Queensland Travel Guide

The Gold Coast, in southeast Queensland, strings 57 km of golden sand beneath a skyline of towers — Surfers Paradise and the 322-metre Q1 observation deck are the icons. This is southern-hemisphere surf culture's capital, with breaks for every level and warm winter water. To the south, Burleigh Head National Park keeps the east coast's only rainfringed beach, and humpback whales pass offshore May to November. The green hinterland of Tamborine Mountain and Springbrook National Park hides waterfalls, glow-worm caves and rainforest walks. Theme parks — Movie World, Sea World, Dreamworld — cluster denser than anywhere in Australia, and the G:link light rail stitches the beaches together.

The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system, stretching about 2,300 km, made of thousands of coral reefs and islands, the only living structure visible to the naked eye from space, listed as a World Natural Heritage site in 1981. Cairns is the main gateway to the Great Barrier Reef; from here a cruise takes about one to two hours to reach the outer reef, where you snorkel or dive among colorful coral gardens, swimming with tropical fish, turtles and manta rays, or view the underwater world from a semi-submarine or glass-bottom boat. Protecting this fragile, magnificent underwater wonder is the responsibility of every visitor.

Cairns Aquarium is a modern aquarium in Cairns CBD. Focused on North Queensland's tropical marine and freshwater ecosystems, it features reef fish, Great Barrier Reef exhibits, shark and crocodile exhibits and touch pools — understanding the reef without going to sea. Coral reef exhibits, river/rainforest exhibits, shark and ray exhibits and interactive touch pools. In Cairns CBD; walkable — great alternative to reef trips. Visiting for reef and marine understanding is a Cairns city experience.

Brisbane South Bank Parklands lie on the south bank of the Brisbane River, a city oasis rebuilt from the 1988 Expo site. The man-made 'Streets Beach', the Wheel of Brisbane and the cultural precinct (QPAC, GOMA) link together — a relaxing living room for swimming, picnics and river views. At night lights mirror on the river — pure ease.

The Story Bridge is a steel cantilever truss across the Brisbane River, opened in 1940 and named for engineer John Douglas Story. Linked with South Bank and the city skyline, it also offers a climb of the bridge pylons for river-breezed views of Brisbane by day and night. Lit blue and white at night beside the Story Bridge Hotel, it is a classic stroke of Brisbane's skyline.

The Story Bridge is a steel cantilever bridge across the Brisbane River, built in 1940, a landmark of Brisbane and one of the few climbable bridges in Australia. It connects the city center with Kangaroo Point to the east; at night it is often lit with colorful lights, reflected brilliantly on the river. Visitors can walk across free on the footpath, overlooking the river and city, or join the BridgeClimb to ascend about 80 m to the top with a guide, overlooking Brisbane River and the skyline in 360 degrees. Below the bridge, Kangaroo Point is a great spot to photograph the Story Bridge and skyline.