IT IS a new phenomenon sweeping the world right now and next month with the opening of EscapeCQ Airlie Beach will be getting in on the act.

A relativity new offering in the world of puzzle entertainment, escape rooms catapult participants into a narrative, they are then expected to find clues that will help them exit the room through the same door they entered.

Work is under way at the home of EscapeCQ on Shute Harbour Rd and the suite of two themed escape rooms which will open on February

EscpeCQ is the brain child of Mackay-based amateur theatre buff and former electronics programmer Victor Scott.

The first themed room is based on a haunted house and the second is a scenario where you are the assistant to a private investigator who has been murdered and you are the primary suspect.

"You have been framed for the murder, arrested and taken away, then you have escaped and you have come back here to find out who actually killed him and to clear you name,” he said.

Mr Scott said the Airlie Beach escape room will be the only facility south of Cairns and north of Hervey Bay.

"I came up with the idea last year when I came across escape rooms and this is the first one I have built,” he said.

"They are a fairly new thing but in Sydney you have a choice of about 60 different escape rooms and one has just opened in Brisbane.

The whole experience is monitored by a game master watching via CCTV, the escape experience lasts about one hour.

It's certainly something a bit different for Airlie,” Mr Scott said.

For more information and news follow EcsapeCQ on Facebook.