Mackay and Airlie Beach, the gateway to the beautiful Whitsunday Islands in central Queensland have a diverse fishery with excellent holiday options for the whole family or small groups escaping the cooler months in the southern states of Australia from May to September each year.
The appeal of the region is the excellent saltwater and freshwater fly fishing options, set in warm and comfortable sub-tropical climates, with stunning beaches, secluded islands and fantastic accommodation options. Private Yacht charters are also available, which allows you to sail throughout the islands at your leisure or with a group of friends to share the experience.
This includes secluded freshwater impoundments, rivers and creeks for Barramundi, Saratoga, and Sooty Grunter or inshore flats systems where you can sight cast Tusk Fish, Bastards, Permit Golden Trevally and Queenfish in the shallows.
With over 70 coral islands and sand cays nearby that make up part of the Great Barrier Reef system, you can also head out wide on dedicated liveaboard trips to very remote coral cays, and target pelagic species such as Longtail Tuna and Giant Trevally on Fly.
Some of Australia’s finest resort accommodation is located amongst the Whitsundays Islands including Hamilton, Hayman, Long and Daydream Islands which have great access to a range of activities including fly fishing, Sportfishing, scuba diving, sailing, Whitehaven beach and various walking tours set amongst acres of National Parks.
Luxury crewed yacht charters are available including self-sail arrangements, or you can join one of the group liveaboard superyacht experiences to the remote outer barrier reef islands and coral cays for a week of fly and Sportfishing.
On the mainland, Airlie Beach also has a good range of lower budget options if you are on a self-drive itinerary along the Queensland coast with access to both daily saltwater and freshwater fly fishing opportunities with local guides.
The Whitsunday region including the Whitsunday Islands, Airlie Beach and Mackay further south is a large area on the central Queensland coast with an excellent variety of species to target on Fly.
Weather on a self-drive itinerary along the coast, on holidays in the Whitsunday Islands or on a dedicated liveaboard fly fishing trip to the Outer Great Barrier Reef, Fly Odyssey has a good range of local, professional guides that will look after you both on and off the water.
Perfect for family or couples’ holidays to the region, travelling to the Whitsundays is a great excuse to pack a fly rod and enjoy a few days on the water or in a large group on one of the select mothership superyachts that will provide everything from great fishing to fine dining and hospitality.
Like many locations on the Queensland coast, there is great variety with the usual inshore flats species to target including Queenfish, Barramundi, Permit, Tuskfish, Blue Bastards, Golden Trevally and Threadfin Salmon. Longtail Tuna and Mackerel are available in the Bluewater and occasionally near the flats while Giant Trevally are also throughout.
As per all Fly Odyssey bookings, we will provide you with a comprehensive and detailed pre-trip fly fishing guide prior to departure.
Flights direct to Hamilton Island in the Whitsundays are available from Melbourne, Sydney, Gold Coast and Brisbane daily.
If arriving by car, you can get a ferry which takes 60 minutes from the Port of Airlie Marina or Shute Harbour with over a dozen services each day to any of the major islands nearby.
Let us do the groundwork for you.
Our tailored fly fishing and accommodation itineraries are designed with you in mind to suit your preferences. They are also quoted in your local currency with very favourable exchange rates.
Fly Odyssey has access to the best guiding and lodging rates, suitable tides and updated availability to this destination which can vary throughout the season.
This includes flight bookings, transit accommodation, transfers and a host of non-angling activities and experiences.
We specialise in family, couples and group stays to the region, and our long involvement with our partners on the ground will ensure you are well looked after both on and off the water.
This includes extended coastal stays north around Airlie Beach and the Whitsundays, or south around Fraser Island, Brisbane and the Gold Coast region.
Please enquire for the latest rates and availability, including information on any applicable special offers.
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Creating and sharing memorable travel experiences with our clients and friends provides us with genuine satisfaction. All of our trips are bespoke, tailored to your needs, and we always love hearing all about the adventure on your return.
Our knowledge of travel logistics saves you time, and our highly experienced team is here to ensure it’s spent on the water and not at the desk or on a long flight connection that you didn’t require. Since 2006 we have developed a valued client-base that has travelled to all corners of the globe.
We are a fully-accredited travel agency, where all of our flights, accommodation and associated travel bookings are made in-house, which means that you pay less. We have access to a huge range of specials, deals, great volume pricing and excellent currency exchange rates which allows us to pass these benefits directly onto you.
On the fishing front, our extensive expertise and experience around prime seasons, species, moon-phases, tides and personalised customer service is centred around one principal – preparation. This includes detailed gear and equipment lists, the fly patterns, transfer details, up-to-date fishing reports and some of the finer aspects that can often be overlooked.
We travel extensively and understand that your free-time is important. Just as we all understand from experience, that the key to a successful trip is pre-trip preparation.
Our highly experienced team has fly fished the world for the last 25 years, and we understand the considerations and gear needed to turn a good fly fishing trip into a great one.
Fly fishing and travel is our passion. It’s all we do.
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