Don't freeze down south this winter. Come to Whitsundays and enjoy this type of weather and scenery. Overlooking Daydream Island pool and Coral Sea. Click image for larger size.

Freezing down south? Why not jump on a airplane and fly up to the Whitsundays where it’s warm and wonderful right now.

Forget those freezing mornings. leave those heavy coats and jumpers behind. Swap your winter clothes for board shorts and bikinis and come play in the Whitsundays where winter just never happens.

Just take a look at that photo taken on Daydream Island yesterday, 11th May, 2011. Wouldn’t you rather be here than shivering and shaking in the southern states. Right now there are great specials all around the Whitsundays. You can make fabulous savings on accommodation in Airlie Beach, grab some awesome specials on Daydream Island or Hamilton Island and give those cold days and teeth clattering nights the flick.

North Queensland really doesn’t experience a winter. From the Whitsundays to Port Douglas you can miss the worst of winter and enjoy clear blue skies and sunny days. The sea temperature remains around 25 degrees, ideal for snorkelling and all watersports. Our sunny days are perfect for working on your tan, bush walking, sightseeing and sailing.

So stop complaining about the cold. Come on up to where Queensland Shines.

Snorkelling in winter is no problem in the Whitsundays. Sea temperatures remain a pleasant 25 degrees during the "winter" months.

Pacific Jewel lies anchored off shore from Airlie Beach while passengers enjoy the shopping and sightseeing delights of the beautiful Whitsundays.

This week we saw two P&O cruise liners visit Airlie Beach, Pacific Sun and Pacific Jewel.

We personally spoke to many passengers during the visits with all of them saying that Airlie Beach and the Whitsundays was one of the most beautiful areas they had seen during their cruise.

One couple from Newcastle visited Airlie Beach and the Whitsunday Islands way back in the sixties. They spoke to us of their first visit and said they were so happy that even though Airlie Beach had grown so much, the people seemed to retain the tropical charm and friendliness they found so long ago.

They particularly mentioned that the lagoon has transformed Airlie Beach into somewhere they would seriously consider coming back for an extended holiday in the not too distant future.

Children enjoy a camel ride on Airlie Beach while cruise boat lies at anchor in the background.

The cruise boats that call into Airlie bring with them a much needed boost to tourism operators. The Airlie Beach village is buzzing with the extra people who take the opportunity of coming ashore.

Volunteers do an excellent job with meet and greet duties, stall keepers set up impromptu markets on the beach and the camel masters take visitors for a beach ride.

Pacific Sun is due to return to Airlie Beach on 17th May. Once again the local community will enjoy the increased numbers and our visitors the natural beauty of the awesome Whitsundays.

When are you coming to enjoy the Whitsundays? We would love to see you here!

With glorious views across the Coral Sea, passengers from the P&O cruise boat Pacific Jewel take a few moments to soak up the glorious Whitsundays sunshine at the Airlie Beach Lagoon.

Take a joy flight over the Great Barrier Reef in the Whitsundays and you could have the excitement of seeing Heart Reef yourself.

It is also the perfect time to take a cruise out to the Great Barrier Reef. Calm seas and great visibility make diving and snorkelling an extra special adventure.

The clear blue skies are ideal for a joy flight over the reef. You cannot imagine just how exciting flying over Heart Reef really is from looking at those tourist brochures and Flickr photos. It is something you must experience yourself. A flight over the Great Barrier Reef opens your eyes to the enormity of the reef and the absolute beauty that lives just beneath the warm tropical waters.

Put yourself in this picture. Snorkeling The Great Barrier Reef at Knuckle Reef, Whitsundays.

Fantasea and Cruise Whitsundays operate daily cruises to Hardy Reef and Knuckle Reef, both awesome locations to enjoy snorkelling or scuba diving, and perfect for a helicopter flight over Heart Reef.

As I type this post, sitting at home in the Whitsundays, I can reflect that yesterday was beautiful, today is perfect and tomorrow will be awesome. Soon I must meet and greet my brother arriving from Sydney at Shute Harbour. What a day he will have travelling on the ferry between Hamilton Island Airport and the mainland. I think I will go a little early so I can soak up those gorgeous views.

Let’s hope you make it to the Whitsundays soon. The balmy days from here to the end of October are ideal for all those water activities, the weather is great with Airlie Beach plus the 74 tropical islands and Great Barrier Reef just waiting to knock you socks off. While no-one can guarantee you ideal conditions on any given day, this is aways the best time of the year to visit the Whitsundays.

