Water play and swimming for kids in Airlie Beach & the Whitsundays

Things to doRainy dayPlaygroundsToiletsEat with kids
17 places to cool off across the region: water parks, pools, beaches, lakes and swimming spots, nearest first from Airlie Beach. Choose your suburb at the top to sort from where you are staying.

Everything on the map

Over the border

Mackay →Townsville →
Nearest first, from Airlie Beach

Beaches and islands

Cannonvale Beach
Beach
Cannonvale Beach
Playground, BBQs and toilets on the foreshore; summer stinger net when installed, so check council notices.
under 5 min
Photo: steve gibson, CC BY 2.0
Coral Beach
Beach
Coral Beach
2.2 km walk
Reached on a 2.2 km return walk from the Coral Beach walk trailhead; allow 1 hr.
about 10 min
Photo: TJW86, CC BY-SA 4.0
Over 30 minutes
from Airlie Beach
Dingo Beach
Beach
Dingo Beach
Foreshore park and boat ramp beside Hydeaway Bay. Stingers Oct-May: wear a stinger suit.
about 40 min
Photo: Allan Henderson, CC BY 2.0
Hydeaway Bay
Beach
Hydeaway Bay
Rock pools at low tide; about 45 min drive north of Airlie Beach, no shops at the beach.
about 40 min
Photo: Allan Henderson, CC BY 2.0
Whitehaven Beach
Beach
Whitehaven Beach
Whitsunday Islands National Park
7 km of silica sand with no shops; take water, food and sun protection. Stingers Oct-May: wear a stinger suit.
about 1 hr by fast catamaran from Airlie Beach (boat, seaplane or helicopter only)
Photo: Damien Dempsey from Melbourne, Australia, CC BY 2.0
Beach illustration
Beach
Rose Bay
Fringing reef close to shore for snorkelling.
about 1 hr
Beach illustration
Beach
Horseshoe Bay
Snorkel the fringing reef straight from the beach; Bywa, an intertidal marine sculpture, is in the bay.
about 1 hr
Murray Bay
Beach
Murray Bay
Joins the Cape Edgecumbe Walking Trail.
about 1 hr
Photo: Allan Henderson, CC BY 2.0
Queens Beach
Beach
Queens Beach
Calm shallows that suit families. Stingers Oct-May: wear a stinger suit.
about 1 hr
Photo: Tamsin Slater, CC BY-SA 2.0
Catseye Beach
Beach
Catseye Beach
Hamilton Island's main resort beach; snorkel and kayak hire on the sand.
on Hamilton Island: about 1 hr 10 min by ferry from Port of Airlie
Photo: Internet2014, CC BY-SA 3.0

Waterfalls, lakes and swimming

Airlie Beach Lagoon
Swimming spot
Airlie Beach Lagoon
under 5 min
Photo: Richard N Horne, CC BY 4.0
Pool illustration
Pool
Proserpine Swimming Pool
Proserpine
about 30 min
Water park illustration
Water park
Proserpine Water Park
Proserpine
about 30 min
Over 30 minutes
from Airlie Beach
Pool illustration
Pool
Bowen Swimming Pool
Bowen
about 1 hr
Water park illustration
Water park
Bowen Water Park
Bowen
about 1 hr
Over 1½ hours
from Airlie Beach
Pool illustration
Pool
Collinsville Swimming Pool & Water Park
Collinsville
about 1 hr 45
Hardy Reef
Swimming spot
Hardy Reef
Outer-reef pontoon with underwater observatory and semi-sub; stinger suits supplied free all year.
about 3 hrs by Cruise Whitsundays catamaran from Airlie Beach
Photo: rheins, CC BY 3.0

Also in this region, more than 4 hours from Airlie Beach

Whitsunday Islands National Park (by boat tour from Airlie Beach or Hamilton Island, landing at Tongue Bay): Hill Inlet Lookout
Drive times are estimated from the distance, so treat them as a guide. Tap a card for the full page.
Region boundary: ABS Tourism Regions 2021 (Tourism Research Australia), CC BY 4.0. Outings from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and venues' own listings; nature spots from OpenStreetMap and park services.