01
Cannonvale Beach
Western end. A long, quiet beach popular with families and dog walkers (off-leash area at the eastern end). Local fish & chips at Boathouse Apartments.
Airlie Beach · Free · Walking · Sunrise/sunset
The BicentennialBoardwalk
A flat, free four-kilometre walking path that links almost every Airlie Beach attraction along the foreshore — the kind of walk where locals do their thinking and tourists end up taking more photos than they planned to.
FreePaved & flatPram & wheelchair friendlyAlways open
- Length
- ~4 km one way
- Surface
- Paved & boardwalk
- Gradient
- Flat
- Cost
- Free
- Time
- 1 – 1.5 hr one way
- Lit
- Partial (town section)
One path, every reason to stop.
Built to mark Australia's bicentennial in 1988, this is the walking spine of Airlie Beach. It links Cannonvale Beach at the western end with Coral Sea Marina at the eastern, and threads past the lagoon, the foreshore, the boardwalk markets and almost every cafe in town along the way.
The path is fully sealed, flat, and wide enough to share with prams, joggers and the occasional rented e-scooter. Sections of it are genuine boardwalk over mangrove inlets; other parts are concrete promenade with palm shade overhead. There are benches, lookouts and free water bubblers every few hundred metres.
It's the walk locals use to clear their heads. Sunrise crew runs the path in groups before work. Dog walkers, retirees, parents with prams — they're all on it before 9am. By mid-morning the foreshore section is busier and more touristy; late afternoon and evening it gets quieter and prettier again.
Doing the full 4km end-to-end takes about an hour at a normal pace, longer with photo stops. Most visitors do shorter sections — lagoon to marina is a popular 2km stretch with a meal at either end.
Best stretches: Lagoon to Coral Sea Marina (2 km) is the most scenic short walk. Cannonvale Beach to Lagoon (2 km) is the local-favourite morning walk with quieter views.
Along the way
Stops worth making.
02
Mangrove boardwalks
Two raised timber sections cross tidal mangrove flats — keep an eye out for fiddler crabs and the occasional mud crab.
03
Airlie Beach Lagoon
Roughly the midpoint. Cool off, grab a coffee, then carry on. Also the start of most Airlie events.
04
The foreshore parklands
Free BBQs, picnic shelters, public art, Sunday morning markets along the path between the lagoon and the marina.
05
Coral Sea Marina
Eastern terminus. Plenty of dining and drinking options to celebrate finishing the walk.
06
Sunrise & sunset
The walk faces east-south-east, so sunrise lights up the water beautifully. Sunset is softer but still good — silhouettes the boats.
Quick practicals.
What to know before you set off.
When to walk
Sunrise to 9am is the best window — cool, light is gorgeous. After 5pm is the second-best. Avoid the middle of summer days.
Where to start
From the lagoon for the shorter, prettier section. From Cannonvale Beach if you want the full end-to-end.
Accessibility
Fully wheelchair and pram accessible. The whole path is paved or solid boardwalk with no steps.
Safety
Lit through the town section at night. The Cannonvale end is darker after sundown — bring a torch.
Pair it with