Whitsunday Islands - Island Magic

Airlie Beach is the gateway to the tropical splendour of the 74 islands that make up the Whitsundays. There is a young humming vibrance to the palm lined streets, cafes and beachfront lagoons.

In order to get an aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef, white sandy beaches and forested islands fringed with coral, we took the Beaver seaplane morning tour.

Including the pilot, we were seven up, a Chinese couple, an Aussie couple and us. The view across the reef was stupendous, however just as we reached the famous Heart Reef, the sun popped behind a cloud. In the returning sunlight, the reef glowed turquoise.

We smoothly touched down on the water and docked with a small boat covered in nets to keep the birds and their poop at bay. Leaving the seaplane anchored on the ocean, we continued with the semi-submersible where we dropped onto seats in the hull to see reef life up close, including a feisty fish that plucked and ate some weed straight off the porthole.

Squeezing into our wetsuits we dispersed in the lukewarm water to view the platform reef and hundreds of fishes: electric blue, lemon yellow, drifting over lettuce coral, staghorn coral and other wonderful shapes.

Back on board we cracked a bottle of sparkling white and enjoyed the moment.
Another seaplane takeoff followed, bumping rhythmically over waves. Then we circled over Hill Inlet, a lovely swirl of sandy shapes and colours.

Flying low over Whitehaven Beach, a 7km long beach, we landed on the water between sleek yachts. On arrival, a seagull took instant command of the wing, before purposefully circling our group for the snack box lunch we enjoyed on the whitest of beaches.

Last leg was the flight back over Hamilton Island to bank sharply over the blue ocean to land back at the airport.