The name says it all – Sunshine State. The Australian holiday region stretches along the east coast from Cairns to just beyond Brisbane. There you have the Great Barrier Reef and in the hinterland the Outback, with areas rich in gold and emeralds.
We sail the Australian continent from south to north, from Sydney to north of Cooktown. In doing so, we advance into the territory of the Aborigines. After touring New South Wales, we arrive in the Queensland area.
Australia – Map of Queensland
Brisbane’s hinterland on the southern border is known as the Darling Downs. Here, behind the Great Dividing Range, are the most productive soils in Australia. The largest towns here are Ipswich and Warwick.
Winton and Longreach are cities that represent the outback for every Australian. The first settlers and Waltzing Matilda and the Quantas as the first Australian airline have their origins here. Longreach is the true home of the Quantas and is also home to the Stockmen’s Hall of Fame, Australia’s most famous museum. It shows the history of the settlement of the Australian continent and is actually very worth seeing.
Brisbane has always been a popular city. Once considered a refuge for pensioners who liked the warm climate, it is now the third largest city in Australia. But Brisbane has also done a lot for this. The Commonwealth Games and Expo 88 took place here in 1982. Brisbane is characterized by the Brisbane River and by many viewpoints from which you can overlook the city and the river with its bridges. You also have a nice overview from the City Hall. However, it is now surrounded by skyscrapers. Another attraction is the Queen Street Mall. There are hundreds of shops here. Several buildings have been awarded by the National Trust. These include the Old Government House, Mansions and Harris Terrace. And one of Brisbane’s first buildings, the Old Windmill and Observatory. In addition to several museums, there is also an interesting Hands on Science Museum.
Noosa and all the other towns along this beach are very well known and popular, especially among surfers. Also, many Brisbane residents come here on the weekends. In the hinterland of the sunshine coast are the “Glass House Mountains”. They invite you to extensive hikes and climbing tours. Right at the mouth of the Brisbane River lies the Bay of 365 Islands. In addition to the two large islands “Moreton Island” and “North Stradbroke Island”, there are numerous smaller islands worth seeing. The 35 km long region between NSW and Brisbane is known as the “Gold Coast”. This is an extremely important and popular holiday paradise in Australia. The offers of leisure activities, such as surfing and many theme parks (WB Movie World, Sea World, etc.) are almost inexhaustible. The most famous main town is Surfers Paradise.
Ravenshoe is a small nest that is worth seeing. Here you will find Milla Milla Falls, Zillie Falls, and Ellinjaa Falls. From Ravenshoe a road leads to Mt. Garnet, a small sleepy village. There you can give free rein to your dreams and, with a bit of luck, find semi-precious stones and gold.
The Atherton Tableland is located in the hinterland of Cairns. It stretches from Kuranda in the north down to Ravenshoe in the south. As far as the eye can see, you can see one of the greenest areas of Queensland, with gently rolling hills and great waterfalls and lakes. The region is economically dominated by agriculture. There are also many gemstones, gold and other valuable mineral resources that are mined in open-pit mining. With a bit of luck, you can try your hand at gold digging and maybe find a crystal or even some nuggets.
When we traveled to Australia, Cairns was still a small town, insignificant and unimportant. But when it was recognized by the Japanese and Australians as a true vacation paradise, especially in recent years, the tourism boom began. Today, it is one of the fastest growing cities in Australia. Due to its proximity to both the Great Barrier Reef and the tropical Cape Tribulation, the region has earned a reputation as a popular holiday oasis. Among the guests you will find everything from backpackers to businessmen.
Many tourists come to Cairns to go out to the reef at least once. The offer ranges from short trips for snorkeling or diving to multi-day turns out to the outer reef. Everyone will find the right one for themselves, even if it is only a trip to one of the beautiful islands off the reef.
Cape York is the northeasternmost point of Australia. There are no more paved roads, only a very bad development road and you can drive along the telegraph line. None of these routes are easy to ride. Actually, you need a 4WD and a lot of experience in off-road driving. We dare this route anyway with our motorhome (not allowed by the motorhome rental company, we drive at our own risk and at our own risk) and almost get to the tip of Cape York. Here we are already in Aboriginal territory (reserve), where normally whites have no place anymore. We are totally on our own in this godforsaken area.
