QUEENSLAND

EAT / STAY / PLAY

Airlie Beach

ANGELA SAURINE

Take a day trip to Australia’s most beautiful beach, snorkel the Great Barrier Reef and dine at family-friendly restaurants with pools and playgrounds during a stay at Airlie Beach

Opening image: An aerial view of Airlie Beach © Tourism and Events Queensland

Things to do in Airlie Beach with kids

Known as the gateway to the Whitsundays, Airlie Beach makes a great base to explore the Great Barrier Reef and its tropical islands. Be sure to take a day trip to Whitehaven Beach, which regularly ranks on lists of the world’s most beautiful beaches, on Whitsunday Island — the largest of the 74 islands in the group. If you’ve got older kids, embark on the 1.3-kilometre return hike to Hill Inlet Lookout to take in the views of the swirling sands at the northern end of the beach.

Back on the mainland, the man-made Airlie Beach Lagoon provides a stinger-free place to swim year round. Surrounded by grass with an adjoining playground, it has a sandy beach ideal for younger kids and barbecue facilities. You can also hire kayaks and stand-up paddleboards, or book a turtle spotting tour around the bay.

Families with children 12 years and older can also do a segway tour along the Whitsunday Bicentennial Boardwalk, passing attractions such as Coral Sea Marina en route to Cannonvale Beach. Alternatively, ride through the rainforest at Conway National Park. Around a 30-minute drive away, the spectacular Cedar Creek Falls is a refreshing place to take a dip.

Images: Explore the rainforest with Whitsunday Segway Tours, Visit Whitehaven Beach with Ocean Rafting, Cedar Creek Falls between Airlie Beach and Proserpine, Airlie Beach Lagoon © Destination NSW

“It also offers an adventure playground, mini-golf course, pedal karts, a tennis court, an outdoor cinema and a kids’ club with activities such as arts and crafts and scavenger hunts”

Where to stay in Airlie Beach

With an epic water park, a large lagoon-style pool, and its own animal park, BIG4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort is about as family-friendly as it gets. Just five minutes’ drive out of town, it also offers an adventure playground, mini-golf course, pedal karts, a tennis court, an outdoor cinema and a kids’ club with activities such as arts and crafts and scavenger hunts. There’s also a poolside massage pavilion, as well as a spa and beauty centre just next door offering a range of treatments. One of the park’s standout features is the Reilly Room – an autism sensory room for kids on the spectrum that comes complete with a large, free-standing hammock, weighted blankets and cushions, a sensory toy box and kinetic sand.

Accommodation options include powered campsites for tents and caravans (with or without ensuites), cabins, one and two-bedroom villas, cottages, and modern three-bedroom condos that sleep up to eight people.

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Images: An aerial view of BIG4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort at Airlie Beach, Inside a cabin, Enjoy a massage, The sensory room

Family-friendly places to eat in Airlie Beach

The funky Fat Frog Beach Café is a locals’ favourite, with views over Cannonvale Beach, great coffee and a menu featuring burgers, fish tacos and fish and chips. Also overlooking the water, Anchor Bar has a pool where kids can splash around while they wait for their food to arrive. It offers everything from small plates ideal for sharing to a “Can’t Decide Platter” with pork ribs, hot wings, calamari, arancini and steamed mussels. There’s also a separate “Little People” menu including burgers, calamari and chicken strips. As any parent with small children will tell you, a playground can make a huge difference to your dining experience, so Jubilee Tavern is sure to be a winner. As well as pub classics like chicken schnitzel and bangers and mash, it serves mango chicken skewers, nasi goreng and a vegan-friendly korma curry. Whitsunday Gold Coffee near Proserpine also has a large indoor play area with teacup rides, a padded flying fox and three slides. It costs $9.95 per child. And you can check out one of Australia’s largest coffee plantations while you’re there.

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