valley Golf Club, Leichhardt Street, Mirani, 4959 1277.
Sarina Golf Club, Golf Links Road, Sarina, 4956 1761.
Swimming
The Memorial Swimming Pool, Milton Street, is near Caneland Shopping Centre.
It is open Tues, Thurs and Fri 5am-8.45pm, Wed, Sat and Sun 5am-6pm (closed
June and early July).
Whitsunday Waterworld, Harbour Road, Mackay, 4955 6466, is a complex with
waterslides, mini golf, pinball, video machines and kiosk. It is open Sat-Sun
and school holidays 10am-10pm.
Indoor Sports
BG's Sports Centre on the Bruce Highway south of the City Gates, is one
of the largest indoor recreational and fitness centres in Australia. It
offers tenpin bowling, roller skating, squash and many other sports, 4952
1509. It is open daily 9am-midnight.
Diving
The Diver Training Centre, 4955 4228, has a dive shop by the sea next to
the departure point for Roylen Cruises, where you can hire snorkel and
scuba gear. They also have 5-day dive courses.
Barnes Reefdiving, 153 Victoria Street, 4951 1472, offer diving trips to
the Great Barrier Reef on Mon, Wed and Fri; Reef and Wreck Dive Trips on
Tues; and Island Dive Trips on Thurs.
Mackay Diving, 1 Mangrove Road, 4951 1640, also offer gear hire and diving
lessons.
Tours and Cruises
Natural North Discovery Tours, 11 Rafelo Drive, Farleigh, 4952 2677 or
4959 8360. Eungella National Park Tour - daily - 10 hours duration -
$80 adults, $55 children and $230 for families.
The Great Barrier Reef can be reached from Mackay by sea and air. Credlin
Reef, one of the 2100 reefs that make up this coral colony, is only 2 to
3 hours from Mackay Harbour by high speed catamaran. There is a shaded
pontoon, underwater viewing area and a seasub that make for excellent snorkelling,
scuba diving and coral viewing.
Bushy Atoll, a half-hour seaplane flight from Mackay airport, is the only
quay on the entire Reef to have an enclosed lagoon.
Elizabeth E II Coral Cruises, 102 Goldsmith Street, Mackay, 4957 4281,
offer trips from two to 21 days aboard their specially built monohull dive
and fishing boat, Elizabeth E II. The boat is stabilised and has the latest
navigation aids, as well as 240v throughout and a 110v charging system.
Accommodation for 12 to 28 passengers are in one double, 12 twin and two
triple berths with en-suite facilities and unlimited fresh water. All meals
are chef-prepared and snacks, weights, air and tanks are included in the
charter costs.
Mackay Adventure Cruises, 320 Nebo Road, 4952 2677. High-speed catamaran
transport to the Credlin Reef pontoon for coral viewing.
Whitsunday Dreamer, 4946 6611. Snorkelling and fishing. Stopovers to Daydream
Island, Long Island and Sun Lovers coral reef.
Roylen Cruises, Harbour Road, 4955 3066, have daily cruises to Brampton
Island; Sat, Sun & Wed cruises to Lindeman and Hamilton Islands; Mon,
Wed & Fri cruises to Credlin Reef; and 5-day luxury cruises through
the Whitsunday Islands and to the Great Barrier Reef, all departing from
the outer harbour. The 5-day cruise departs every Monday 1pm and returns
Friday 4pm.
Scenic Flights
Horizon Airways, Casey Avenue, Mackay, 4957 2446. Half-hour flights over
Mackay.
Air Pioneer, Old Airport, Casey Avenue, Mackay, 4957 6661. Offers flights
to a coral atoll, then onto a glass-bottomed boat for touring plus snorkelling.
Whitsunday Helicopter Group, Mackay Airport, 4953 3061. Joy flights over
the Barrier Reef.
Fredericksons Air Services, 25 Norman Drive, Yeppoon, 4938 3404. Includes
2-hour flights to Bushy Reef. ÊÊÊ
Outlying Attractions Sarina
The town of Sarina is 37km (23 miles) south of Mackay, and 296km (185 miles)
north of Rockhampton, on the Bruce Highway. It is yet another sugar town
in the area, cradled by rainforest and the Conners Range mountains. 13km
(8 miles) to the north east is a charming little village by the sea, Sarina
Beach. Fishing and snorkelling is popular in the tropical islands and reefs
close to the mainland.
