Four dams. One seriously good reason to pack the rods.Barramundi fishing around Mackay Isaac doesn’t have to stop when the east coast tidal closure comes around.

Five freshwater escapes worth getting your swimmers wet forThere are plenty of good reasons to head inland from Mackay, but on a warm day, freshwater is a pretty convincing one.

Seven places to pitch up somewhere a little differentCamping in Mackay Isaac can put you in some pretty different surroundings. One night you can be beside a dam in the high country beyond Eungella, the next on a working cane farm or a stretch of the Isaac Coast where you need a 4WD just to get there.

Three rides. Pick your pace.There’s more than one way to explore Mackay on two wheels. You can spend the day riding purpose-built mountain bike trails through the Pioneer Valley, take an easier ride through cane country or stay closer to Mackay and see where the locals ride.

Chase the shot, not the scheduleSunrise over the Coral Sea, rainforest waterfalls, platypus at Broken River, the peaks of the Isaac region and a night sky well away from the city lights. Whether it’s shots for the gram or you pack the mirrorless on drives, there’s plenty to photograph around Mackay Isaac.

The Pioneer Valley road trip with a wild endingPoint the car towards the Pioneer Valley and see where the day takes you. There are rainforest MTB trails to ride, swimming holes at Finch Hatton Gorge, country pubs to stop at and plenty of good reasons to take your time on the road up to Eungella.