Coral Sea Marina, Airlie Beach
As you make your way over the hill into Airlie Beach from Cannonvale, the first sight you’re greeted by to your left is the magnificent Coral Sea Marina; filled to bursting point with the most impressive array of stunning superyachts and commercial vessels imaginable!
Australia’s largest privately owned marina is a spectacle to behold; as vast as it is grand and brimming with opulence, enveloped by the tranquil turquoise waters of the Coral Sea and with a beguiling backdrop of the gorgeous Whitsunday Islands beyond.
The age-old emphasis on the importance of ‘first impressions’ could not be more relevant in this case, as having Coral Sea Marina as your first encounter with Airlie Beach ensures that this little picture-perfect pocket of paradise will stick in your mind forever!
What Is Coral Sea Marina?
Previously known as Abell Point Marina, Coral Sea Marina, commonly referred to as the gateway to the Whitsundays, is Australia’s largest privately owned marina, and one of the 3 marinas in the local area!
Having been bought by its current owner Paul Darrouzet back in 2013, many years and multiple millions of dollars worth of development later have seen it transformed into one of the most significant and exclusive boating spots in the entire country, with every intention of becoming the ‘Monaco of the South’!
Since its upgrades, Coral Sea Marina has won multiple awards such as ‘Marina of the Year’, the 5 Gold Anchor Global Marina Accreditation award and a gold at the Major Tourism Attraction awards!
Boasting 520 individual berths, and the ability to host boats up to 80 metres in length, Coral Sea Marina is a behemoth of a playground for the rich and adventurous alike!
How Do I Get To Coral Sea Marina?
Coral Sea Marina, because of its importance to the local area, is easily accessible in a lot of ways!
Just a short 15-minute walk along the beautiful Bicentennial Walkway from Airlie Beach main street, it’s very accessible for people of all ages and capabilities if you want to get to Coral Sea Marina by foot.
From the other direction, you can get there by walking from Cannonvale by walking over the big hill past the police station, or a 15-minute stroll along the boardwalk from VMR and past Shingley Beach in the direction of Airlie Beach.
To get to Coral Sea Marina by car from Airlie Beach is just a 2-minute drive over the hill at the top of Airlie's main street. There is a huge car park at the South End, and a smaller car park at the North End if you need to leave your car there while you’re out on the water!
The South End of Coral Sea Marina also has a bus stop on the Whitsunday Transit route that goes from Shute Harbour all the way to Proserpine! These regular buses operate from roughly 6 am - 6 pm every day, and connect Coral Sea Marina to pretty much anywhere along Shute Harbour road, the main artery into the town from the Bruce Highway. Find the bus timetable here!
And if you’re feeling particularly extravagant, you can arrive at Coral Sea Marina in a pre-arranged helicopter from one of the airports in the area, as the marina has two helipads along the breakwater!
What Amenities Are There At Coral Sea Marina?
There is so much more to Coral Sea Marina than just boats!
Coral Sea Marina Resort is a luxury resort conveniently situated in between the marina and Airlie Beach main street, offering spectacular panoramic views of Pioneer Bay. With a range of luxury accommodation options, this impressive resort is equipped with a giant seafront swimming pool, conference/function centre and not one but TWO restaurants!
There are multiple fantastic options for food and drinks at Coral Sea Marina itself, such as Sorrentos, Garden Bar, Bohemian Raw, Berry & Maple Patisserie and Le Kiosk Cafe; all of which boast delectably delicious food and drinks; and not to mention the amazing views of the boats and turquoise water beyond.
The South End also has a gym, The Lookout Lounge and the Ocean Club for members.
Both ends of the marina also have access to recycling and waste disposal, and each berth has access to a power supply and fresh water, meaning the Coral Sea Marina is a one-stop shop for all your boating requirements!
What's The Difference Between The North And South Ends Of Coral Sea Marina?
Due to Coral Sea Marina being so vast, it has to be separated into two halves- the North End and the South End!
The main way to distinguish between the two is simply by their geographical location on the map! If you look at the whole area on Google Maps, you’ll notice that the marina is northwards facing, and therefore it's the most efficient way to distinguish between the two! In doing so, it also makes it a far simpler task to determine a gain a better understanding of where your tour or charter may depart from!
Each end of Coral Sea Marina is home to a marina village, both equipped with a share of the useful amenities and meeting points for the whole marina.
The North End is home to many of the boats used for popular day tours, overnight catamaran tours and smaller private yachts, as the berths here tend to be shorter in length. You’ll also find a few tour kiosks, a small convenience store, helipad access, Sorrentos bar and Le Kiosk cafe here!
The South End is home to more of the overnight tour boats and jetskis, as well as the larger superyachts and vessels as the width of the marina here accommodates for longer and wider berths!
Here, you’ll also find Garden Bar, Bohemian Raw, Berry & Maple Patisserie, the admin offices, marine petrol pumps, Whitsunday Jetski Tours shop and also the large green grassy area which is perfect for relaxing and soaking up the beautiful Queensland sunshine!
Coral Sea Marina Meeting Point B
With such a large amount of the tours that we offer departing from Coral Sea Marina, it’s often difficult to determine which tour goes from which end!
The meeting point for most tours that depart from the North End is from Meeting Point B, which is under the umbrellas next to the little roundabout at the southern corner of the marina village!
Below is a comprehensive list of the tours we offer that depart from Meeting Point B:
Coral Sea Marina Meeting Point C
Meeting Point C at Coral Sea Marina’s South End is located under the umbrellas at the northern corner of the marina village.
Below is a comprehensive list of the tours we offer that depart from Meeting Point C:
Amazing Tours We Know You'll Love That Depart From Coral Sea Marina...
