Queensland, the Sunshine State, is Australia’s most popular holiday destination. Golden beaches, reef-fringed tropical islands, fantastic surf breaks, World Heritage-listed rainforests, rivers, reefs and waterfalls are just some of Queensland’s natural jewels. And all these sun-drenched environments offer a host of outdoor adventures. The dazzling Whitsunday Islands and the Great Barrier Reef offer excellent diving and snorkeling. Fraser Island is a favorite for four-wheel driving with its dunes and dingoes, and the beautiful wilderness areas along Queensland’s coast are excellent for walking, cycling, boating and fishing.
For a change of pace, Queensland’s capital, Brisbane , delivers big city attractions with a small-town feel. South of Brisbane lies the glitzy Gold Coast with its hedonism and tall buildings. From the capital you travel north along the coast. Visitors will discover a range of holiday resorts, from sleepy beach towns and rainforest villages to picturesque Port Douglas and the tropical tourist magnet of Cairns.
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1 Great Barrier Reef
The world’s largest living structure, the Great Barrier Reef is often ranked as one of the natural wonders of the world. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park stretches from the northern coast of Queensland from Mackay to the northeastern corner of Australia. It protects more than 3,000 coral reefs; 600 continental islands, 300 coral cays and many mangrove islands. The astonishing diversity of marine life attracts divers and snorkelers from all over the world. More than 1,600 species of tropical fish live on the reef, as well as sharks, dugongs, dolphins, turtles, giant clamp clams and kaleidoscopic soft and hard corals. Underwater viewing stations and glass bottom boats also offer a glimpse into this underwater wonderland.
On the mainland, Cairns, Port Douglas and Airlie Beach are the main departure points for tours. Alternatively, visitors can stay on one of the many islands in the marine park. remote Lizard Island , the park’s northernmost island, is known for its exclusive resort.
Official site: https://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/
Accommodation: Where to stay near the Great Barrier Reef
2 Daintree National Park
A wetland area of the tropics, Daintree National Park is the planet’s oldest surviving rainforest and is home to one of the world’s highest concentrations of endangered and threatened species. Located in Far North Queensland, the park’s two main areas include the crystal clear waters and lush forests of Mossman Gorge , and Cape Tribulation where tropical rainforest hugs the edge of the coral sea along the edge of the reef. The area belongs to the East Kuku Yalanji Aboriginal people, and many of the park’s sites have great spiritual significance and provide habitat for an astonishing diversity of flora and fauna. More than 18,000 plant species live in the park, as well as a fascinating range of wildlife, including the flightless southern cassowaries, crocodiles, Boyd’s rainforest dragons, brightly colored azure kingfishers, the spotted kissing ducks and musky rat kangaroos. Just south of the park, the seaside town of Port Douglas is a popular base for organizing wild rainforest safaris.
Official site: https://www.nprsr.qld.gov.au/parks/daintree/index.html
Accommodation: Where to Stay in Port Douglas
3 Fraser Island
Between Bundaberg and Brisbane, the World Heritage-listed Fraser Island is the largest sand island in the world. Four-wheel drive adventures here explore wide windswept beaches, crystal clear lakes and streams, dingoes, dense forests, sacred aboriginal sites and multi-hued rock formations. Seventy Five Mile Beach is the island’s main thoroughfare, providing access to attractions such as the rusted hull of the Maheno shipwreck, the bubbling rock pools of Champagne Pools, Eli Creek, and the colored sandstone cliffs of the Cathedrals.
The main tourist attractions inland are the aquamarine Lake McKenzie , the Central Station rainforest, and Lake Wabby , backed by a towering sand dune. Tiger sharks, dolphins and whales swim in the windswept waters and the island’s wildlife includes wild horses, Australia’s purest species of dingo and more than 300 species of birds. Access to Fraser Island is by ferry from Rainbow Beach and Hervey Bay. Because the island has no sealed roads, four-wheel drive vehicles are essential.
Official site: https://www.fraserisland.net/
Accommodation: Where to Stay on Fraser Island
4 Gold Coast
The Gold Coast is one of Australia’s most famous holiday regions. Over the past few decades, a building boom has transformed the coast into a kind of tropical Las Vegas with high-rises and hotels stretching from Southport, in the north, to Coolangatta, in the south. Packed with attractions and high-rise hotels, Surfer’s paradise – ‘Surfers’ for short – is a tourist magnet legendary for its alliterative power: sun, surf and sand.
