VISITING mayor of the Torres Strait, Fred Gela, said you could hear a pin drop at the Queensland Coastal Conference when he referenced predicted sea level rises of 0.86 meters by 2100.

Coastal erosion and sea level rise in the Torres Strait islands and what was being done to mitigate against it provided a knowledge base which could inform decision makers in the Whitsundays.

"The Torres Strait is a litmus or thermometer in reference to what is happening as a result of climate change,” said Mr Gela.

"What I bring to the discussion here today goes back 60,000 years, our knowledge that has been handed down from one generation to another. I call it earth's body clock.

"We are guided by nature and a lot of that is out of whack now.”

As an example, Mr Gela said based on predicted sea level rise most of Airlie Beach could be underwater by the year 2100.

He says government needs to stop making excuses and start to reduce carbon emissions.

Mr Gela said a proposed coal-fired power station in northern Queensland will stimulate the economy but "there needs to be some common sense”.

"There is a bigger picture here. In time to come, if the Torres Strait ends up not being there guess what is going to happen here?

"Look at a lot of the infrastructure here in Airlie, it's right on the (foreshore) and I bet my bottom dollar if the tide goes up there it will have an impact down here.

"I encourage leaders to start thinking seriously about the future. We need to do something now to ensure we can sustain our livelihood for the future.”

The Queensland Coastal Conference drew academics from the University of Queensland and Griffith University, members of local government, state government and the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection to network and learn about what is happening in the Whitsunday environment.

General manager of Reef Catchments Mackay, Katrina Dent, said field trips would visit the Midge Point foreshore to learn about coastal erosion and a trip to Bowen was also planned.