Airlie Beach, QLD 4802

Lived here for several months, got over it pretty quick, everything you can see and do you can do on a holiday, after that it starts feeling very Groundhog Day except with intense heat and water that looks great but mostly can’t swim in… it’s a tourist town and for people that have money to buy yachts and jet in and out whenever they like… it’s tiresome living here. The people are fine, Main Street, lagoon and some hikes are okay, transport is janky and you definitely need a car to get around, the nearest Kmart is 130kms away but there’s a big W with a lot of stock missing..it depends on what lifestyle you’re after but I can’t say I miss it at all…there’s definitely more lively and beautiful places to see/live in QLD.. this place is definitely somewhere you visit and not to stay.

A fantastic town, great boating, good times in the main street with plenty or restaurants to choose from, lagoon and day trip out to the islands.

Firstly I'm not a real estate agent! I love the feel of Airlie Beach, the restaurants, bars, entertainment and things to do for all ages. The scenery is amazing and the waters and islands of the Whitsundays are just stunning. I've been to Cairns before but I much prefer Airlie Beach.

Airlie Beach has really transformed over the past couple of years.
Still the coastal community town everyone loves but with so much more adventure and fun!
Head to Northerlies for lunch and a cocktail over the water, or to the Rocks for a Sunday pool party. The boats are back up and running and doing day tours along with over night stays exploring the reef and islands.

The parks around the area have had a massive revamp so for families like mine (2 kids), the Airlie Foreshore grassed area and playground is great. Speaking of the Airlie Foreshore, it had a massive revamp and is such a nice spot to sit and have dinner with the kids watching the water and listening to the music drifting in from town.

Heaps of restaurants, tuk tuk dinners, Saturday markets along with the Sporting fields getting completely overhauled and looking great!

There are plenty of new projects happening around the region; such as, Construction works moving ahead for Whitsunday Regional Council’s $9.6 million administration building in Proserpine, upgrades along Proserpine-Shute Harbour Rd and the Bruce Highway will soon become a reality as part of a $400 million COVID-19 roads package, Shute Harbour - $252m development is set to include a 395-berth marina, a 100-room hotel, a commercial, retail and dining precinct, 58 managed resort dwellings with private marina berths, and a retirement resort comprising 70 apartments and club facilities and Whitsunday Skyway - A potentially game-changing Airlie Beach tourist project could soon be built, creating jobs, more tourist opportunities and undoubtedly the best view in the Whitsundays. The Whitsunday Skyway is a proposed cable-car project which would link the main street of Airlie Beach with a nearby unnamed 430-metre-high peak in the Conway Ranges.

A lot of hype around Airlie Beach, lots of glossy brochures and digitally enhanced photography but as for real beauty? Nah. Bowen has nicer beaches.

if travelling you are better off visiting the Townsville foreshore area and magnetic island, and then visiting the Great Barrier Reef from further north.

Not worth your time. We travelled along the east coast of Australia and there is so many amazing places to see. Avoid Airlie Beach. It is not worth the time.
There is no atmosphere at the lagoon, which is the only place to swim.
The council is strict on enforcing rules and regulations.
Overall very unwelcoming.

Did not like the place at all, won't be back.

Airlie Beach is by far one of the most beautiful coastal locations in Queensland if not Australia. The town offers so much and attracts a large number of tourists to the region each year. Being a resident of Airlie Beach for 5 years now, I could not imagine returning to my home city of Brisbane as the lifestyle benefits & scenery of this great location are truly amazing. With 74 islands and the Great barrier Reef at our doorstep, where else in the world can you find that!

There are lots of restaurants, bars, cafes and shops located in town so there are many options to choose from. The famous Airlie Beach lagoon is located in the heart of town and is also great place for the locals, tourists and especially families to enjoy.

The town is currently undergoing some huge infrastructure upgrades to support the growing population. The main street of Airlie Beach is about to see a complete refurbishment and the new Port of Airlie project has just completed its first residential & commercial stage. This $750 million dollar marina development is going to put Airlie Beach on the map for international tourists and boating enthusiasts.

There is an opportunity for all property buyers to purchase in this location with real estate values at very affordable prices for investment or owner occupation. Sure, there are some units and houses that are priced for the fortunate few, however most of the property in the area can be purchased by the average income earner.

This town really does have it all and as we look to the future, things are only looking good for Airlie Beach and the Whitsunday Region. If you are considering a holiday in 2011, put Airlie Beach on your list of places to visit!

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what can you expect more than here? great fun around town always have some sort of festival, beautiful beach, great walking track! i just love it!

