Airlie Beach Boardwalk

The Airlie Beach Boardwalk runs 7.4 km of flat, sealed path along the Whitsunday coast, linking Airlie Beach to Cannonvale Beach by way of Coral Sea Marina and Shingley Beach. It is on lead the entire way under Whitsunday Regional Council rules, and the sanded beach at the eastern end is the only place your dog comes off it.

Leash status

Dogs stay on lead on the Bicentennial Walkway at all times, with no exceptions along its length. The one off-lead window is on the eastern sanded beach area, early morning and again in the evening. Dogs are banned from playgrounds and BBQ areas outright. Off-lead times differ between the beaches on this stretch and the council adjusts them, so read the current table on the council off-leash areas page before you unclip.

The walk

Allow an hour and a half to two hours at a strolling pace. The path traces the waterline end to end, so the views do the work and the grade asks nothing of an older dog. The sections built out over the water are the good part, and rays and turtles turn up below them often enough to be worth watching for.

Max: the walkway is shared with cyclists and runners and it narrows through the marina. Keep the lead short there rather than letting it play out.

Water and heat

Public bubblers sit along the walkway, which is more than most coastal paths give you. Shade is the shortfall: the path is open for most of its length and the surface holds heat, so walk it early or late in the warmer months and put your hand on the paving before you commit a dog to it.

Hazards

Marine stingers are present in the warmer months, roughly October to May. That matters if you head down onto the sand at the off-lead end, less so on the boardwalk itself.

When to go

Early morning is the pick: cooler surface, quieter path and the off-lead window on the eastern beach. Paid parking sits near the Airlie Beach lagoon end and at Cannonvale Beach, so a one-way walk with a car at each end works well.

More walks nearby

The Cannonvale Dog Exercise Area sits at the boardwalk's western end for a designated run, and Fat Frog Beach Cafe across from Cannonvale Beach is the natural coffee stop, with a dog menu and outdoor seating. If you are staying over, NRMA Airlie Beach Holiday Park takes pets.

More options are on the Queensland dog friendly trails guide and the Airlie Beach destination page.