South East Queensland
Gold Coast, Brisbane, The Scenic Rim, Southern Queensland Country, Sunshine Coast, Fraser Coast
A tourism mecca, the famous Gold Coast boasts spectacular beaches, fabulous weather, theme parks, shopping and a buzzzing atmosphere. Explore the Gold Coast Hinterland National Parks heading up to the Tweed Range, Mt Tamborine and Springbrook for amazing views. The Scenic Rim includes World Heritage-listed Gondwana rainforests, sweeping valleys, mountain ranges, rural villages and farm stays. Southern Queensland Country offers a quintessential Australian rural experience with stunning natural landscapes like the Main Range National Park and Queen Mary Falls, alongside a thriving local food and wine scene, rich history, and warm country hospitality.
Just north is Brisbane, Queensland’s capital city and gateway to the Sunshine Coast – here you will discover trendy seaside townships with sapphire blue waters so ….. surf, fish, swim or relax. Take advantage of discounted direct flights into the Sunshine Coast Airport. The Sunshine Coast Hinterland is known for the Glasshouse Mountains, Eumundi Markets, Australia Zoo and huge variety of locally grown produce including pineapples (think The Big Pineapple) and ginger!
Don’t miss the spectacular rural views and historic townships of the South Burnett. Kingaroy is well known for its famous peanuts, however, you will also discover some of Queensland’s finest arts, crafts and farm produce here, so be sure to stop for a sample.
The Cooloola Region (just north of the Sunshine Coast) invites you into a 4WD adventure land of rainforest, lakes, coloured sands and shipwrecks. If you do not have a 4WD you can always hire one. Tin Can Bay in the Wide Bay–Burnett region has wild dolphins that visit the water’s edge. Visit the quaint town of Maryborough with historical charm and excellent modern facilities. Hervey Bay is famous for its seasonal whale watching. A waterfront esplanade links the city's marina with beaches offering calm waters for swimming. It is also a hub for tours to nearby K’gari (Fraser Island), which has beaches and features a rainforest habitat for dingoes and other wildlife. Head a little further up to the Coral Coast, visit Woodgate Beach and Bargara (famous for turtle hatching). This is the gateway to the Southern Great Barrier Reef and the town of Bundaberg.
The Sensational South has many hidden secrets…
Central Queensland
Bundaberg, Gladstone, Emerald, The Gemfields, Rockhampton
Bundaberg (a four hour drive north of Brisbane), is the first point of entry to the Southern Great Barrier Reef. ‘Bundy’ is known for its beaches, wildlife, famous Rum Distillery and Brewed Ginger Beer. Visit Mon Repos Conservation Centre, home to the largest loggerhead turtle rookery in the Southern Hemisphere . Explore the reef with a trip to Lady Elliot or Lady Musgrave Islands. Located in a subtropical climate, the botanic gardens are well worth a visit, with over 10,000 plant species and a working sugar cane train. The Hinkler Hall of Aviation is also located within the gardens.
Central Queensland offers a mix of coastal experiences around towns like Gladstone and Rockhampton, with stunning beaches and islands, alongside outback adventures in the central highlands featuring cattle stations and wildlife spotting. The top stops along the way from Bundaberg to Rockhampton (with short detours) are Agnes Water, 1770, Tannum Sands (it has a microbrewery), Mount Archer, and Mount Morgan Mine. Gladstone and surrounds is a fishing and boating enthusiasts dream! The town itself has a number of quiet swimming locations around the town centre including a swimming inlet by the boat ramp and numerous stretches of sandy beaches beyond Rodds Harbour. Tondoon Botanic Gardens in Gladstone is a real hidden gem, well worth a visit.
Rockhampton (located on the Tropic of Capricorn) is situated on the Fitzroy River and is best known for its beef production (you will see several bull statues around the town) and, you can also catch trophy size barramundi right in town! A great base to visit tree top board walks, ancient caves, bushwalk, hike or visit Rockhampton Heritage Village and check out the antique car collection.
To the west you can head out to Emerald and Sapphire Gemfields. Emerald is a major tourism hub and the gateway to one of the largest sapphire fields in the southern hemisphere, attracting visitors interested in gem mining experiences and exploring the beautiful natural landscapes surrounding the town, which surprisingly include opportunities for swimming, waterskiing, and kayaking; the town further boasts the world's largest Van Gogh sunflower painting due to its past as a significant sunflower producer. The townships of Rubyvale, Sapphire, Anakie and Willows, the Sapphire Gemfields are only a 45 minute drive west of Emerald. This is where you can discover the thrill of fossicking, unearth your own souvenir, venture underground with a guided mine tour or spoil yourself at one of the local gem galleries.
From coast to country Central Queensland has it all….
