About the Whitsunday Region

The Whitsunday region was once known as simply one of Australia’s most popular tourism destinations.

However, today the region is home to a growing number of permanent residents who are attracted to the region for its lifestyle and climate.

The broader Whitsunday region is bordered by Bowen to the north and Mackay to the South. The coastal townships of Cannonvale, Airlie Beach and Jubilee Pocket, together with the Whitsunday Islands, are the primary pillar of the Whitsunday economy. 1.2 million tourists visit the region each year, placing the Whitsunday region within the top twenty tourist locations in the country.

Access
The region is serviced by three airports: The Proserpine Airport, Hamilton Island airport and the Mackay Airport, not to mention the Whitsunday Airport which handles light aircraft. All three airports are serviced by regular direct flights from all Australian capital cities. Airlie Beach is also serviced by major bus lines and the Queensland Rail ‘Tilt Train’ service with a station in Proserpine. By road, Airlie Beach is just 20km off the Bruce Highway which runs between Brisbane and Cairns. The drive from Cairns is about 7.5 hours and from Brisbane about 13 hours.

Climate
Average max: 27 deg C. Min: 21 deg C.

Attractions
The region is known as the gateway to the Whitsunday Islands, and as such is the launch point for ferry services to the islands.

In addition, the calm waters of Pioneer Bay are perfect for boating, often being described as a ‘yachters' paradise’. Airlie Beach is the centre for the mainland's dining precinct, with a variety of quality restaurants and cafes. The suburb is also well known for the foreshore parks which include the Airlie Beach lagoon, a 4.5 million litre freshwater swimming area that is popular with tourists and local alike. Most of the activities in the area center around the water activities, which are virtually unlimited, however the national parks of the Whitsunday region are also a major draw card. The Whitsunday ‘Great Walk’ was opened in late 2004 and provides internationally recognised walking trails through the Conway National Park with stunning views of the Whitsunday Islands.

Property prices climbing and land supply falling
The property market within the Whitsunday region has performed exceptionally well.

All three market segments: detached houses, vacant land and units, have recorded growth in median prices of at least 18% per annum.

The standout market has been vacant land, where the median price for a block of land in the region has increased by 22.6% per annum over the last five years.

The market in the Whitsunday’s is largely being driven by the sea change market: baby boomers and empty nesters looking for a lifestyle upgrade. Coupled with this strong demand is an absolutely finite level of supply. The large proportion of the Whitsunday Shire is either designated national park or agricultural land. When viewed in light of the strong population projections planned for the area, the short supply of land in the region is likely to result in ongoing price prices as demand outweighs supply.