When travel changes you: transformational Queensland experiences for your next journey

There’s few things more magical than a close encounter of the animal kind. Whether it leaves you in awe or reaffirms the fragility of life, these wildlife experiences will be yet another reminder to tread carefully through the world around you.

Here in Queensland it’s as easy as diving in. You might just end up frolicking beside some of the ocean’s largest mammals on Australia’s first swim with humpback whales experience (or head to Whale Heritage Site, Hervey Bay, to take a whale watching tour). For a whale swim of the rarest kind, head north to the Great Barrier Reef when dwarf minke whales congregate briefly each year – the only known spot in the world where they meet. And while breathtaking beauty awaits all along the Great Barrier Reef, stray a little further from the tourist trail to visit the totally uninhabited Frankland Islands and you’ll be spellbound by the thriving life on the reef, with a Master Reef Guide to show you the way.

There’s plenty happening above the surface too. Make your way to Bundaberg’s Mon Repos Turtle Centre to watch young hatchlings dig free and hustle down the beach; or paddle out into the wild Great Sandy Marine Park to kayak with dolphins near iconic Rainbow Beach.  

On the Gold Coast, go behind the scenes at one of the busiest wildlife hospitals in the world. Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary helps our most critically endangered wildlife, and you’re sure to meet a roo or two. Or you can watch them wake up for another day: spend sunrise on the beach with the kangaroos and wallabies that come to play at Cape Hillsborough – this natural high is better than a morning coffee. 

Be humbled by our ancient landscapes

Sometimes the way to feel connected to the world around us is to be dwarfed by its sheer size and natural beauty. And you’ll feel it in spades across Queensland, with experiences – and landscapes – that’ll leave you grounded.

Join a walking adventure that has all the creature comforts, through ancient Gondwana Rainforest on Spicers’ Scenic Rim Trail. Step into a David Attenborough documentary to discover Carnarvon Gorge’s fascinating rock art sites and incredible scenery with Australian Nature Guides. Or if you prefer to go your own way, grab your backpack for the four day traverse across Jurassic-looking Hinchinbrook Island on the Thorsborne Trail – one of the most scenic walks in the country.

Explore Queensland’s biggest backyard with Red Dirt Tours to discover the history and character of our outback, or make tracks into the wilderness to Boodjamulla National Park (currently closed) to be mesmerised by dramatic Lawn Hill Gorge and what’s known as one of the world’s most important fossil fields.

Adventure lies on every corner of the world’s largest sand island, and you can be one of the few who experience the untouched west coast of K’gari (Fraser Island) on the Remote Fraser Island Tour that leaves the crowds behind for a day of bushwalking, swimming, kayaking and snorkelling.

Want to get out on the water? Canoe through one of the world’s only everglades systems (and Queensland’s first UNESCO biosphere) that’s home to nearly half of Australia’s birdlife species. Head out into the vast blue and captain your own yacht through The Whitsundays – or set sail on a cruise that has its captain included. 

Connect with the world’s oldest surviving culture

Seeking a sense of connection to others, and to the earth too? Experience our state’s most incredible landscapes through the eyes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as they share stories and history, and invite you into their backyard.

Opportunity to learn our most sacred customs and traditions abound in Cairns & Great Barrier Reef. Unravel the ancient stories of the Kuku Yalanji as you’re personally guided through a 20,000-year-old outdoor gallery with Jarramali Rock Art Tours (not currently operating). Step into the world heritage Daintree rainforest with the guides who know it best, as you explore Mossman Gorge and Cooya Beach to learn about the environment, different bush foods and medicines, and try your hand at fishing. Or harness the healing powers of rainforest in an indulgent, regenerating indigenous-inspired spa treatment at Daintree Ecolodge.

Make your way 900km west of Cairns to Burketown to experience Indigenous storytelling under the stars: with exclusive access to Australia’s largest salt pans and telescopes on a bright night sky, your local Gangalidda guide will share Dreamtime stories and cultural interpretations of astronomy.

Come together in celebration of culture at Indigenous events held across the state; from Brisbane’s Quandamooka Festival to the remote Laura Quinkan Dance Festival, to Cape York communities uniting for Winds of Zenadth, there’s something incredible to add to your calendar. 

Join our table for dining that feeds the soul

Queensland is bursting with flavour – and plenty of restaurants that serve it up to perfection. But if you’re looking for more than a meal, how about a dining experience where the starter is an enchanting setting, the main is rich in culture, and the sweet finish is that lingering feeling of being part of something truly special.

For a food journey that goes well beyond the plate, make your way to Flames of the Forest. Tucked into a flourishing, fairy tale pocket of the Daintree, this multi-course Indigenous dining experience is a feast for all the senses. To sample First Nations cuisine in the capital, Birrunga Gallery and Dining is Brisbane’s Indigenous-owned and operated cultural hub, serving up dishes alongside artworks and exhibits.

