The thriving city of Mackay is located in the Sunshine State of Queensland. Apart from its local sugar and mining industry, the city is starting to build a reputation as a hub for tourism activities. Notable Australian attractions are accessible from Mackay, including the world famous Barrier Reef and the Whitsunday Islands. In addition, the city itself has a host of local attractions that draws thousands of domestic and international visitors each year.

Local Attractions
Historical sites and landmarks and turn-of-the-century Queensland architecture can be found in Mackay. In the city centre, the Town Hall and several other structures have undergone restoration to preserve each building’s unique architectural detail. The Queensland Heritage Trails Network, a group that links together some of the state’s most significant historical sites, have cited the local Town Hall as part of this network.

Within Harbour beach near the Mackay Marina is the Pine Islet Lighthouse, a fully working kerosene lighthouse erected in 1885 and relocated to its current site in 1995. The lighthouse is maintained on site by the local Lighthouse Preservation Society.

Artspace Mackay is the city’s own exhibition space and art gallery. The structure is designed in a modern and contemporary style combining concrete, steel, and copper. Artspace Mackay houses temporary exhibits and a permanent display on local and regional history.

Things to Do
The Mackay Heritage Walk includes the sites and landmarks that define the city’s history. The 90 minute walk consists of impressive architectural structures in the downtown area built during the early years of the city like the Mackay Courthouse, Masonic Temple, and Town Hall.

The Mackay Marina overlooking the shipyard and harbour has a wide selection of dining and entertainment options. Stroll along the esplanade under the leafy palm trees and head out to the waterfront where several alfresco dining establishments offer a variety of international, local, and regional cuisine. There is the Lighthouse Seafood Restaurant, Satchmo’s Tapas Bar, The Deck Steakhouse, Georges Thai, among other establishments.

Adventure fun for the whole family can be experienced at the Blue Water Lagoon near the Pioneer River. Visitors trek to the man-made lagoon for its three level pools and barbecue facilities. The Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens is just a few kilometres away from downtown. It has walking and cycling trails, lagoons, and boardwalks for watching the endemic flora and fauna. The Cathu State Forest and the Llewellyn Dive Site near the Barrier Reef draws in the more adventure-oriented crowd who are into outdoor and water-recreational activities.

Getting There
Domestic flights land at Mackay International Airport, which is less than 6 kilometres away from the city centre. Major Australian airlines such as Qantas and Jetstar provide regular connecting flights from Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Cairns and other domestic locations.

From Brisbane, the state capital, travellers can also take the Queensland rail, which has a regular routing schedule to Mackay. Travel time takes hours so it is best to catch a ride on the Tilt Train which has state-of-the-art conveniences and comfortable coaches.

Another option is to rent a car and drive through the coastal route via Bruce Highway. This is ideally for those who are planning to have a road trip as it could take at least 10 hours of driving from Brisbane to Mackay. Maryborough, Gladstone, Rockhampton, Caboolture, Nambour, Gympie, and several other townships are accessible from Bruce Highway and would make interesting stopovers en route to Mackay.

Author Bio: Zac is a travel writer on the road. He recommends cheap domestic flights as well as other ways to find cheap flights, like looking for last minute flights that can save you a great deal of money for your vacation.