The Whitsunday Islands
Scattered off the central Queensland coast, the 74 Whitsunday Islands are the drowned peaks of an ancient coastal range — steep, forested continental islands fringed with coral and ringed by white-sand bays. Most are untouched national park; only a handful carry resorts. Together they form one of Australia's most beautiful cruising grounds, and Airlie Beach is the gateway to all of them.
Mostly national park
The great majority of the islands are uninhabited national park, protected within the Whitsunday Islands National Park and the surrounding Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. That's why they stay so pristine — including Whitsunday Island, the largest of the group and home to Whitehaven Beach and Hill Inlet. You'll find bushwalking tracks, secluded coves, fringing snorkelling reefs and national-park campsites, but no towns.
How to explore the islands
There are as many ways to see the islands as there are travellers. Take a day tour from Airlie for Whitehaven and a snorkel; join a 2–3 night sailing trip to move between bays; hop a resort transfer ferry to Hamilton or Daydream; or hire a bareboat and set your own course (no licence needed). For the ultimate slow travel, book a national-park camping permit and have a beach almost to yourself.
The resort islands
Just four islands offer resort stays — Hamilton (the liveliest, with an airport, restaurants and family facilities), Daydream (family-focused and close to the mainland), Hayman (the InterContinental flagship for luxury), and Long Island (intimate eco-luxury at Elysian, relaxed bungalows at Palm Bay). Each of the main three has its own guide.
The islands: your questions
There are 74 islands in the Whitsundays group, off the central Queensland coast. Most are uninhabited national park — the Whitsunday Islands National Park protects Whitsunday Island (the largest) and many others — and only a handful carry resorts. They're continental islands (the tops of drowned mountains), not coral cays.
A small number have resorts: Hamilton Island (the most developed, with its own airport), Daydream Island (family-friendly, close to the mainland), Hayman Island (the flagship InterContinental luxury resort), and Long Island (Elysian Retreat and Palm Bay). Whitsunday Island itself — home to Whitehaven Beach — is national park with no resort, visited by day or on camping and sailing trips. See our Hamilton, Hayman and Daydream island guides.
From Airlie Beach you can take a day tour (sailing or motor cruiser), a multi-day sailing trip, an island resort transfer ferry, or a bareboat charter to explore under your own steam. Whitehaven Beach, Hill Inlet and the fringing snorkelling reefs are the most popular stops.
The islands sit within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, and many have fringing coral reefs right off their beaches that are great for snorkelling. The main outer reef (with the biggest coral structures) is a few hours further offshore by boat, or a short scenic flight — see our Great Barrier Reef guide.
Yes — Queensland Parks runs a network of national-park camping areas on several islands, including near Whitehaven Beach, with permits booked in advance. It's a wonderful (and budget-friendly) way to experience the islands, but you need to be self-sufficient and arrange boat transfers.