Queensland & the Great Barrier Reef

Why Go? ���������������������282 From the surf-soaked Gold Coast beaches to the tropical Gold Coast ������������������ 316 Daintree , this massive state offers a dizzying array of distractions. ’s big-ticket lure is the 2000km- Noosa & long submarine kingdom of the Great Barrier Reef: fish, the Sunshine Coast ����329 fish, coral and more fish... Islands are also a Queensland Capricorn Coast ���������362 speciality: everything from photogenic coral-fringed beau- Whitsunday Coast ������ 381 ties to rugged sand isles ripe for adventure. Townsville to Speaking of adventure, the ‘Sunshine State’ really deliv- Mission Beach ������������395 ers: snorkel or dive under warm ocean waves, go white-water Cairns & Around ��������� 413 rafting on grade-IV rapids, kayak the coastline, surf a clas- Cape York sic point break, or bushwalk through and gorges. Peninsula ��������������������458 Wildlife-watching is superb here too, with tropical birds, whales, cassowaries and crocs filling your photo album. When the sun sets, Queensland doesn’t go to bed: seafood feasts, cool bars, live bands and pumping clubs await (es- Off the Beaten pecially in Brisbane, arguably Australia’s hippest city). The Track hardest part is deciding where to begin… ¨¨ (p460) ¨¨Lamington National Park When to Go (p328) Cairns ¨ ¨Torres Strait Islands (p471) °C/°F Temp Rainfall inches/mm ¨¨Mt Isa (p374) 40/104 20/500 16/400 ¨¨Rainbow Beach (p352) 30/86 12/300 20/68 8/200 10/50 Best Places to 4/100

Stay 0/32 0 ¨¨Azjure Studio Retreat (p344) J F DNOSAJJMAM ¨ ¨Svendsen’s Beach (p370) Jan The Wet Jun–Aug Peak Sep Warm spring ¨¨Bowen Terrace (p299) brings heavy tourist season in days: it’s perfect rains up north, the tropics: mild in Brisbane, or ¨¨Reef House Resort & Spa and summer heat days, cool nights beat the crowds (p436) and humidity (bring a jacket). to the Gold Coast. ¨¨Hillcrest Guest House (p459) elsewhere.  Queensland & the Great Barrier Reef 275 are are MISS

Planet (www. Planet great opportunities to to opportunities great Queensland’s sample and culinary riches growers. support local in Bris- are faves Our little and Noosa bane, has a which Eumundi, bigger almost market than the town. DON’T Farmers markets QueenslandHolidays Lonely (www. CourierMail Population: 4.56million Population: 1,852,642 km Area: sq 630species Birds: northernoff swim Don’t sea-sickness a you’re If ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ (www.queenslandholidays. trip for Great com.au) planning. boating out to the Great the to out boating BarrierReef. Resources ¨ lonelyplanet.com/australia/ hotels, queensland)Tours, drinking, eating, history, info...the getting-around works! ¨ couriermail.com.au) newspaper daily Brisbane’s rugby? the won Who online. Fast Facts ¨ ¨ Alaska than larger (slightly combined)Greece and ¨ Top Tips ¨ stinger beachesthe during from season jellyfish) (box May. to November ¨ your forget don’t sufferer, tablets before ginger ------them off Hervey Bay during their during Bay Herveyoff them See TOURS

Look for them wandering around Missionwandering around them for Look whales See them in .National Eungella in them See From November to March on Mon Repos Repos Mon on March to November From

Saltwater (estuarine) crocodiles – the world’s world’s the – crocodiles Saltwater(estuarine) Spot them on .Magnetic on them Spot turtles

Plenty of operators offer 4WD tours of Cape York of Cape tours 4WD offer operators of Plenty are Bay Hervey and Noosa from Island Fraser of Tours Islands. Whitsunday the rival places few sailing, For REGIONAL or an taking humongous: absolutely is Queensland ganised tour of the hot-spots (or off-the-beaten-track off-the-beaten-track (or the hot-spots of tour ganised territory. some cover to way is a great areas) often northern tip – Australia’s – mainland Peninsula and flying or boating driving one way of with the option the other. wonders, natural Queensland’s of one see alone to way 4WD-ing the easy an tackling like feel don’t you if drivers). especially experienced for even going, tough (it’s or cruises, offer Airlie Beach in based operators Many a group get can you thing, own your do to want if you a yacht. and charter together Crocodiles Cassowaries Sea Humpback Koalas ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ largest crocodile species – live along the tropical northtropical the along live – species crocodile largest the along cruise a on photos some Queensland Snap coast. River. Daintree beach you can see nesting sea turtles lumbering up from the from turtles lumberingsea nestingup see can you beach dash a making hatchlings tiny by later weeks followed deep, water. the for ¨ ¨ Tribulation. Cape and Beach ¨ ¨ ¨ November). early to July (late migrationannual ¨ Best Wildlife Watching angatta – even more laid-back, with plenty of great waves. In In waves. great of plenty with laid-back, more book even – bars, days: angatta few a for End West the in unwind Brisbane, society). civilised of pillars (the coffee brilliant and shops the area. Surf junkies may want to put down temporary roots roots temporary down put to want may junkies Surf area. the of every has a little which Noosa, out check south: further low- ac parks, and high-end surf, national thing (beaches, Cool and Heads Burleigh or restaurants) and commodation an easygoing vibe. Cairns, Surfers Paradise and Airlie Beach Beach Airlie and Paradise Surfers Cairns, vibe. easygoing an are – with heaving a backpackers has if looking to you’re Douglas party, Port hip Cairns, of north Just further. no exploring look for base relaxed a makes and shoreline lovely long, Sometimes Sometimes you just need to find travel from that a break quaint take and little down beach backpack the put town, perfect a is Beach Mission road, the on days long After ling. and walks rainforest beaches, beaut with to recharge, place Places to Stick Around