Queensland travel - tours - vacations - accommodation

Queensland  

Great Barrier Reef
Gold Coast - premier holiday destination
Sunshine Coast - beaches & hinterland
Brisbane - capital city & major gateway
Brisbane Hotels - places to stay
South East Qld - holiday gateways
The Fraser Island Experience
Hervey Bay - Whalewatch Capital
Cairns & Port Douglas - tropical north
The Whitsunday Islands - Airlie Beach
Queensland Outback - open spaces

Queensland is very diverse. Visitors have a choice of energetic Gold Coast holidays, the more relaxed pace of Sunshine Coast holidays or adventures in Tropical North Queensland and the remote gulf country.  The countryside ranges from virgin rain forest to dry outback and from equatorial tropics to cool plateaus. 

Travel in Queensland is time consuming because of the sheer size of the state. A journey of a couple of hundred kilometres is considered a short trip when you realise the state is 2000 kilometres (1250 miles) north-south and 1400 kilometres (900 miles) east-west. Those are straight line map distances, actual travel distances are considerably further.

The state sits either side of the Tropic of Capricorn with warm tropics to the north and warm temperates to the south. There is a narrow sub-equatorial coastal band from Cairns around the northern coast to the Northern Territory border.

Winter is June - August with maximum temperatures around 20° C in the southern coastal regions, 23° C in the central coastal regions and 25° C in the northern coastal regions. Summer is December - February with maximum temperatures around 29° C in the southern coastal regions and 31° C in both the central and northern coastal regions.

Temperatures in outback areas are more extreme. Summer maximums typically range from 34° C in the southern outback up to 37° C in the north. Winter minimums typically range from 4° C in the southern outback up to 8° C in the northern areas. Some outback areas may experience frost on winter mornings.

Rainfall is mainly during summer. Monsoonal cyclones (hurricanes) occasionally cross the tropical north coast during the summer months. This is not a frequent event and usually results in localised property damage and flooding.

The Australian Bureau of Meteorology provides detailed weather information. 

Barrier Reef resorts and vacations - surfing - diving - sailing - snorkelling - rainforests - eco tours - bushwalking - hiking - sport fishing - jet boating - whale watching - hot air ballooning - white water rafting - canoeing - sea kayacking - campervan & 4WD tours - farm holidays - gem fossicking - theme parks - nightlife - golf - explore Fraser Island - Gold Coast beaches

See the Qld tour choices on our Australian Tours page

What Accommodation Will I Find?

The majority of popular holiday destinations in Queensland are beach locations and the most common style of accommodation is self contained holiday apartments (condominiums). These consist of 1 to 4 bedrooms, fully equipped kitchens for self catering, all linen supplied and guests only need to consider personal effects and foodstuffs.  There are usually minimum stay requirements of 2 or 3 nights. For single night stays, hotels are recommended. (See below)

Guests should always consider their airport transfer needs as distances to some of the accommodation properties can involve a lengthy trip and incur significant costs. Ask about this when making a booking.

  See our Queensland Holiday Accommodation Guide 

Queensland is also well serviced by a range of traditional and boutique hotels.  Not surprisingly, the majority of hotels are in the major cities such as Brisbane and other major towns. The number of hotels declines in the country regions where motels and motor inns are more prevalent. 

  See our Queensland Hotels Accommodation Guide 

The number of bed and breakfast properties in Queensland is quite low in comparison to the southern states.  The majority tend to be in the hinterland areas of the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast, on the Darling Downs and on the Atherton Tableland inland from Cairns. There are also B&B's to be found in some of the suburbs of Brisbane. 

When Is The Best Time?

Queensland holidays are popular all year-round round and the state is a major tourist destination. The best time time of year will be that which matches the activities you have planned. 

If personal comfort is important then the June - August winter period may suit your vacation best because summer in the Central, North and Far North regions can be quite uncomfortable due to heat and humidity.

The heat levels in the Outback during summer are extreme and winter is the best time to visit. The South East region and the Great Barrier Reef are the major holiday destinations and generally have milder, less oppressive summer weather. Queensland is a very popular holiday destination and there is always an increased demand for Gold Coast accommodation and travel bookings for the school holiday periods.

How Do I Get Around?

Queensland travel is easy to arrange. Efficient train services link all major coastal and inland towns. Daily air services operate to all major towns as well as direct flights to some of the major island resorts and tourism centres. The Bruce Highway links Brisbane and Cairns and the intermediate towns, with most having their own tourism attractions and all offer a good selection of accommodation.

Several bus transport companies travel throughout the state. All major car rental companies are represented in the major cities and towns throughout the state. If you are flying in at Brisbane to start your visit, consider picking up a Brisbane rental car at the airport and save on airport shuttle costs.

Campervans and motor homes are available for rental, but usually only in capital cities or major towns. Booking well in advance is recommended.

Some unsealed roads in remote areas will require that you travel in 4 wheel drive vehicles, especially if travelling in the wet season. Tour operators provide itineraries that cover all popular sites. Driver information, maps and travel planning guides are available from the Royal Automobile Club of Queensland (RACQ) which has offices throughout the state.

Some typical road travel distances are:

Brisbane to Sydney = 980km (612 miles)
Brisbane to Rockhampton = 637km (398 miles)
Brisbane to Townsville = 1369km (855 miles)
Brisbane to Cairns = 1715km (1072 miles)
Brisbane to Toowoomba = 128km (80 miles)
Brisbane to Charleville = 746km (466 miles)
Brisbane to Mt Isa = 1813km (1133 miles)
Townsville to Mt Isa = 850km (530 miles)
Rockhampton to Longreach = 680km (425 miles)
Charleville to Longreach = 500km (312 miles)

more Gold Coast Accommodation - apartments and resorts

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Queensland Travel & Tourism

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