Queensland

Queensland is the Australian state situated in the northeastern section of the continent. The Sunshine State is bordered by three other states (the Northern Territory, South Australia, New South Wales) as well as the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean.

This large state is home to nearly 20% of Australia's population and 35% of Australia's coastline, so there are plenty of beautiful days to fill with friendly people, sun, fun, and adventure!

With numerous airports and motorways, as well as an extensive integrated public transportation system, visitors have no problem getting around in Queensland. Brisbane Airport, Gold Coast Airport and Cairns Internationa Airport are major hubs for international and domestic flights, while a number of smaller airports throughout the state provide domestic services. Queensland is well connected to Australia's national highway system and boasts many high-quality motorways, particularly in the southern portion of the state. Most regional centers offer local bus services for traveling short distances, while regional buses and long-distance rail services provide transportation throughout the state. Southeast Queensland boasts an integrated public transportations system, the TransLink, that provides bus, rail, and ferry services around the region.

At over 1,700,000 square kilometers, Queensland is very large so there is significant variation in weather across the state.

Most regions only experience two weather seasons (winter and summer), with various temperatures and levels of rainfall dependent on the area. In the far north, temperatures can get very high in the humid summer months and there is a monsoonal 'wet' season. The coastal regions are more temperate, particularly in the southern parts of the coast.

Summers are warm and humid with slightly cooler temperatures in the elevated hinterlands and the coastal southeast. The inland portions of the state see more temperature variation between seasons and experience very little rainfall.

Summers are typically hot and dry, and winter temperatures are generally pretty low, especially in the southern and western regions.

Queensland is home to many places of spectacular natural beauty, including five World Heritage listed preservation areas: the Australian Fossil Mammal Sites at Riversleigh in the Gulf Country, the Central Eastern Rainforest Reserves, Fraser Island, the Great Barrier Reef, and the Wet Tropics of Queensland.

The Bunya Mountains and the Great Dividing Range offer breathtaking scenery from their numerous lookouts, as well as beautiful waterfalls and relaxing picnic areas.

Carnarvon Gorge, Whitsunday Islands, and Hinchinbrook Island are also popular destinations for sightseers and photographers. With a 7,400 kilometer-long coastline, there is no shortage of sea-side sand in Queensland, but the south's Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast have some of the most popular beaches in the state.

The Sunshine Coast is also home to UnderWater World at Mooloolaba, Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary at Fig Tree Pocket, and Brisbane Forest Park at The Gape, while the Gold Coast boasts the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary and the David Fleay Wildlife Park at Burleigh Heads.

While there is no shortage of things to see and do all across the state of Queensland, the major tourist attractions are centered in the southeastern region.

Brisbane, the state capital, is located on the west coast just 100km north of the New South Wales border and offers a wide variety of shopping and dining options.

The Gold Coast is in the south east corner of Queensland and is known as "Australia's Theme Park Capital" because of it's five amusement parks: Dreamworld, Movie World, Sea World, Wet 'n Wild, WhiteWater World.

Hervey Bay, located about 300km north of Brisbane, boasts whale watching, Fraser Island, and Lady Elliot Island as its main attractions.

North Stradbroke Island and South Stradbroke Island are located 30km southeast of Brisbane and used to be the unified Stradbroke Island until a storm in 1896 broke it in two.

The islands are huge tourist draws because of their beautiful resorts, white beaches, amazing lookout points, and fields of wild orchids that grow on the Northern island.

Sunshine Coast is just north of Brisbane and is famous for incredible beaches, big tourist attractions (including Steve Irwin's Australia Zoo), lush golf courses and a selection of national parks.

A little further up the coast is the popular Whitsundays, which is a cluster of islands of various sizes that offer a wide range of attractions.

Far North Queensland, the northernmost point in the state, is also a popular tourist draw because of its warm, tropical weather and sunny beaches. A number of sports are quite popular in Queensland, so a variety of matches and events can be found all across the state. From Australian football to rugby to basketball, cricket, netball, and swimming, there is always a game going on somewhere!

Queensland also boasts major race car and surfing events that draw big crowds and famous names.

If you like sunny days, white sandy, beaches, beautiful scenery, and
friendly people you cannot miss out on all that Queensland has to offer!