The Whitsundays… Beautiful One Day… Perfect The Next!

A typically gorgeous Queensland day greeted visitors to the second Whitsundays Air Show, which happened to coincide with the Whitsunday Airport’s 50th birthday celebrations.

The main attractions for guests were the RAAF Roulettes, who performed the opening air display and the equally exciting Maax-G acrobatic Pitt Specials.

The very large crowd were entertained for more than 3 hours with precise formation flying, awesome aerobatics, skydiving exhibitions and a flyby of a variety of aircraft including an outstanding relic from World War 2, a Grumman Avenger which served with the US Navy.

A big thank you must go to the owner of Whitsundays Airport Jeffrey Ruddell, and the airport’s hard working manager Peta McMullen. It is the enjoyment of visitors that is the best gauge if an event was either a success or earns just a pass. This year’s Whitsundays Air Show really entertained the thousands of people who attended. You could see the enjoyment on peoples faces and being among the crowd, there were only good comments to be heard. Yes, it was a resounding success.

Now for the best part. Here are some of our Whitsundays Air Show photo’s selected quickly from many hundreds of images that we took today at Whitsunday Airport.

If you would like to see a larger image, click the photo and it will open a new window in original size. More information and images regarding the 2011 Whitsundays Air Show can be found on the CQ Plane Spotting Blog.

Major business at Whitsundays Airport, Air Whitsundays Seaplane taking off.

Fabulous gyrocopter made the trip to Whitsunday Airport and was a favorite on display at the Air Show.

Awesome acobatic airplane there were 3 Pitts Special aircraft on display.

Most loved the sound of the powerful rotary engine of the Grumman Avenger which served in the US Navy during World War II.

The Pitt acrobatic planes really entertained the large crown with an awesome display of acrobatic flying.

The stars of the air show, the RAAF Roulettes, take off to perform some serious formation flying.

The RAAF Roulettes opened and closed the Whitsundays Airport Air Show. The large crowd loved them.

The main attraction at the Whitsundays Air Show 2011 was undoubtably the RAAF Roulettes. They performed some remarkable formation flying and fully entertained all who attended the second Whitsundays Airport Air Show.

Different from the normal tourist shots of the Maheno on Fraser Island, a photo from the air gives a better talking point and greater memory of your visit to the worlds largest sand island.

It won’t be long before the whales start their migration from the Antarctic waters to warmer climates, to have their calves and mate. It is always an exciting time to see the whales and there is no better place on earth to experience the event than the Fraser Coast.

Another experience that you should have while in the region is a 4WD tour and visit to the worlds largest sand island and a Fraser Island joy flight, where you take off and land right on the beach.

It’s one of the biggest thrills and you get to see just how large Fraser Island is from the air. The best way to describe it is “awesome”. Plus you get the opportunity to take a photo of the famous Maheno shipwreck from an angle that is different from all those other tourist shots. From the air the Maheno is wide open and dwarfs the tourist cars and buses. It certainly is a sight not to be missed.

You won’t need to book a joy flight in advance as all 4wd tours take time out for passengers who wish to take a joy flight on Fraser Island. Just the experience of taking off and landing on the beach is an adventure, the rest is pure bonus.

So put this one on your bucket list. Fraser Island Joy Flight.

It’s something everyone should do before they kick it.

Long Island Resort April Specials

The sheltered bay at Long Island is ideal for all types of water activities in most weather conditions.

Long Island Resort closed for repairs and renovations after Cyclone Yasi battered the Queensland coast, always stating that they would re-open on the 1st of April. Today they have honored that commitment and have a great special to mark the occasion.

During April you can grab some very big savings, such as an Easter B&B special at $180 per night for 2, (min 2 nights) which includes buffet breakfast daily plus free ferry transfers between Shute Harbour or Airlie Beach.

Beachfront accommodation is just a few paces from the beautiful calm bay at Long Island.

Long Island is quiet and peaceful. You are in amongst nature, yet pampered and spoiled by the fabulous staff. It’s not as upmarket as some of the Whitsundays Island resorts, yet it is one where you can relax and simply enjoy the tropical delights of an island paradise.

It’s great to see Long Island Resort open again and those specials for the month of April shouldn’t be missed.

Don’t forget, you can take a day trip to Long Island anytime with Cruise Whitsundays.

Cruise Specials Fantasea & Cruise Whitsundays

The only way to see Heart Reef is from the air. Take a helicopter ride from either Fantasea or Cruise Whitsunday's Great Barrier Reef day cruises.

