For coastal thrills, koala cuddling and a climate to die for, head to Queensland, Australia. Janine Kelso brings you the highlights
From its famed tropical coastline to its dry outback plains, Queensland is an adventure playground for thrill-seekers. What’s more, it’s the only state in Australia where you can legally hug a koala bear.
Known as the sunshine state, Queensland enjoys 300 sun-filled days a year and there are miles of award-winning beaches to make the most of this favourable climate.
Sights and attractions
Consistently ranked among the world’s top beaches, Whitehaven Beach is perfect for sunbathing and relaxing.
Consider visiting it while sailing around the Whitsunday Islands – the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and a haven for divers. Boats can be hired from Hamilton Island, Airlie Beach or the mainland.
Queensland’s star attraction, though, is the colossal Great Barrier Reef, teeming with lagoons, estuaries, coastal beaches and 918 islands. The reef, which is bigger than New Zealand, is home to six of the world’s seven species of marine turtle and its underwater world is a diver’s paradise.
The less adventurous can view the marine-life by going snorkelling or taking a trip in a glass-bottomed boats. From August to November visitors can take a cruise to spot humpback whales.
Another major draw is Fraser Island. Crammed with of mangrove swamps, rainforests, giant sand dunes and freshwater lakes, it is the world’s largest sand island, covering 1,143 sq miles.
Explore the island in a four-wheel-drive to get a true sense of the varied terrain. Island activities include swimming in lakes, visiting the Maheno Shipwreck and whale-watching from August to October.
Meanwhile, the laid-back yet vibrant city of Brisbane is worth exploring for its shops, restaurants and lively art scene.
Things to do
Hug a koala bear and feed kangaroos at The Cairns Tropical Zoo in Palm Cove. Other places to spot koalas include Alma Park Zoo in Brisbane, Currumbin Sanctuary on the Gold Coast and Rainforest Habitat in Tropical North Queensland.
Learn to surf on the Gold Coast and then head to its hinterland to explore the rainforest where I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! is filmed. Families will love the Dreamworld and Sea World theme parks.
Find out more about the Aboriginal people and pick up some rainforest survival skills on an Indigenous Experience Tour at Paronella Park in North Queensland.
For a wilderness adventure, join a four-wheel-drive safari to Cape York, the northern tip of Queensland, which covers 11 million hectares. The safari normally takes in visits to the historic town of Cooktown, Lakefield National Park and Jowalbinna bush camp, where guests can see displays of rock art.
To get your heart racing, try white-water rafting on the Tully and Baron Rivers, or skydiving, quad biking, sand-surfing and hot air ballooning. Or take a leisurely coastal drive along the Bruce Highway, stretching from Brisbane to Cairns, exploring the beaches along the way.
Accommodation
Perched high in the mountains of Lamington National Park, the rooms at O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat offer sweeping rainforest views. There are no phones or TVs,
so guests can listen to the sounds of nature.
Follow in the footsteps of the stars who have appeared in I’m a Celebrity… and stay at the Versace Hotel, in Surfers Paradise, on the Gold Coast (see also: our recent feature and photo gallery on fashion hotels).
Sample product
Qantas Holidays offers the six-day Hamilton Island Experience for £423 per person from August to November 2008, including five nights’ bed and breakfast at the three-star Palm Terrace Hotel, transfers and a half-day cruise to Whitehaven Beach.
Attraction World offers tickets for Dreamworld theme park for £30 per adult (£23 per child) and Sea World for £34 per adult (£23 per child).
Queensland travel facts
- Gateways: Cairns and Brisbane have international airports
- Airlines: Many, including Air New Zealand, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Qantas
- Flying time: 19-20 hours
- Tour operators: Abercrombie and Kent, Carrier, Gold Medal, ITC Classics, Kuoni, Thomas Cook, Tradewinds, Travel 2, Qantas
- Weather: Queensland enjoys a tropical climate with year-round sunshine. Temperatures rarely drop below 22C. The rainy season runs from November to March, resulting in high humidity, especially along the coast
- Time difference: GMT +10 hours.
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