Things to do with kids in Airlie Beach & the Whitsundays

Whitehaven Beach runs 7km along Whitsunday Island, and its silica sand stays cool underfoot. Most families arrive on a half-day or full-day tour from Airlie Beach or Hamilton Island. There are composting toilets but no shops, so pack water and food, and wear stinger suits; stingers are most common from October to May.

A 1.4km return track climbs from Tongue Bay to three lookout platforms over Hill Inlet; allow about 40 minutes. The sand patterns shift with the tide, and mid to low tide shows the most white sand. Currents in the inlet are strong and the water can rise quickly, and the beach is unpatrolled.

Cruise Whitsundays sails daily to its pontoon at Hardy Reef, 39 nautical miles offshore, leaving Port of Airlie at 8am and returning at 6.10pm. Kids who'd rather stay dry can use the underwater observatory and a semi-submarine tour, and snorkel gear and stinger suits are included. A family ticket for two adults and two children aged 4 to 14 started at $809 in October 2026.

This free lagoon on the Airlie Beach foreshore holds fresh, chlorinated water, safe from stingers all year. It has a sheltered wading pool for toddlers and a children's pool no deeper than 1.5 metres. Lifeguards patrol it, and it's open 6am to 6pm while new lights are being installed.

The Bicentennial Walkway follows the shoreline from Airlie Beach Lagoon to Cannonvale Beach, past the marina and quiet lookouts. It's flat, pram-friendly and free, about 5km each way. The views across Pioneer Bay to the islands last the whole walk.

Day visitors reach Daydream Island on the Daydream Island Escape package, which starts with a cruise from Port of Airlie. The Living Reef lagoon wraps 200m around the resort and holds more than 100 species, with a fish-feeding show at 10am daily. Kids can try the touch ponds and underwater observatory, and a two-course lunch is included.

Hamilton Island has no cars, so families walk, hire a four-seat golf buggy or ride the free island shuttle. Day visitors can come over on scheduled passenger services from the mainland. Catseye Beach has catamarans, paddleboards, kayaks and snorkelling. Wear a full-body lycra suit in the sea when advised; the stinger risk is higher from November to May.

Hamilton Island Wildlife, on the resort side of the island, has koalas, kangaroos, snakes, lizards and Big Mac the saltwater crocodile. Keeper tours at 10am and 2pm are included with entry, and Big Mac is fed after the 2pm tour on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The park opens 8am to 4pm, and one ticket covers unlimited visits during your stay.

A 2.2km return track winds through coastal forest to Coral Beach, about 9.6km south-east of Airlie Beach; allow an hour. The beach is made of coral and looks out over turquoise water to the Whitsunday islands. The track isn't wheelchair accessible, and parks warns of crocodiles, stingers and sharks on this coast.

Hydeaway Bay is about 45 minutes' drive north of Airlie Beach on a sealed road. Low tide uncovers rock pools along the beach, so time your visit with the tides. There are no shops in the bay; the nearest fuel and supplies are at Dingo Beach, just around the headland.