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September is possibly the best time of year to visit Airlie Beach and The Whitsundays because it’s starting to warm up from winter, but it’s not yet hot. TEMPERATURE In September, Airlie Beach and The Whitsundays shake off those winter temperatures and put our jumpers back in the closet.  Temperatures generally hover around 26 degrees in the day and fall to 20 degrees at night. Spring comes with warm sunny days that are perfect for any outdoor adventure, especially snorkelling.  Sea temperatures start to warm up which prevents you from getting cold and allows you to stay in the water for longer. The longer you stay in the water, the more you will see, so it’s definitely a winning situation. RAIN September is one of the driest months in Airlie Beach with little to no rain falling.  If there is…

August, just like July, is a wonderful playground for both humans and sea animals.  August gives us some of the best chances to see dolphins, manta rays and whales. TEMPERATURE In August, Airlie Beach and The Whitsundays are what the locals refer to as ‘a bit cold’.  This means temperatures around 24 degrees in the day and at night, it will get down below 19 degrees. In August, being winter, we strongly recommend you take a decent jumper with you if heading out on the water.  If you are just hanging around Airlie Beach itself, then a t-shirt should be fine. This is normally the time of year that we as locals start getting called ‘sooks’ by our friends from Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide.  Cool for them is cold to us. RAIN August is one of the driest months in…

July is a special time of year in Airlie Beach and The Whitsundays because the weather is normally beautiful and there are humpback whales everywhere! TEMPERATURE In July, Airlie Beach and The Whitsundays are a pleasure to be in with day time temperatures rarely going above 24 degrees and at night it will start to get down below 20 degrees. In July, being winter, we strongly recommend you take a decent jumper with you if heading out on the water.  If you are just hanging around Airlie Beach itself, then a t-shirt should be fine. This is normally the time of year that we as locals start getting called ‘sooks’ by our friends from Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide.  Cool for them is cold to us. RAIN July is a dry month with very little rain in Airlie Beach and just…

June is one of the best months of the year weatherwise, and we start to see increased marine life activity in the form of manta rays, dolphins and whales.  Autumn is always a great time of year to visit the far north and here is why. TEMPERATURE In June, Airlie Beach and The Whitsundays are spectacular everywhere you look.  The wet season is gone and the dry air has set in.  Day time temperatures will rarely go above 25 degrees and at night it will start to get down below 20 degrees. In June you need to be taking a light jumper or coat with you if you venture out on the water to make sure you stay warm.  The temperature itself is not cold, but if you are on a fast-moving boat, then the wind can feel like it’s…

May is one of our glamour months with blue skies, warm days, coolish nights, clear water and hardly any rain.  Autumn is generally a great time of year to visit the far north and here is why. Temperature In May, Airlie Beach and The Whitsundays are absolutely spectacular more often than not.  The wet season is well and truly gone and we start to experience weather very similar to Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast.  Day time temperatures will rarely go above 26 degrees and at night it will start to get down around 20 degrees. It’s almost cool enough to wear jeans. May signals the start of some of the most pleasant outdoor dining experiences you can have in Australia.  We will write a list of our favourite alfresco restaurants soon to help point you in the right direction. Rain…

April is when our weather here really gets ‘turned on’.  The rain from the wet season is more or less gone and the temperature starts to drop.  The biggest benefit is the humidity dropping which means less sweat. Temperature In April, Airlie Beach and The Whitsundays are the picture-perfect brochure worthy days we all love so much.  The end of the wet season signals the end of the hot and humid days.  We see the return of our cool and consistent south-east trade winds.  Average temperatures hover around 26 degrees celsius, which is perfect for getting outside and exploring. Walking around town is no longer a sweaty activity that lures you from one air-conditioner to the next.  Instead, with a little bit of shade, you will want to be outside all day long. Rain As April is technically the end…

March is the tail end of the wet season in Airlie Beach and The Whitsundays.  This means that it may still rain at night, like January and February, though it is clearing up. Temperature In March, Airlie Beach and The Whitsundays the tropical destination that dreams are made of.  With daytime temperatures around 30 degrees and more often than not, sunny days to boot. As it is still the wet season, heatwaves and monsoonal rain comes and goes with a dramatic effect on the temperature.  A monsoonal trough can drop temperatures by as much as 7 degrees and a heatwave, generally caused by a synoptic ridge, can see temperatures soar above 40 degrees. Staying in a hotel with a pool and air-conditioning is essential.  We also have a large lagoon right on the foreshore in Airlie Beach which is perfect…

February is right in the middle of the wet season in Airlie Beach.  Which naturally means that it will be wet.  Though certainly not all the time, most of our rain happens at night. Temperature In February, Airlie Beach and The Whitsundays will be a hot tropical destination that hovers around 30 degrees celsius. Heatwaves and monsoonal rain come and go with a dramatic effect on the temperature.  A monsoonal trough can drop temperatures by as much as 7 degrees and a heatwave, generally caused by a synoptic ridge, can see temperatures soar above 40 degrees.  There is no dancing around the fact that summer in North Queensland can be hot.  Luckily in Airlie Beach and The Whitsundays, we almost always have a cool breeze to make things more comfortable. Staying in a hotel with a pool is essential, though…

January is the wet season in Airlie Beach which means we can get 5 seasons in one day.  Yes, I said 5, the fifth season is what is commonly known as a cyclone. Temperature In January, Airlie Beach will generally hover around 30 degrees Celsius in the day and drop to 25 degrees at night.   This is why air conditioning is critical at night all through the summer months. Heatwaves and monsoonal rain comes and goes and has a dramatic effect on the temperature.  A monsoonal trough can drop temperatures by as much as 7 degrees and a heatwave, generally caused by a synoptic ridge, can see temperatures soar above 40 degrees. Temperatures like this make it perfect weather for spending your days in a swimming pool. Rain It will rain in January and we get all kinds of…

While Debbie was by far the most destructive and devastating for all of us here, it’s important not to forget the cyclones that came before.  Below the list is a track map of all the cyclones that passed Airlie Beach within 100km. ADA – 1970 GERTIE – 1971  VERA – 1974 DAWN – 1976 OTTO – 1977 GORDON – 1979 KERRY – 1979 PAUL – 1980 PIERRE – 1985 CHARLIE – 1988 IVOR – 1990 CELESTE – 1996 ERICA – 1993 ULUI – 2010 ANTHONY – 2011 DYLAN – 2014 ITA – 2014 DEBBIE – 2017   What is a cyclone? If you are familiar with a hurricane or typhoon then you already know what a cyclone is.  A cyclone is the same weather system as them with one main difference, rotation direction. Cyclones spin clockwise, whereas typhoons and hurricanes…

Yes, Airlie Beach is a good place to live.  Most people here would say it’s the best place to live and here is why. Community Everyone in Airlie Beach is generally happy and friendly.  It’s the kind of place that passing someone on a footpath is usually accompanied by a friendly ‘hello’.  This is mostly because the majority of people living and working here are in hospitality.  Being a friendly person is a prerequisite. We also have a rather large police presence in town due to the massive area that the local law enforcement is responsible for.  It’s almost impossible to drive into town and not pass a police car.  The police here also adopt the locals friendly and relaxed attitude.  Provided you are not doing anything naughty, interaction with local law enforcement will be a friendly conversation. The heightened…

Red Cat Adventures brings home the gold Asher and Julie Telford could never have imagined ‘the cat was in the bag’ when they walked into the 2019 Qantas Australian Tourism Awards in Canberra on Friday night.At the end of the ceremony their Whitsunday business, Red Cat Adventures, was the recipient of not one, but…