Mackay

Mackay is a city made up of private golden sandy beaches, an array of wildlife and entertainment for all ages. You can enjoy the city centre with the amazing buildings that surround you and the picturesque palm tree lined streets as you do some shopping, dine in one of the restaurants or visit one of the attractions. You can choose to snorkel the nearby reef, visit the lush rainforest, lay on the beaches of Mackay or simply just kick back and enjoy the city by day or by night. Mackay makes for the perfect holiday for couples, families and groups that are looking for holiday of any kind.

Mackay has many treasures in the surrounding areas that make for a great day out such as the 31 white sandy beaches, Cape Hillsborough National Park as well as Pioneer Valley where you can see the longest stretch of subtropical rainforest and the elusive platypus.

Mackay is full of some great choices of shopping, dining and entertainment for your enjoyment and with a number of different markets, art gallery and museum, where you can learn about the local artist and the regions heritage past, you are sure to find something to fill in your holiday.

The Mackay Region Botanical Gardens is recently established part of Mackay, boasting rare flora and local history that you can see and learn about as you wander through this beautiful part of Mackay. The Mackay Marina Village is also another great place to visit, just 5 minutes from the city centre, you can dine or have a refreshing beverage at any one of the restaurants or bars the line the marina esplanade, and as you sit and soak up the ambience you can enjoy million dollar views of the nearby islands and marina. It an area that is growing at a rapid pace with more and more restaurants and eateries coming to the precinct.

Harbour Beach is one of the more popular beaches for visitors to come to, as it is patrolled all year round and just down the road you can also find Bucasia Beach which has stinger resistant enclosures making swimming a relaxing and enjoyable time for the whole family. Other great beaches perfect for swimming are Eimeo and Blacks Beaches and also offers its visitors top notch fishing and relaxing walks to be enjoyed. Eimeo also has a pub that serves a fantastic lunch, so come enjoy one of the lunch specials as you sit on the back deck and take in the with views of the Coral Sea tropical surroundings. Just out of the city you will find more amazing places such as Cape Hillsborough where you can enjoy breathtaking sunsets on the beach with the kangaroos as well as swimming, boating and superb fishing in the neighbouring creeks and bays.

Why not take a trip for the day out to a real working coal mine at Blair Athol and Peak Downs where you can fossick for gold or take a tour of the gem fields, and then make your way to get your hands dirty on a working farm and experience life on the land. Nebo, Clermont and Moranbah or also close to Mackay where you can stop and learn about the history of cattle and mining in the olden days. There is such a variety of things to do while you are in Mackay whether you stay on the mainland or visit the nearby Whitsunday island resorts and reefs. There are many trips that you can do to the islands, such as Keswick, St Bees, Carlisle or Scawfell, where you can experience island life for yourself and do some fishing, swimming, bushwalking or simply relax on the secluded beaches and soak up the warm sun.

Looking to get closer to nature then there are plenty of fantastic walks that you can take part in, in and around Mackay. Take a stroll through the city centre or along the beaches or make you way to the hinterland of Mackay where there are walks for you see some of the best scenery and attractions that the region has to offer. The famous Eungella National Park and Cape Hillsborough has some picturesque walks that are easy enough for all ages to do. Wheelchair accessible tracks are also available as well as more challenging hikes for people wanting to really get their blood pumping.

Planning the next big fishing trips and looking for the best spot, well the Mackay region has some of the best fishing in Australia on offer. Whether you are after, beach, reef, estuarine, fresh water creek fishing or fishing in a well stocked dam, you can find it all in Mackay.

The Mackay area has over 260km of coastline that makes for the perfect haven for an array of bird species that call this area home. Birdwatchers love this area as you can see many bird species in their own natural habitat as you sit and relax in peaceful surroundings. The surrounding National Parks harbour some magnificent bird species. The neighbouring islands of the Great Barrier Reef such as Keswick, Brampton and Scawfell also have an abundance of birdlife on the islands where you can see the white-bellied sea eagle and smaller osprey glide through the air with such grace and power. In and around Mackay there are also many lagoons, beaches and reserves where you can spot other amazing birdlife.

The two National Parks tracks of Mackay, that is like a magnet for the 4WD enthusiast, will keep you busy for hours as you navigate your way through the obstacles. Like any sport you should always take great care, especially in the wet season, and safety equipment should always be carried along for the ride.

The dining options in Mackay are extensive, with alfresco dining, dining in a hinterland vineyard or experience world class dining in an internationally recognised restaurant can all be found in Mackay. Come and taste the delights of the world, with sumptuous meals, amazing wines and local treats that will have your tastebuds wanting more! Choose from silver service, cafes, bistros or a relaxed casual atmosphere at one of the many choices that there are to choose from in Mackay, and you are sure to find out why so many people love the dining in this area. The city centre of Mackay has a range of restaurants, along with neighbouring areas and retreats in the rainforest where you can taste locally caught seafood, international cuisine such as Italian, Irish, Thai or Mexican, as well as prime Australian beef and the freshest of ingredients from local producers. You can also tempt you tastebuds with flavours from the tropics such as mangoes and other fruits and vegetables that are of the freshest quality. All of these factors make for the most pleasurable dining experience in Mackay. You are sure to keep coming back for more while you are on holidays in this wonderful and exciting city.

Mackay has many things to offer every visitor that holidays in the area, from man-made attractions, lush rainforests, national parks, neighbouring islands, coral reefs, and an extensive choice of dining and entertainment to choose from will have your days as filled up as you want them to be. Or you can simply kick back and enjoy the many glorious beaches, and soak up the sun and fantastic weather.

The Mackay Region, in Queensland, is located between Brisbane and Cairns, and inland to the small and quaint town of Clermont. You can have the option to travel by car, train, bus or air and with so many options for travel open to you it has never been easier to visit this happening and exciting city of Mackay.