Shute Harbour (pop. under 200) lies in a picturesque bay on the fringes of Conway National Park (Airlie Beach). From a hill above the bay there are superb views of the Whitsunday Passage and some of the more than 70 Whitsunday Islands, only seven of which are inhabited. From the landing stage in the harbor a swarm of catamarans, motorboats and
yachts take day trippers and holidaymakers out to the hotels and resort complexes on the inhabited islands and scuba divers, snorkellers, reef walkers and sun lovers to lonely beaches on uninhabited islands and the banks of coral. Cruises on sailing ships lasting several days and flights to the outer reef (Hardy Lagoon) are also on offer. The colorful corals and fishes on the reef can be observed from glass-bottomed boats or, close-up, by scuba divers and snorkellers.
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