State Summary

The red hot outback. The lush green rainforests. The golden beaches and sunshine. The cool blue coast. The living kaleidoscope of the Great Barrier Reef and of course, the colourful towns and people.

Queensland is big, bold, bright and beautiful. Australians know it as the "Sunshine State". As the old saying goes, "beautiful one day, perfect the next".

Queensland is the holiday capital of Australia. Stretching for more than 2000 kilometres, Queenland's east coast comprises the famous rainforests, beaches, bays, islands and the Great Barrier Reef. Most of the State's population is concentrated in the coastal regions.

The Great Dividing Range forms a dramatic division down the east coast of Australia. Beginning in Tropical North Queensland and running through New South Wales to Victoria, the Range comes closest to the coast in Queensland..

West of the Great Diving Range is the fertile tableland, which contains some of Australia's most productive agricultural regions. West of the tableland is the vast "Outback", lined with long roads and dotted with tiny towns, stretching all the way to the Simpson Desert and the Northern Territory.

The state sits either side of the Tropic of Capricorn with warm tropics to the north and warm temperatures to the south. There is a narrow sub-equatorial coastal band from Cairns around the northern coast to the Northern Territory border.

One of Queensland's greatest attractions is its climate. It's a land of long warm
summers and short cool winters. With a typical subtropical to tropical climate, the seasons are not as distinctive as in the cooler climates of Australia's southern States. Rainfall occurs mainly during summer months, with the highest falls recorded in the tropical north.

Bundaberg - Coral Isle and Country
The Bundaberg Region encompasses a diversity of experiences, making it an ideal holiday location. With its pristine environment the region is home to many marine creatures. Humpback whales pass close to the shoreline en route to Hervey Bay, and there is Australia's largest mainland turtle rookery situated at Mon Repos Beach. Reef walk, snorkel and dive on one of the great wonders of the world, the Great Barrier Reef . Throughout the region there is a sense of history mixed with wilderness adventure, rural experiences and warm country hospitality. All this and more is waiting for you to enjoy...

Capricorn - On the Tropic of Capricorn
The Capricorn Region really does have it all, as this is truly " Where the Outback meets the Reef". There is something for everybody in this region with attractions ranging from the Great Barrier Reef island retreats to heritage buildings, state forests, national parks and outback territories to discover. Experience for yourself the richness and diversity of this magnificent region.

Fraser Coast - Perfect by Nature
The Fraser Coast and South Burnett is rich in history and natural beauty. History buffs will be fascinated by Maryborough City with its original Queenslander homes and reminders of yesteryear at every turn. The majestic pines of Bunya Mountains provide a lush backdrop for the South Burnett Valley, an area rich in history, agriculture, wineries and welcoming country towns. And each year from August to October, magnificent humpback whales come to frolic in the sheltered waters between World Heritage Fraser Island and Hervey Bay. 

Gladstone - Everything to be Explored
Centre of the Southern Reef - The Gladstone Region is a unique area of Queensland - a region where opportunity awaits. This dynamic, modern city basks in a sub-tropical climate with islands , waterways and beaches on the doorstep of the Great Barrier Reef. So many landscapes, so much variety, so much sunshine - endless opportunities await you. 

Mackay - the Heart of Queensland
The Great Barrier Reef , coastal rainforests, sandy beaches and pristine mountains are just part of the welcome for visitors to the tropical areas surrounding the region of Mackay.

The tropical city of Mackay with a population of approximately 70,000, is the prosperous centre of the region. To the west is Eungella National Park spreading over 50,000 hectares of beautiful waterfalls, crystal clear streams and quaint townships. Cape Hillsborough National Park in the north offers its visitors some very picturesque coastal rainforest running right to the sandy beaches and rocky headlands. 

Outback - Larger than Life
Outback Queensland, spanning more than 830,000 square kilometers, holds countless treasures and is rich in Australian heritage, fossilized history and Aboriginal art, not to mention the colorful characters of the Australian bush.

This vast, rugged region is what many people consider the 'real' Australia. The world's oldest surviving culture, those of the Aboriginal people, have existed here for at least 60,000 years. Footprints of dinosaurs can still be found in rocks of the semi-desert regions...

Southern Downs - Wake Up to the Beauty of It
The region provides a natural alternative to the cities and beaches of the coastal area. The Southern Downs stretches from Cunningham's Gap (120 kilometres south west of Brisbane ) in the east, north to Clifton, south to the border town of Wallangarra, and to Inglewood in the west. The region has a population of approximately 40,000 people and prides itself on its old-fashioned hospitality. The principal towns are Warwick, Stanthorpe, Wallangarra, Killarney, Allora, Inglewood and Texas. The Southern Downs climate provides a change of seasons that is not experienced anywhere else in Queensland. In Summer, the trees and vines are laden with ripening fruit, the fields are abloom with brilliant wild flowers. In Autumn, the wine vintage is upon us and the rolling hills are bathed in the golden hues of our grain fields.

Winter brings with it, crisp mountain air, along with the occasional frosty snowfall and the opportunity to experience warm log fires. In Spring, mother nature weaves her spell again with peach and apple blossoms.

Sunshine Coast - Sunshine Coasting
The Sunshine Coast's white surf beaches stretch for about forty miles, broken only by an occasional headland or the clear water of a river estuary. Great resorts with award winning golf courses, beach-front apartments and condominiums as well as motels and hotels make it easy to enjoy the sun, the sand and the surf. Restaurants and cafes make the most of the climate and the views.

In the green, subtropical hills behind the Sunshine Coast, among the pineapple and sugar cane farms, are country hamlets. Old pubs serve excellent counter lunches on open verandahs that overlook green valleys. Painters, potters and other artisans are drawn here by the tranquillity, the easy pace and the natural beauty.

Noosa and Noosa National Park are legendary in Australia. The protected cove beach virtually guarantees perfect surf year round and the stroll around the headland through the National Park rewards you with spectacular seascapes. Hastings Street, the hub of Noosa, is a mecca for designer label shoppers and discerning diners. 

Toowoomba and Golden West Region - Wake up to the Beauty of IT
The Toowoomba and Golden West Region's central town of Toowoomba is known as the 'Garden City' and boasts over 150 public parks all alive with vibrant colour.

Situated on the crest of the Great Dividing Range at some 700 metres above sea level, Toowoomba enjoys panoramic views, rich volcanic soil and four wonderfully distinct seasons. The Golden West comprises a vast expanse of rural Queensland including some of the prettiest and friendliest country towns in the state. This region encompasses the Darling Downs, one of the richest agricultural areas in the world and is easily accessible via major highways.

Townsville - First Step in Nature's Theme Park
The region extends from Townsville south to Bowen and north to Mission Beach . Townsville is the centre of the North Queensland region and from here you can travel west to the old gold towns of Charters Towers and Ravenswood, or north to Tully for whitewater rafting . Magnetic Island is just 20 minutes from Townsville by ferry, crossing calm Cleveland Bay. Other islands in the North Queensland region include Orpheus, Bedarra, Dunk and Hinchinbrook Islands. Each island offers a different style of accommodation, from rustic to romantic. 

Whitsundays - Out of the Blue
Queensland's Aquatic playground and island paradise. This tropical sub-rainforest region is around 1125 kilometres north of Brisbane, or 725 kilometres south of Cairns . The Cumberland and Northumberland Island groups, commonly called the Whitsunday Islands, form the largest offshore island chain on Australia's east coast. You can skipper your own vessel, go sailing for the day, snorkel and scuba dive at the second largest dive destination in Australia, water ski, explore rainforests , go horseriding or be pampered in a luxury resort.