Welcome to a week in the Wonderful Whitsundays

 By Editor in Chief Dallas Sherringham
Going back to the wonderful Whitsundays is like going back to a special place to meet a long lost friend.
I often go the Whitsundays in my dreamtime - sailing sparkling blue waters under warm skies that stretch forever. Once again I explore the  pine clad islands that are sprinkled out across the bluest seas, lie on the golden beaches under swaying palms and chat with happy wanderers all sharing the same dream as me.
Well, dream no more! Recently it all came true again:  I had the chance to go back and spend a week in the Whitsundays as a guest of the best regional tourism organization in Australia.
I consider myself an aficionada of islands and  I have had the chance to visit most of the world’s great tourist island groups. Let me tell you, nothing quite compares with the Whitsundays for a complete island experience.
While Airlie Beach and surrounds is on the mainland, it  is the Gateway to the Whitsundays and has a real island feel about it.
I visited with my wife Sharon on a Lets Go Motorhome tour of Queensland and stayed at the Big 4 Whitsunday Adventure Resort at Cannonvale. What a place? It is so good, I am going to devote a section on it in a future edition.

Five 'must do' things in Whitsundays:
* Take a day tour out to the Great Barrier Reef with Cruise Whitsunday. You can scuba dive, snorkel, swim or just sunbake and take some photos. The Reef on a sunny day is nothing else you will ever see in your life. The Cruise Whitsunday had plenty of friendly crew on board and expert assistance is provided during every step of your adventure.
* You also have to do a Crocodile Adventure tour on the Proserpine River. This trip was a real shock to me. I had heard rumors of crocs in the area but I saw more big crocs in one day than I saw in all my tours of Kakadu and the Kimberley’s. It included a nice barbecued lunch and friendly hosts, So do yourself a favor and make sure you do this tour.
Breakfast at the Fat Frog Cafe
* Have breakfast at the Fat Frog Beach Café at Cannonvale. You are best to book a spot as this café draws in the locals and tourists in their thousands. I was on a health kick, but discovering a yummy pile of pancakes with ice cream and maple syrupy on the menu, I had to rip up the diet one more time.
* Take an overnight trip to one of the resort islands. I stayed on the revamped Daydream Island which was flattened by Cyclone Debbie. While the service ​​still needs tweaking, the resort itself is stunning. An amazing tropical themed atrium and the fascinating walk through aquarium full of big stingrays and reef sharks and fish.
Bicentenial Walk is popular
*Walk the Bicentenial Boardwalk for 4km from Cannonvale to Airlie Beach. Stop along the way for a snack at the many food outlets. The walk is good any hour of the day, but the sunsets are especially stunning. You can see turtles if you are patient.
Details: www.tourismwhitsunday.com.au