Queensland has five of Australia’s eleven World Natural Heritage areas. These include the Scenic Rim National Parks, Fraser Island, Riversleigh Fossil Fields, the Wet Tropics (including Daintree National Park), and one of the Wonders of the World—the Great Barrier Reef. More than half of Queensland’s population lives outside the greater metropolitan area of Brisbane—a large proportion compared with the rest of highly urbanised Australia. Queensland is home to more than 4 million people.
Queensland is home to great places to holiday, relax and play. From the cities to the country, the beaches and reef to the rainforests Queensland has it all.
Things to do to in Queensland
Great Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef, off the coast of Queensland in northeastern Australia, is the largest living thing on Earth, and even visible from outer space. The 2,300km-long ecosystem comprises thousands of reefs and hundreds of islands made of over 600 types of hard and soft coral. It’s home to countless species of colourful fish, molluscs and starfish, plus turtles, dolphins and sharks.
Fraser Island
Fraser Island, off Australia’s eastern Queensland coast, is the world’s largest sand island, stretching over 120km. Panoramic viewpoints include Indian Head, a rocky outcrop on the island’s easternmost tip, and the Cathedrals, a cliff famous for sculpted ribbons of coloured sand. It’s a camping and ecotourism destination, with beaches and swimming sites at Lake McKenzie, Lake Wabby and other freshwater pools.
Dolphins at Tangalooma
The highlight of any visit to Tangalooma is the opportunity to hand feed one of the wild bottlenose dolphins that visit the shores each evening at sunset. There is a large family of these playful dolphins that visit regularly, each with their own distinctive and unique personalities.
Stockmans Hall of Fame
The Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame and Outback Heritage Centre is Australia’s premier outback heritage institution. In Queensland’s central western town of Longreach, the centre provides visitors with a spectacular outback experience.
Daintree Rainforest
Daintree Village, once the heart of the timber industry, nestles in a bend of the Daintree River where cruise boats glide between the jungle homes of birds animals and reptiles including large crocodiles and pythons. A naturalist’s paradise, this region is recognised for its superb wildlife.
And eco-tourism operators provide itineraries offering fascinating insights into the creatures that inhabit this remote and beautiful river system. From the river’s ferry crossing the coastal road continues north over tidal rivers and creeks and through small settlements to the renown wilderness areas of Cape Tribulation and Bloomfield Falls.