Nothing prepares you when you open the gate to the Big4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort Water Park. Dozens of wide smiles beaming with absolute joy followed by shrieks of pure delight. This is the largest resort waterslide park in Australia. With 13 waterslides and countless hours of fun, I’d hate to be the one that tells the kids it’s closing time.
Airlie Beach is the perfect family holiday destination. It’s easy to access the Great Barrier Reef and idyllic Whitsunday islands from here. And, the Big4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort makes a Whitsundays holiday extraordinary with so many fun activities right in the resort. Every little detail has been considered; that’s why this is Australia’s most awarded holiday park.
The McKinnon family has owned and operated the resort for 27 years. The popularity with travellers and locals alike comes down to their mission to make every family’s holiday unforgettable.
A couple of Airlie Beach locals tell me they even book a weekend here. Kids are kept busy and happy and everyone can have a carefree relaxing break. Kids are so well entertained and exhausted by 7 pm that parents are guaranteed a little me-time around the barbie or catching up on Netflix.
Family-friendly isn’t just about the kids. There are over ten hectares of tropical playground for everyone to enjoy. Mums, Dads, grandparents and kids all have the time of their lives.
The BIG, HUGE, MEGA Waterslide Park
“Ooh, ahh, that’s how it always starts. But then later there’s running and screaming.” Dr Ian Malcolm could have just as easily been speaking about all the splashing at Big4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort’s Waterslide Park.
Slides come off a two-metre high platform with a kid-friendly maze of bridges and stairways. Every few minutes, as the massive tipping bucket fills, kids hold their breath and squeal all at once. From reclining sun loungers, parents can keep their eyes peeled on their family’s every move.
Want to do some laps? The lagoon pool is the place with a shaded kid’s wading area and two additional waterslides.
THE FUN DOESN’T STOP THERE
Big4 Adventure Whitsundays Resort is the only holiday park in North Queensland with its own Animal Park. The kids can get up close with baby cows, goats, ducks, chickens and more. During school holidays Kids Club opens four times a week for 4-12-year-olds. Toddlers Club keeps the littlest guests busy while parents holiday too. Poolside massage anyone?
Throw in giant jumping pillows and a floodlit 18 hole mini golf course for the budding Jason Day or Minjee Lee. New release movies show 7 nights a week during school holidays on the big outdoor screen.
There are go-karts for hire, sporting equipment and every board game you know and all the ones you don’t.
SLEEP
At Big4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort all budgets are catered for. From powered, grass campsites through to three-bedroom condos every family will find their ‘just-right’ for their getaway.
Camping here is more like glamping. Grass sites for tents are powered and landscaped for privacy. Motor homes and caravans become extra spacious with fully tiled ensuite bathroom sites. Big4’s Camp Kitchen is spacious with every amenity and plenty of seating even during peak school holiday times.
There are both accessible studios and two-bedroom deluxe cottages with disabled-friendly bathrooms and fully self-contained kitchens. Pathways and parking are designed with wheelchairs in mind.
One-bedroom villas are ideal for families watching the pennies with bunks in the hallway and a kitchenette with microwave. Two-bedroom cottages can sleep up to 8 making them ideal for two families. And there’s no fighting over the washing-up with a family-sized dishwasher. The newly refurbished holiday cottages are bright and easily sleep six.
Nothing has been forgotten in the three-bedroom condos. Sleeping 8 with two bathrooms, everyone can find their own space. Gourmet kitchens come complete with coffee maker, popcorn and milkshake makers as well as bonus cocktail equipment for holiday sunsets on the oversized verandahs. The barbecues are built big to feed your family as well as the neighbours.
Oh and don’t forget all studios, cabins and condos feature smart TV’s ready for streaming as well as full broadband.
Reception can help you with recommendations for the best tours and bookings. There are so many free activities in and around Airlie and the locals really know all the best spots. Guests also are treated to discount vouchers for nearby cafes and that all-important intuitive massage next door.
