Honeyeater Lookout Trail

Make no mistake: This hike is no joke! The way to the lookout is 85% uphill and even for people that keep in shape, this one's a proper workout.Having said this, the view is worth it and the trail is well-indicated and -maintained (it can get muddy though).Pack enough water, something to eat and do not leave later than 3 pm as you'll easily need 2.5 hours for the return trip.

Not that long of a walk. Steep and rocky at places so could get challenging for some, but definitely doable if you're reasonably fit. The walk there itself is devoid of interesting views, but the lookout is nice, albeit not mind-blowing.

The Honeyeater Lookout Trail is an 8.8 km return, moderately challenging bush walk, predominantly uphill all the way to the lookout. There are no real 'views' until the lookout is reached, as the path is sheltered by rainforest and gum trees. Wear good walking footwear. The path itself can be very wet and muddy in places, depending on recent rainfall, and very hot and humid, depending on the time of year and wind conditions. Definitely carry water. Don't believe reviews claiming to have made the ascent in 45 minutes - you could if you were an endurance athlete and ran, without bothering to look at the surrounding bush, but even the moderately fit walker will take from 1 - 1.5 hours to walk the 4.4km uphill trek. Don't take the kids unless they love walking and looking at rainforest for long periods, or anyone who isn't used to long walks. The result of your effort is a view of the northerly aspects of the Whitsundays, and the Coral Marina/Cannonvale areas of Airlie. How good a view this is will again depend on weather conditions, as the vista can be obscured by fog, low cloud or haze. If you set out primarily for some excellent exercise, with the possibility of a nice view as a bonus, you won't be disappointed. And the return journey descent is mostly downhill, and significantly easier and faster.Please note. There is no formal carpark at the trailhead, just a patch of grass that may fit 3 cars, and the streets around require local resident parking permits. You may have to reach the trailhead by hiking up from Airlie Town Centre itself.

Beautiful and well maintained, can be slippery when much rain has fallen…

Well maintained trail. I went pretty fast with some jogging and it only took about 1 hour 20 minutes. There is only really a view from the top but the lookout is spectacular. Follow me on Instagram for more hikes @lapwithnomap

About 9km round trip, this trail can be quite steep in places but a very good quality track to follow. Our 11 & 9 yo boys came along and it was their first over 5km trek - we all had a great time and the view at the Honeyeater Lookout is absolutely stunning! We set off at 9:30am in January so it was very humid however the trail is mostly sheltered by gorgeous rainforest. We saw 5 monitors of varying sizes, so many different butterflies and birds. In the final 800m or so it started raining, which was a lovely relief, however the path quickly became very slippery. Highly recommend this trek but be sure to bring at least 1L water per person and a banana snack for energy replenishment at the lookout!

Very good hike. Medium steepness, flattens out at the top. Pretty much a paved trail with rock steps. 2 hour return at moderate pace for me.Easy 15 min walk from downtown Airlie to trailhead.

A great hike and very close to the centre of town. Most things I read said that it was moderate but it is at the harder end of moderate. Took me just over 2 hours return but I stayed at the lookout for a while. Really nice walk and a great view of Airlie Beach at the end. Loved it.

Awesome hike !! If it’s a nice day the view is absolutely amazing ! Has to be seen for yourself as photos won’t do it justice !!! Best to go early morning so it’s not to hot and make sure hasn’t been raining the night before as the trail can be very slippery. I would say the trail is a medium and is around 8km round trip. Allow roughly two and a half hours to get up there take in the views and wildlife along the way and back down.

Decent hike up. Some sections are a little steep and slippery in the wet, so make sure you have good footwear. Pretty much all under the shade of trees so tolerable when moderately hot. Good views from the top.