Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Welcome to
Queensland
Let it all hang out in Queensland: Australia's holiday haven
offers beaches, reefs, jungles, cheery locals and a laid-back
tropical pace of life.
Changing Landscapes
Queensland's most famous 'landscape' is actually underwater: the astonishing 2000km-
long Great Barrier Reef. Also offshore are hundreds of islands, harbouring giant dunes and
surreal forests growing in the sand. Back on the mainland, bewitching national parks pro-
tect lush rainforests, sparkling lakes and wildlife that ranges from cute and cuddly (koalas)
to downright fearsome (crocs). Skyscrapers define the landscape in Surfers Paradise and
Brisbane: everywhere else you'll find laid-back beach towns and sugar-cane fields rattling
under the Queensland sun.
Big Adventures
Outdoor Queensland is truly 'great'. Take the Great Barrier Reef for starters: slip on some
goggles and ogle one of the most amazing underwater landscapes on Earth. There's also
white-water river rafting or easygoing kayaking along the coast. Bushwalking here is first-
rate: propel yourself along a multiday 'Great Walk', or take a shorter hike through a rain-
forest gorge or up a mountainside. Sail across the azure Whitsunday waters, or tackle a
4WD adventure along Fraser Island's 'beach highway'. There's also surfing, skydiving,
mountain-biking, fishing and hang-gliding.
Eat, Drink & Be Merry
With a hip coffee-bean scene, rambling farmers markets and fabulous riverside restaurants,
Brisbane has redefined itself as a foodie destination. The city's alter ego shows up at sun-
set, when nightclubs, pubs and small city bars light up the night. Elsewhere in the state -
including foodie haunts such as Noosa, Cairns and Port Douglas - you'll find culinary re-
wards great and small, from fish and chips to sizzling steaks. Wash it down with Queens-
