Whitsundays and Far North Queensland
Private Yacht Charters

Contact us and we can discuss your options to find the best boat that will offer you the style that will suit your budget and guests. There are many parts of your private Whitsundays charter that are customisable. We will send you a custom quote and then its a matter of booking, paying a deposit and looking forward to a fantastic holiday?

Many people have this request to learn to sail a charter boat on the Whitsundays. It is a daunting task to buy or hire a catamaran, power boat or monohull yacht and then be expected to manage the intricacies of sailing, navigation and marine etiquette. Our skippers are extremely experienced and many love to share their skills as part of your boating experience. We can recommend some vessels that include training as part of their private boat charter experience. Please ask us for more information.

On charter, your safety is actually our first priority in all instances. At Sydney Harbour Escapes, all our boats in our fleet are run by master skippers with boats that have gone through stringent government safety requirments. Vessels apply for a Certificate of Survey, a Certificate of Operation and Vessel Identification to the Australian Maritime Safety Authority. Accredited Marine Surveyors assess a vessel and its operator to pass standards of operational practices, boat construction seaworthiness, emergency management and equipment, environmental compliance, identification requirements and operation areas.

All boats in our fleet operate under current charter survey certificates. 1E Survey- Sheltered Waters 2D Survey-Semi Smooth Waters 2C Offshore Charters

With other operators, we advise you always check before chartering boat in Australia to see if the boat complies to Australian Maritime Safety Authority standards for your own safety and security.

For water sports fans, The Whitsundays will feel like heaven! Of course, each vessel will have slightly different offerings, however, the following water activities are what is possible.
Snorkeling
Fishing
Kayaking
Stand up paddle boarding
Tender excursions
Scuba Diving

The Whitsundays is a treasured place for anyone who appreciates nature. Beyond the small pristine pure white sand fringed islands, is a world of enchantment to explore. Sheltered waters enable boats to anchor close so that you can swim, kayak or be taken safely ashore on the boat's tender by your skipper. Some of the Whitsundays' land based activities include:
Bushwalking
Rainforest excursions
Reef walking tours
Night wildlife spotting tours
Beach walking and sunbathing
Watching turtle's nesting or hatching
Beach tours and sunbathing
Scenic plane flights
Segway Tours on Airlie Beach
Shopping on Hamilton Island
Enjoying Hamilton Island restaurants

The best time of the year to travel to the Whitundays is mid year, May to September. At this time the weather is dryer and there is little chance of cyclones. Temperatures are pleasant and mild and the water is a comfortable temperature for swimming.

It is interesting to note that there are some benefits to the cyclones. The ecosystem in the Whitsundays has developed over millions of years. The delicate coral reefs are actually dependent on the summer seasonal cyclones to lower the water temperature to create a perfect habitat for coral.

There will be many opportunities to take home memories for your rocking chair if you time your visit well.

To answer this question might take a library, however in a nutshell the Whitsundays is a haven for wildlife and is protected by UNESCO and Queensland National Parks Authority to keep it as pristine as possible.

Whale watching June to September Whales in The Whitsundays
On a boat charter in the Whitsundays, you will likely see humpback whales and dolphins between June and September. Common sightings are of humpback and pilot whales and of recent years, Migaloo the white humpback whale has been sighted. The whales swim from southern waters to give birth to their babies (whale pups) in the pleasant warm waters. They frolic around, breaching above the water and slapping their tails like they are kids on summer break. It is so much fun to watch!

Dolphins
One of the treats being on a private charter boat in the Whitsunday Islands is that the animals find you! Dolphins often swim in the boats wake frollicking in the waves for fun. You can't believe how close they are!

Turtles
Turtles are very inquisitive and they will come up to the boat to look at you. The whitsundays is home to the famous Green Turtle. At maturity, it can reach weights of 150 kg and be over one metre long. A turtle can migrate for up to 2600kms and come back to its birthplace to lay eggs.

Animal Spotting the Whitsundays

In the ocean look out for:
Humpback Whales
Pilot Whales
White Whales
Bottlenose Dolphins
Snubnose Dolphin
Nudibranchs
Sea Cucumbers
Dugongs
Turtles
Starfish
Mantar Rays
Maori Wrass
Coral Trout
Barramundi Cod
Emperor Fish
Parrot Fish
Blue Tang
Anemone Fish
Giant Clams
Octopus

In the sky look out for:
Eagles
Butterfly colonies
Bats
Finch
Swallows
Ravens
willie wagtails
Currawongs
Whistlers
Honeyeaters
Magpies
Kookaburras
Cuckoos
Rosellas
Cockatoos
Gulls
Sandpipers
Plovers
Falcons
Ibis
Herons
Pelicans
Doves
Brush Turkeys
Geckos

On land look out for:
Possums
Deer
Pigs
Wallabys
Cicadas

When you are hungry look out for:
Mangoes
New Zealand spinach
Caper berries
Coastal lolly bush
Cockatoo apple
Native honeysuckle
Tuckeroo
Peanut Tree
Hard bolly gum
Blue walnut
Native yam
Wombat Berry
Lemon scented grass
Sweet sarsparilla
Wild ginger

The Outer Reef of the Whitsundays is a supurb example of the best of the Great Barrier Reef. Wether permitting, most of the vessels in our fleet have permits to go to the Outer Reef. Your skipper will be your guide to the safest times to go. It is deemed safest when the weather is under 10 knots and the swell is under 1 metre. This is also the best conditions for you to enjoy the world class marine life and sunsets beyond belief!