Almost all of the islands in the Whitsundays are National Parks... They offer secluded beach camping holidays with eco-friendly facilities for both independent and commercial campers. The national park island campsites are used by people seeking a range of different adventures including remote experience, sail and beach camping safaris and sea kayaking tours. Once you have an island campsite in mind and organised transport then you can purchase a permit. Permits can either be purchased through the Internet on www.qld.gov.au or over the phone with QPWS on 131304.

Once you have booked and paid for your Beach Camping permit, you will be given a booking number and issued a camping tent tag... If you have booked your camping holiday before arrival, just call into the Whitsunday Information Centre when you arrive, pick up your tag, write your booking number on it and head out to your Whitsunday Islands campsite.

Whitsunday holiday campers should be self sufficient regardless of the facilities present at each Beach camping site. Fresh water is an essential item. Do not risk running short... Take enough food for your intended stay plus meals for three extra days in case you are stranded due to weather... No fires are permitted in island national parks or on beaches.

Take with you a basic first aid camping kit including vinegar for stinger treatment, insect repellent, sunscreen, hat, sturdy footwear and strong garbage bags. Campers visiting Whitsundays camping sites that have bush toilets may need to bring their own pedestal and screen... Where toilet facilities are not provided, a hand trowel is useful for digging toilet holds. Please bury human waster at least 100 meters from a watercourse or campsite and all faecal waste at least 15cm deep... To find out more about selecting a campsite, minimal impact camping and camp cooking, see camping holidays

The surrounding landscape, plants and animals should be left undisturbed on Whitsundays camping holidays... Use beach access walkways and camp only at designated campsites... Keep to the walking tracks. Do not create new trails by taking shortcuts... Do not light fires on island national parks or beaches. Use gas or fuel stoves and lanterns... Soaps and detergents harm marine life. Wash away from waterways and the foreshore area and scatter wash water when finished... Do not feed native animals. Human food will harm them and feeding can lead to aggression... Ship it in - Ship it out' take all rubbish with you when you leave

• Dugong Beach
  Popular with local residents, this is a suitable beach camping site for larger groups, with a good sandy beach backed by rainforest. A 1km-walking track connects this beach with Sawmill Beach
• Joes Beach
  Joes Beach provides a secluded beach camping site for a Whitsunday holiday... The beach area has outstanding views of Cid Island and the Molle islands. The fringing reef provides good snorkelling and is exposed during low tides.
• Whitehaven Beach
  The dazzling white, pure silica sands of Whitehaven Beach is one of the best-known beach camping Whitsunday holiday sites. This spectacular Whitsundays beach is backed by lowland vine forest and eucalyptus woodland which provides good shade.

• Maureen's Cove
  The bays of Hook Island offer some of the most beautiful of the Whitsundays fringing reefs that provide good diving and snorkelling... Maureen's Cove has a coral rubble beach popular with snorkellers and divers. This is a frequently visited anchorage with public moorings. Anchoring is not permitted in some areas of the bay and there is no fishing allowed.

• Sandy Bay
  Good beach camping and bushwalkers can enjoy 15km of graded walking tracks passing through grasslands, open forests and rainforests to lookouts with spectacular views. Has a pleasant beach fringed with casuarinas and can be readily accessed at mid-high tides. This site also provides good snorkelling.
• Paddle Bay
  This rainforest Whitsundays camping site backs onto a sandy beach and overlooks Daydream Island. South Molle Island is a favourite with bushwalkers with more than 15km of walking tracks. Access to the track system from Paddle Bay is only possible at low tide.
• Denman Island
  A small island offering pleasant bush camping holidays with a remote feel. The campsite is set in dry rainforest behind the beach.
• Planton Island
  An island that also offers that deserted Whitsunday holiday feel. The campsite is located in dry rainforests behind the beach.