Airlie Beach Live Cam
Watch Airlie Beach live, 24 hours a day. The camera looks over the town, Pioneer Bay, the Coral Sea and the Whitsunday Islands from the hill above the main street. Below the stream: what you can see, how to read the conditions, every other Whitsundays live cam, and the tours and places to stay behind the view.
What You Can See On The Airlie Beach Live Cam
The camera sits high on Horizons Way, on the hill behind the town centre, and looks down over Airlie Beach and out to sea.
| On camera | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Airlie Beach main street | The town centre and foreshore below the camera, with the cafes, bars, shops and tour desks along Shute Harbour Road |
| Airlie Beach Lagoon | The free swimming lagoon on the foreshore. It is stinger-free all year and has lifeguards. |
| Pioneer Bay | The bay off the town, with yachts and charter boats sitting on their moorings |
| Coral Sea | The open water past the bay. The surface tells you how windy it is (see below). |
| Whitsunday Islands | The islands on the horizon. The Whitsundays are a group of 74 islands, and day tours to Whitehaven Beach and Hill Inlet head out past them. |
| Cruise ships | On visiting days, ships anchor offshore and their tenders run passengers in and out |
Camera location: Whitsunday Reflections, 25 Horizons Way, Airlie Beach. Local time is Australian Eastern Standard Time (UTC+10) all year, as Queensland has no daylight saving.
Live Boat And Cruise Ship Map
See which boats are out in Pioneer Bay and around the Whitsunday Islands right now. Cruise ships, ferries, tour boats and yachts that broadcast their position show up on the map, so you can match a ship on the live cam to its name.
Click the map to move or zoom it, then tap a boat for its details. Live ship positions from VesselFinder, based on AIS signals. Not every boat broadcasts its position, and positions can run a few minutes behind. Not for navigation.
Sunrise And Sunset In Airlie Beach Today
Sunrise lights up the islands and sunset turns Pioneer Bay gold on the live cam. Here is when to watch today.
Times for Airlie Beach today in AEST (UTC+10), worked out from the sun and moon position for the town. First light and last light are the start and end of civil twilight.
Reading The Conditions On The Live Cam
The stream is a quick way to check the weather and the water before a tour. Here is what the view usually means.
| On the stream | What it means |
|---|---|
| Glassy, flat water | Light wind. Smooth boat rides and the best conditions for snorkelling. |
| Scattered whitecaps | Roughly 11 to 16 knots of wind on the Beaufort scale. Island and Whitehaven Beach trips still run in these conditions, with a bumpier ride on fast boats. |
| Whitecaps everywhere | Strong wind. Outer reef trips on smaller boats can be cancelled or rerouted from about 20 knots, and on larger boats from about 30 knots. |
| Grey cloud or rain over the islands | Showers moving through. Check the rain radar to see if they are passing or settling in. |
| A cruise ship at anchor | A busier town, lagoon and tour boats that day. Book tours ahead. |
The camera shows the bay, not the open sea. Conditions past the outer islands can be rougher than they look from town. Tour operators make the final call on whether a trip runs.
Whitsundays Live Cams
Every public camera across the Whitsundays worth checking, from live video to still images that refresh through the day.
| Camera | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Airlie Beach live cam | Live video, 24/7. The town, Pioneer Bay, the Coral Sea and the Whitsunday Islands. Watch it at the top of this page |
| Shute Harbour | North and south-east views over Shute Harbour, with a live weather station. Still images refreshed through the day. Skycam Network |
| Whitsunday Airport | North view over runway 14 and south-east view over runway 32 at the light aircraft airfield (YSHR) between Airlie Beach and Shute Harbour. Whitsunday Airport cameras |
| Hamilton Island Airport | Webcam images from the Hamilton Island Airport area. Windy webcams |
| Flood cameras | Road and creek cameras across the region, used to check road conditions in the wet season. Whitsunday Regional Council |
| Whitehaven Beach | No public live cam. Whitehaven Beach has no mobile reception, so the only way to see it live is on a tour or a scenic flight. Whitehaven Beach facts and tours |
Camera list checked November 2026. Third-party cameras can go offline without notice.
See The Whitsundays For Real: Tours From Airlie Beach
The islands on the horizon are a day trip away. These are some of the most booked Whitsundays tours, all leaving from Airlie Beach.
Full dayOn saleZigZag Whitsundays Day TourVisits South Whitehaven Beach and New South Whitehaven Lookout.From$239View tour
Full dayOcean RaftingFast boat tours to North Whitehaven Beach and Hill Inlet Lookout.From$249View tour
Full dayThundercat WhitsundaysFast boat day tour to North Whitehaven and Hill Inlet Lookout.From$250View tour
Half dayWhitehaven Beach Half DayHalf-day tour to Whitehaven Beach with a scenic return cruise.From$155View tour
Scenic flight1 Hour Scenic Flight To Heart ReefFly over Heart Reef, the Great Barrier Reef and the Whitehaven swirling sands.From$339View flight
2 days 1 nightOn saleMatador Whitsundays2 day 1 night sailing tour for the backpacker youth market.Stay With The Live Cam View
The live cam is on the hill at Whitsunday Reflections, 25 Horizons Way. It has 30 self-contained one, two and three bedroom apartments, many looking out over the same bay the camera does, with a pool and heated spa. The main street and the lagoon are a short walk down the hill.
Check availabilityMore Airlie Beach accommodation
Airlie Beach Live Cam Questions
Where is the Airlie Beach live cam?
On the hill above the town at Whitsunday Reflections, 25 Horizons Way, Airlie Beach. It looks over the main street, the lagoon, Pioneer Bay, the Coral Sea and the Whitsunday Islands.
Is the Airlie Beach live cam on all the time?
Yes. It streams 24 hours a day on YouTube. If the picture drops out, refresh the page or open the stream on YouTube.
What time is it in Airlie Beach?
Airlie Beach runs on Australian Eastern Standard Time (UTC+10) all year. Queensland has no daylight saving, so from October to April it is one hour behind Sydney and Melbourne.
Can you see cruise ships on the live cam?
Yes. On the days ships visit, they anchor offshore in view of the camera, and you can watch the tenders run passengers to shore.
Is there a Whitehaven Beach live cam?
No. There is no public camera on Whitehaven Beach, and the beach has no mobile reception. The Airlie Beach live cam is the closest live view, with the islands on its horizon.
Is now a good time to go to the Whitsundays?
The dry season runs from May to October, and September is the driest month. The wet season runs from November to April, with January to March the wettest months. Stinger season is November to May and whale season is June to September.
When should you avoid the Whitsundays?
January to March brings about 55% of the year's rain and is the peak of cyclone season, which runs from 1 November to 30 April. Tours still run most days, but more trips are changed or cancelled for weather.
Is it safe to swim in the Whitsundays?
With care. Marine stingers are in the water from November to May, so wear a stinger suit when swimming in the ocean in those months. Saltwater crocodiles also live in the waters around the Whitsundays. Airlie Beach Lagoon is stinger-free all year and has lifeguards.
More Whitsundays Information
Sources
Live stream: Whitsunday Reflections on YouTube. Live ship positions: VesselFinder. Other cameras: Skycam Network, Whitsunday Airport, Windy and Whitsunday Regional Council. Climate, season and cyclone figures: Bureau of Meteorology. Crocodile and stinger safety: Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service. Wind ranges: Beaufort wind scale. Checked November 2026.