Fantasea Cruises recently won a major tourism award and are celebrating with a “buy one get one for half price” type deal until April 20. Pay for one adult, the other goes for half price. Fantastic! You can save up to $100 with this special, more if you have children.

This makes cruising to Fantasea’s Hardy Reef Pontoon on the Outer Great Barrier Reef, or a day trip from Shute Harbour to Whitehaven Beach a genuine bargain. The special is only available for travel from the mainland so grab your tickets before the offer expires.

Cruise Whitsundays “Give Us A Break” specials are still being offered, but time is running out to make some fantastic savings.

The day cruise to Knuckle Reef is my personal favorite day trip to the Great Barrier Reef, and sailing to Whitehaven Beach on the Camira is one of the “must do” activities that should be on every backpackers list.

Both cruise companies operate awesome tours from Airlie Beach, so don’t miss out. The Whitsundays is simply fantastic to see and enjoy, right now cruises are the cheapest they have ever been.

Come and see the Whitsundays, the Great Barrier Reef and famous Whitehaven Beach. Grab a bargain while they last. This is paradise!

What can you do when torrential rain is keeping you from the normally fabulous blue waters of the Whitsundays?

Edit all those photos that you took from your last trip to the Great Barrier Reef of course.

Our last trip seems so long ago, yet it was just last Wednesday that we enjoyed the Cruise Whitsundays Knuckle Reef adventure.

What a day, and what a fantastic job Cruise Whitsundays puts in to ensure that each and every one of their guests enjoys the cruise to the Outer Great Barrier Reef as much as the next. They even have some karaoke style entertainment on the cruise home with awesome prizes to be won. The farmyard sounds competition is a standout.

For me, the helicopter flight over Heart Reef was the highlight, yet snorkelling at Knuckle Reef is way up there as the pinnacle of the cruise.

Let’s allow the images to tell the story. Click on the image to see larger size.

Boarding the Cruise Whitsundays vessel Seaflight at Abel Point Marina, Airlie Beach.

Cruise Whitsundays crew aboard Seaflight make everyone relaxed from start to finish. Here we have a guest photographer showing off with some nice equipment.

Cruise Whitsundays permanent pontoon on the Outer Great Barrier Reef at Knuckle Reef Lagoon. This is where cruise guests enjoy all the activities such as glass bottom boat coral viewing, semi submarine, underwater observatory, scuba diving, snorkeling, helicopter flights and just soaking up the warm tropical sun.

You can see fabulous tropical fish without getting wet in the huge underwater viewing chamber of the Knuckle Reef pontoon.

Whatever you do, take a helicopter flight over Heart Reef. It is awesome, and the only way you can see it is from the air.

The instructors make introductory divers feel safe and at home in the water. Yes they actually hold your hand until you get the hang of scuba diving.

It is the Great Barrier Reef that is the star attraction on any cruise. Knuckle Reef is alive with marine creatures and awesome coral formations.

There are over 200 species of fish that thrive at Knuckle Reef. This parrot fish was as curious of me as I was of her. How do I know this is female. Males are more colourful and beautiful. They need to be to attract females.

You can spend hours just admiring the variety of beautiful coral gardens that lie just below the surface. Over 150 species of coral live on Knuckle Reef.

Knuckle Reef to Heart Reef Helicopter Flight

Everybody should see the Great Barrier Reef from the air. Why? Because it’s absolutely awesome!

Our last post told you about the fabulous cruise to Knuckle Reef, which is located on the Outer Barrier Reef, some 95 kilometers east of Airlie Beach. Cruise Whitsundays offers a great day cruise commencing from Abel Point Marina and does pick up guests from both Daydream Island and Hayman Island along the way.

Once you arrive at Cruise Whitsundays permanent pontoon on Knuckle Reef, you have a bevy of activities to enable you to enjoy the experience, from semi sub coral viewing, glass bottom boats, the underwater viewing chamber on the pontoon or you can snorkel or scuba dive.

Yet there is a special and unique opportunity for you to see the Great Barrier Reef like no other and that is by taking a helicopter flight where you are some 500 feet above the sea. Views from above the Great Barrier Reef are totally awesome, plus you can take a flight over the world famous Heart Reef, which you can only see via the air.

Yes it does cost a little to see the Great Barrier Reef by helicopter, but believe me, it is an experience worth every cent. You can take a 10 minute flight or a longer 20 minute flight, the choice is yours. We strongly recommend the longer flight as even on that the time just seems to pass far too quickly.

