Things to do in Mackay, Queensland: What are the best attractions?

The best things to do in Mackay include art deco walks, Bluewater Lagoon and day trips to Eungella National Park or Cape Hillsborough. Other Mackay attractions include Harbour Beach and Mackay Marina.

Mackay is the largest city in the Whitsundays region of Queensland, although it gets almost zero tourist attention. Most visitors fly into Hamilton Island or Proserpine Airport, then stay in either Airlie Beach or on one of the Whitsunday Islands.

The best thing to do in Mackay is a snorkelling cruise around the South Cumberland Islands.

Mackay, however, is the main regional hub, about two hours’ drive from Airlie Beach. It just has its concentration focused on business rather than tourism. The sugar trade, in particular, is important in Mackay.

Three great Mackay experiences to book in advance

(Highly recommended ✅) Whitsunday Islands boat cruise – with snorkelling and paddleboarding.
Cape Hillsborough sunrise tour – meet wallabies on the beach.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Finch Hatton Gorge waterfalls tour.

Mackay Airport is a feasible gateway to the Whitsundays region, although most overseas visitors will only encounter Mackay if driving along the east coast. It is one of four reasonably-sized cities between the tourist favourites of Fraser Island and the Whitsundays. The drive from Hervey Bay to Airlie Beach is intimidatingly long. Therefore a stop at either Bundaberg, Gladstone, Rockhampton or Mackay is fairly sensible if taking on the drive.

Things to do in Mackay, Queensland: Marina and Harbour Beach

The most pleasant place to hang out in Mackay is Mackay Marina. The Mantra Hotel is here, as are a smattering of bars and restaurants. Try the Breakwater Bar and Restaurant next to the Mackay Sailing Club if you want to mingle with the yachtie set.

Harbour Beach is just to the south of Mackay Marina. It’s arguably the best of Mackay’s beaches, and is patrolled by lifeguards. This isn’t really somewhere you come for beaches, however – there’s no surf, and it’s croc and stinger territory. Blacks Beach in the north of the city is another attractive option.

Swimming in Mackay, Queensland: Bluewater Lagoon

Better swimming is available at Bluewater Lagoon. Like the Airlie Beach Lagoon, Cairns Esplanade Lagoon or Brisbane’s Streets Beach, this is a large, artificial, outdoor pool. Designed as a focal point where everyone can come and swim, there are also plenty of water slides and children’s water play toys.

Bluewater Lagoon in Mackay. Photo courtesy of Tourism and Events Queensland.

Elsewhere in Mackay, the Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens offers enjoyable strolling for an hour or two. It’s by no means one of Australia’s must-see gardens, however.

Things to do in Mackay, Queensland: Art deco walk

The main string to the city’s bow is the concentration of art deco architecture. After a cyclone in 1918, Mackay was rebuilt in the style of the day. Visit the Mackay Tourist Information Centre, and you can pick up a leaflet about art deco in Mackay. You can use that as the basis for a self-guided tour of the most impressive art deco buildings.

What to do in Mackay, Queensland: Cape Hillsborough & Finch Hatton Gorge

Realistically, however, Mackay is best used as a base for exploring the severely underrated mainland section of the Whitsundays region. To the north of Mackay is Cape Hillsborough National Park. Aside from beautiful forest and coastal walks, this is where you’ll find kangaroos and wallabies on the beach at sunrise and sunset.

Go inland, however, and you’ve got the Eungella National Park. Finch Hatton Gorge is the star here, with lush forest scenery, big volcanic boulders and spectacular waterfalls. But continue up into the Great Dividing Range, and Broken River is one of the best places in Australia to see a platypus.

If you’ve not got your own wheels, Reeforest offers tours from Mackay into Eungella National Park.

Best Mackay accommodation options

The top places to stay in Mackay are:

For attractive apartments by Blacks Beach: The Shores Holiday Apartments.
For a cheap, but surprisingly good, motel: Cool Palms Motel.
For apartments with kitchenettes by the marina: Mantra Mackay.
For a holiday park with lot of family-friendly facilities: Big4 Mackay Blacks Beach Holiday Park.
For fully furnished apartments in prime position next to Bluewater Lagoon: Riviera Mackay.

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