They say Queensland is beautiful one day and perfect the next. They’re right! It’s a big place - seven times the size of Great Britain - with a small population of just 5 million, so there’s a lot of space to spread out and have fun. You can start just about anywhere. Queensland has five international airports and many more regional domestic airports to get you quickly to the destinations you want to be and see. A quick look at the Queensland adventures and experiences listed on Gifting Owl will give you a good idea just how brilliant and beautiful this destination is and how much it has to offer. When you think gifts, it’s easy to think of Queensland.
The natural wonders of Queensland invented the expression ‘must-do experience’. And if that’s not strictly true, it should be. Almost half of Australia’s World Natural Heritage areas are in Queensland. Out west the Riversleigh Fossil Fields are one of the most significant fossil sites in the world. To the northeast, the Wet Tropics including the world-renowned Daintree National Park the Great Barrier Reef. The reef stretches almost the entire length of Queensland’s eastern seaboard. At its most southern point, it almost touches Fraser Island the world’s largest sand Island one of a trilogy of largest sand islands that reach all the way to the Gold Coast and include Moreton Island (world’s 3rd largest sand island) and Stradbroke Island (world’s 2nd largest sand island). Beyond Brisbane is the Scenic Rim. These World Heritage areas are leaders of the pack when it comes to unforgettable natural experiences. But there are more than 200 national parks spread across the state to explore and adore. Wherever you in Queensland nature is too.
Taking a close look at the World Heritage areas they trace the adventure hubs. It’s tempting to think the Outback is full of bulldust and saltbush. Not Queensland’s Outback. In the dry season (winter) the Outback becomes the world’s largest stage with event-packed months of fun. From festivals, rodeos, open-air opera performances and horse races in the red dust - it's a case of donning your best pair of moleskins and RM Williams boots and heading for where the action is. This is where Banjo Patterson rhymed his unofficial Aussie anthem, Waltzing Matilda and the folly of that jolly old swagman. Longreach, Mount Isa and Winton are the epicentres of the action and after the tent cities have disappeared, you’re best to wander a bit longer, get to know the locals a bit better and make the most of travels out west.
Cairns and Port Douglas are the premium holiday destinations of the far north and the gateways to where the world’s oldest rainforest - the Wet Tropics Daintree Forest meets the Great Barrier Reef. The northern regions of Queensland are divided into dry and wet tropics and two seasons Dry (May to Oct) and Wet (Nov to April). Naturally, the dry season attracts visitors who seasonally migrate to the area to escape the cold and bask under sunny skies. That said, the rainforest comes alive in the wet. The native flora turns a deep shade of green and shines brightly as the sun hits streams of droplets that slide and bounce off the foliage. The wildlife can be heard celebrating as the rain breaks through the thick canopy. Trickling creeks become rivers and sandstone escarpments suddenly turn white as the deluge tumbles over the cliff edge and cascades down into deep valleys below.
Another premium Great Barrier Reef holiday destination is The Whitsundays. Here visitors can discover and experience a picture-perfect paradise. A cluster of 74 tropical islands sit amid the tropical waters of the Coral Sea, their bleached-white beaches fringed with native forests and bathed in sunshine. Skip any more superlatives - this is simply heaven on earth. The islands are nature’s gift to those who hanker for wonderous landscapes and water adventures full of marine and wildlife encounters. The unbelievable beauty of these unspoiled islands and the site of unfurled white sails on a sparkling sea that sprawls across the wide horizon will make the Whitsundays your happy place to go to long after you leave.
The Great Sandy Strait is like a watercolour masterpiece. A blend of blues and greens and whites seamlessly merging together as long drifting sand bars snake their way up the coastline between the mainland and Fraser Island. The region is famous for its whale encounters. The bays along Fraser Island’s coast are nursing grounds for migrating humpback whales from May until October each year. An that’s not the island’s only claim to fame. The Traditional Country of the Butchulla People, Fraser Island is a rich cultural experience with daily tours offered by the local Indigenous park rangers. As the world’s largest sand island, the freshwater lakes, coloured sands, bush and wetlands are teeming with native and migratory wildlife. The island is a top spot for 4WD adventure and is a playground for locals and visitors alike. The marine park is speckled with islands surrounded by shallow clear waters turtles, stingrays and the myriad of marine life that the Great Sandy Strait their home are easy to spot as you make your way along the waterways.
At its southern end, the Great Sandy Strait merges with the Sunshine Coast. One of Queensland’s premier holiday destinations the Sunshine Coast combines surf, sun, sea and trees for perfect natural experiences. The national parks and hilltop villages are wondrous places to visit and cool off on a summer’s day. While the sun, sand and surf are made for family fun. From Noosa Heads to Caloundra, long tracts of the sandy beachfront line the foreshore, only broken by the start of Moreton Bay.
Moreton Bay is a haven for wildlife and a designated UNESCO RAMSAR site. Moreton Island (Moorgumpin) and Stradbroke Island (Minjerribah) are the world’s third and second largest islands, respectively. They act as buffers between the Pacific Ocean and the coast, giving the bay its protected calm waters. The bay is home to 6 of the world’s 7 species of turtles, the largest population of dugong living in a city area, 3 species of dolphin, more than 1000 species of fish and thousands of shore and migratory birds. As a major tourist attraction, the bay is part of Queensland’s capital city, Brisbane. The city is young and vibrant, with a relaxed lifestyle suited to the subtropical climate. The city covers a vast area with a relatively small population of just 2.3 million residents, but it’s easy to get around and easy to explore the bay, bush and inner-city sites.
Brisbane neighbouring city is the Gold Coast, a 24/7 action-packed holiday destination with fantastic beaches, hotels and holiday accommodation dominating the coastline. The Gold Coast is all about fast fun with theme parks, shopping malls, beaches, restaurants and bars all wedged together in a long sunny coastal strip that stretches to the border. In contrast, behind all the throng and excitement of the city’s main streets and attractions, are towering ancient mountains of the surrounding national parks, hidden waterfalls and quiet places where you spend days enjoying the natural pleasures of life. The Gold Coast is a destination that wears its heart on its sleeve. It gives you everything, and leaves you wanting nothing but more of the same, please.
The Gold Coast hinterland lead to the Scenic Rim a crescent-shaped mountain ridge with low-lying plains and high-lying tablelands that are spilling over with natural adventures and delicious food and drink experiences. The rugged mountain peaks and gaping valleys are a feast for the eyes and for the stomach. The townships are peaceful places with small weatherboard shops, their windows crammed with home-made posters announcing community events - some up-coming and others long since passed, and farm-grown, home-grown, hand- picked or handcrafted goods on the shelves; tempting delights to share with others.
Queensland is a large and extraordinary part of the world, with many cities and country towns that proudly do the same. You can stretch out and be in nature everywhere you go. The diversity of beauty on all points on the compass is breathtaking. Queensland is made for holidays, but it’s also a place where you’ll never be short of a friendly face and locals who make you feel right at home.
