Browse Accommodation Whitsundays National Parks and Reserves By Area

Blue Pearl Bay is located on the north-western side of Hayman Island in the Whitsundays Group. Popular with tourists and locals for snorkelling, diving and sightseeing, Blue Pearl Bay is known for its coral and fish life including a resident Maori Wrasse. Day tours and overnight boats visit Blue Pearl Bay for snorkelling and or scuba diving. Visitors typically swim directly off their vessel, or tender into the southern beach and enter the water from the coral beach.

It's not every day that a town gets a new beach, but Airlie Beach is proud to announce the opening of the brand new Boathaven Beach! Part of the new Port of Airlie development, Boathaven Beach is situated on the new peninsula known as The Beacons, and boasts 60,000 cubic metres of soft, white sand, a northerly aspect and is the area's first true all-tide beach. Visitors and locals alike are loving Boathaven Beach already.

A popular bareboat anchorage, Butterfly Bay is situated on the northern side of Hook Island. There are limited public moorings and snorkelling can be enjoyed along the bay edge or just off the beach. Offering coral outcrops with shallow walls, the bay is populated by many small, colourful reef fish species. The best of the bommies is found in the centre of the bay, although it may be difficult to locate at high tide. Be wary of tidal currents when moving towards the centre of the bay, away from the edges.

Located approximately 20 kilometres from Proserpine on Saltwater Creek Road, off Conway Beach Road is the picturesque Cedar Creek Falls. These waterfalls are spectacular in the wet season and offer a year-round natural swimming pool at the base of the falls. They are set in a natural rock amphitheatre. The flora and fauna will amaze you, particularly the strangler figs, red and white cedars and wild orchids. There are also bush walks up and around the falls. Majestic Alexandra Palms line the creek as it continues its journey to the ocean.

Conway National Park is a peaceful coastal park overlooking the Whitsunday Passage, protecting rainforest-clad mountains, forested hills and deep valleys. The Gia and Ngaro Elders, Traditional Owners of the Conway Ranges, say 'Wadda-moolie' (welcome) to their traditional country. It is home to Proserpine rock-wallabies and two of Australia

In Conway State Forest along the rugged Conway Range, explore lowland tropical rainforest, picturesque creeks and lofty peaks overlooking Airlie Beach. This forest is home to 20 rainforest plants found only in this region and offers a refuge for wildlife. The buff-breasted paradise-kingfisher migrates from Papua New Guinea to breed here. Discover the forest's secrets on a short or long walk. Three walks begin from the carpark, ranging from the two kilometre Kingfisher circuit to the 30 kilometre, three-day Whitsunday Great! Walk (which is closed during February and March). Camping fees apply and bookings are essential. Look for brilliant blue Ulysses butterflies. Get a sense of the history of the region from old snigging tracks used for carting timber in logging days. Tracks may be closed in wet weather; check conditions before setting out.

Situated on the Great Barrier Reef, Fairey Reef has a number of excellent dive sites that are popular with local dive tour operators. Sites such as Henry's Bommie, Little Fairey Inlet, The Shoals and Tina's Arm are all located at Fairey Reef.

Said to be the world

Hardy Reef, on the Great Barrier Reef off Airlie Beach, is home to the Reefworld Pontoon. There is spectacular fish life with Trevally, Coral Trout, Snapper and a host of smaller marine life as well as Giant Maori Wrasse and a two metre long Giant Queensland Groper that usually congregate for a free feed. Snorkelling is excellent, as is diving off nearby drop-offs where you'll find turtles, reef sharks and barracuda amongst a myriad of other intriguing reef species.

Heart Reef, in the Great Barrier Reef of the Whitsundays, is a stunning composition of coral that has naturally formed into the shape of a heart. Located in Hardy Reef, Heart Reef is best experienced from the air by helicopter or seaplane, as visitors are unable to snorkel or dive there due it's protected status.