Queensland

WHY CHOSE QUEENSLAND FOR YOUR NEXT HOLIDAY

To come alive with nature, sunshine and a reviving alfresco culture. As one of the Seven Wonders of the World, The Great Barrier Reef is a magical place to experience. There are also opportunities for unforgettable daytime wildlife encounters, from koala-cuddling to whale-spotting, with the option of soaking up a casual but cool night life and cosmopolitan social scene once dusk falls.

WHAT MAKES QUEENSLAND SPECIAL

Queensland is often said to epitomise the best of Australia’s free and easy outdoor lifestyle, with bags of sunshine, interesting nature and a seemingly endless stretch of literally spectacular beaches – the 2300 km long Great Barrier Reef is the only natural wonder of the world visible from outer space. The state is also home to four other World Natural Heritage Areas, including the rainforests of Daintree, which surround the Bloomfield Falls, hailed as one of the most beautiful and pristine locations in the tropics. Queensland is a great place for aquatic wildlife encounters, with some of the most dazzling submarine scenery on earth. There’s also an increasingly cosmopolitan food and social scene, with a stylish but laid-back vibe. Although Queensland’s history is relatively recent, there are growing opportunities to explore the ancient and spiritual indigenous culture, both from the past – with spiritual ‘Dreaming’ tours, and a visit to the Quinkan region, which UNESCO rates as one of the top ten rock art areas in the – and also from the present, with the soaring popularity of modern Aboriginal artists.

WHERE IS QUEENSLAND

The second largest state in Australia, Queensland is in the North East of the country - if Australia was a dog’s head, the so-called Sunshine State would is just behind its ear. Bordered on its East by the Coral Sea and the Pacific Ocean, it is home to over 70 tropical islands and makes up 25% of Australia's land mass. At about1.8 million sq.km, it’s nearly five times the size of Japan and seven times the size of the United Kingdom. The capital, Brisbane, is in the South Eastern corner, 745km North of Sydney, and from there it’s an hour’s drive to the Gold and Sunshine Coasts.

• Capital: Brisbane.
• Main tourist hotspots: Great Barrier Reef, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast.
• Flight time from Sydney: 1½hrs
• Population: 4,516,361
• Language: English
• Religion: 70% Christian

THE PEOPLE AND CULTURE OF QUEENSLAND

For many years, Queensland has been Australia’s fastest growing state, and a few years ago its population was estimated to be 20% of the country’s total. It’s a great place to live, so the locals are generally a very happy crowd. Many work for some aspect of the tourist industry, which is fed by the millions of visitors who flock to the Sunshine Coast every year. Although the culture is Western, the indigenous Aboriginal values and traditions are increasingly celebrated and shared, with fascinating opportunities to get a taste of this unique way of life such as taking part in fire-starting demonstrations, or learning about bush tucker and craft spears.

THE BEACHES

Where to begin ? With over 7000km of coastline, Queensland leaves beach-lovers drooling like a chocaholic over a box of cocoa truffles. Somewhere will be the perfect spot to meet the needs of even the fussiest beach towel owner, whether the dream is for exhilarating, crashing surf or gentle, ankle-licking lagoon. Despite the popularity of beach life, escaping from the crowds is surprisingly easy. Conversely, parts of the Gold Coast offer party animals a choice of buzzing wild life of the human variety.

Best beaches:

• Surfers Paradise: The ‘paradise’ part of the name refers more to the brash and buzzing social life than the surfing, but this is still a wonderful spot and arguably one of Australia’s most famous beaches.
• Fraser Island, Hervey Bay: Located offshore, this pristine 123km island is World Heritage listed, and is the world's largest sand island, with giant dunes used for 4WD adventures. The shipwreck of the SS Meheno makes a good fishing site.
• Whitehaven Beach: This remote 6km stretch of alabaster, talcum powder sand is the jewel of the Whitsundays, and as peaceful as it comes. It’s said not a single trace of human infrastructure can be seen from the beach.
• Ramsay Bay: On the Eastern side of Hinchinbrook Island, Australia’s largest island national park, Ramsay Bay is secluded and peaceful, with an estuary which offers great fishing.
• Palm Cove: A prime beach, both user-friendly and beautiful, with picnic tables and free BBQs along its entire length. Just 20 minutes from Cairns city centre, this could be Queensland’s answer to California’s Long Beach.

FESTIVALS IN QUEENSLAND

• June: The sleepy settlement of Laura springs to life for the three-day Laura Aboriginal Dance festival, the biggest traditional indigenous gathering in Australia.
• August: Hervey Bay Whale Festival celebrates the return of the whales with a week of concerts and festivities.
• September: Brisbane Festival brings three weeks of jollities to the capital, with fireworks over the river, buskers aplenty and lots of arty events.
• October: Leave your earplugs at home for the Full Noise Music Festival at Townsville, where the aim is to ‘celebrate sound’ and enjoy the music of a huge cross-section of bands.
• Monthly: Lots of hair is let down at the all-night full moon parties at Nelly Bay on Magnetic Island, when the beach becomes a dance floor.

MONEY MATTERS

• Local currency: Australian dollar (AUD)
• ATMS: Machines are found everywhere throughout Queensland.
• Cards: Credit cards are widely accepted, with the most popular being American Express, Bankcard, Diners Club, MasterCard and Visa.

TIME DIFFERENCE

• Sydney: +1hr
• Darwin: -½hr
• Perth: -2hrs
• Adelaide: +½hr
• Brisbane: Same time

DOS AND DON’TS IN QUEENSLAND

Safety: Don’t swim off Northern beaches during the stinger season (Nov. to May). Bushfires are common in Queensland, and if you see smoke in the distance while out in the countryside head for the nearest open space. While shark attacks are more likely to happen further South, the risk of crocodile attacks does exist in the far North of Queensland, particularly near estuaries and tidal reaches, and especially during the breeding season (Oct – March).

Water: Generally safe to drink, but can taste nasty.

Advice: Drink driving laws are very strictly enforced, with a significant police presence on the roads.