Queensland is known as Australia’s Sunshine State although weather conditions vary greatly between the coastal plain and the inland. Queensland offers a great diversity of holiday and touring opportunities, with the Great Barrier Reef, tropical islands, rainforest and wilderness, open sandy beaches, and the vast outback, as well as the sophisticated attractions of Brisbane, the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast.
Capital City: Brisbane
Whilst it would be wrong to say that Australia’s southern capital cities are very similar to each other, there is no denying that Brisbane has a feel all of its own. There is a uniquely tropical flavour about the place that is absent from cities like Sydney or Melbourne. The weather, the architecture, the love of recreational activities by the locals who enjoy a laid back, relaxed, semi-tropical lifestyle make Brisbane unique among Australia’s state capitals. Brisburnians are proud of their city, and share the view all Queenslanders have towards their home state – that it is Australia’s number one holiday destination.
Whilst it would be wrong to say that Australia’s southern capital cities are very similar to each other, there is no denying that Brisbane has a feel all of its own. There is a uniquely tropical flavour about the place that is absent from cities like Sydney or Melbourne. The weather, the architecture, the love of recreational activities by the locals who enjoy a laid back, relaxed, semi-tropical lifestyle make Brisbane unique among Australia’s state capitals. Brisburnians are proud of their city, and share the view all Queenslanders have towards their home state – that it is Australia’s number one holiday destination.
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Mention the Gold Coast and various images spring to mind – sun, surf, long beaches, theme parks, night life, towering apartment buildings. So varied are the activities and the choices of accommodation, some holidaymakers travel from as far away as WA just to experience the place. Beyond the pristine beaches is the Gold Coast hinterland, which is as totally different an environment as it is possible to be.
Famous for its pristine coastline and lush hinterland, the Sunshine Coast begins at Caloundra, an hour’s drive north of Brisbane and extends to Cooloola, the Fraser Island. It takes in tranquil hinterland including the Glass House Mountains, Blackall Range, Noosa Hinterland and the Mary Valley; as well as more than 100 kilometres of beaches. Each Sunshine Coast locality on this coast is different to the others.
These are the most well known and well visited island group in Australia, and one of the country’s major tourist attractions and holiday destinations. The Whitsunday Islands encompass the ‘town’ of Whitsunday and the 74 islands surrounding Whitsunday Passage which make up the Whitsunday Islands. Eight of these islands have resort facilities. The Whitsundays are the epitome of the perfect tropical island holiday destination and are synonymous with the image of paradise.
The Reef extends for more than 2,000km off the east coast of Australia, from just south of the Tropic of Capricorn to the coastal waters of Papua New Guinea. It includes the world’s most extensive stretch of coral reef. The reef system, extending to Papua New Guinea, comprises some 3,400 individual reefs, including 760 fringing reefs, which range in size from under 1ha to over 10,000ha and vary in shape to provide the most spectacular marine scenery on earth.
Apart from the locals, few Australians know where Trinity Bay is, yet all have heard of the two popular holiday destinations built on its shores – Cairns at its southern end, and the former mining and timber port and now upmarket holiday resort town of Port Douglas at its northern end. Not far offshore is the northern section of the Great Barrier Reef where visitor flock in their thousands to dive on it during the winter months. To the north in Daintree National Park is the stunningly beautiful Cape Tribulation.
Truly the last frontier in Australia, a trek to the northernmost tip of Australia is the ultimate destination for 4-wheel drive enthusiasts. Cape York Peninsula is a wild and sparsely populated wilderness area that is only accessible during the dry months from April to December. The dusty tracks contrast dramatically with the abundant rivers, crystal clear creeks and spectacular waterfalls in this vast area of unexplored rainforests, magnificent national parks, sacred Aboriginal sites, rugged mountains and swampy marshlands. This is a land of climatic extremes where the creeks are either dry or running three metres high.
If you have ever dreamt of visiting Australia’s heartland, there are few places in Australia that can offer everything you are looking for like Longreach. The birthplace of Australia’s airline, Qantas, it is the biggest town in Queensland’s far west and has much to offer the visitor or traveller seeking a taste of outback Australia, without straying too far from the creature comforts associated with home.
One of Australia’s most famous iconic outback settlements, Birdsville is a ‘must visit’ destination for the outback traveller. The town is a starting point for many people travelling into South Australia along the Birdsville Track which was first developed in the 1880s as one of Australia’s first major cattle routes. No trip to Birdsville is complete without marvelling at “Big Red”, the huge red sandhill that marks the eastern boundary of the Desert.