The Tropical Top
Mackay, Whitsundays, Bowen, Townsville, Cairns & Tablelands, Gulf Savannah, Cape York
From Rockhampton to Mackay is just under a five-hour drive. The top spots to stop along the way are Capricorn Caves, Cooberrie Park Wildlife Sanctuary, and Sarina Sugar Shed. We also recommend a visit to Nob Creek Pottery, Stony Creek, and Sarina Big Cane Toad. Mackay, home to Australia’s longest stretch of subtropical rainforest, Mackay presents unlimited opportunities to explore untouched nature and a multitude of breathtaking and pristine national parks. Mackay also has a busy regional airport with direct flights to and from Brisbane, Rockhampton, Townsville, Hamilton Island, Cairns, Sunshine Coast and Melbourne, making it an ideal base to start your adventure. Heading north, Cape Hillsborough offers the perfect sunrise photo shoot with Kangaroos on the beach.
Airlie Beach (gateway to the Whitsunday Islands) has white sandy beaches, and a wide range of activities for holiday makers. Some 74 islands make up the “Whitsunday’s”, most are uninhabited, but the clear turquoise waters make is an irresistible destination. Island resorts offer budget or luxury accommodation, water sports, bushwalking, tennis, golf, sailing and fish feeding. In Airlie, explore the town, take dip in the Airlie Beach Lagoon (it's free), Hike to Honeyeater Lookout or just a short distance away, walk the white sand of famous Whitehaven Beach. Your options are endless…
Bowen, at the top of the Whitsunday’s was established in 1861 and the first settlement in north Queensland. The town and surrounding area is know best known for its magnificent beaches (no less than 8) and bays as well as its luscious mangoes. Visit the Big Mango and try one for yourself! The inner reef is just metres from many of Bowen's bays, so, grab your snorkel and you can be swimming above colourful coral and fish. Queens Beach, with its palm fringed shores and 5kms of scenic beauty is a popular spot for holiday makers.
Townsville is a vibrant region that encompasses beautiful coastal towns, rainforests, rugged outback and country terrain. The Strand esplanade, with its pier and water park, is popular. The Reef HQ Aquarium (currently closed for refurbishment) has marine life and coral from the Great Barrier Reef, plus a sea turtle hospital. Southeast of the city, the Billabong Sanctuary Wildlife Park is home to koalas, wombats and crocodiles. Offshore, Magnetic Island, (accessible from Townsville by a 20-minute fast ferry) is like no other island getaway. The contrasting landscape of this World Heritage listed island makes this destination truly distinctive.
North of Townsville you are heading into The Great Green Way and Tropical Coast. This lush section of coast takes in Cardwell, Tully, Mission Beach, Innisfail, Babinda as well as spectacular Orpheus, Hinchinbrook and Dunk Island. See cassowaries, butterflies, wild orchids and incredible untouched tropical beauty. The Great Green Way encompasses more than 25 tropical islands, more than 12 National Parks and is flanked by World Heritage listed Wet Tropics rainforest on one side and the World Heritage listed Great Barrier Reef on the other. The Great Green Way is your best chance to experience the real tropics – fly into Townsville or Cairns, hire a car and spend a week exploring this still virtually untouched region of the ‘Tropical Top’. Mission Beach, Paronella Park and Babinda Boulders are highlights on this drive.
Cairns, the capital of the tropical north, is a mix of modern architecture and old timber high set Queenslander homes. Cairns Esplanade features a world-class facility incorporating an outdoor Amphitheatre, large sandy swimming lagoon, grassy picnic areas, walking tracks, free public barbeques and children’s playground. Shops, restaurants, and the Cairns Great Barrier Reef Cruise departure terminal (gateway to your reef experience) are all along the waterfront. Cairns is the hub to the attractions of Far North Queensland. To its west, the lush Atherton Tablelands, has the Waterfall Circuit, Crater Lakes and fabulous fresh produce. The Skyrail Rainforest Cableway links Cairns to Kuranda on the Tablelands, enjoy the spectacular views of Australia's World Heritage Rainforest and Barron Falls. To the north a string of palm-fringed tropical beaches can be seen on the scenic drive up to Port Douglas, Mossman and Daintree.
The Gulf Savannah is some of the norths most remote country, stretching west to the Northern Territory border. Home to vast cattle stations, historic old gold towns, rugged gorges, caves and rock formations as well as the waters of the Gulf of Carpentaria – you can experience some fantastic seasonal fishing. The Savannahlander and Gulflander offer unforgettable outback rail journeys through parts of this region. See the stars from the Chillagoe Observatory’s fully equipped dome and two telescopes – the Eco Lodge offers great accommodation. Fossick at Mt Surprise and enjoy a meal at the licensed café before heading to Undara Volcanic National Park to see the spectacular lava tubes. Cobbold Gorge (only 55 mins southwest of Forsayth) has fantastic scenery, tours and excellent facilities for travellers to the Savannah Country. Croydon, with its quaint streets, heritage buildings and friendly locals is one of the most delightful and serene outback towns on the Savannah Way. Normanton, home to the ‘Big Barra’ has a unique flavour that is enriched by its diverse population and colonial history that has seen both boom and bust years. Karumba offers a fantastic ‘outback-by-the-sea experience’, visit the Barramundi Discovery Centre to see, touch and feed barramundi. Enjoy a ‘coldie’ at the Sunset Tavern – you will never forget the sunsets at Karumba!
