Whitsunday Islands National Park Whitsundays

Bring your fishing and snorkelling gear when you camp at Steen's Beach camping area. Photo credit: © Queensland Government

Ngaro track under construction

The Ngaro track will provide a new and exciting opportunity to hike in the Whitsundays. For safety reasons, the Ngaro track is closed to the public while the track and campsites are being constructed. Photo credit: Nah Turnbull © Queensland Government

The iconic Hill Inlet is not to be missed on a visit to Whitsunday Islands National Park. Photo credit: © Tourism and Events Queensland

Steens Beach, Hook Island

Enjoy secluded camping in coastal forest, with breathtaking views over Hayman Island.

Accessible by

  • Boat

Camping area facilities

  • Picnic tables
  • Toilets (non-flush)
  • Tent camping
  • Canoeing and kayaking
  • Boating
  • Fishing

Always check

If you’re seeking your own private beach experience, then this is the place for you!

Set in the coastal forest behind Steen’s Beach, this small camping area allows only one booking at a time, creating a true island escape.

Exert some energy canoeing or kayaking the other beautiful bays around Hook Island, or kick back and cast a line from the beach or your boat and watch the clouds drift by.

If you're here after the turtles’ nesting season, you'll spot their empty nests above the beach’s high-tide mark. Steens Beach is seasonally closed from 1 October to 31 March for turtle nesting.

Whitsunday Islands National Park is part of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area, famed for its superlative natural beauty, outstanding examples of reef ecosystem development, evolutionary history and amazing diversity.

Getting there and getting around

Steen's Beach camping area is on Hook Island in Whitsunday Islands National Park, located offshore from the Queensland central coast, 25km east of Airlie Beach.

  • Steen's Beach is located at northern Hook Island approximately 23.1nm (32km) from Shute Harbour (travelling in an anti-clockwise direction).
  • Exercise caution in the waterway between Hayman and Hook islands as there are many navigational hazards and strong currents are often present. Pay attention to lights and beacons.
  • The anchorage is sheltered from south-easterlies but exposed to northerlies. Anchorage at this site is not ideal due to the small size of sandy areas among the reef flat. A good sandy area is available as an anchorage off the beach just south of Steen's Beach.
  • No public moorings are available at Steen's Beach. The closest public moorings can be found at Butterfly Bay to the east, or Stonehaven Anchorage to the south.
  • Steen's Beach is accessible at high tide by shallow craft only.
  • Read boat and fish with care for tips on boating and fishing safety and caring for parks.
  • For tourism information for all regions in Queensland, see Queensland.com, and for friendly advice on how to get there, where to stay and what to do, find your closest accredited visitor information centre.

Getting to the Whitsundays

  • Travel on the Bruce Highway to Proserpine, 125km north of Mackay.
  • From Proserpine, drive 25km east along Shute Harbour Road to Airlie Beach, and continue a further 10km to Shute Harbour. Book your tour or charter boat or launch your vessel from here.
  • All roads to the boat launch sites are suitable for conventional 2WDs.

The islands' national park is easily accessible by commercial tours and transfers, charter boat and private vessel from the coastal towns of Airlie Beach and Shute Harbour. Hamilton Island (20km south-east of Shute Harbour) is also accessible by aircraft.

Commercial tours

  • Commercial operators offer day trips, camping tours and boat, camper and kayak transfers departing from Abell Point Marina at Airlie Beach and from Shute Harbour.

Charter boat

  • Bare boats or private charters are available from Airlie Beach, Shute Harbour and Hamilton Island.

Private vessel

  • There are public boat ramps at Port of Airlie and Abell Point Marina in Airlie Beach, Shute Harbour, Cannonvale (4km east of Airlie Beach), Dingo Beach (50km north-west of Airlie Beach), Conway Beach (38km south of Airlie Beach) and Midge Point (60km south of Airlie Beach).
  • Always take the weather and tidal influences into account when boating in the Whitsundays.

Aircraft

  • Hamilton Island and Airlie Beach have airstrips and commercial operators offer sightseeing tours.

Before you visit

Opening hours

Steen's Beach camping area is open 24 hours a day. Check-in to your camp after 2pm and check-out by 11am on the day of departure.

Check park alerts for the latest information on access, closures and conditions.

Seasonal closures

Steen's Beach is closed annually for sea turtle nesting season from 1 October to 31 March.

Steens Beach camping area.

Steens Beach camping area. Photo: Queensland Government.

Photo credit: Queensland Government

Camping area features: Set in rainforest behind a sandy beach and overlooking Hayman Island, a small reef flat provides good snorkelling from this small camping area.

Location: Northern Hook Island; approximately 32km north-east of Airlie Beach.

Access: The camping area can be reached by shallow draft boat (only) at mid to high tide.

Number of sites: Open area without separately defined sites. Maximum of 12 people.

Camp sites are suitable for: walk-in camping.

Camp site surface: Sand and dirt.

Facilities: Composting toilet, picnic table.

Open fires: Prohibited.

Generators: Not permitted.

Essentials to bring: Drinking water, rubbish bags, insect repellent. Read more about before you visit.

Bookings: book online or learn about our camping booking options. Advance bookings recommended for holiday periods.

Mobile phone coverage: Not available.

Upcoming camping area availability

Visiting safely

For more safety information see Visiting Whitsunday Islands safely and camp with care.