When do I need to book?
Read your permit to check whether or not you need to book to access the Whitsunday Planning Area.
You must also book to anchor a large vessel (35-70 metres) or a cruise ship in a cruise ship anchorage. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) operates a separate booking system for these anchorages.
What are the rules for making a booking?
We have developed a set of guidelines for you to follow when you are making a booking. The guidelines are designed to provide a consistent and transparent process that is complementary to current management arrangements.
What details do I provide?
Before you make a booking, please make sure that you have handy:
- The dates that you want to visit
- Your permit number
- The details of your vessel or a Vessel Identification Number
- The details of any intertidal areas you wish to access
- (for cruise ships) the name of the anchorage you wish to visit.
Limits on bookings
The number of bookings available to the Whitsunday Planning Area are:
- Twenty per day for vessels and aircraft
- Three per day for cruise ships
How do I book to the Whitsunday Planning Area?
To make a booking to visit the Whitsunday Planning Area, please contact the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) Airlie Beach Office:
Phone (07) 4967 7355
Fax (07) 4967 7388
Email whitsundays@epa.qld.gov.au
You are required to obtain a booking prior to entering the Area unless otherwise endorsed on your permit. You can make bookings for vessels and aircraft up to two years in advance, up until your day of activity. If you decide not to use your booking, please notify QPWS as soon as possible. If you do not cancel your booking by the day before, your booking will stand and be allocated against your yearly total.