Cooktown (330km north of Cairns) is one of Queensland’s hidden gems – a beautiful, unspoilt coastal town, and one of Australia’s most historically significant townships. Today Cooktown has a population of 2,950, and the town is growing as word spreads of its beautiful location and the friendliness of its people. A visit to the Cooktown Museum is a must, located in a former convent built in the 19th century and now restored.
Cape York is Australia’s ultimate self-drive location – in fact, you’ll find more 4WDs here than anywhere else in the country. You’ll need one if you want to access most of the region as paved roads are a rarity, which adds to the sense of adventure. A 1200km strip of road connects Cairns with Cape York and will take about seven days to drive. Punsand Bay at the very tip offers an oasis for travellers that make the journey. Cape York is pure adventure!
The Tropical Top is all this and more….
Outback Queensland
Mt Isa, Charters Towers, Winton, Longreach, Barcaldine, Birdsville, Charleville, Cunnamulla, Corner Country
Queensland’s Outback – What an Adventure! From Queensland’s South to the Gulf Savannah Frontier
Australia’s Outback isn’t just one place—it’s a vast, living canvas painted with red earth, gold-lit horizons, and ancient stories carved into every rock and riverbed. In Queensland, the Outback begins in the dusty south and stretches north to where the Savannah meets the sea. This is a journey of contrasts: from sheep stations to lava tubes, ghost towns to Gulf sunsets. Buckle up—we're heading deep into the real heart of Queensland.
The Corner Country (of Outback NSW) is the area north of Broken Hill that is bound by the state borders of New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia. The touring route connects about 1100 kms of sealed and unsealed roads in an easy and safe to navigate circular route from Broken Hill to Packsaddle, Milparinka, Tibooburra and Cameron Corner (a five-hour drive from Broken Hill). Located right on the southern border of Queensland, Cameron Corner is the very start of your adventure north into Queensland’s Outback. Cameron Corner Store is your stop to fuel up and take a break before heading north.
Cunnamulla, a classic Outback town perched on the Warrego River where wide skies meet history head-on. Visit the Cunnamulla Fella Centre to hear yarns of shearers and settlers, then soak in the artesian waters of the Great Artesian Basin—nature’s underground gift to the Outback.
Quilpie is known for its exquisite, shimmering boulder opal, spend the day fossicking for opals, climb Baldy Top Lookout to admire the spectacular sunset or picnic and fish at the Bulloo River. There are stunning wildflowers (in season) throughout the surrounding countryside.
Charleville welcomes with Outback hospitality and celestial surprises. The Cosmos Centre offers a telescope-eye view into the southern skies, and native bilbies—the endangered mascots of the region—find sanctuary in a local breeding centre. Discover the magic of Charleville Bilby Experience, their must-see guided tour and show takes place in a specially designed nocturnal house. You can even sponsor a Bilby and know you are helping to save these beautiful creatures from extinction. Visit the Save the Bilby Fund. If you are a history buff, you can join a tag-along group on the ‘Top Secret World War II Tour’.
Tambo and Blackall on the Matilda Hwy are great stop off points to explore this region, Tambo is the oldest town in the west (founded in 1863) and known for its fantastic 4WD trails, sunsets and the Tambo dam. You can relax, enjoy a picnic, take a dip or go canoeing. Blackall became a thriving outback township literally growing on the sheep’s back. You can discover all about the wool industry at the Historic Blackall Woolscour, the last remaining scour in Australia, a virtual living museum. Learn more at the Historic Blackall Woolscour. There are some fantastic accommodation options in the area from delightful country cottages, motels and caravan parks.
Barcaldine is situated on the junction of the Capricorn and Landsborough Highways and is known as the Garden City of the West. Barcaldine is home to the Tree of Knowledge, the reputed birthplace of the labour movement in Australia. The Tree – a ghost gum – grew outside the Railway Station for about 180 years until 2006 when sadly, it was poisoned by an unknown culprit. The tree (now preserved) is still an attraction. The Gem Field towns of Rubyvale and Sapphire are only a 3-hour drive to the east. You can fossick for gemstones or purchase a beautiful souvenir gemstone from Coolamon Mining Sapphire Showcase or Rubyvale Gem Gallery.
