City, country, coast and islands, Southern Queensland has it all. There are vast, rugged national parks, beautiful beaches for swimming, sailing and water sports, tiny towns with friendly pubs, buzzing metropolitan life (including 24-hour nightlife) and peaceful, castaway islands with dense rainforest.
In a nutshell
You'll see signs saying 'all major credit cards welcome', followed by ones saying 'caution, koalas and kangaroos cross at night'. And you'll find some of Australia's finest restaurants not far from free oceanfront barbecues where you can sizzle your own prime steaks or fresh prawns.
A lovely surprise is Brisbane, officially 'Australia's most liveable city'. It's Queensland's state capital and Australia's third largest metropolis. It has a thriving arts scene with great galleries and museums, and there are bustling street cafs to sit and watch the world go by. Stroll in the beautiful riverside park with its tropical gardens, shop in the air-conditioned central malls and open-air markets, and enjoy the brilliant restaurants and nightlife.
Just an hour's drive south of Brisbane is the Gold Coast, a pleasure-seekers' destination with miles of sandy beaches. The liveliest and maybe most famous stretch is Surfers Paradise, great for swimming, sun-seeking and family attractions such as the Paradise Centre, with its non-stop rides and games. At the northern end of the Gold Coast is Sanctuary Cove, an upmarket resort community set on a lagoon with 2 golf courses, a marina, designer shopping and the splendid Hyatt Regency Hotel.
There are also wonderful eco-lodges in Southern Queensland. We bring you lodges in the unspoiled inland rainforest of Lamington National Park, where 4WD tours and guided bush walks reveal the extraordinary native wildlife. There are opportunities to spot marine life at island lodges on South Stradbroke Island (known locally as 'Straddy') and Moreton Island, just off the coast, where a very special resort, Tangalooma, allows you to meet and feed wild dolphins.
An hour north of Brisbane is the Sunshine Coast, where the funky town of Noosa is the focus of laid-back fun, with great beaches, boutique hotels and hip restaurants. Noosa National Park is yours to explore, with canoeing and walking amid rivers and lagoons. North of there is the wonderful Fraser Island, the world's largest sand island. Discover the 50-mile surf beach, rainforests, crystal-clear freshwater lakes and exotic wildlife. Exciting whale-watching trips get you close to the big humpbacks during the migration seasons (between Aug and Oct).