You’ve booked the holiday, now for the food and drinks!

Stock your boat with the right food and drinks before you depart. Use this guide to plan how much you need, where to buy it and how to manage storage onboard.

Provisioning Options:

• order premade meals and groceries from Whitsunday Provisioning
• shop online for ‘click & collect’ through Coles or Woolworths
• shop locally at Coles, Woolworths and specialty stores
• get your drinks delivered to the marina by Harry Brown or Airlie Beach Hotel bottle shop

What to Consider

• Boat fridges and freezers are compact. Plan meals with limited bulk items.
• Bring enough for your full charter.
• Keep food simple and easy to prepare in a galley.
• Choose lightweight packaging to save space.
• Avoid supermarket delivery options.

How Much to Buy

• Plan for three meals and snacks per person each day
• Bring easy breakfast items such as cereal, fruit and yoghurt.
• Choose lunch items that travel well such as wraps, cold meats and salads.
• Select dinners that use minimal ingredients such as pasta, curries or BBQ meats.

Whitsunday Provisioning

Offering prepared gourmet meals plus the option to deliver both your groceries and drinks, this is the most convenient option for your holiday!

Prepared meals are crafted by skilled chefs to bring delicious convenience to your bareboat adventure. Choose from single-serve options or generously portioned 6-serve packs to share with your crew.

Plus the option of fresh or frozen to last all charter, taking the hassle out of meal planning for your family or friends.

Whitsunday Provisioning

If you are having an 8am briefing, request your delivery for 7.30am on the same day to ensure there’s enough time to pack away.

Local Supermarkets

There are a few supermarkets situated within a short distance of Whitsunday Escape’s charter base at Coral Sea Marina, and one on Hamilton Island:

The IGA supermarket and bottleshop on Hamilton Island can be used for re-provisioning mid-charter if you run out of supplies. Berthing costs do apply to access Hamilton Island.

Coles & Woolworths Online Orders

Click & Collect or Direct to Boot are the best options when hiring a bareboat if you are planning on provisioning yourself. You can collect your groceries in time to load them directly onto your boat and put your cold goods straight into the fridge.

TIP: Coles in Cannonvale is the closest shopping centre and also has an excellent butcher, a chemist and two bottle shops in the complex. It is only a short taxi ride away and therefore is the easiest option for a ‘one-stop shop’.

Home Delivery is not a good option when chartering a bareboat. You need to be able to meet them at the roundabout of Coral Sea Marina within a 2-4 hour delivery window and your boat may not be ready for you.

If you are using the home delivery service you will need to ensure that your groceries are delivered only when:

• your boat is available for boarding so that you can store your cold goods (4:30pm if utilising the Stay Aboard) – Whitsunday Escape does not have any storage facilities for groceries.
• one of your group members must be available (for the entire delivery window) to wait for and receive the delivery at the roundabout.

Drinks and local bottle shops

Harry Brown Reef Gateway Hotel will deliver your drinks to our office. (We don’t have cool storage so they will need to be chilled onboard). Order through the Harry Brown App or call through your order to 07 4946 2633.

Airlie Beach Hotel also has a Bottle shop.

There are bottle shops near all the supermarkets, and the option to restock up at Hamilton Island.

Local Specialty Stores & Shops

Meat & Seafood

• FISHI, Hamilton Island IGA & Airlie Beach shops, ph 0409 411 294
• Master Butchers & MBW On the Barbie, Cannonvale, ph 07 4946 7461
• Whitsunday Butchers & Seafood, Whitsunday Plaza, ph 07 4948 3880

TIP: Order in advance, and ask them to freeze or cryovac your purchases for greater shelf life!

Fruit & Veg, Bread & More

• The Prickly Pineapple,  ph 07 4948 3926
• Goodness Gracious Health Foods, Whitsunday Shopping Centre, ph 07 4948 0637
• Brumby’s Bakery, Whitsunday Shopping Centre, ph 07 4948 1315
• Local Airlie Beach markets, every Saturday morning from 7am
• Custom cakes may be ordered in advance from The Sweet Spot Whitsundays

Shops at Coral Sea Marina

There are a few shops at Coral Sea Marina for last minute supplies, and a selection of cafes and restaurants:

• The Kiosk – coffee, breakfast and lunch, and last minute items such as ice and bait.
• Sorrento’s Restaurant – lunch and dinner
• Garden Bar Bistro – lunch and dinner
• Bohemian Raw Cafe – coffee, breakfast and lunch
• The Sweet Spot Whitsundays – custom cakes, freshly baked pastries and desserts, coffee and more
• Aqua Dive – wetsuit and dive gear, hire and sales
• Quadrant Chandlery – boating equipment, bait and tackle, flip flops, hats, towels, sunglasses and other miscellaneous supplies
• Laundromat