Broad Street, the main street of the town, is indeed broad with a median
strip in the centre offering tables, park benches and public amenities,
and best of all, shade. There are plenty of sandy beaches and offshore
islands to entice you to swim, jog, fish or go boating.
The Dalrymple Bay Coal Exporting Facilities at Hay Point, 4943 8444, are
the largest of their type in the Southern Hemisphere. Helpful local information
is provided by the Sarina Tourist Art & Craft Centre, Lot 3 Bruce Highway,
4956 2251.
Eungella National Park
This stunning National Park is 84km (52 miles) inland from Mackay, and
the bitumen road leading to it follows the Pioneer River and its tributaries
up the valley past Finch Hatton, and through Eungella township at the
top of the range. Finch Hatton Gorge has attractive mountain-fed waterfalls,
a natural swimming pool, plus good walking tracks.
The Broken River area provides shady pools for swimming, and well marked
bush walking tracks are a feature of the Park. If you are lucky you may
see a platypus near the bridge. At the top of the range at Eungella, the
fully licensed Historic Eungella Chalet Mountain Lodge, 4958 4509, has
12 rooms, a playground and pool - $50-90.
A permit is required to camp in any of the local National Parks, and this
can be obtained from the Ranger at Seaforth, 4959 0410, the Ranger at Eungella,
4958 4552, or from the Queensland National Parks and Wildlife Service,
cnr Wood & River Street, Mackay, 4951 8788. Typically, it costs $3.50
per person per night to camp.
For information on all National Parks, the organisations to contact for
information are the Environmental Protection Agency, 3227 8185, or the
Queensland National Parks and Wildlife Service, 3227 8185 (Naturally Queensland).
Connect online to www.epa.qld.gov.au
Cape Hillsborough
Located 47km (29 miles) north of Mackay, the Cape Hillsborough National
Park provides a beachfront picnic area with barbecue facilities. The
park is relatively small (830ha - 2050 acres), but it is typical of the
best of North Queensland, with rainforests, beaches and abundant wildlife.
Walking tracks take you to billabongs, great lookouts and unusual volcanic
formations. The fishing in the park is excellent.
Halliday Bay
Situated north of Mackay, near the town of Seaforth, Halliday Bay is noted
for its white sandy beach and safe swimming enclosure. The bay adjoins
McBride's Point National Park, and has a shop and boat hire facilities.
The Bay is named after Captain Halliday, whose century-old stone cottage
is still standing.
Proserpine
Proserpine, 127km (80 miles) north of Mackay, is mainly a sugar cane town.
It serves as the centre of the Whitsunday region, in administrative terms,
but most visitors by-pass its scenic charm on their way to the more seductive
coastline. The town has full facilities and a good range of accommodation.
You may wish to stay close to the Bruce Highway on a northward/southward
journey, but if you plan to be in the Whitsundays area for any significant
length of time, and are not planning to stay on an island resort, the
coastal settlements of Airlie Beach and Shute Harbour have all the good
views.
West of the town is Lake Proserpine, where waterskiing is a popular sport.
The Whitsunday Information Centre on the Bruce Highway is in Proserpine,
4945 3711.
Shute Harbour
Shute Harbour is the focal point for departure of many tourist vessels
cruising to the Whitsunday Islands. Not only is it the second busiest
passenger port in Australia, it boasts the second largest bareboat industry
in the world (a bareboat is a boat hired without a crew).
Shute Harbour is mostly a gateway for cruises out to the islands, and is
one of the smaller satellite areas for Proserpine, as well as being superceded
by Airlie Beach as an accommodation centre. Nevertheless, there are a couple
of places to stay here. Use the contact details for Whitsunday Tourism,
listed under Visitor Information for Whitsunday Islands, or visit the Tourist
Information Centre at Airlie Beach, 277 Shute Harbour Road, 4946 6665.
