Airlie Beach

	Airlie Beach QLD 4802
	Population: 7,800, Height above sea level: Sea Level Latitude: 20.1600, Longitude: 148.4300 Location: 1,120km north of Brisbane Highway: Off Bruce Hwy at Proserpine Nearest Major Town: Proserpine Nearest Airport: Proserpine Touring Area: Whitsundays
Popular beach and resort area on the coast of northern Queensland near the Whitsunday islands. Airlie Beach is a town in the Whitsunday Region of Queensland and is one of many departure points for the Great Barrier Reef. Airlie Beach, Proserpine and the nearby Whitsunday Islands enjoy a tropical climate and lifestyle. A popular tourist destination with backpackers, the beach is small and dangerous marine stingers (box jellyfish) will be found in the waters detween November to May. With this in mind the local council built a swimming lagoon on the foreshore filled with fresh, self chlorinated water, to cater to swimmers. The Great Barrier Reef and islands are easily accessible from Airlie Beach, with a variety of different tours available. The name was changed from Airlie to Airlie Beach in 1987 and was originally named (1936) after the township of the same name in Scotland. SEE ALSO WHITSUNDAY ISLANDS The Whitsunday Islands off the coast were named by Captain James Cook in 1770 as he passed through the area on the Christian festival day of Whit Sunday. It is now widely accepted that he didn't actually pass through on this date, as the International Date Line was not yet established. Each year the residents of Airlie Beach celebrate The Blessing of the Fleet on Whit Sunday or Pentecost Sunday. Airlie Beach offers a natural environment with tropical vegetation, views of the sea, islands and surrounding hillsides. There is plenty of accommodation of all varieties suitable for the budget conscious or the more discerning traveller.

	Airlie Beach - Courtesy of Tourism Queensland

To see a map of the town, click on the top map, for a map of the area, click on the bottom map, for more information about the town, click on the photograph.