Airlie Beach, Queensland
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (December 2013) |
| Airlie Beach Queensland | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Population | 7,868 (2011 census)[1] |
| Postcode(s) | 4802 |
| Location |
|
| LGA(s) | Whitsunday Region |
| State electorate(s) | Whitsunday |
| Federal division(s) | Dawson |
Airlie Beach is a locality in the Whitsunday Region of Queensland, Australia.[2] At the 2011 census, the suburb of Airlie Beach itself had a population of 7,868.[1] Airlie Beach is one of many departure points for the Great Barrier Reef. Near latitude 20 degrees south, Airlie Beach, Proserpine and the nearby Whitsunday Islands enjoy a tropical climate and lifestyle.[3]
The Whitsunday Islands, named by James Cook in 1770 are a sailors' paradise. Cook named the islands as he believed he passed through the area on the Christian festival day of Whit Sunday. It is now widely accepted that he didn't actually pass through on this date, as he had failed to take into account the yet to be brought into existence International Date Line à la Phileas Fogg.
Each year the residents of Airlie Beach celebrate The Blessing of the Fleet on Whit Sunday or Pentecost Sunday.
Tourism
Airlie Beach is a tourist destination, extremely popular with backpackers. Its beach is small and the sea is inhabited by marine stingers, the box jellyfish (Chironex fleckeri) from November to May. In order to provide somewhere for the visitors tourists to swim, the local council, has built a small – medium sized swimming lagoon on the foreshore, similar to the lagoon found in Cairns. The Airlie Beach Lagoon is 4,300 m2 and 4.5 million litres of fresh, self chlorinated water.[4]
The Great Barrier Reef is easily accessible from Airlie Beach, with an array of different types of tours available. Majority of these tours depart from Abell Point Marina but a few depart from the recently completed Port of Airlie. The Abell Point Marina contains 507 berths.[5]
History
It is almost certain that the town was named for the parish of Airlie, in Scotland, as the name was suggested by the chairman of the former Proserpine Shire Council, Robert Shepherd, who was born in nearby Montrose, Scotland. The official name was Airlie from 1936 until 1987, when it became Airlie Beach.[2]
Airlie Beach Post Office opened on 2 November 1959.[6]
Busking
Busking was made legal in June 2010 through an Adopted Draft Policy created by Whitsunday Regional Council.[7][8][9][10]
References
- ^ a b Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Airlie Beach (Urban Centre/Locality)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
- ^ a b "Airlie Beach (entry 46849)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 14 March 2014. Cite error: The named reference "qpn" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
- ^ "Airlie Beach, Australia, climate, Information, rainfall, Map". Auinfo.com. Retrieved 21 June 2013.
- ^ "Airlie Beach Lagoon". Whitsunday Regional Council. Retrieved 11 May 2014.
- ^ "Billionaire buys Abel Point Marina". Whitsunday Times. Central Queensland News Publishing Company. 14 December 2013. Retrieved 11 May 2014.
- ^ Premier Postal History. "Post Office List". Premier Postal Auctions. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
- ^ "He's breaking the law by busking". Dailymercury.com.au. 13 July 2010. Retrieved 21 June 2013.
- ^ Ben Glover (25 February 2010). "The busking blues". Whitsunday Times. Retrieved 21 June 2013.
- ^ James Tolmie (22 July 2010). "Busker happy with decision". Whitsunday Times. Retrieved 21 June 2013.
- ^ James Tolmie (2 September 2010). "Busker still not happy with rules". Whitsunday Times. Retrieved 21 June 2013.
External links
- "Airlie Beach". Queensland Places. Centre for the Government of Queensland, University of Queensland.
- Whitsunday Shire Council