From the water Airlie Beach is not that visible or at least it wasn't, over the years one would expect things to change. Airlie was and probably still is very popular with back packers. from the Able Point Marina Airlie Beach is a nice walk and relatively easy to access, one of the favorite haunts was the Hogs Breath Cafe, and always full of activity.

A small coastal town visited by the whole world. Punches way above its weight for facilities, really friendly family community. Realestate going mad although there is a lull right now its a great time to buy. Draw back is that the economy is tourism related and limits the opportunity but retail is screaming for some help. New shopping centre lots of opportunities.

Party town loved by tourists and locals alike. It's a must do on many international traveller's itineraries and so many southerners come up here for a short working holiday and end up staying for years, even for life!
There's been a fair bit of recent development of brand new units and there's a new marina precinct under construction that will have more retail and waterfront restaurants and a hotel & units. It's abit noisy at the moment with the construction, but the facilities being built will be really cool and will probably bring more upmarket tourists to town.
I've lived in the area for nearly 5 years and can't see myself living anywhere else, I just love it. I love meeting people from all around Australia and the world - it gives the town such a cosmopolitan feel. And I love the fact that it is still small enough that you can start a small business on your own and make a reasonable go of it (that's up to you of course!)
I do miss that there are no heritage buildings around to add that element of sophistication, because it's a beach town that grew from the 60s onwards, but it's still a great place to live.
There seems to be a baby boom on at the moment, and I think the average age of residents is a bit younger than the national average. They are expanding some of hte local schools to cater for the demand at least. Aged care facilities are lacking and that's something I hope council will address in the future.
Overall, a great place for young people to live and work.

Don't even bother going, it will just completely spoil your Whitsundays Adventure. Explore Proserpine and the Islands! They have a real Whitsunday atmosphere not an artificial one like in Airlie Beach.

What a completely over-rated dump. Airlie Beach is often referred to as the gateway to the Whitsundays by local tourism organisations when actually it looks like the gateway to hell.

It is centred around only one main road which is called Shute Harbour Road. It is often congested and seems to have the bulk of the idiotic drivers who live in or visit the Whitsunday area using it.

The green backdrop to Airlie Beach is rapidly dissapearing with numerous dead end developments being constructed very close to the Conway National Park. In about 10 years Airlie Beach will most likely be a high-rise ghetto if the current rate of development continues.

You're lucky to find any locals with local knowledge as most of them have moved here in the last 6 months and are likely to leave within the coming 6 months.

Night time violence is a very regular occurence (check the local paper and see for yourself). Airlie Beach is often referred to as the party town. I have found that the parties usually get out of hand and who wants to go to a party anyway when the Whitsundays is re-nowned for its laid-back lifestyle?

The climate is horrendous. It is always hot and sunny no matter what time of the year you go. The sea-breeze is often blocked by the Conway National Park which causes Airlie Beach to become a virtual "Heat Bowl"

If you're intending on visiting or living in the Whitsundays I recommend you stick to Proserpine & the Islands and avoid Airlie Beach/Cannonvale altogether.

Airlie Beach is known as the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and the Whitsunday Islands. Located is North Queensland enjoy some great pastimes such as swimming, snorkeling and sailing as well as fishing, sky diving and scenic flights over the area. There is something for everyone. Resort accommodation is plentiful with all the facilities you could want and these are some great bars and restaurants around as well. As the area is a major tourist destination jobs are usually available in the hospitality industry and with such a great climate Airlie Beach is a great place to live. The price of rental properties in the area does vary as do home prices so it pays to shop around.

What a place to be. If you love the water you could not wish for more. Airlie Beach runs along the foreshore and is backed by mountains overlooking the offshore islands. This is true holiday mode. It is packed with visitors nearly all year round as it is the access way to the Great Barrier Reef islands where thousands of visitors stay each and every year.

It is just a fun place 24/7. It is like being in a huge holiday resort each and every day of the week.

There is some beautiful real estate to be had in this area, and no it is not cheap. But if you can afford it, good luck to you. Many people own holiday units in this area and let them out when they are not using them.

The growth in Airlie Beach has meant that there is a lot of casual employment going on, a lot of backpackers moving through who pick up jobs to get them to their next destination. You will meet people from all walks of life and so many countries if you stay long enough in Airlie Beach.

Working on the islands is another thing altogether. It is not easy to get jobs there, but if you are persistant and can wait out the time til they come up you will most likely get something.

Water sports of all kinds are the thing: snorkeling, diving, sailing, boating, fishing, wind surfing, you name it, you can do it here. Well almost, there is no surf due to the fact that it is inside the Great Barrier Reef.