North Queensland holidays - tours - accommodation - travel

North Queensland

The North Queensland region stretches from the sugar fields of Ingham in the north to the cattle country around Rockhampton in the south. It includes the famous Whitsunday Islands group.

The Whitsunday Islands are one of the most popular destinations for North Queensland holidays. This premier holiday destination is home to many of the resorts that are synonymous with the Great Barrier Reef.

Airlie Beach is a major jumping off point for reef excursions and is home for many of the sailing and diving tour operators. 

Coastal areas also offer a range of holiday resorts, rainforests, barrier reef access, cruising and sailing, sport fishing, diving and snorkelling, jet boating, sea kayaking, wildlife, whale watching in season and top golf courses.

The inland areas of North Queensland generally consist of low ranges and sparsely timbered grasslands. Major business activities involve coal mining, grazing and crop farming.

Townsville is one of Australia's major beef centres with some of the biggest sales yards in Australia and numerous Brahman cattle studs throughout the surrounding areas.

Places of Interest

Townsville - the major centre of North Queensland. Serves as a jumping off point for destinations in the area. Centre for reef dive trips, cruising and sailing.

Visit the Barrier Reef Aquarium, Casino, Butterfly World, Omnimax Theatre, Natural History Museum, Billabong Wildlife Sanctuary. Magnetic Island is only 8km offshore from Townsville with access via ferry services. Offers bushwalking, wildlife and koala sanctuary.

Charters Towers - historic and charming town dating from the gold rush days. Major centre for schooling and gateway to the northern outback.

Ravenswood - resurrected ghost town dating from the gold rush days. Historical museum.

Ayr - services the surrounding sugar farming areas. Close to the Burdekin River estuary. Well known to serious fishermen.

Bowen - safe protected beaches. Favoured stop-over for sailors. Northern access to the Whitsundays. Home of the famous "Bowen Special" mangoes. Inspect the store front murals in the town and at nearby Collinsville.

Proserpine and Airlie Beach - gateway to the Whitsunday Islands and resorts via Shute Harbour. Major centre for all types of sailing, cruising and diving activities. Sugar mill tours (July through Sept). Airlie

Cedar Creek Falls in Conway National Park. Whale watching cruises in the Whitsundays (July through September). Proserpine services the surrounding sugar and cattle farming communities.

Mackay - cruises to local Brampton Island, Whitsunday Islands and the outer reef. Access point for Eungella and Cape Hillsborough National Parks and rainforests. Visit a working sugar farm and mill, see rainforest orchids, fauna sanctuary and historic homestead. Prosperous centre servicing surrounding sugar, cattle and coal mining communities.

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