South of Surfers, visitors flock to Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary and Film World , where old film sets were made by Warner Bros. To the north, in Southport, lies Sea World . Excellent networks of roads lead to scenic viewpoints in the hinterland, where many nature reserves are within easy reach, including popular Lamington National Park . Visitors can fly to the Gold Coast at the Coolangatta airport near the Queensland-New South Wales border.
Accommodation: where to stay along the Gold Coast
5 Whitsunday Islands
Off the coast of central Queensland, the Whitsunday group includes 74 beautiful islands strung along the Great Barrier Reef. The Whitsundays are continental islands, the tips of a coastal area rising from the sea. All but five have been declared national parks and about eight are home to popular resorts. The most famous resorts are luxurious Hayman Island , small Daydream Resort & Spa , Long Island Resort with 8 miles (13 km) of hiking trails, and well-developed Hamilton , the largest of the island resorts. On the uninhabited island of Whitsunday, Whitehaven Beach , with its powdery white sand and turquoise water, is considered one of the most ravishing beaches in the world. Airlie Beach and Shute Harbor are the main departure points for island excursions.
Official site: https://www.tourismwhitsundays.com.au/
6 Editor’s Pick Port Douglas
The once sleepy village of Port Douglas, dotted with palms and mango trees, is now a charming holiday resort and a popular base for wild safaris and reef tours. This picturesque town is located about an hour’s drive north of Cairns, on a scenic coastal road that winds between beaches and rainforest-filled hills. It is the closest mainland town to the Great Barrier Reef. Skirting the beautiful blonde range of Four Mile Beach , Port Douglas has a relaxing tropical atmosphere with cute cafes, shops and art galleries. From the Flagstaff Hill Lookout Enjoy breathtaking views of the palm-lined beach merging with the turquoise Coral Sea.
The best tourist attractions are the Wildlife Habitat and the Bally Hooley Sugar Train, an old steam engine that drags through the sugar cane fields to the sugar factory. Mossman . Other adventures on offer include safaris in all-terrain vehicles to Daintree National Park , fishing trips, expeditions north through the rugged landscape of the Cape York Peninsula and boat trips to Cooktown and the Great Barrier Reef.
Official site: https://www.visitportdouglasdaintree.com.au/
Accommodation: Where to Stay in Port Douglas
7 Cairns
In a prime location between the Great Barrier Reef and the dark hills of the Atherton Plateau, Cairns is one of the most popular tourist towns in Far North Queensland. It is a city of palm-lined beaches, parks and colorful gardens with a friendly, relaxed atmosphere. Beautiful beaches radiate along the coast from Trinity Bay to Port Douglas , and the 5km Cairns Esplanade runs along the bay. Top attractions in the city include the Flecker Botanic Gardens with more than 100 species of palms and the Cairns Historical Society Museum.
Cairns makes a great base for day trips and longer treks in the Atherton Tableland , to the south west, with rainforest reserves, waterfalls and the charming mountain village of Kuranda . The Kuranda Scenic Railway or Skyrail Cable Car offers spectacular views over the surrounding landscape and the World Heritage-listed rainforests of Barron Gorge National Park . Cairns is also a favorite starting point for visits to the reef and nearby islands. A variety of boats, fast catamarans, hydrofoils and helicopters whisk visitors there daily.
Accommodation: Where to Stay in Cairns
8 In the Quran
in the Quran
A trip to Kuranda, a charming rainforest village on the Atherton Plateau, is as much about the journey as the destination. Just outside Cairns, visitors can take the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway and fly over World Heritage protected rainforests and the beautiful Barron River and Gorge . Alternatively, the Kuranda Scenic Railway meanders through the rainforest past rugged peaks and waterfalls. The journey ends at the small station of Kuranda, about 25 km northwest of Cairns, which is almost hidden by tropical plants and palms. Kuranda’s main attractions are its artsy shops and colorful market with souvenirs and local crafts.
