30 surprising things you can do in Queensland

1. Paddle out into a river of mirrors on the Noosa Everglades – one of only two everglades systems in the entire world. This unique UNESCO biosphere is a sanctuary for around 40% of Australia’s bird species, who live throughout the network of serene tea tree forest lined waterways. For a truly unforgettable visit, head out on an overnight kayak adventure.

2. There’s endless ways to experience the ancient Daintree, part of our World Heritage-listed Wet Tropics Rainforest – but one of the most unique is to meet its nocturnal side. Wait-a-While Rainforest Tours will introduce you to Daintree magic after dark, with a better chance to spot the more elusive animals that call it home, from platypus to tree kangaroos. 

3. The Sunshine Coast is home to plenty of local secrets and hidden beaches, but none more peculiar than Carlo Sand Blow near Rainbow Beach. Climb up to meet this moon-like sand mass and take in views. Into astro-photography? Stick around to watch the bright night sky open up into a glittering canvas.

4. Avid stargazers should head west to the remote Burketown, where Indigenous guides at Yagurli Tours will lead you into one of the country’s biggest salt pans for an evening of storytelling under the stars, with state-of-the-art telescopes to take it all in. This is the Aussie outback in a distinctly different way.

5. Head for the rolling hills of the Sunshine Coast Hinterland to discover the small village of Montville, where art galleries shoulder cafes and restaurants that serve up the region’s flavours with a uniquely European charm – all just a stone’s throw from awe-inspiring national parks.

6. Get wild at Queensland’s outback oasis, Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) National Park (currently closed). Between canoeing the emerald waters through the red-cliff gorge to appreciating 25 million year old fossils at Riversleigh World Heritage Site – labelled by Sir David Attenborough as one of the most important fossil deposits on the planet  – there’s unexpected adventure around every corner out here.

7. You don’t always have to head to the Great Barrier Reef to dive among a coral wonderland. Instead, the world’s first buoyant reef, Wonder Reef, is located just a 10-minute boat ride from the Gold Coast. This is art meets science meets engineering – with nine expansive structural reefs to suit scuba divers of all levels, and the city skyline as your backdrop.

8. Our World Heritage-listed Wet Tropics is home to more than rainforest wonder. Nestled between Cairns and Townsville is the small town of Ingham – affectionately dubbed ‘Little Italy’. Here, visits to thundering waterfalls are followed by wanders down Ingham’s main street lined with delis, gelato, espresso and more. Come when culture is in full swing for the annual Italian Festival.   

9. Escape to the Torres Strait Islands off the coast of Cape York, where vibrant Indigenous culture and unique WWII history offers an island experience unlike anywhere else in Australia. Roko Island is perhaps one of the region’s best kept secrets: home to a family-owned pearl farm, visitors can spend the night glamping in style, dining by the water, and learning all about the pearling process – and even take home some of this locally made jewellery as a keepsake. 

10. Be captivated by Cobbold Gorge in North West Queensland, where you can explore the narrow waterways by electric boat and stand up paddleboard, then walk out onto the glass bridge for an unobstructed bird’s eye view of the wonder that sprawls below. 

11. Dive into a piece of maritime history in Townsville. The SS Yongala is a 110-metre long vessel that sank during a cyclone over 100 years ago. Now living in harmony with the marine environment, this shipwreck is a colourful metropolis of coral and sea life ready for divers to explore.

12. Quench your thirst with a beer at historic Noccundra Hotel in Nockatunga, a pub that’s been serving since 1886. This town might not be on your radar, but it’s easy to find if you’re tackling an outback road trip to Burke and Wills Dig Tree or Cameron Corner.

13. Take a sip of the world's rarest beverage at Heritage Tea Rooms near Townsville. The Kopi Luwak coffee is produced from coffee beans that have been digested by an Asian civet cat, resulting in a smoother, sweeter sip. If you’re game enough to try it, this is no doubt one of the most unique things you can do in Queensland. If you’re not, sit back with a High Tea service instead.

14. Lace up your hiking boots and head to the largest national park island in Australia for a multi-day trek along the Thorsborne Trail. Camp among the trees each night as you traverse the island through rocky headlands, paperbark country, lush rainforest, and take a dip in the natural infinity pool at Zoe Falls. This is living among nature’s pure serenity: Hinchinbrook Island is uninhabited, and only 40 people are allowed on the island at a time.

15. Swap the Great Barrier Reef for the crystal clear waters of the Mackay Highlands and scuba dive in the rainforest. You’ll come face-to-face with platypus instead of parrot fish and sea turtles thanks to Rainforest Scuba – an unforgettable adventure, no dive certification needed.

16. Embrace your inner adventurer as you hike through the sandstone wilderness of Carnarvon Gorge, a natural wonderland formed thanks to 27 million years of erosion, boasting dramatic escarpments and narrow-sided gorges. Whether you set out on a day hike or the seven-day Great Walk, be prepared to marvel at some of Australia’s most magnificent Aboriginal rock art, towering cliffs, and ancient cycads. 

