Break a sweat with these fitness-focused getaways

Explore the natural beauty of Fraser Island by foot. While 4WD is the preferred method of transport on this sandy escape, the island is just as bountiful in walking tracks and home to the famed Fraser Island Great Walk.

As its name suggests, it’s a lengthy sashay through 90 kilometres of rainforest, dunes, and freshwater lakes, from Dilli Village to Happy Valley. The full trail takes six to eight days to complete though shorter tracks are available to enjoy. For the disorganised, Kingfisher Bay Resort boasts Great Walk packages complete with transfers.

Meander the Sunshine Coast hinterland

You’ll no doubt know Noosa, but there’s more to the Sunshine Coast than the resort town. Just a short stroll from Hastings Street sits Noosa National Park, with 5.4 kilometres of winding coastal track to follow.

Drive inland from the beach breaks and you’ll find a hinterland luscious with producers and rainforest, well worth a visit.

Amongst this foliage sits Narrows Escape Rainforest Retreat in Montville which in collaboration with Tropical Treks leads a guided walk through the district. Those after something more arduous will find it in the four-day-long Hinterland Great Walk, tracing the Blackall Range and linking Kondalilla and Mapleton Falls National Parks.

Join the Spicers Scenic Rim Trail

If you prefer to work up a sweat in comfort, you’ll find an ally in Spicers Group. The luxury getaway group boasts accommodation across some of the state’s most beautiful national parks.

Let the team guide you through the World Heritage-listed Gondwana Rainforest in a two or four-day tour along the Great Dividing Range, spending days winding through the 2000 hectare Spicers property, and spending nights in the group’s safari-style tents and eco-cabins. On the final ascent Spicers Peak Lodge will greet you with its 10,000 acres of luxury suites.

Unwind at a health and wellness retreat

Recuperate body, mind and spirit with time spent unwinding in the Whitsundays. But rather than partake in the sailing for which the picturesque region is famed, your time here will be spent focusing on your wellbeing; the Whitsunday Health and Wellness Retreats offer a series of different group and couple retreats, as well as private coaching for those eager to achieve greater balance in their life.

Better health and positive living is the self-proclaimed mantra of the group, enjoyed in the breathtaking surrounds of the island district from the gateway town of Airlie Beach.

Find adventure with the Ride On Mary

Triathletes take note: South-West from Gympie, and tucked behind the Sunshine Coast, you’ll find the unexpected home of the Mary Valley triathlon.

Dubbed ‘Ride on Mary’, the athletic exploration is an adventurous way to better explore the rustic district of Imbil and its surrounds. Join founder Ian Harling for an eight kilometre kayak along Yabba Creek, spotting platypus along the way, before meandering the three kilometre walking track through Imbil’s main drag, running along the historic Mary Valley Rattler train tracks. You’ll finish with a 17 kilometre cycle down through steep valleys and across creek beds.

Mountain bike Tropical North Queensland

You’ll be hard-pressed to find a more picturesque location to cycle than Tropical North Queensland, where bike trails wind around the picturesque natural wonders like the Daintree Rainforest and Great Barrier Reef.

Riders flock to unofficial capital Cairns where Smithfield Mountain Bike Park resides, with its 60 kilometre network of trails suited to all skill levels, professionals included (it hosted the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup after all). True beginners can stick south, manoeuvring the trails of the Atherton Forest Mountain Bike Park which sits in the Herberton Range State Forest.

Picture 17 single-track networks spread across 54 kilometres, all as breathtaking as the next.

Get active on the Gold Coast

Famed for its bars and clubs, the Gold Coast isn’t only bright lights and late nights. The sporty will be pleased to note that it’s one of the best places to take a fitness holiday in Queensland, courtesy of the sheer amount of activities on offer.

Welcome the day with a walk along Burleigh Heads beach, trekking into the neighbouring National Park and around to Tallebudgera Creek, where you can cool off with a dip or a stand-up paddle board. Those feeling energetic can instead try the 54 kilometre Gold Coast Hinterland Great Walk. But it’s not just walking tracks here; beginner surfers can try their luck at Currumbin Alley while the more advanced will enjoy Snapper Rocks. One of the country’s best health retreats, Gwinganna, resides here, tucked into the Tallebudgera Valley.

Compete in one of Queensland’s endurance events

The competitive will be relieved to hear that the Sunshine State is awash with ample opportunity to prove yourself. One of the best fitness holidays in Queensland may well be shaped around one of the state’s annual sporting affairs, of which there are plenty to choose from.

We’re famous for our sporting prowess – evident in the number of endurance events available for young and old, from the Noosa Triathlon to the Gold Coast Marathon.