With experiences to inspire, adventures to enthrall and landscapes that awe, Queensland is often beautiful one day and perfect the next. From pristine beaches and lush rainforests to the vast outback and the breathtaking Great Barrier Reef, when you holiday in Queensland you do it against a backdrop of natural wonder.
THINGS TO DO AND PLACES TO VISIT IN QUEENSLAND
Brisbane
As the capital of Australia's Sunshine State, Brisbane invites you to kick off your shoes, grab your mates and enjoy the food, art and adventure on offer. Delve into Brisbane's eclectic arts scene, eat, drink and shop in Brisbane's hippest neighbourhoods and day trip to idyllic neighbouring islands.
Mixing snacking, socializing and sunshine, without conforming to a single genre, Brisbane’s new wave of restaurants, small bars and creative cafes are distinctively, well, Brisbane. For delicious street eats, make your way to Fish Lane in south Brisbane, or arrive early to score a seat at one of Fortitude Valley’s most coveted tables: hôntô or Gerard’s Bistro. Also check out Howard Smith Wharves, one of the hottest new dining and lifestyle precincts under Brisbane's iconic Story Bridge, offering 180-degree views of the city skyline and river.
Cairns & Great Barrier Reef
Visit Cairns for the Great Barrier Reef and Wet Tropics World Heritage Rainforest, but Cairns is also the bustling heart of Tropical North Queensland as well as the perfect gateway to Australia’s spectacular reefs and ancient rainforests. Day trip to island bays including Green Island and Fitzroy Island or head inland for the Atherton Tablelands. Discover the world’s largest coral reef system and one of the best marine wildlife encounters in the world, the Great Barrier Reef stretches for more than 2,300 kilometres along the Queensland coastline, and can even be seen from space! With approximately 1,625 species of fish and six of the world's seven species of marine turtles, there are hundreds of experiences available to explore this underwater world. Visit Search and Stay for all your Cairns holiday accommodation.
Daintree Rainforest
Storytelling in the Daintree Rainforest Indigenous people in Queensland have been passing down stories for thousands of years, and when you visit the ancient Daintree Rainforest, you become part of the story. Hear from the land’s traditional owners on a guided walk through Mossman Gorge, where the Kuku Yalanji people share a special relationship with the world's oldest living rainforest – the World Heritage-listed Daintree Rainforest.
Sunshine Coast
Stretching from the coastal city of Caloundra in the south, to the Great Sandy National Park in the north, the Sunshine Coast is home to pretty villages, renowned surf spots and spectacular rural hinterland. Visit the holiday hotspot of Noosa or laidback towns of Coolum, Eumundi and Maroochydore. Search and Stay has the best holiday accommodation on the Sunshine Coast.
Southern Queensland Country
Slow down, breathe in the fresh air and get a taste for the countryside when you escape to Southern Queensland Country, only 90 minutes from Brisbane. Eat and drink your way through some of Queensland’s best food trails, savour the landscapes rich in colour, or get lost amongst the blooms in Toowoomba.
The Whitsunday Islands
An archipelago of 74 tropical islands, the Whitsundays lie just off the Queensland coast, next to the Great Barrier Reef. Protected from large swells, secluded island beaches such as the iconic Whitehaven, are ideal for sailing, swimming, snorkeling and relaxing. Looking for Whitsunday holiday houses go to Search and Stay
Lady Elliot Island
With glittering white beaches made entirely of crushed coral, it’s easy to feel like a modern-day castaway on Lady Elliot Island. Located at the southern tip of the Great Barrier Reef, walk the emerald green-edged island, or go snorkeling to see giant manta rays, colourful corals, fish, turtles and dolphins.
Gold Coast
The Gold Coast's star attraction is its beaches, including the world-renowned stretch of sand at Surfers Paradise. Beyond the beaches, discover laid-back neighbourhoods, a booming culinary scene and the Gold Coast's famous theme parks.
Fraser Island
Home to the largest sand island in the world, Fraser Island has superb scenery with massive shifting sand blows, sensational swimming spots and thrilling beach and rainforest 4WD tracks. Hervey Bay on the Fraser Coast is the world’s first whale heritage site and one of the best places to see baby humpback whales. Many people flock to Fraser Island (K’Gari) for four-wheel-drive adventures, but it’s the journey you can take on foot that will give you a deeper understanding of the less travelled landscapes of the world’s largest sand island. The Fraser Island Great Walk stretches for 90-kilometres (56 miles) through coastal wallum, woodlands and subtropical rainforest. Fraser Island Hiking focuses on small group walks - from self-guided hiking and camping, pack-free hiking to luxury hiking.
Queensland’s Outback
In outback Queensland, you’ll find red dirt, big skies and even bigger characters. And there's no better way to experience the spirit of Queensland than with a visit to an outback event. In the Simpson Desert, the Birdsville Races each September is a party where you'll watch the sunrise, chat to fellow race-goers in tent city, and wind down over a beer at the Birdsville Hotel. Or if it's music that moves you, the Birdsville Big Red Bash in July is a remote, family-friendly festival that brings together top Australian music acts for a three-day event.
Get ready to polish your trekking boots because Queensland's first purpose built walking and mountain bike track, the Wangetti Trail, is coming to Tropical North Queensland in 2022. It will stretch from Cairns to Port Douglas, taking in the World Heritage-listed Wet Tropics. Approximately 94km in its entirety.
For more information: www.Queensland.com.au
Source: Tourism Australia. www.Australia.com. @australia