Airlie Beach
Airlie Beach, the main resort town on the Whitsunday coast, has a relaxed
atmosphere, and is 8km (5 miles) from Shute Harbour, 24km (15 miles)
from Proserpine. The town borders the 20,000ha Conway National Park,
and is the mainland centre for the Whit-sundays. Airlie Beach is a picturesque
village and offers a lot to the holiday-maker on its own account, but
when you add the close proximity of the Reef islands, it is not hard
to figure out why some people choose to stay at Airlie and take day trips
to the islands. It is a haven for young backpackers, which makes for
interesting nightlife.
The Barefoot Bushman's Wildlife Park, Lot 2, Shute Harbour Road, Cannonvale,
4946 1480, has a terrific array of Australian wildlife with shows throughout
the day. There are pythons, brown snakes, lizards, frogs, ducks, pelicans,
owls, kookaburras, possums, wombats, fruit bats, native birds, doves, emus,
dingoes and crocodiles, to name a few. Highlights include the Snake Show,
where the world's deadliest snakes are put on display, and the Crocodile
Feeding, where you can see these huge reptiles snapping up their lunch.
The Wildlife Park is open 9am-4pm every day and admission is $18 adults,
$8 children and $45 for families. The Airlie Tourist Information Centre
is at 277 Shute Harbour Road, Airlie Beach, 4946 6665, and can be emailed
at the address abtic@whitsunday.net.au
The Whitsundays
The Whitsundays consist of 74 islands from the Cumberland and Northumberland
Island groups, and they form the largest offshore island chain on Australia's
east coast. The islands are the remains of a mountain range that was
drowned when sea levels rose at the end of the last ice age. Most of
them have National Park status, and all are situated in the marine park.
The islands were named by Captain Cook when he sailed through the passage
on Whitsunday, 1770. Some like to point out that it was not actually
Whitsunday, since the good old captain neglected to take into account
the fact that he had crossed the international date line, and so was
a day out. However, because he made so few nautical and mathematical
errors on his journey, Captain Cook is usually forgiven his Whitsunday
oversight. Later, when European settlement began on several of the islands,
there were some violent confrontations with the resident Aborigines which
tarnish the history of this idyllic place. Ê
The Whitsunday Visitors and Convention Bureau, 4946 6673, is found on the
corner of Shute Harbour and Mandalay Roads, one kilometre from Airlie.
They can be emailed at the web address tw@whitsundayinformation.com.au ÊÊand
the website can be seen at ÊÊwww.whitsundayinformation.com.au Alternatively,
there is a website at www. whitsunday.net.au The
Whitsunday Information Centre is on the Bruce Highway in Proserpine, 4945
3711. Ê
There are basic camping facilities on Hook, North Molle, ÊWhitsunday, Henning,
Border, Haslewood, Shaw, Thomas and Repulse Islands. These consist of toilets
and picnic tables, with a ranger patrolling. Costs are $3.50 per person
per night. All permits can be obtained over the phone by calling the Naturally
Queensland Information Centre in Brisbane on 3227 8197 or emailing them
at nqic@env.qld. gov.au For more information on camping in the region,
contact any QNP&WS branch.
Whitsunday Island
Although Whitsunday is the largest of the island in the Whitsunday Group,
it does not have a resort. But it does have Whitehaven Beach, the longest
and best beach in the whole group, and the destination of many cruises.
There is good snorkelling off the southern end of the beach. There are
several camping sites on the island.
Lindeman Island
The island has 20km (12 miles) of walking tracks that lead through 500ha
(1235 acres) of National Park. There are seven secluded bea-ches, and
at dusk from the top of Mt Oldfield, you can see the sun set over islands
that stretch to the horizon in every direction. Lindeman has an area
of 8 sq km, most of which is national park, and was named after George
Lindeman, whose job in the Royal Navy was to chart safe passages through
the Whitsunday Islands. Lindeman has six beaches and 20km of walking
trails. Its highest point is Mt Oldfield, 210m. There is a resident Park
Ranger who will advise and even accompany walkers.
