Launching facilities in the Whitsunday Area include public ramps at Shute Harbour, Muddy Bay (Boat Haven), Abel Point Marina, Shingley Beach, and a private facility owned by the Whitsunday Sailing Club.

The Shute Harbour ramp is somewhat exposed to the south and may be choppy at times with fresh south east winds; in these conditions a crew of two people to manage the boat and one to drive the car will make things easier. Parking for trailers is available along the Shute Harbour Road just back from the ramps. The Muddy Bay ramp is a Whitsunday council facility in Airlie Beach; parking is available in the park immediately adjacent.

Nearby is the Whitsunday Sailing Club launching ramp and dinghy harbour, by far the best launching facility in the Airlie Beach area, but this is a private club, and permission to use the facility by non-members should be obtained from the club secretary on the premises - phone (07) 4946 6138.

There is also a public ramp and dinghy pontoon immediately west of Abel Point Marina; parking facilities are available nearby. Shingley Beach, about 500 metres west of the Abel Point Marina, also has a launching ramp although it offers less protection than the others in the immediate area.

To read more about the Whitsundays and Airlie Beach see: Whitsunday Tourist Info, Whitsundays and Airlie Beach Australia

Abel Point Marina

Abel Point Marina at Airlie Beach is the largest mainland marina in the Whitsundays area and the main departure point for a wide variety of Whitsunday sailing holidays and cruises. It provides protection from all weathers with its breakwater and naturally sheltered position looking northwards over Pioneer Bay. The marina has more than 230 floating berths. Berths are available for casual hire. Fuel (diesel, unleaded, LPG) and water may be obtained.

The office is open from 7.30 am to 6.00 pm Monday to Friday and from 7.30 am to 5.00 pm on weekends and can be contacted on VHF channels 16/09 or on 27.88 mhz.

The marina complex consists of several buildings with offices and shops and a range of businesses including yacht charter operators, sailmaker, refrigeration and electrical services, chandlery, dive shop, bottle shop, Abel's seafood restaurant (right on the water), and a coin-operated laundry.

The marina is a major point of departure for crewed sailing charters heading out to various destinations among the islands and the Great Barrier reef. A large public parking lot is located 100 metres west of the marina.

Hawkes Boatyard adjacent to Abel Point Marina on Pioneer Bay provides a range of services including a slipway, workshops, shipwright, sailmaker, marine electronics and electric's, brokerage and chandlery. For directions to the marina, see: Map - Abel Point Marina

Shute Harbour

On the mainland is the finest natural harbour in the Whitsundays giving good protection from all weathers. It is a major point of embarkation for Whitsunday islands day trips, and its two public jetties are busy in the mornings until 9.30 am and again from 4.00 pm till 5.30 pm with tourist vessels coming and going. Private vessels are not permitted to tie up during these times.

Visitors should call Shute Harbour control on VHF channel 16 for instructions. There is no charge for pulling up; a small fee will be charged if water is required. Fuel is available (by arrangement with the water taxi office at the Lloyd Roberts Jetty (on the left looking towards the mainland.) Anchorage's are available about 600 metres south of the jetties outside the heavy concentration of moorings.

Other facilities at Shute Harbour include Jilly's, which is a small gift/souvenir shop and bookings office; a cafe/sandwich/takeaway shop, toilets, phones, a booking office, a jetty supervisor's office and a parking lot. A number of Whitsundays yacht charter companies operate from Shute Harbour. Regular bus service is available to Airlie and Cannonvale (the area's mainland resort and services centres) about 10 minutes down the road.

Shute Harbour is the base for the water taxi and also the main embarkation point for the Blue Ferries, operated by Fantasea Cruises, which provides regular scheduled inter-island services to the Whitsundays island resorts, which is the most convenient and economical way of getting to Daydream, South Molle and Hamilton Islands. A number of crewed day trip charter boats operate from Shute Harbour.

Hamilton Harbour

A major marine centre in it's own right, as part of Hamilton Island Resort it comes with a full - service shipyard with shipwright, travel lift, refrigeration, electrical and engineering services, fuels, power, and supplies. It's worth remembering that all goods on any Whitsunday island have had to be handled a number of times before getting there, and you can expect to pay higher prices than on the mainland.

Scheduled transport between Hamilton and the mainland is available on 'Blue Ferries' operated by Fantasea Cruises, which provide regular services to Shute Harbour and some of the other Whitsunday holiday resorts. The water taxi also operates between Shute Harbour and other islands in the group.

For a complete description of Hamilton Island accommodation, restaurants, tours and facilities go to our Resort guide.

Laguna Quays

Laguna Quays is a luxurious resort known for its world class golf course, condominium development and man-made harbour and marina at Repulse Bay, on the mainland in the southern Whitsunday area.

No expense was spared by the Japanese company that created the first class golf course and resort, but the costs incurred outpaced the revenue that followed, and since it was first opened the resort has undergone several changes of ownership. Laguna Quays is now enjoying the improved economic climate in Australia and the increase in demand for marina facilities in the Whitsundays area.

Laguna Quays is the first marina north after Mackay, and with the attractions of the resort golf course and a good heavy-weather anchorage within the man-made harbour it is becoming a popular spot with yachties heading north to the Whitsundays. The channel to the man-made harbour has been dredged again to a depth of 3.0 metres and there is 4.0 metres within the harbour.

The entrance to the channel is at (20 36 'S, 148 41.26'E). Another arm has been added to the marina giving it 120 floating berths, and there are also 10 swing moorings. Fuel (diesel and unleaded) and pump-out facilities for bilges/sewerage are available. The Captains Bar located at the marina advertises drinks at cruising prices. There's a coin operated laundry and barbeque facilities. Marina guests are able to use all resort facilities. The marina office monitors VHF channels 9, 16 and 21. Telephone (07) 4940 8763. Fax (07) 4940 8762.

Bowen

This is a seaport town, 40 nautical miles by boat from Airlie Beach, the nearest official port to the Whitsunday Group. It unofficially marks the northern extreme of the cruising area. Bowen has a man-made boat harbour which is home to a fleet of trawlers and when berthing, a number of pile berths and moorings are available.