Australia travel guideThe Whitsunday islands, the heart of the Great Barrier ReefCoral sea, Australia

Last updated on 11/25/2025 at 12:51 AM

The Whitsunday islands, meaning the « Pentecost islands », were named by Captain Cook, who discovered them in 1770 on Pentecost. As a fun fact, history tells us that he hadn’t accounted for the time difference and was off by a day.

The Whitsunday islands, a true tropical paradise

The Whitsundays archipelago consists of 74 islands located in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Queensland. These islands stretch over more than 124 miles from the city of Brisbane in the south to the city of Cairns in the north.

Like paradise !

Bathed by the waters of the Coral sea, the Whitsunday islands offer stunning white-sand beaches with turquoise waters and are surrounded by numerous coral reefs. The Whitsundays enjoy a tropical climate.

Bathed by the waters of the Coral sea, the Whitsunday islands offer stunning white-sand beaches with turquoise waters

The Whitsunday islands were formed at the time when sea levels began to rise after the last glaciation, and they have retained the appearance of mountain peaks covered with lush pine forests.

The Whitsundays archipelago consists of 74 islands located in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef

Whitehaven Beach

Whitsunday Island is the largest of the Whitsundays, covering nearly 29,650 acres. Here you can see the paradisiacal Whitehaven Beach, one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. The silica in the sand gives the beach its characteristic bright white color that shines under the sun.

The paradisiacal Whitehaven Beach is one of the most beautiful beaches in the world

The Whitsunday islands enjoy a tropical climate

How to get there ?

The Whitsunday islands are accessible by sea or air. Two main airports serve the Whitsundays: the first is located on the coast at Proserpine, and the second on Hamilton island.

By sea, cruises depart from Airlie Beach, Shute Harbour and Mackay.

By road, bus companies like Greyhound Australia provide daily connections to the town of Airlie Beach, the coastal town closest to the heart of the Whitsundays archipelago. The « Bruce Highway » is the main road connecting the Whitsundays to Brisbane, located more than 684 miles south, and Cairns, located over 373 miles north.

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