There is not much here for scuba divers, but the Resort arranges diving
trips out to the Reef. Snorkelling trips to Hardy Lagoon take place several
days a week. Contact the resort directly or follow the links to Lindeman
Island at the Club Med website: www.
clubmed.com.au
South Molle Island
The island covers 405ha (1000 acres) and is 4km long and 2.4km wide. It
is situated in the heart of Whitsunday Passage, and offers fishing, golf,
tennis, water skiing, coral viewing, scuba diving, para-sailing and bushwalking.
South Molle has an area of 4 sq km, and is the largest of the Molle group.
It is close to Mid Molle, and in fact you can walk from South Molle to
Mid Molle at any time. Another island that is very close is Daydream.
The oldest of the resorts in the Whitsunday Group, South Molle is mostly
national park and offers some good, if short, walks. The highest point
is Mt Jeffreys (198m), and from it there are great views of the surrounding
islands. Balancing Rock and Spion Kop also allow you to take in breathtaking
vistas. The first European settler was Henry George Lamond, who moved
in with his wife and children in 1927 and stayed for ten years. There
is a memorial to his son, Hal, on top of Lamond Hill. South Molle is
very much a family resort, there is even a pre-school nursery as well
as activities for school-age children.
Accommodation is available at South Molle Island Resort, 4946 9433. 44
units, licensed restaurant, swimming pool, spa, sauna, tennis, squash,
golf - full board $310-390 a double per day. There is a Resort Dive Shop
that offers short courses for beginners, and organises trips out to various
parts of the reef. The resort can be contacted on 4946 9433. The web site
is www.southmolleisland.com.au with
an email service at: info@southmolleisland.com.au
Long Island
The island is directly off the coast of Shute Harbour, and adjoins the
Whitsunday Passage. It is deliberately underdeveloped, and the untamed
tropical rainforest and protected Palm Bay Lagoon make for a very informal
holiday. There are 13km (8 miles) of well graded bushwalking tracks,
and a variety of beaches for swimming and fishing. Long Island is separated
from the mainland by a channel that is only 500m wide, making it the
closest resort island to the Queensland coast. It has an area of 12 sq
km, but is about 11km long, so it is apparent that it is extremely narrow,
only about 1.5km at its widest.
Long Island has 20km of bush walks through the National Park, and there
are some nice sandy beaches on its western side, but at Happy Valley the
tidal variations cause the water to be so far from the beach that it is
easier to swim in the pool. The box jellyfish makes its appearance in the
vicinity from March to November. The beaches on the eastern side tend to
be rocky and usually windy, but the dredging that has been undertaken at
Palm Bay makes it ideal for swimming, and for mooring yachts.
The Club Crocodile Resort can be contacted on 4946 9233, and for a preliminary
look at what the island has to offer, follow the links to Long Island at www.club
crocodile.com.au
Hayman Island
The island is a resort offering a balance between luxury living and natural
beauty. Curving around the sandy shoreline of the blue lagoon on the
south-western side of the island, Hayman looks out toward Langford Reef
and an island called Bali Hai. All sports, both on land and water, are
catered for at the resort.
Hayman Island has an area of 4 sq km, and is the most northerly of the
Whitsunday resort islands. Its resort is one of the most luxurious on the
Great Barrier Reef, and in fact is widely considered to be one of the top
ten resorts in the world. ÊThere are several bushwalks on Hayman, including
an 8km circuit and walks to Blue Pearl Bay or Dolphin Point. It is also
possible to walk to nearby Arkhurst Island at low tide.
Hayman is closer to the outer Reef than other resort islands, and Hayman
has a full-time dive boat to cater to every diver's desires. Thirty kilometres
north-east of Hayman are the Hardy and Black Reefs. Hayman Island Resort,
4946 1234, offers luxury of the highest quality. Antiques and treasures
from around the world, as well as Australian works of art, can be found
throughout the resort. Tarrifs start at $545 for a double room per night
and skyrocket to over $3600. For more information, contact the resort or
go to www.hayman. com.au
Hamilton Island
Hamilton has an area of 6 sq km, and is home to the largest resort in the
South Pacific with its own jet airport.
The resort is actually a small town with shops, restaurants and a 135-berth
marina. There are a few walking tracks on the undeveloped parts of the
island, and the main one leads up to Passage Peak (230m) the highest point
on the island. To get around the island, you can rent a golf buggy and
drive yourself. Hamilton even has island bus tours that operate daily.