Walks can be arranged at Kuranda’s request to the wildly romantic Barron Gorge National Park . At Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park at the Caravonic Lakes, visitors can learn about Aboriginal culture and enjoy frequent indigenous dance performances. Those who want to take the scenic drive to Kuranda will also enjoy the journey.
Official site: https://www.kuranda.org/
9 Sunshine Coast
The Sunshine Coast stretches from Caloundra to Noosa Heads and is the second major tourist and holiday area in southern Queensland, after the Gold Coast. The landscape here varies from sandy coves bordered by steep cliffs and natural bush to quiet coastal rivers. Popular with Aussie holidaymakers, the Sunshine Coast is less commercialized and quieter than the Gold Coast . Noosa Heads is one of the most popular holiday resort areas, and Noosa National Park is a must-see with scenic walking trails and sleepy koalas hanging in eucalyptus trees.
A short drive from Noosa, visitors can shop at Eumundi’s popular Saturday markets. South of Noosa are the smaller beach resorts of Coolum Beach, Peregian Beach and Sunshine Beach. In the hinterland, visitors can explore Glass House Mountains National Park , a cluster of volcanic plugs rising from the coastal plain, as well as the charming mountain villages of Montville and Maleny. Maroochydore is the region’s bustling commercial center and the location of the Sunshine Coast Airport.
Official site: https://www.visitsunshinecoast.com
Accommodation: where to stay along the Sunshine Coast
10 Lamington National Park
Located about 2 hours’ drive south of Brisbane, Lamington National Park is a World Heritage Area and one of the state’s most popular national parks. On the Lamington Plateau of the McPherson Range , amid the remains of an ancient volcano, the park contains spectacular scenery with steep gorges, more than 500 waterfalls, tropical and subtropical rainforests and beech forests in the higher parts. Nature lovers will be in heaven here. More than 190 species of birds live in the park, including bowerbirds and colorful parrot flocks. Red-necked toads, a small kangaroo-like marsupial, frolic at the edge of the rainforest and the shy platypus swims in river rock pools. The park is also a hiker’s paradise with more than 150 km of hiking trails.
Official site: https://www.nprsr.qld.gov.au/parks/lamington/
11 Townsville en Magnetic Island
Townsville, Australia’s largest tropical city, is a great base for excursions and tours, especially to beautiful Magnetic Island . The city is located on Cleveland Bay at the foot of Castle Hill, a 300 m high granite crag. Townsville owes much of its charm to its many parks and private gardens filled with lush tropical flowers. The Queen’s Park in Warburton Street is one of the city’s oldest public parks. Adjacent are the Queen’s Gardens , a botanical garden founded in 1870. Along the waterfront Strand , visitors will find historic buildings, restaurants, swimming areas, water sports, parks and playgrounds.
The Great Barrier Reef Wonderland is a magnet for visitors, with an underwater acrylic tunnel where visitors can get up close to the coral reef and marine life. In the same complex, visitors will find the Omnimax Theater, which shows 3D films, the Museum of Tropical Queensland , and ferry terminals to Magnetic Island . Townsville has a major airport that connects it to all parts of Australia.
Official site: https://www.townsvillenorthqueensland.com.au/
12 Brisbane
Brisbane, Australia’s third largest city and the capital of Queensland, offers a more relaxed pace than the larger capitals in the country’s southeast. The city borders the Brisbane River and is bounded to the east by the sea and to the west by the Great Dividing Range. Visitors love the city’s sunny climate and lush parks and gardens. Major attractions in the city include the Brisbane Botanic Gardens Mt Coot-tha , with more than 2,000 species of plants, and Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary , one of the few places where visitors can touch and feed the animals.
At family-friendly South Bank Parklands visitors will find riverside walking and cycling trails, lush gardens, shops and restaurants. River cruises are also popular. One of Brisbane’s best-known tourist attractions is the Kookaburra Queen, an old paddle steamer, which cruises the Brisbane River, while the River Life Adventure Center offers adrenaline-fuelled water sports on the river. Visitors can also shop at the Queen Street Mall, the Story Bridge , explore the exhibits at the child-friendly Queensland Museum, browse the Gallery of Modern Art and enjoy the beautiful city views from Mt Coot-tha Lookout .
Official site: https://www.visitbrisbane.com.au/
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