When it comes to beaches, islands and a lifestyle that's the envy of most people on the planet, Queensland is the holiday heart of Australia.
Good as gold
With over 70km of sun-soaked beaches, rainforests, exciting theme parks, ritzy shopping and happening nightlife, the Gold Coast is a glitzy boon for pleasure seekers.The locale boasts over 35 picture-perfect beaches that are patrolled year round by professional lifeguards and during the summer, by dedicated volunteers from the Surf Life Saving Clubs. Tear yourself away from the beaches and go inland to see a totally different world of rainforests, rock pools, waterfalls and mountain villages replete with restaurants and comfy places to stay.
Not your average big city
Famous for the beauty of its nearby beaches, exciting events and a vibrant cultural scene, Brisbane has a sophistication and charm as warm as the weather.Less than one hour drive from the city centre is the fishing and sailing waters of Moreton Bay, scenic country drives and the beaches of the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast. Brisbane is a shopping haven, with the 500m long Queen Street Mall being one of Australia's most successful shopping precincts. ‘The Valley' is home to all things hip in Brisbane, with art spaces adding creative flair to cutting edge pop culture.
Scenic sunshine
Imagine twinkling seas fringed by more of those dreamy Queensland beaches and a lush hinterland where every view looks like a postcard. This is the Sunshine Coast.Its white surf beaches stretch for more than 60km, broken only by an occasional headland or the clear water of a river estuary. Coastal townships like Caloundra, Mooloolaba, Maroochydore, Coolum and Noosa are synonymous with the traditional Australian beach holiday. In the green hills behind are country hamlets snug between pineapple and sugar cane farms.
On the Fraser's edge
Just north of the Sunshine Coast is Fraser Island, the world's largest sand island.As well as a spectacular beach that stretches seemingly forever, Fraser Island boasts lush rainforests, crystal clear freshwater lakes and wildlife galore. Keep your eyes peeled for the purest strain of dingo, Australia's native dog, while Humpback whales migrate south between mid-August and mid-November and can be discovered on tours from Fraser Island's mainland neighbour Hervey Bay. Explore Fraser on foot if you like, but one of the island's little luxuries is the option of travelling by four-wheel drive. The mainland isn't half bad either; a region blessed with sweeping beaches, agricultural riches and expansive farmland, national parks and engaging history.
"To keep you entertained, a dizzying array of activities await you. Swim, snorkel, scuba dive, parasail, windsurf, fish, play golf, ride a horse or even a camel!"
Rocky's barra and beef
The Capricorn Coast showcases a side of Queensland that will work up an appetite – literally. Its main centre, Rockhampton, boasts world beating barramundi and beef galore, being the proud 'beef capital' of Australia.
But the food doesn't stop there - no trip to the tropics is complete without tucking into fresh seafood, and you'll find plenty here to tease your tastebuds.
To keep you entertained, a dizzying array of activities await you. Swim, snorkel, scuba dive, parasail, windsurf, fish, play golf, ride a horse or even a camel!
For something a bit different, visit Koorana, the crocodile farm where you can watch crocs hatch from a safe distance. There are also gem fields to explore in surrounding inland towns with giveaway names like Emerald, Rubyvale and Sapphire. You can fossick here for real gems in the largest sapphire fields in the southern hemisphere. If you're after more of a party experience, Great Keppel Island is just a 30min ferry ride away.
Share Mackay's secret
Mackay is one of Queensland's most unspoilt destinations.What all those international tourists who flock to the Gold Coast don't know is that it's filled with just as many secluded beaches, rainforests and historical country towns, capped off by the option of real adventure in the outback. Casuarina Beach right near town is hugely popular and not just for its 1.5km of clean sand. Kangaroos feed along the beach at sunrise and sunset, oblivious to the people around them.
Island hop
With 74 islands to choose from in the Whitsundays, you can spend a lifetime flitting from one to the other.But rather than giving up your day job, we suggest revisiting for at least 74 separate holidays. On first impression, the Whitsundays are a visual delight of aquamarine ocean melding into clear blue skies, and things only get better from there. The Whitsundays are only a handful of the islands that freckle the Queensland coast. Choose from the coral cay islands on the Great Barrier Reef, explore some of the world's largest sand islands, endless beaches, learn to surf and unwind in a remote hideaway.
Great Barrier Reef © Tourism Australia
A tropic hub
If gazing out to the Coral Sea, dazzling sunsets and a pleasant beach promenade sound like your idea of the tropics, Townsville has plenty to offer.Townsville and the adjoining city of Thuringowa make up Australia's largest tropical, beachside city of about 169,000 people. A visit to this busy, well located centre offers a great intro into life in the tropics, not in the least because Magnetic Island and Hinchinbrook Island (the world's largest island national park) are right nearby.
Out there
The Queensland outback is larger than life – something of an understatement when you're actually out here. It may be remote, but it's no longer inaccessible.The Queensland Heritage Trails Network links a diverse range of authentic heritage attractions and icons throughout the vast region, making it easy to marvel at ancient dinosaur footprints, admire the glory of brilliant wildflowers, stay at a working sheep station or shout some colourful character a drink at the bar.
Editor's Pick
Scuba dive or snorkel the Great Barrier ReefOne of the first places that comes to mind when people think of Queensland is the Great Barrier Reef – and with good reason. Stretching over 35 million hectares and inhabiting countless amounts of unique wildlife, get up close and personal with your scuba gear to the thousands of marine life that call the Reef home. You can also experience the Reef from the air by helicopter or seaplane or on the surface by boat.
Great Barrier Reef © Tourism Australia
