Gladstone to Airlie Beach road trip: Distance, driving time & stops
Gladstone to Airlie Beach road trip: Proserpine and Airlie Beach
It’s another 151km from Mackay to Airlie Beach, but you can build a few side-trips in along the way.
Eungella National Park offers platypus-spotting at Broken River, plus waterfalls and swimming holes in Finch Hatton Gorge on the way.
Cape Hillsborough National Park, meanwhile, is famous for having kangaroos and wallabies on the beach. They’re best seen at dawn, so stay overnight at the Cape Hillsborough caravan park.
Proserpine is where you turn off for Cannonvale and Airlie Beach, although you can do a crocodile-spotting cruise on the Proserpine River nearby.
Which Whitsundays cruise should I choose?
- For those with limited time: Whitehaven Beach half day tour.
- For the highlights reel: Whitehaven Beach and Hamilton Island day trip.
- To see the reef two ways: High speed Whitsundays cruise plus scenic reef flight combo.
- For romance, sparkling wine and sunset under sail: Multi-beach and reef Lady Enid cruise.
- To see several islands: Sailing and snorkelling adventure.
- For an overnight sailing adventure: Matador two day yacht cruise.
Things to do in Airlie Beach include going for a swim in the Airlie Beach Lagoon, Whitsundays kayaking tours, helicopter flights and day trips to Hamilton Island. There’s also a multitude of day trips from Airlie Beach to the other Whitsunday Islands.
Airlie Beach accommodation picks
Specialist Australian booking site Wotif offers Airlie Beach accommodation for from $114 a night. You can look through the best deals here.
However, some Airlie Beach accommodation options are worth highlighting:
- On a budget: Tasman Holiday Parks Airlie Beach.
- For families: Big4 Adventure Whitsundays Resort.
- For waterfront apartments: At Marina Shores.
- For pampering: Coral Sea Marina Resort.
- For great value: Colonial Palms Motor Inn.
More Queensland travel
Enjoy the road trip from Port Douglas to Cape Tribulation.
Learn about the Daintree Rainforest on the Dubuji Boardwalk, Cape Tribulation.
The best attractions near the Caloundra to Noosa drive.
What to see on an Adelaide to Townsville road trip.
What to see on the Hervey Bay to Yeppoon road trip.