Airlie Foreshore comes alive for fiesta

The $6.3 million redevelopment boasts, a beach step stadium, a sound stage for events, a new tourist bus drop-off area, a refurbished amenities block, a massive 10m high new shaded playground, an improved market stall area with extra lighting, 62 new sealed carparks plus extensive new landscaping and seating.

The foreshore will be completed over the next month and to celebrate Council will host a grand opening Foreshore Fiesta from 2pm-6.30pm on June 29.

Mayor Andrew Willcox said the Foreshore Fiesta will be the ideal opportunity to showcase the newly developed area to the Whitsunday community.

“The aim of the redevelopment was to create and activate the Airlie Beach foreshore as a community hub for families and tourists,” he said.

“Our Foreshore Fiesta will create a buzz of activity including live music and buskers, Latin dancers, beach games, water activities and Tuk Tuk tours along the new pathways.

“Hay bales, beach umbrellas, flags and bean bags will be set up on grassed areas to create the fiesta theme.

“The Airlie Beach Markets will stay open longer that day in their current temporary location across from the Foreshore as the grass in the new area is given time to become established,” Mayor Willcox said.

Division 1 Councillor Jan Clifford said the revitalization would breathe new life into the foreshore with a focus being on the unique seaside location.

“Connectivity along the foreshore has been improved with a three metre wide pedestrian path along the beach,” she said.

“This a will add to the already popular Bicentennial Walkway by linking Airlie Beach Lagoon area further along the foreshore to the Whitsunday Sailing Club.

“This means that families and visitors can virtually walk, jog or ride along the Coral Sea all the way from Cannonvale Beach to Airlie Beach,” Cr Clifford said.

A major part of the project was upgrading and improving the existing major underground services.

Ergon Energy approached Council to undertake urgent works to the lines supplying power to the Whitsunday islands and Jubilee Pocket area which had deteriorated and required upgrading.

The active sewer rising main located in the foreshore was also upgraded during the earthworks as the current one is far undersized to cope with future growth of the area.

This required digging a trench to locate existing pipeline and installing almost 200 metres of new pipe from the current toilet block to just past the cenotaph/ picnic area near Fairy Tree Park.