Moorings at Whitsunday Islands
Details On All The Types Of Moorings Available In The Whitsunday Islands And Their Locations.
There are ‘No Anchoring Areas’ throughout the islands and a flotilla of moorings at Whitsunday Islands have been introduced to prevent further damage from cruise charters and fishing vessels in the park. In particular, fringing reefs are most vulnerable to anchor damage and vessel groundings. Public moorings are blue buoys that feature a color-coded band and have a mooring tag, stating time limits, and so on. Anchoring is not forbidden everywhere in the park and you can do so away from the islands ensuring not to damage any coral by following responsible reef practices for anchoring.
Marker buoys can be clearly seen in bays where no anchoring is allowed and it is essential that you remember that there is absolutely no anchoring allowed between the buoy and shore. There are several public moorings throughout the Whitsundays, including at Manta Ray and Luncheon Bay on Hook Island, while Hamilton Island has a marina. There is a time limit in place at Manta Ray Bay in the Special Management area of two hours mooring time.
Sensitive moorings at Whitsunday Islands:
Black Island
Langford Reef
Bait Reef Lagoon
Hook Island
- South Stonehaven
- North Stonehaven
- West Butterfly Bay
- East Butterfly Bay
- Maureen's Cove
- Pinnacle Bay
- Luncheon Bay
- False Nara Inlet
- Mantaray Bay
Hayman Island
- Blue Pearl Bay
Border Island
- Cateran Bay
Daydream Island
- Sunlovers Beach
To use a mooring, simply catch hold of the line and tie up to it following the instructions on the tag. Between the hours of 07:00 and 17:00, moorings have a time limit of two hours to make it fair for all. If you get to one after 15:00 you can stay overnight and they are all available for overnight use. It is worth planning ahead with these public moorings so you know your options for spending the night. Once moored up, you can relax and spend time exploring the area or going for a swim or snorkel without having to worry about damaging the seabed.
While having moorings at Whitsunday Islands may seem somewhat restrictive, it is a must to prevent further damage to the fringe reefs and coral in the region. A huge amount of damage has already been done from generations of sailing in the area and it is imperative in sensitive areas to keep the coral intact for future inshore activities and the preservation of marine life that calls this stunning part of Australia home.
As for boat hire, there are three main places available, including at Abel Point Marina in Airlie Beach, at nearby Shute Harbor, and at Hamilton Island Marina. They are all represented by charter companies and have a range of vessels for first-timers and experienced yachtsmen, from inflatable dinghies up to racing yachts and luxury cruisers. You can book boats online and simply turn up and get underway within no time at all and spend your vacation cruising the region and visiting moorings at Whitsunday Islands.
