Fight for Airlie – Growing the Airlie We Love

We are all stakeholders in our community and we believe that it is important to think about and discuss local issues in a mature and inclusive manner. We should not be afraid of change and development in Airlie: the town has changed and grown significantly over the past 10 years and this change has been carefully managed under the current town planning guides.

However, recently the Whitsunday Regional Council has proposed a new town plan, which many in the local community feel is not in the best interests of Airlie Beach. Full details of the new plan can be found on the council website

Latest News: Sign our New Petition (Jan 2017)

Sign Your Support

Although councils submission period is now over, You can still show that don’t agree with the proposed new (2016 revision) development scheme by signing a petition against it and leaving your comments on change.org. If you would like to help support us or receive further information from us you can optionally opt-in for future updates.

Sign the Petition

What we love about Airlie Beach

which we risk losing…

1 We enjoy an easy-going, casual and relaxed holiday lifestyle
2 We’ve got an impressive range of shops, restaurants and bars for a town our size.
3 Getting around is easy and everything is accessible within 10 minutes by car, or 15 minutes on the bus. Parking has always been easy too, although in recent years it has been getting increasingly difficult.
4 It feels the right size: we’re not too big and not too small – and we’ve got a great village atmosphere!
5 It’s affordable for residents and visitors
6 We have a mix of vibrant bars, young international back-packers and people of all ages looking for sailing and outdoor adventures
7 We have a friendly, multi-cultural, diverse and down-to-earth collection of residents who have moved here from all around Australia and abroad
8 The town has not been over-developed with closely-spaced high-rises blocking light and sea breezes – like the Gold Coast and parts of the Sunshine Coast
9 The existing development has (mostly) been in sympathy with the trees and natural landscape: the tropical vegetation and views of the sea from surrounding hillsides are an intrinsic part of the Airlie Beach image

We believe that future development must not lose sight of the qualities that make Airlie Beach what it is. Airlie Beach is a community that relies heavily on tourism and visitors come to the region because it’s different to other destinations, not because it’s trying to be the same. The architects of the future Airlie Beach township should be seeking to build on these strengths – not to recreate the past mistakes of other regions.

View Photos from our Protest Rally

Take Action

If you feel as we do, and want to help there are a number of things you can do. Even if you don’t have the time to write to the Council directly, you can sign our petition and follow updates on Social Media and let your friends know – even if they only visit Airlie Beach on holiday.

Write to Council

You can write directly to your Mayor:

andrew.willcox@whitsundayrc.qld.gov.au

You can find more information at www.whitsundayrc.qld.gov.au (go to the Planning Scheme tab on the Home Page).

Sign a Petition

We have launched an online petition on change.org. Even if you’ve signed a petition in person around Airlie Beach or Cannonvale recently, we suggest you follow the link below and add your name (and any thoughts you’d like to share with the Council) to that petition.

If you have friends who live elsewhere, but visit airlie beach occasionally then encourage them to sign too – visitors’ opinions matter!.

Sign the Petition Share the Petition on Facebook