With 300 days of sunshine a year, and home to 6,983 kilometres of beaches and magical islands the Sunshine State, Queensland offers an idyllic escape from the everyday. There are 7 regions that make up Queensland, which have a variety of coastline, reef, rainforest, desert, farms and cities and a fabulous mix of recreational options including rainforest hiking on K’gari (Fraser Island), diving on the Great Barrier Reef, bushwalking in Lamington National Park, beachcombing at Noosa or enjoying the shops, bars and restaurants of Brisbane and Cairns.
Every type of landscape is waiting to be explored, and every type of activity is waiting to be tried, so we’ve put together the top five reasons to discover the Sunshine State.
One of the natural wonders of the world awaits at the World-Heritage listed Great Barrier Reef, the world’s largest living ecosystem and one of the Wonders of the World. Whether diving, snorkelling, sailing, beachcombing or simply exploring Cairns, Port Douglas and Palm Cove, there’s a world of natural treasures to be discovered on the largest coral reef which is 2,300 kilometres long and the biggest living thing on the planet. With 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands it’s the only living thing on earth visible from space
A day trip to this natural wonder is an experience of a lifetime and will have you swimming with 300 types of coral and over 1500 species of fish including manta rays, dolphins, turtles, and all kinds of marine life you never even knew existed.
Whether you prefer driving along a stunning coastline or winding roads at the base of mountains and volcanoes, there will always be an amazing scenic drive route for you in Queensland. Drive the dramatic 75 mile Beach Road that connects Noosa, with its laid-back lifestyle, to K’gari (Fraser Island), a World Heritage site and the largest sand island in the world. In Northern Queensland itself, there’s the Savannah Way, Overlanders Way, Epic Cape York and the Great Tropical Drive, each offering a different natural landscape.
Queensland Beaches in the northern part of Australia rank among the best in the world for virtually every possible condition, especially as due to the beautiful winter weather, Queensland’s beaches are amazing in every season as the sun beams down all year-round. The water doesn’t get as cold as the southern states in the cooler months, so take your pick of stunning beaches including Agnes Waters, Noosa Heads and Whitehaven Beach. The large selection of beaches along the 7,400km coastline covers all environments from exciting large surf beaches to relaxing calm waters.
Queensland’s sunny capital offers up laid back charm and urban energy with a dash of adventure with striking, modern architecture and colonial charm combine in cosmopolitan Brisbane. Australia’s third largest city and less than an hour’s drive from the Gold Coast’s theme parks, nightlife and surfing beaches, Brisbane is a city that lives up to its sunny potential with a strong focus on the outdoors – think al fresco dining, picnics by the river, islands just off the coast and national parks. Add to this a dynamic cultural precinct, abundant wildlife and easy access to nearby icons like the Gold Coast and Great Barrier Reef, and you’ve got a destination you can’t say no to.
The largest part of Queensland is the Outback at 932,678 square kilometres, where you can get off the beaten track and explore desert and wetlands, and old-fashioned country towns and is like nowhere else in the world. Outback Queensland has also been called ‘our living museum’ – and there’s no better description. A stunning and unique natural landscape showcasing the most diverse and unique history, from sacred indigenous sites to the spectacular sandstone cliffs of deep hewn gorges, from dinosaurs and deserts to bilbies and billabongs, there are adventures, natural wonders, cultural and historical sites and one-of-a-kind Outback events waiting over every horizon.
Millions of years ago ancient Australian dinosaurs left footprints in the mud, and you will also find breathtaking gorges nestle in pristine national parks and this is where Indigenous peoples sharpened their blades on the rock faces leaving hundreds of rock indents to spark wonder and admiration.
Queensland has the most variety of animals in the country, including 150 species of lizards and 70 species of marsupials. With the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean located to the east, the state is host to a diverse range of flora and fauna and the world’s largest coral reef system. Over 80 percent of the wildlife found in Australia is indigenous and cannot be found anywhere else in the entire world. As a result, Queensland wildlife too has become a point of attraction for the tourists and locals as people explore the wildlife peculiar to this area and observe the animals’ behaviours in their natural habitats.
Examples of what you can expect to find includes kangaroos, koalas, turtles, a variety of birds, mantra rays, sharks, and platypus. Minke whales can be seen along the coast of the Great Barrier Reef from the months of June to July and you can snorkel by their side in the Ribbon Reefs – the only place in the world where you can do so.