Whitsundays Backpacking Home

Backpacking in Australia is a rite of passage for many overseas vistors but it is not unusual to run into a few young Australian travellers on the way.

Airlie Beach has long been known as a backpackers mecca, and for good reason. It's beautiful, has a wide array of budget accommodation to choose from and has an abundance of life-changing and adrenalin-pumping experiences to make the trip the holiday of a lifetime. If you've got energy after all the day's activities, you can hit the bars and clubs and find like-minded travellers to hang out and party until the small hours with on any day of the week.

With 74 islands to explore and some of the calmest cruising waters just off the coast, you'll love every bit of the Whitsundays.

Follow the sun as you travel up the coast between the southern cities and the state's far north, just remember, when you reach Proserpine, turn right!

Accommodation

Airlie Beach has a huge variety of affordable accommodation to make your dollar stretch a little bit further. Find a place to stay.

Tours

From cheap all-in-one deals combining Airlie Beach with other hot destinations like the Fraser Coast, to thrill-seeking adventures and back-to-nature camping expeditions, there's a choice of tours to suit you. The hardest part will be deciding whether to do just one, or whether to indulge yourself, max out the credit card and do them all! (If go home with savings still in your pocket, you haven't done it right!)

Work

Looking for harvest work to extend your visa? You're in luck. the Whitsundays lies just south of Bowen, the vegetable- and fruit-picking capital of Central Queensland. Check out www.harvesttrail.com.au for information about local harvest jobs to get your funds topped back up again, so you can enjoy another year in paradise.  

Weather

Get current weather information to help figure out what you'll need to fit into your backpack for your Whitsunday holiday. Opposite to the northern hemisphere, the summer months are December - February and the winter months are June - August. In winter, you might need a light jumper & jeans at night, but you can usually still wear shorts and t-shirts during the day and go swimming.

How to get here

Airlie Beach lies mid-way up the Queensland Coast, about 1100km north of Brisbane and 620km south of Cairns. Our nearest cities are Mackay, 150km to the south and Townsville, 280km to the north. Need a map?

There are two major airports in the region, serviced by both budget airlines Jetstar and Virgin Blue. You can fly into the Whitsunday Coast Airport on the mainland at Proserpine (PPP) or fly into Hamilton Island Airport (HTI). At present, both airports have direct flights from Brisbane daily, with additional direct & connecting flights into Hamilton Island from Sydney, Melbourne and Cairns daily.

By road, Airlie Beach is on the bus routes with major operators Greyhound & Premier Coaches.

Of course you could always hire your own car or camper and make a road trip of the whole Queensland Coast for a trip to remember.

What to do

When you're not sailing, diving, snorkelling or visiting one of the other islands you there, Airlie and the mainland has loads to keep you busy. Hang out at the lagoon - an enormous, free, swimming pool built right on the water's edge in the centre of town.

At night, hit the bars & clubs along the main street of Airlie. There are open air beer gardens at Beaches & Magnum's and party into the wee hours at Evolutions, Phoenix Bar, Paddy's Shenanigans and Mama Africa.  

Check out the list of things to do in the Whitsundays here or visit the Backpacking Queensland website for more information.

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