Airlie Beach - Gateway to the Barrier Reef

We took a budget flight up to Airlie Beach in Queensland for five days as a base to explore the Whitsunday Islands and the Great Barrier Reef. Syndey airport was really great, super efficient, very clean and modern and lots of shops and eating places, just for a budget domestic flight! Proserpine airport where we landed to get to the Whitsunday coast was pretty much just a big hut in the middle of nothing. Certainly warmer here two hours further North by plane. First thing we noticed were all the warning signs about the different types of jellyfish and the effects of their sting, quickly followed by the cyclone information in our room! Airlie beach is not too busy right now although you can imagine how rammed it must be in the high seasons. Funny to see lots of parrots and cockatoo's flying around everywhere and making a racket. Signed up for trips around the islands and some diving at the Great Barrier reef.