Mackay to Bowen road trip: Distance, drive time and best stops
Mackay to Bowen road trip stops: Cape Hillsborough and Airlie Beach
Go east, and you can see kangaroos on the beach at Cape Hillsborough and stay at the Cape Hillsborough caravan park. Go west and you can explore Mount Charlton.
The biggest town on the route is Proserpine. This is where you turn off for Cannonvale, Airlie Beach and the Conway National Park. Other things to do between Mackay and Bowen include a crocodile-spotting cruise on the Proserpine River.
But Airlie Beach is clearly the main attraction here. 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 are also several day trips from Airlie Beach to the other islands in the Whitsundsays archipelago.
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.
Click through to the next section: Cape Gloucester and Bowen.