There is a Fauna Park at the northern end of the island, with native animals,
crocodiles and performing cockatoos. 4WD safari tours, go-karts and skirmish
are further activities. The Hamilton Island Resort can be contacted on
4946 9999 or 1800 075 110. An extensive website is provided at www.
hamiltonisland.com.au
Hook Island
Hook Island has an area of 53 sq km, some great beaches and some of the
best diving sites in the Whitsundays, but it has one of the smallest
resorts. The focus here is on the budget market, with a choice between
camping sites, beachfront cabins and backpacker dorms. Hook Island has
two long, narrow bays on its southern end - Macona Inlet and Nara Inlet.
Macona has a National Park camping site, and Nara has caves with Aboriginal
wall paintings. There is a variety of wildlife on the island, but one
that can prove quite pesky is the large goanna. These have been known
to chew through canvas to get to campers' stores.
The island is home to an underwater observatory that has an abundance of
colourful corals and marine life. Though with so many trips available to
the Outer Reef and the modern semi-submersible craft that tour operators
use, you have to wonder why anyone would want to visit an underwater observatory.
Still, it is popular with many visitors. The northern end of Hook Island
has some good diving and snorkelling sites - Pinnacle Point, Manta Ray
Bay, Butterfly Bay and Alcyonaria Point. The resort can organise reef trips.
The Wilderness Resort can answer any further enquiries, 4946 9380. There
is a website www. hookislandresort.com.au and
an email address enquiries@hookis .com
Daydream Island
Daydream is a small island with an area of just 17ha. It is a little over
1km long and no more than a couple of hundred metres at its widest point,
but it has one of the largest resorts. Originally known as West Molle,
the island is the closest resort island to Shute Harbour. It was first
settled in the 1880s by graziers, but the first resort was opened by
Paddy Murray, who had purchased the island in 1933 and changed its name
to Daydream after his boat. In 2001, Novotel spent $40 million refurbishing
the complex. Daydream Island Resort accommodation is divided into three
categories, all of which can accommodate up to 4 people: Ocean View Room,
Garden View Room and Sunlover Room. Interconnecting rooms for larger
families are available on request.
Sunlover's Beach, at the north-eastern end of the island, behind the resort,
has a 50m strip of sand and some good coral offshore for snorkellers. The
Whitsunday tidal range does not affect Daydream as much as the other islands.
The Resort dive shop offers courses, and day cruises to Hardy Reef, about
50km offshore. Contact the resort on 4948 8488 or 1800 075 040 (reservations).
The official web page is found at www.daydream.net.au
Brampton Island
Brampton is not strictly in the Whitsunday region. It is part of the Cumberland
Group of Islands about 32km north-east of Mackay, at the entrance to
the Whitsunday Passage. The island is a National Park, with an area of
4.6 sq km, and has unspoilt bush, lush tropical foliage, swaying coconut
palms and many stunning and secluded beaches. It is connected to Carlisle
Island and to Pelican Island by sand bars that can be crossed at low
tide.
A mountainous island with lush forests, nature trails, kangaroos and emus,
Brampton also has seven sandy beaches and is surrounded by coral reefs.
The walk around the island is about 7km, takes around three hours, and
is best done in a clockwise direction. There is a walk up to the island's
highest point, Brampton Peak, beginning near the resort golf course and
the round trip takes about two hours. Both walks offer great views. The
island is a 45 minute cruise from the Great Barrier Reef, but you can see
underwater coral gardens and myriads of tropical fish off Brampton's East
Beach.
There is nothing at Brampton itself to excite divers, but cruises from
Mackay to Credlin Reef aboard the Spirit of Roylen, 4955 3066, call in
at Brampton to pick up and set down. Credlin Reef is in the Hydrographers
Passage area, and there is a permanent pontoon over the reef, an underwater
observatory and a semi-submersible. Resort diving courses are conducted
on board the Spirit of Roylen in transit to Credlin Reef, or at the Resort
by special arrangements. The contact number for the resort is 4951 4097,
and the website is www.bramptonislandresort.com
