Travelling To The Whitsundays
WHITSUNDAY VACATIONS

Travelling To The Whitsundays

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Below is a list of ways that you can travel to the Whitsundays and directions on how to get here.

There are many ways to travel to the Whitsundays. You can drive, fly, catch a bus or even take a cruise ship. Once you have chosen the best time of year to travel to the Whitsundays, below will show you how to get to the Whitsundays.

Driving To The Whitsundays

The Whitsundays are located in North QLD, Australia. Airlie Beach is located in the heart of the Whitsundays and it is located only 25km off the main North QLD highway. To get to Airlie Beach, you turn off the Bruce Highway at Proserpine and drive North East for 25 minutes.

If you are driving to Airlie Beach, it is located:
– 3 hours drive from Townsville (280kms)
– 12.5 hours drive from Brisbane (1100kms)
– 21 hours drive from Sydney (1900kms)
– 26 hours drive from Melbourne (2450kms)
– 27 hours drive from Adelaide (2500kms)
– 28 hours drive from Darwin (2700kms)
– 51 hours drive from Perth (4800kms)

If you are planning on taking a road trip up the QLD coast, then why not stop in at the Whitsundays on your way past? A popular way to explore the QLD coast is by flying into a city, hiring a campervan and driving up the coast. With a campervan, you can pull in at any destination you want to and pull up for the night.

Flying To The Whitsundays

The main airport in the Whitsundays is the Whitsunday Coast Airport, which is located on the mainland, just inland from Proserpine. They often have flight specials to the Whitsundays which range from $50 to $100 per person, to fly from any main city in Australia to the Whitsundays and back again. Click here to view flights to Whitsunday Coast Airport (Proserpine). Or you can ask your local travel agent to inform you of any upcoming flight deals to the Whitsundays.

It is a 30 minute drive from the Whitsunday Coast Airport to Airlie Beach, so you can take a taxi or organise to jump on an airport transfer bus. Click here to see how you can travel around the Whitsundays.

We also have an airport located on Hamilton Island, so if you are staying on Hamilton Island, this will be an easier option for you. If you are staying on the mainland in Airlie Beach and you fly into Hamilton Island, you will have to catch a ferry back to the mainland. Click here to view flights to Hamilton Island. Or you can ask your local travel agent to inform you of any upcoming flight deals to Hamilton Island.

Catch A Bus

Greyhound Australia buses are a popular way for travellers to get to the Whitsundays. Greyhound buses have up to 60 seats and can pick you up from most towns in Australia. You can catch a bus from Brisbane to Airlie Beach for only around $270 AUD and the trip will take up to 24 hours. Click here to book a bus ticket to Airlie Beach.

Take A Cruise Ship

Jumping on a cruise ship is one of the easiest and most relaxing ways to travel to the Whitsundays. Many cruise ships pull in to Airlie Beach on their way past.

Source: Sailing Whitsundays.
The Great Barrie Reef located in the Whitsunday, Queensland, Australia
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We had a great stay thanks. Very convenient location to explore the Whitsundays from. Good communication and easy check-in. Would love to return one day!
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This is the third time I've stayed at this beautiful home. There is plenty of room to spread out, the heated pool is a amazing and the views cannot be beaten! Highly recommend.
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Adele
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Whitsunday Waterfront Luxury at 19 The Cove
Beautiful new house right on the marina with an easy walk to town. Everything was clean, easy to operate, and exactly as shown in the photos. The Whitsunday Vacations team were accommodating and straightforward to deal with. Would definitely recommend staying here.
July 15, 2026
Peter
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Great location and the house is very spacious and well equipped. The hosts were very responsive and helpful, if we come back to the area we would stay here again.
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Chris
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We had the most wonderful stay!!! Super recommend for a lovely girls weekend! Great hosts! Beautiful house and in such a convenient location for everything!!
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Holiday on The Horizon, Airlie Beach Holiday Home with Jacuzzi
Great place, beautiful views, everything as described in the listing
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Rebecca
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Whitsunday Waterfront Luxury at 19 The Cove
Beautiful home in a beautiful location. Easy walking distance to everything. Home had everything we needed for a comfortable stay. Would recommend and stay again.
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Matt
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We had a great stay and the staff were very accommodatingIt was decorated beautifully in a great locationIt had a great seaside feel
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Very stylish and comfortable apartment, close to everything Airlie has to offer
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This is house have a great view. Whitsunday Vacations team is very helpful, do quite a lot of communication with travel agent to arrange our trip. Parking is quite challenging because it’s quite steep.
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Our stay was amazing and just what we needed. A beautiful place with a gorgeous view and close to the restaurants and marina.Being part of a gated community also made us feel very safe.Host was proactive with communications which was much appreciated.Highly recommend!!
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