Longreach, the beating heart of Outback, visit the Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame and the Qantas Founders Museum, both chronicle grit and innovation. Climb aboard a 747 or ride a Cobb & Co stagecoach—Longreach brings legend to life!
Muttaburra has the distinction of being the town closest to the geographic centre of Queensland. Although Muttaburra is only small in population with around 200 people, it has a huge reputation for its hospitality and a strong community-minded population. Muttaburra’s most famous moment heads back to when grazier Doug Langdon uncovered the fossilised skeleton of a dinosaur. Drop into the Muttaburra Hotel for a cold beer and get fuel and stock up on supplies at the Muttaburra Shop & Fuel.
Now we veer northwest, deeper into dinosaur country. Winton is ground zero for fossil hunters. Walk the footprints of giants at Lark Quarry, or explore the impressive Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum, perched atop a rocky mesa. As the highway leads further, the cattle towns of Cloncurry and Mount Isa emerge—centres of rodeo, mining, and multicultural energy. Mount Isa’s underground hospital tells a World War II story of ingenuity, while Lake Moondarra offers a sparkling contrast to the otherwise ochre terrain.
The Gulf Savannah: Wild, Remote, and Wonderful!
Beyond Mount Isa, the land changes again. The Outback gives way to the Gulf Savannah, where dry savannah woodlands stretch toward the Arafura Sea. This is untamed country, punctuated by lava tubes, gemstone rivers, and ghostly remains of gold rush towns.
Karumba (450km north of Cloncurry)—a tiny town on the Gulf of Carpentaria where the ‘Outback meets the sea’, is famous for its blazing gold sunsets over the water. Here, saltwater crocs laze on riverbanks, the fishing is fantastic and the locals are friendly! Nature abounds here on land and in the ocean, enjoy bird watching, head out on a fishing charter or visit the Les Wilson Barramundi Discovery Centre. There are great accommodation options from Caravan Parks to Holiday Units. If you take a wander around town, pop into the Midnight Emporium or enjoy a coffee while you stock up on supplies at the Karumba Supermarket & Mick’s Café. You won’t be in a hurry to leave town as the friendly relaxed vibe always has people extending their stay.
Normanton was the port for the Croydon Gold Rush and is a terminus of the Normanton Railway Station – whose spectacular Victorian architecture has been preserved and is Heritage listed. Some 30 kilometres to the south-west of Normanton is camp 119, Burke and Wills’ most northerly camp. The wetlands between Karumba and Normanton are also excellent for birdwatching, particularly just after the wet season.
Agate Creek Campground is located approximately 70km south of the nearest town, Forsayth, on Agate Creek Road. The area is a well-known fossicking destination, with the campground situated just outside the fossicking zone. Peaceful bush camping with basic amenities including hot showers.
Georgetown, a key stop along the way offers a blend of gold rush history and natural wonders. Discover the town's heritage by walking past restored buildings like the Shire Hall, Savannah House, the Masonic Temple, and the Catholic Church. Explore the town's history further with a visit to the historic cemetery or enjoy the local birdlife on a signed Georgetown River Walk. Be sure to stop into the Terrestrial Information Centre, this unique facility houses the Ted Elliot Mineral Collection and acts as a regional visitor information centre. Learn more at the Terrestrial Information Centre.
Mt Surprise is the gateway to the world-famous Undara Lava Tubes (Undara Volcanic National Park), a vast geological system formed by ancient volcanic eruptions about 190,000 years ago. The lava tubes, which include one of the world's longest, were created when a molten lava flow cooled at the surface, draining away to leave hollow tunnels that snake underground. Mt Surprise serves as a base for visitors wanting to explore the lava tubes or do some fossicking at O’Briens Creek (fossicking license is required). It is worth noting the Savannahlander Train runs from Cairns via Mt Surprise to Forsyth (various trip options are available). Visit the Savannahlander Train.
Chillagoe is a tiny outback town with a big personality, rich history, and unforgettable landscapes. This former mining hub is now known for its ancient limestone caves, historic ruins, and warm, country hospitality. Wander the town and explore heritage sites like the Railway Station, Court House, Police Museum, and the iconic ore smelter ruins—now a drive-around museum with panoramic views. Chillagoe Observatory and Eco Lodge has a fully equipped dome so you can take a closer look at planets, nebula's, & star clusters. They also have fantastic accommodation, a restaurant and deck so, take in the views and enjoy a cold drink. Learn more at the Chillagoe Observatory and Eco Lodge.
Queensland’s Outback is not a place you simply visit—it’s a journey you feel! Every stop, every conversation, every turn of red dirt road adds a layer to a story that’s been unfolding for tens of thousands of years. From the stark beauty of the Corner Country Border to the lava fields in the north, this is Australia at its most raw, resilient, and real. So, fill up the tank, load your playlist, and follow the open road - Queensland's Outback is calling!
