Whitsunday Islands National Park Whitsundays

Ngaro track under construction

The Ngaro track will provide a new and exciting opportunity to hike in the Whitsundays. For safety reasons, the Ngaro track is closed to the public while the track and campsites are being constructed. Photo credit: Nah Turnbull © Queensland Government

The iconic Hill Inlet is not to be missed on a visit to Whitsunday Islands National Park. Photo credit: © Tourism and Events Queensland

About Whitsunday Islands

    Photo of humpback whales put on a show in winter. Photo: J Heitman.

    Whales are a common site around the Whitsundays in winter.

    Photo credit: J Heitman

    Park features

    These hilly islands were formed as rising sea levels, when the polar ice caps melted from 19,000 to 6,000 years ago, 'drowned' an ancient, mainland, coastal mountain range. Today, these (once) mountain peaks and the surrounding turquoise waters offer visitors many features.

    • A walking delight with many walking track options and often with spectacular views.
    • Great camping areas.
    • Whitehaven Beach and Hill Inlet with their white silica sand.
    • A boating paradise.
    • Coral cays and inshore reefs, with vividly coloured coral structures.
    • Ngaro Aboriginal rock art at Hook Island’s Nara Inlet.
    • Rare plants and animals like the Whitsunday bottle trees and the unadorned rock-wallabies.
    • Marine turtles, whales, sharks, rays and hundreds of darting and dashingly colourful reef fish.
    • Long beaches and a turquoise sea like no other.

    The islands and surrounding waters are protected by the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area. Learn more about the nature, culture and history of the Whitsundays.

    Looking after the park

    Be pest-free!

    Our precious Great Barrier Reef World Heritage islands are among the most pest-free islands in the world. They need your help to stay this way.

    Before you visit, please check that your boat, clothing, footwear and gear are free of soil, seeds, parts of plants, eggs, ants and insects (and their eggs), spiders, lizards, toads, rats and mice.

    Be sure to:

    • Unpack your camping gear and equipment and check it carefully as pests love to hide in stored camping gear.
    • Clean soil from footwear and gear as invisible killers such as viruses, bacteria and fungi are carried in soil.
    • Check for seeds in pockets, cuffs and hook and loop fastening strips, such as Velcro.

    While you are on the islands, remove soil, weeds, seeds and pests from your boat, gear and clothes before moving to a new site. Wrap seeds and plant material, and place them in your rubbish.

    Everyone in Queensland has a General Biosecurity Obligation to minimise the biosecurity risk posed by their activities. This includes the risk of introducing and spreading weeds and pests to island national parks.

    Be Reef Smart Don't throw food scraps or fish waste into the water from the beach, at anchorages, or where people are swimming. Don't swim where fish are being cleaned.

    See the guidelines on caring for parks for more general information about protecting our environment and heritage in parks.

    Please also read looking after national park islands in the Whitsundays.

    Park management

    Read about managing national parks of the Whitsundays.

    Tourism information links

    Read Tourism information links for national parks of the Whitsundays.