Published Tuesday, 10 June, 2025 at 09:57 AM

Minister for the Environment and Tourism and Minister for Science and Innovation
The Honourable Andrew Powell

MEDIA STATEMENT: Destination 2045: Mackay and Whitsundays setting sail for Destination 2045

DESTINATION 2045
Mackay and Whitsundays setting sail for Destination 2045 

  • Mackay and the Whitsundays to shine in bold 20-year tourism plan Destination 2045.
  • From the Reef to the Skyway, Mackay and Whitsundays tourism locations set to flourish.
  • Destination 2045 sets the stage for Queensland to become a global leader in ecotourism, Australia’s home of events, and a well-connected international destination. 

The Crisafulli Government is delivering a fresh start for Mackay and the Whitsundays in the newly unveiled 20-year tourism plan Destination 2045: Queensland’s Tourism Future.  

Destination 2045 is a visionary roadmap to supercharge the State’s tourism industry into a new era of growth, sustainability and global leadership. 

From the Whitsunday Skyway to the Ngaro Track, Mackay and the Whitsundays is home to natural havens, setting the stage for becoming an ecotourism powerhouse in Queensland. 

Destination 2045 is set to deliver the following tourism projects in Mackay and the Whitsundays: 

  • Ngaro Track: the new Ngaro track, in the Whitsunday Islands National Park, links two iconic Whitsunday Island features – Whitehaven Beach and Tongue Point, allowing visitors to explore 32 kilometres of the island’s dramatic coastline. World Expeditions, global leaders in small-group, multi-day, sustainable walking experiences, will offer guided walks and cultural experiences on the track in partnership with the Ngaro peoples.
  • Great Barrier Reef islands rejuvenation: investing in sustainable infrastructure projects on Great Barrier Reef islands. 
  • Improved connectivity: new Connecting Queensland fund supporting better intrastate connections. More cruise ships than ever before set to visit.
  • Queensland is the home of events: half of events calendar growth will be in the regions including Mackay and the Whitsundays.
  • Growing agritourism: more agritourism experiences such as farm stays and paddock-to-plate offerings, helping farmers improve profitability.
  • Boosting drive tourism: making Queensland famous for multi-stop road trips and journeys, getting more people travelling to Mackay and the Whitsundays.
  • Whitsunday Skyway: proposed construction of an adventure tourism facility on and adjacent to Conway National Park, including a cableway, summit station and downhill mountain biking park.
  • Goorganga Plains upgrade: a $9 billion investment to deliver vital upgrades to the Bruce Highway, including Goorganga Plains.  

Destination 2045 aims to more than double the value of visitor expenditure to Queensland’s economy to $84 billion in two decades, while employing 25 per cent more Queenslanders directly. 

The plan overturns a decade of failure by Labor on tourism and commits to reverse funding cuts planned under the former Government that would have reduced programs and services.  

The plan builds on tourism’s critical role in Queensland’s economy, which currently supports more than 270,000 jobs and generates $115m a day in visitor expenditure. About nine out of 10 tourism operations are small businesses. 

Minister for the Environment and Tourism Andrew Powell said Destination 2045 set a new benchmark for Queensland’s tourism industry. 

“Destination 2045 was shaped by the voices of Mackay and Whitsunday locals – where tourism is their lifeblood, making up one in three jobs in the Whitsundays,” Minister Powell said.  

“These coastal cities are home to incredible natural wonders – both a stone’s throw from the Great Barrier Reef – and Destination 2045 will help these cities reach their full tourism potential. 

“We will back marketing efforts for this region and we’re also implementing a single-permit system to make it easier for tourism businesses to get set up and operate.

“Our aspiration for Queensland to become a global ecotourism destination will be boosted by the Destination 2045 projects in Mackay and Whitsundays, which will make these natural havens even more heavenly. 

“I am particularly excited to announce that World Expeditions has been appointed the preferred partner to deliver the remarkable 32-kilometre Ngaro Track on Whitsunday Island, one of the state’s most iconic walking experiences.” 

ENDS 

MEDIA CONTACT: Fiona Crawford 0417 700 363