Camping around Whitehaven Beach

CAMPING AROUND WHITEHAVEN BEACH

The peaks of aeons old mountain ranges speckled with distinctive hoop pines shadow fringing coral reefs and secluded beaches. The Whitsunday Islands are an opportunity to truly escape the stresses of modern life, and get in touch with nature; and what better way than to trek the coastline of Whitehaven find your spot, pitch camp, and spend the night under the stars?

Essentials:

The Whitsunday Islands offer the opportunity to truly experience one of the natural wonders of the world first hand, up close and personal; but do offer some unique challenges to any would-be campers. The majority of these marine national parks are utterly an untouched, untamed natural beauty, and deserve the utmost respect to preserve these conditions. Equally, you'll require some planning ahead if you wish to spend a night or two self-sufficiently exploring this tropical paradise.

Below is a list of essentials and suggestions to make the most of your time leaving footprints along the Whitsunday coastlines:

Min 5 litres of water per person, per day (None of the islands have freshwater)
Gas or Fuel stoves for cooking (as open fires and ash-producing stoves are not permitted on the islands)
First Aid Kit and Lots of Vinegar (vinegar is the most effective way to self-treat marine stingers but its best to get hold of some material to help distinguish the painful from the dangerous)
Dehydrated Food and Minimum packaging (OK so this is not essential but it helps limit the weight your carrying and cut down the amount of rubbish you’ll be producing)
Sturdy plastic/metal containers (Storing food and rubbish in sturdy containers will help keep wildlife away and prevent food going astray)
Sunscreen (So this is not specific to the island, but sunscreen is always a great call; and if you’re going to be spending long days in and out of the water, sunscreen is a MUST)
Insect Repellent (Anyone that’s spent a night under the stars in Australia will tell you ‘you’ll only forget it once’)
Tarpaulin
And all the ordinary camping essentials (Definitely do bring mobile phones etc… but be aware that signal is not guaranteed, and don’t be relying on being in contact with the mainland for rides home etc…)

Don’t be afraid to contact the Department of National Parks, or speak to locals to get the up to date weather conditions, and suitability of your plans

Permits:

Before you go buying a permit, be aware that if you’re travelling with a tour operator park passes are often included in the price; make sure to check whether your pass is included in the price.

If you’re looking to get hold of a permit yourself then check out http://www.nprsr.qld.gov.au for all the up to date info, and prices.

For more information about camping and hikes around the Whitsundays, click here.