17. Travel two hours north of Townsville for a glimpse of the highest permanent single drop waterfall in Australia. The sights from the lookout above will take your breath away – and so will the hike down to its base – but it’s more than worth to stand beneath and feel the mist of the thundering falls against your face.

18. Set out on a treasure hunt with a difference and fossick for sapphires in the gemfields around Emerald. You’ll get your hands dirty, but this hands-on outback experience might just earn you a big pay day – if you get lucky.

19. Soak up country charm in Maryborough on Queensland’s Fraser Coast, a heritage town that holds a little more magic than first meets the eye. So quaint and colourful it inspired the writer of Mary Poppins, Pamela Travers, who was born right here. And each step feels like turning the page of a storybook – especially if you take the interactive Magical Mary Trail. 

20. Discover the secrets of the Daintree from Port Douglas with Kuku Yalanji Aboriginal guides – the locals who know it best. An action-packed day trip with Walkabout Cultural Adventures will have you trek through coastal habitats and rainforest, as you learn how to throw boomerangs, catch mud crabs, and forage for bush tucker using Indigenous techniques that have been passed down for thousands of years.  

21. Don’t just marvel at Queensland’s dinosaur history, be part of it. Outback Queensland offers a few opportunities to get your hands dirty and be part of a dinosaur dig, from seven-day volunteer adventures near Winton to kid-friendly treasure hunts in Richmond.

22. Looking for a dip that’s unlike anything you’ve done before? In the outback near Cunnamulla, Charlotte Plains will give you an authentic look into outback station life: set up camp and then settle into an outdoor bathtub with water from an artesian bore. A soak session at a sheep station – only in Queensland!

23. Be mesmerised by spawning coral at the Great Barrier Reef. Each year, around the full moon in November, you can observe millions of tiny cells being released from living coral, which then fertilise to form larvae (this larvae eventually settles on the reef to form new coral colonies). Coral spawning is the biggest reproduction show on earth – and each year it can last a couple of hours or a few days, making it a truly fleeting but life-changing experience.

24. Just when you thought the Great Barrier Reef couldn’t be more inspiring, it’s now become an art piece in the purest sense of the word, with the Museum of Underwater Art (MOUA). Located in Townsville North Queensland in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, don your scuba gear and swim through MOUA, a series of installations by world-famous underwater sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor that highlight reef conservation. Further down the coast keep the ‘pinch me’ moments coming with a visit underwater to The Whitsundays where clusters of unique concrete, stainless steel and aluminium artworks have been installed along the sea floor. The underwater wonderland is perfect for snorkelling, where you can not only appreciate the incredible art works, but the coral and creatures that now call them home.

25. You might not expect to find one of the world’s biggest sand islands just an hour from Queensland’s capital city – nor would you expect to swap surfing waves for surfing sand dunes when you arrive. But that’s the beauty of Mulgumpin (Moreton Island) – and it’s just the beginning of the adventures you’ll find here.

26. Crisp country air and miles of vineyards meet in the Granite Belt, an abundant food bowl that also happens to boast one of Australia’s highest elevation wine regions. Award-winning wineries and cellar doors are yours to hop between, where rare varietals known as Strange Birds are stealing the show. Spend a weekend here and you can add fine dining and hiking giant granite formations between sips: this is wine country, but distinctly different.

27. Swap bitumen for sand highways and embark on a road trip like no other: the Great Beach Drive. Stretching from Noosa to Rainbow Beach and onto K’gari (Fraser Island), spend five days exploring UNESCO Biosphere Reserves, a World Heritage Marine Park and the largest sand island in the world – where each day begins with your toes in the sand.

28. Up for a challenge somewhere totally different? Conquer Queensland’s tallest peak – Mt Bartle Frere – which towers 1622 metres among World Heritage Wet Tropics Rainforest. One for experienced hikers, the tough trek is best experienced with a night of camping near the summit – but the views stretching from the Atherton Tablelands toward the coast make all the sweat to get here worth it. 

29. Traverse through the longest lava tube systems in the world at Undara Volcanic National Park, a few hours’ drive west of Cairns. Your guides at Undara Experience will take you through the caves, then you can return at sunset as spectacular wildlife comes out to play, including kangaroos, wallabies, micro bats and more. Be sure to spend a night here in the huts or railway carriages, then wake to an Aussie ‘bush breakfast’ in the morning.  

30. Tee time looks a little different in the outback: the greens aren’t always green, you might have to shoo a few ‘roos off the fairway, and you’re in with a chance for a million dollar hole-in-one. Played in six iconic locations, the Outback Queensland Masters is about much more than golf, it’s an experience of a lifetime.