It is only from above that you will grasp the enormity of the Great Barrier Reef. The beautiful colors and shapes of the various coral outcrops, the marine life that you can clearly see from the air and the natural wonder that is the Great barrier reef will leave you simply breathless. It’s awesome!

Join us below as we take you on our helicopter flight, via video, and see what is waiting for you out on the Barrier Reef.

You can take a cruise to the Great Barrier Reef from all of the major tourist towns along the Queensland coast. From Port Douglas to Airlie Beach to Bundaberg, there are cruise companies that will give you an extra special experience.

Climb aboard and enjoy our short video footage of a helicopter flight from Knuckle Reef to Heart Reef in the wonderful Whitsundays.

Fasten your seat belts and enjoy the flight

From the air, it is easy to see where guests of Cruise Whitsundays floating pontoon can snorkel and dive at Knuckle Reef Lagoon. This is truly a great day cruise from Airlie Beach to the Outer Great Barrier Reef.

In this regard, it is easy to talk about the condition of Knuckle Reef, where Cruise Whitsundays has located their floating pontoon. Anchored in Knuckle Reef Lagoon on the outer Great Barrier Reef, tourists have some of the best snorkelling conditions where they can enjoy the diversity of the amazing coral reef.

Knuckle Reef is located 95 kilometers off the coast from Airlie Beach and it takes the Cruise Whitsundays vessel Seaflight, a very luxurious 7-metre state of the art wavepiercer vessel, about 3 hours to make the journey. More of the fantastic day that Cruise Whitsundays provides will follow, but it is the awesome time you will have at Knuckle Reef I want to convey in this particular post.

What really stands out is the condition of the reef itself at Knuckle Reef Lagoon. Just 2 weeks ago we snorkelled the Outer Barrier Reef at Hardy Reef, which is virtually situated next door to Knuckle Reef. Whist it was good, we did come away from that trip a little disappointed after seeing the damage to the reef that is clearly visible to anyone who wants to see.

Knuckle Reef held no such disappointment for us, we came away with such a good feeling that Knuckle Reef is alive and well, we cannot wait to go back again. We appreciate the sad fact that over time Knuckel Reef will also be subjected to the human factor, which will undoubtably take it’s toll.

I saw how the human factor impacts on the health of the reef yesterday. While snorkelling, a huge parrot fish slowly glided into view, the person snorkeling near me became so excited he wanted to make sure his wife also witnessed this amazing scene and stood up to tell his wife. I watched in horror as his fins struck a piece of Staghorn coral, snapping off the beautiful, yet brittle horns. In that impulsive act, one human killed countless coral anemones. I felt like screaming!

All cruise companies tell passengers time and again during a cruise not to stand on the reef. Sometimes people do not listen or forget the fact that coral are living creatures. Whilst that incident did sadden me, it couldn’t spoil an otherwise awesome day. A truly remarkable experience, thanks to Cruise Whitsundays and their energetic staff.

You don’t go to the reef for the food that is served for lunch. You don’t go to the reef for what music is played during the cruise. Those type of things do add to the overall enjoyment of the day, but is not the main reason why you are taking a cruise. You take a cruise to the reef to see The Great Barrier Reef. This cruise delivers the goods.

If you intend to take a cruise from Airlie Beach, then I would highly recommend that you book with Cruise Whitsundays, simply because Knuckle Reef Lagoon, where you are allowed to snorkel, has a healthier coral population. It makes one wonder what would a pristine reef look like where there was no commercial snorkelling or diving. Must be totally awesome.

Both of the major cruise companies in the Whitsundays, Fantasea and Cruise Whitsundays, give their passengers an unforgettable experience on the Great Barrier Reef. It is my opinion that the reef where you are allowed to snorkel is more spectacular at Knuckle Reef than that at Hardy Reef.

Knuckle Reef is amazing, so I will let the images below do the talking. Click the images to see a larger size.

Awesome snorkelling for both the novice or more advanced. Huge plate corals, an abundance of marine life and fish species live just below the surface. Knuckle Reef is about 95 kilometers from the tropical township of Airlie Beach, Queensland.

Knuckle reef in the Whitsundays is home to over 150 different species of hard and soft corals. Situated 95 kilometers from the coast, Cruise Whitsundays operated day trips to Knuckle Reef from Airlie Beach daily.

Some of the clams are so awesome with different patterns and colours. Underwater photo taken at the Outer Barrier Reef on a day trip with Cruise Whitsundays.

From Knuckle Reef you can take a helicopter flight to see the fabulous Heart Reef. Helicopter flights are an optional extra.