An Iconic Aerial Gondola Attraction
A World-Class Opportunity to Showcase the Whitsunday Islands and Conway National Park
What is the whitsunday Skyway?
The Whitsunday Skyway is a proposed all-weather aerial gondola experience connecting the heart of Airlie Beach to the summit of Conway National Park. The journey takes you from the base station, right in the centre of town, up through lush rainforest, rising above the canopy to reveal one of the most breathtaking panoramas in Australia: the Coral Sea, the Whitsunday Islands, and the vast green expanse of the national park stretching out in every direction.
At the summit, the experience opens up. A visitor centre, dining, immersive elevated walkways, indigenous cultural interpretation, and direct access into Conway National Park, all perched above a landscape that has to be seen to be believed.
Unrivalled views A 360° panorama across the Whitsunday Islands, the Great Barrier Reef, and the Coral Sea, a perspective that until now has been inaccessible to most visitors.
Adventure for all - luge cart tracks, guided tours, interpretative signage, and adventure park experiences, there is something for every kind of visitor.
Food, beverage and retail Dining, café services, and a souvenir centre at the summit, designed to be a destination in their own right, and a launchpad for exploring everything else the Whitsundays has to offer.
"Every person that travels to the Summit of the Whitsunday Skyway will return a better world citizen."
Project update - october 2026
We're pleased to share the latest progress on the Whitsunday Skyway project as we continue working through the key steps required to bring this vision for the region closer to reality.
Stakeholder Negotiations Underway
The project team is currently in active negotiations with major stakeholders on the key commercial principles for the project. This work is progressing alongside several important approval and agreement processes:
Native Title Agreements — including the Indigenous Land Use Agreement (ILUA), Cultural Heritage Management Agreement (CHMA) and ancillary agreements with the Gia and Ngaro Peoples (target resolution: Q1 2027)
Commonwealth Environmental Approvals — currently progressing via a Public Environment Report (PER) with an associated project variation (target resolution: Q1 2027)
Project Financing — engagement with the Northern Australia Infrastructure Fund (NAIF) as a potential financing partner (target resolution: first half of 2027)
Rescoping the Project
Given current construction market conditions, the project is being carefully rescoped to balance capital cost with the operational performance and international-standard visitor experience the region deserves. This includes the process of selecting the preferred attractions for the Whitsunday visitor demographic and the likely staging of the attractions.
As part of this process, we're working with a number of reputable Queensland and regional builders capable of delivering a project of this scale and technical complexity, through an Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) process to help secure the best possible delivery outcome for the project and greater cost certainty.
Once capital cost estimates are sufficiently refined, detailed design and engineering will progress in support of the preliminary and development approval processes typical for a tourism project of this nature, including graphic renders to allow the community to visualise the finished product.
Alignment and Site Planning
As shown in the attached site map, a cableway alignment has been identified with the aim of achieving the best outcomes for traffic flow, parking, pedestrian movement and access from the main street — consistent with the Airlie Beach Master Plan.
This proposed alignment remains subject to a number of required impact studies, including visual and noise impact assessments, with engineering design solutions to follow that aim to deliver good outcomes for all stakeholders, including neighbouring residents, while supporting a high-quality visitor experience.
What's Next
It's important the community understands where this project currently sits: the site map and alignment shown reflect work to date, but formal assessment processes are yet to be undertaken, and formal community engagement has not yet commenced. Both are essential steps in the project's development, and we will provide further updates as these processes are scheduled and get underway.
We look forward to keeping the community informed as the Whitsunday Skyway project progresses.
Local Communities & the Environment
Community and regional impact
Regional stakeholders strongly believe that Whitsunday Skyway will be a catalyst for significant new interest and growth in both domestic and international tourist visitation to Airlie Beach and the Whitsunday mainland. By appealing to existing and emerging market segments, the project will complement and expand on what the Whitsundays already does so well.
Whitsunday Skyway will deliver greatly needed land-based infrastructure and activities for tourism groups, regional residents, school groups, coach tours, and visitors of every kind, filling a gap in the region's offering that has long been felt.
An independent economic impact assessment estimates the project will generate a significant multi-million-dollar annual economic benefit across all service sectors, flowing directly into the local and regional economies through increased spending and employment.
Indigenous partnership
We are committed to recognising the rights and spiritual beliefs of the Indigenous people of this land. Their connection to this Country is ancient and enduring, and it will be honoured at every level of this project.
The forest, the environment, the heritage
Whitsunday Skyway will promote the forest landscape, natural environment, and cultural heritage values of Conway National Park. This is not just an attraction built in a national park, it is an attraction built for one, designed to deepen visitors' connection to this extraordinary place and send them home with a greater appreciation for what makes the Whitsundays so special. Every step of the way, the Skyway considers its environmental impact and reduces it in any way possible.
Our Development Process…
the following milestones will be updated as the timelines are met:
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Final approvals pending
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Approximately 9–10 months for final pre‑construction phases
18–24 month construction period following approvals
When construction begins, Whitsunday Skyway will be built to the highest standards, delivering an aerial experience that is safe, sustainable, and designed to last for generations.
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When the gondolas first carry guests from the heart of Airlie Beach to the summit of Conway National Park, it will be the culmination of years of planning, partnership, and purpose.
For more information, please visit our FAQ page: