We continued north from Cape Hillsborough and arrived in Airlie Beach early afternoon. We were in the process of finalizing plans for a sailing trip to the Whitsunday Islands and Great Barrier Reef scheduled to leave from that area in a few days. Airlie Beach is the launching off point for many boat tours so it’s extremely touristy. We were hoping to find a spot off the road to camp but quickly learned the local government does not permit any free camping. So, that night we stayed at our first resort type park.

The park is part of the Big4 Holiday Park chain. Thankfully our rental gets us 10% off but it was still $34 a night. With that big cost we received nice amenities including a car wash (to get the rest of the ants off – they hold on surprisingly well!) and descent wifi. There was also a kids play area with a bouncy pillow which we enjoyed hopping on when we finished our work for the day.

Our favorite beach – warning for stingers (season ending now)

The next morning we ventured out of town to explore nearby beaches. We were again hoping to find a little plot of land to camp for free but instead found small towns covered with no camping signs. We signed-in to another paid spot with a beach in walking distance. Hydeaway Bay Caravan Park was surprisingly almost as expensive as the big chain but without the extra amenities (no wifi or playground)! But Hydeaway Bay ended up being our favorite beach.

Because we arrived early, we had a beach day! We packed our lunch, iPads, snorkels and yoga mats for the short walk to the beach. We relaxed in the sun while blogging on our yoga mats. We enjoyed our sandwiches while listening to some tunes. Then we explored the waters with our snorkels in search for marine life. Although we found nothing but sand, we had an awesome day. As the sun began to set, we headed back to our camper for dinner and bed.

After packing up the next morning, we headed back to the beach. While I relaxed on the shore, Will gave snorkeling one last try. This time, it was high tide so the visibility was better and it was easier to swim out. Will ended up finding some neat little reefs which was perfect for building anticipation for our trip to Great Barrier Reef. That night, we again stayed at the Big4 resort in preparation for our sailing trip the following day.

Dry Cedar Creek Falls

Stinger net at Wilson Beach

After our amazing journey on the Anaconda III, we set out to explore the other areas near Airlie Beach. First, we drove to Cedar Creek Falls. A two minute walk from the parking lot led us to a stagnant pool next to a rock face – guess they have not seen rain in awhile. We continued down the road to two small towns on beaches. It was low tide so the beaches seemed to stretch forever! At Wilson Beach, it was really neat to see a swimming net secured in the sand. Because Australia has deadly box jellyfish in their waters, several beaches have nets installed to keep the stingers out of swimming areas. This was the only beach we saw one installed that could only be enjoyed at high tide.

Neither town allowed for free camping so we spent our last night in the area at Taylorwood. This free-spirited campsite was a great deal for the area at just $20 a night. We arrived early so we spent the afternoon doing laundry at their facilities. The owners invited us to happy hour at the communal kitchen and pool area where several of the permanent residents will regularly gather. We were greeted by a handful of other couples enjoying drinks and each other’s company. Most were residents except one other couple traveling from Melbourne. Everyone was very nice and welcoming – they even offered us homemade pizza (free dinner – score)! After enjoying some tasty slices, two musically talented campers started jamming on guitar and accordion. We all had a wonderful time singing and dancing the night away.

Through our night discussions, we learned we had some hobbies in common with the other couples. In the morning, we set off with our coffee/tea for more visiting. First, we had a lesson on making moonshine. Lucky for the Australians, making spirits in your home is legal. We saw a walk through of the whole process and they even sent us off with a new stash for our campervan! Good thing because a bottle of gin costs $65 (but only $10 to distill it)! Next we visited the owners to talk aviation. Rogin spent 26 days flying across the north half of Australia and now is fixing up an aircraft in his garage – too cool! We loved our night at Taylorwood – by far the most friendly place in Australia. We felt compelled to give out a couple of the world magnets Will had made before we left on this journey!

Birds hanging at Big4

Big4 Holiday Park

Our favorite beach - warning for stingers (season ending now)

Beach day stash

Snorkeling at Hydeaway

Sunset at Hydeaway

Beach day at Hydeaway Beach

Second beach day at Hydeaway

... and a goatfish!

Will found a neat fish...

While I watched a bird look for food.

Closeup of sand at Hydeaway Beach

Relaxing at Wilson Beach

Free-spirit campsite

Taylorwood camping

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