Located in the North East of Australia, Queensland is the second largest State of Australia after Western Australia, however it the third most populous after New South Wales and Victoria. Half of the population live in the South East corner around Brisbane, the State capital. Brisbane has a major international and domestic airport, although you can drive there in about 13 hours from Sydney. Famous for its beaches, beautiful climate, the Great Barrier Reef, Gold Coast theme parks and laid back lifestyle, Queensland is known as the place where Australia shines.
Followers of TravelCentreAustralia.com on Twitter, Facebook and on travel forums created the following must do list of activities for your visit to Queensland. Call it a bucket list or a B430 list, it is everything you must do when you hit Queensland. If you think you can make the list even better, then contact us via Twitter or Facebook. So going from North to South, here goes.
Tropical North Queensland and The Great Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef came top of almost every suggestion for a Queensland Bucket List, however not everyone agreed on how you should experience it. Stretching from the Central Queensland Coast to Papua New Guinea, it is the largest living organisam on the planet and offers the most spectacular underwater experience that both long time divers and landlubbers can enjoy.
So how should you go about experiencing the Great Barrier Reef?
Check it out from the air. Helicopter opportunities leave daily and can be built into a snorkel package. From above you will get a truly unique experience of the Great Barrier Reef. On a clear day you can spot whales, dolphins and more that may be just too tricky to see from land level.
Get stuck in with a snorkel or dive. There are many boats leaving each day from Cairns, Port Douglas, Townsville, Airlie Beach and elsewhere that offer snorkelling and diving experiences. Most boats cater for both beginners and experienced divers. You can try a dive for the first time on these tours and no experience is necessary (although it helps if you can swim).
One of the most unique experiences suggested for a bucket list is to swim the Barrier Reef with Minke Whales. This really is something that you cannot plan for and luck often comes into it. However, if you visit during the cooler months, there's a good chance that you spot a whale on its migration, which is truly a majestic sight.
Many visitors to the Great Barrier Reef base themslves in Cairns, Port Douglas or elsewhere in Far North Queensland. Whilst you're there, here's a couple of other suggestions that TravelCentreAustralia.com followers cam up with:
Kuranda, known as the village in the rainforest, is reknown for the incredible skyrail that makes its way through the rainforest, past Baron Gorge and onto Kuranda. Covering 7.5kms this cabeway offers spectacular uninterrupted views of Cairns and the Coral Sea. Once you arrive in Kuranda you can explore some of the best markets in Australia, with local artists offering the very best that North Queensland can create. For more information go to www.Kuranda.org
Set in the Gulf Savannah country, the Undara Lave Tubes experience is where you can walk in the path of a volcano and sleep cocooned in an antique railway carriage. You can enjoy the natural geological wonders of the massive lava tubes in a truly Australian seetting. Explore the longest lava tube in the world and relax in the bush. For more information go to www.Undara.com.au
Magnetic Island is a beautiful island just a short ferry ride from Townsville. It is home to untouched rainforest and offers a range of cheap to luxury holiday accommodation. More than half of the island is National Park, so you can try some of the 24 kms of bushwalks and introduce yourself to the local wildlife such as possums, koalas and rock wallabies. It's also a great place to visit the Great Barrier Reef and if water is your thing then go sailing, jetskiing, sailboarding or kayaking. Find out more about Magnetic Island at Queensland's best Islands.
Port Douglas is a village about one hour North of Cairns. It is the perfect spot to visit both the reef and the rainforest. Once a sleepy village, Port Douglas experienced a renaissance through the developments of Christopher Skase in the 1980's. It is home to luxury resorts such as the Sheriton, but is also popular with backpackers and Aussies looking to escape the real world. Home to the stunning four mile beach, Port Douglas is the gateway to both the reef, as well as Cape Tribulation, Cooktown and the rainforest. Four Mile Beach also makes the best beaches in Australia list here.
The Whitsundays
Located off coast from the resort town of Airlie Beach, the Whitsundays are a collection of stunning islands that provide a range of once in a life time experiences. There are so many bucket list opportunities to be had. Made up of 74 islands, the Whitsundays offers a variety of experiences including sailing, snorkeling, scuba diving or simply a romantic getaway from real life.
Here's how TravelCentreAustralia.com followers thought you should experience the Whitsundays:
The Whitsundays are famous for sailing and a number of boats offer day cruises as well as overnight adventures, where you can experience sailing at first hand. The various boats cater for all levels of sailors so everyone can have a go.
Our followers said that you must visit Whitehaven Beach and Oprah agreed when she did her Downunder shows. Whitehaven is simply too stunning to describe, but here goes anyway. Its beach is perfectly pristine and as you expect, white. The water is crystal clear and as soon as you arrive you will see why it is the most photogtaphed beach in Australia. Make sure you take it in as part of you tour.
Twitter also said to meet the Dolphins at Hamilton Island. Hamilton is one of the most famous of the Islands. Situated on the edge of the Great Barrier Reef, Hamilton is home to a beautiful resort from where you can explore the stunning Whitsundays and all it has to offer. It is a great spot to see Dolphins and although they can't be guaranteed, it's a great place to start if you want meet these amazing creatures in the wild. Find out more about Hamilton Island at Queensland's best Islands.
