Frommer's Australia from $50 a Day 13th Edition - To Parent Directory

THE WHITSUNDAY COAST & ISLANDS 315
MORE OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
FISHING Reef fishing is superb throughout the islands; red emperor, coral
trout, sweetlip, and snapper are common catches. A popular charter vessel is the
16.5m (54-ft.) timber cruiser Moruya (& 07/4946 7127, or 0415 185 653
mobile phone; www.fishingwhitsunday.com.au). Day trips depart Shute Harbour
daily at 9:30am and return at 5:30pm.They include lunch, bait, and fishing rods.
The crew will even clean your catch for you. Adults pay A$100 (US$65), seniors
A$90 (US$59), children ages 4 to 14 A$65 (US$42), and a family of four A$265
(US$172).
The 12m (39-ft.) Marlin Blue (& 07/4948 0999 for bookings) takes reef
and game anglers from Abel Point Marina and South Molle Island Resort for
A$245 (US$159) per person for a full day, on a shared charter. That includes
lunch, bait, and tackle; drinks are extra. The boat departs the mainland at 7am
and returns around 5:30pm.
If you want to undertake your own fishing expedition, Harbourside Boat
Hire (& 07/4946 9330), in Shute Harbour, rents motorized dinghies for A$60
(US$39) for a half-day or A$90 (US$59) for a full day. Half-cabin cruisers cost
A$90 (US$59) for a half-day or A$150 (US$98) for a full day. They also hire
fishing rods and sell tackle, bait, ice, and all your fishing needs.
ECO TOURS Visitors to the Whitsundays can get up-close-and-personal with
crocodiles in their natural habitat with Proserpine River Eco Tours (& 07/4946
5111) which combines an open-air wagon ride through the pristine Goorganga
wetlands and a boat trip on the river to learn more about one of Queensland’s
major crocodile-breeding grounds. This is the only place to see crocs in safety in
the wild south of the Daintree. Bus pickups operate from Airlie Beach, Cannonvale,
and Proserpine for the morning and afternoon tours, which each run for
about 4 hours, depending on tides, and cost A$59 (US$38) adults, A$40 (US$26)
kids ages 4 to 14, and A$158 (US$103) family of four. You finish up with a talk
over billy tea and the best damper (a type of baked bread) I’ve ever tasted (and
they’ll even give you the recipe).
HIKING & 4WD SAFARIS The hills behind Airlie Beach stretch into nearby
Conway State Forest and are rich in giant strangler figs, ferns, and palms. If you’re
lucky you’ll spot a blue Ulysses butterfly. Several companies offer half-day 4WD
safaris. Hiking trails ranging in length from 1km (just over .5 of a mile) to 5.4km
(3.75 miles) lead through the forest or down to the beach in Conway National
Park, which spans Shute Harbour Road between Airlie Beach and Shute Harbour.
One trail has signboards explaining the Aboriginal uses of the plants you
are passing; several trails offer impressive views of the islands. The trails depart
from one of three parking lots along Shute Harbour Road. The Queensland
Parks and Wildlife Service information center (& 07/4946 7022) on Shute
Moments Whale-Watching in the Whitsundays
Humpback whales migrate to the Whitsundays every July to September to
calve. These leviathans come right up to the boat. FantaSea Cruises (& 07/
4946 5111; www.fantasea.com.au) runs whale-watching cruises in season;
trips feature an onboard whale talk and videos. The cost is about A$95
(US$62) per adult, and if you don’t see any whales, you can go again
another day for free, or choose another of FantaSea’s cruises.