While
still proud of its success as a backpacker icon,
Airlie Beach, the capital of the Whitsundays,
has come of age. It is an evolution that is turning
this tropical town into a coveted all-round visitor
destination with a healthy economic base.
Driving from nearby Proserpine
airport into town along Shute Harbour Road, Airlie
Beach looks much the same as I remember it. A
mecca for backpackers of all ages on their pilgrimage
north. But once you sight brilliant blue as the
road sweeps past the new-look Abel Point Marina,
you sense that there is something different, something
fresh. I liked it.
While some visitors choose to
fly directly to the offshore islands, others prefer
a mainland base like Airlie where they can enjoy
some of the hundreds of day tours, sailing vacations,
and reef and island experiences on offer in this
aquatic playground.
The Whitsundays is home to 74
tropical islands dotted in the warm waters of
the Coral Sea. Seven of these islands have resorts
which cater for family to romantic holidays, and
many others are available for camping through
Queensland National Parks.
Airlie Beach has a "buzz"
about it. It does not take long to realise the
vibe is the hum of economic activity. People who
have visited Airlie Beach over the years say it
is taking off, finally, and the locals are ecstatic.
Up on the hill above the town,
there are all shapes and colours. Side by side,
in Golden Orchid Drive, are the Mediterranean
Resort and Toscana Village. These upmarket, themed
villas, with swimming pools and outstretching
views, are 300m up the hill from the action. As
the owners say, it is a quick walk down, and a
cheap cab fare home.
On a terrace overlooking the
Coral Sea and Whitsunday Passage is the new Toscana
Restaurant, which serves a blend of tropical and
new Australian cuisine. Diners are in-house, or
flock from surrounding properties.
One property with unimpeded blue
water frontage is the Coral Sea Resort, located
in the appropriately-named Ocean View Avenue.
Airlie Beach is rapidly becoming
the sort of place that suits any visitor. As you
come into town, the Adventure Whitsunday Resort
Caravan Park is just one property aimed at the
drive market that has invested greatly in the
area and the results are paying off. A large portion
of the travellers coming through the caravan park
are "upmarket" backpackers who are free
and independent travellers wanting to stay in
accommodation above hostel standard.
From anecdotal evidence, the
tourism industry reports that backpackers who
visited years before are now returning as professional
people, travelling with their spouse and family.
And, with more disposable income, they are trying
experiences different to their previous trip.
In the centre of town is a new
development of an integrated retail and commercial
site. It is an investment that is taking the town's
hub to a new level of visitor facilities.
The food and dining scene in
Airlie Beach is big, very big. No fewer than 40
restaurants line Shute Harbour Road which has
become an "eat street" in its own right.
There's Italian, steak houses, Asian cuisine and
no shortage of coffee shops. Visitors say it's
like Hastings Street, Noosa, or Surfers Paradise
Avenue, the Gold Coast, 20 years ago.
Promoters of Airlie Beach tourism
agree that the biggest mistake that people make
on their motoring holidays is to ignore the signs
on the Bruce Highway which signal the turn off
to Airlie Beach and the Whitsundays. They keep
on plowing through the sugar cane and miss one
of the best vacations they could ever have.
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