Boats leave daily from a number of islands as well as the mainland that offer differing snorkel and diving opportunities. You can either check out the coral and fish of the Whitsundays or head out to the Great barrier Reef. There are boats that cater for first time snorkellers and divers, as well as the Jacques Cousteau's among you. There are even tours that will put you in a mini submarine so that you can enjoy the coral without even getting wet.
Fraser Island is the largest sand island in the world. This doesn't mean it is just one giant dune, but rather it has spectacular bush, lakes and beaches. You can stay at a resort on the island or take a day trip, but our followers suggested hooking up with a posse of other holiday makers, renting a four wheel drive and camping your way around this awesome island. Just remember not to feed the dingoes and take the loo roll as toliets may become somewhat natural. Lake MacKensie on Fraser made the best beaches in Australia list here.
Sunshine Coast
Located North of Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast is a collection of towns that offer a wide variety of holiday experience. The Sunshine Coast is primarily focused on beach locations such as Noosa, Maroochydore or Mooloolaba, however it also encompasses the Hinterland where you will find Steve Irwins famous Australia Zoo, which should be on every visitors bucket list. Known for its crocodiles, Australia Zoo also offers a range of other animals to visit from around Australia and beyond.
Added to the bucket list via Twitter was surfing lessons in Noosa. Once a sleepy fishing village, Noosa is now a trendy holiday spot for visitors from far and wide. You can try surfing in many great places around Australia such as Bondi or the Gold Coast, however our followers thought Noosa was worth a go. The great thing about Noosa for surfing as compared to the Gold Coast is that it is slightly more protected and often provides longer waves to practise on.
Brisbane
Queensland's State Capital, Brisbane, is a modern metropolis with the laid back feeling synonymous with Queensland. Known as Bris Vegas by the locals, who parody its once big country town feel, Brisbane is now a trendy, fashionable city with an array of experiences for tourists of all ages.
So what did our Twitter and Facebook followers say you must do when you visit?
Who needs a good idea when you can pinch it off someone else? Despite this, the Storey Bridge Adventure Climb is recommended as a Brisbane must do and although Sydney may be in the next State, the Storey Bridge and Harbour Bridge make up two of only three bridge climbs in the world. It is definitely the most exciting way to experience Brisbane offering incredible views of the city. There are four climbs each day taking two and a half hours, so you can check out the veiws at dawn, daytime, twilight and night. For more info check out www.storybridgeadventureclimb.com.au
Moreton Bay is a water paradies just 25 kms from the Brisbane CBD. Stretching from the Sunshine Coast in the North to the Gold Coast in the South, it is a place where you sail, fish scuba dive and surf. Alternatively you can explore one of the islands and go bushwalking, sandduning or quad biking. Many of the islands such as Moreton or Stradbroke offer resort accommodation, sandy beaches and awesome marine life. For more information on visiting the area check out www.visitbrisbane.com.au/Travel/Destination-Maps/Moreton-Bay-Islands.aspx
We recently received another entry for the Brisbane bucket list and that was to watch a State of Origin game at the Suncorp Stadium. The State of Origin is Australia's premier rugby league game and matches the very best of Queensland against New South Wales's finest. Although you can watch a game in Sydney too, famous New South Welshmen such as Laurie Daley always note that the passion and vibrance of this game is like nothing you can experience elsewhere. It's probably helped by the fact that Queensland are on a five year winning streak!!
Gold Coast
The Gold Coast is known as Australia's holiday playground. Famous for iconic Surfers Paradise, schoolies and the party lifestyle, the Gold Coast is a hugely popular destination for families too who come to visit the many theme parks of the Gold Coast. Sea World, located minutes from Surfers Paradise is themed around all things oceanic. The shark encounter is particularly memorable and lets you get up close and personal to a range of sharks including Tigers. You can also watch the spectacular Dolphin shows and even book to swim with them.
Movie World is a great place for film buffs. It offers a host of adrenalin fuelled rides and shows for visitors of all ages. You can meet Scooby, Batman and Austin Powers in the same day.
Dream World offers more incredible rides as an Australian themed wildlife area. Small kids love the Wiggles area, but there's plenty of roller coaster style rides for big kids too.
If the weather is hot, check out either Wet n' Wild or White Water World, which compete to be the best water parks in Australia. Nearly every year they both open new and more spectacular rides, all designed to get you wet and pumped up.
A more unusual suggestion for the bucket list was walking in the rain through Currumbin Pools. Located at the south end of the Gold Coast Currumbin is famous for its surfing and creek which becomes a water wonderland at low tide. Alternatively check out a more local theme park at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary where you can meet many of Australia's more famous animals such as koalas, kangaroos, crocodiles and snakes.
Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast also makes the best beaches in Australia list here.
If you think you have something better to offer than this bucket list, then contact us via Twitter or Facebook and we'll share your bucket list ideas. Otherwise leave a comment or link below.
Searches and links may take you to third party websites. TravelCentreAustralia.com and its proprietor are not responsible for the content of these sites and accepts no liability or responsibility for services or products received.