Back up north, taste your way through the Atherton Tablelands’ finest producers and makers with the guy who knows where to find the best farm stands. Or take to the treetops of Osprey’s Restaurant on a private nature reserve to dine on local flavours overlooking the Daintree and Great Barrier Reef.

And if your perfect celebration happens family-style and with a strong sense of community, join the long table atmosphere during Scenic Rim Eat Local Week. This is your annual backstage pass to the farmers and food stories of South East Queensland’s richest food bowl, so pack your gumboots and meet us in the paddock. 

Spark curiosity in the world around you

Discover something new, learn a skill or gain a deeper understanding of the world: travel has the ability to change you, especially if you let yourself discover in Queensland. From events that spark the mind to QAGOMA’s immersive exhibitions and workshops that encourage you not just to appreciate art, but be part of it. In Queensland, our artworks can even be found underwater: the recently opened Museum of Underwater Art preserves local history and stories through installations that highlight reef conservation, restoration, and education, – dive in and check it out.

If the love of learning runs deep in your family, take a visit to Reef HQ in Townsville. As the national education centre for the Great Barrier Reef, here you can explore the world’s largest living coral reef aquarium, learn about our diverse ecoystems and how to preserve them, plus check out the onsite turtle hospital where hundreds of sick and injured turtles have been rehabilitated. 

Get hands-on and help protect the environment

Take it a step further and sign up for a citizen science experience in Queensland. There’s no better way to contribute while you travel, and get inspired to continue to protect our natural environment once you get home.

Help to gather and share information about the Great Barrier Reef through research and education at Reef Teach. The one and two day educational Reef Naturalist programs aren’t just a good time – you’ll also contribute to the long term conservation efforts of our precious reef.

Many tour operators on the Great Barrier Reef are part of the Eye on the Reef program, so you can learn and help researchers to monitor reef health and marine life while exploring on your day trip. The reef guides on board Passions of Paradise have been educating travellers on the reef for over 30 years, but they’ve recently turned their hands to reef restoration, planting corals in a coral nurturing program with the University of Sydney and Port Douglas’ Wavelength Reef Cruises.

Get the whole family involved in environmental advocacy on Lady Elliot Island. Sustainability is at the core of this eco-certified resort in the Southern Great Barrier Reef: sign up for the reef ranger program, join an educational reef walk or talk, take a guided snorkel, and watch the sunset over this coral cay that’s achieved 100% renewable energy status. 

Reset your mind, body and soul at a Queensland retreat 

Looking for more than a place to rest your head? Sometimes the greatest beauty is in just being. From Brisbane’s backyard of ancient Gondwana rainforest to remote corners of our outback, indulge in a life-changing retreat that’ll help you reconnect with your loved ones and the world around you.

Nightfall is a luxurious glamping experience that’ll immerse you in an untouched pocket of the Gold Coast’s Lamington National Park – bathtub, fireplace and all. Just a stone’s throw away is a special spot that will make you feel good from the inside out: Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat is a wellness destination to soothe your soul with a stay combining organic living, spa, movement, relaxation and a low-tech environment.

Seeking barefoot luxury with a little sand between your toes? Escape to a secluded Whitsundays island to find Elysian Retreat. Pure paradise above and below the water, life’s guilty pleasures feel a lot less guilty when you’re basking in the quiet of a 100% solar-powered resort nestled in the reef. But if your definition of switching off is fuelled by remote, rugged adventure, check into Haggerstone Island in the wild Cape York peninsula. Yours will be the only footprints in the sand here – with time to embrace the simplicity of island life while embarking on incredible adventures, from reef diving to deep sea fishing.

Home to much more than character-filled pubs worthy of pulling up a chair in, Queensland’s outback has plenty of magic – and history – up its sleeve. Unplug and unwind on a 7^th generation working cattle station in the goldfields country at Gilberton Outback Retreat and you’ll experience the uniqueness of outback life, deeply bound in history. Or for a spot you can pull up in your own rig, make tracks to Camden Park Station’s Bush Camp. Have a yarn, take a tour, and live Australia’s outback story for an evening, while you take in the peace of this 18,000 acre working sheep and cattle station. 

Find events that will move you (and get you moving)

Queensland’s diverse events calendar offers opportunities across the state to come together with local communities to celebrate, connect and motivate. 

Take up the challenge of the Gold Coast Marathon and you’ll join the energy of thousands of others in promoting healthy living along one of our most iconic coastlines. Whether you’ve set your sights on the ultimate IRONMAN through two world heritage areas, diving into the Great Barrier Reef for an ocean swim, or a gruelling MTB stage race across north Queensland’s most rugged landscapes - our endurance events embrace not just a competitive spirit, but the spirit of Queensland.

Or unite with the community for a festival full of heart: embrace arts at BLEACH* Festival, dance under the outback sky at Big Red Bash, support Australia’s best up and coming musicians at BIGSOUND or celebrate inclusivity, diversity and open minds at Woodford Folk Festival.

Wherever you end up, it’ll be better than you ever expected.