These sensory experiences in Queensland will make your holiday magical

Queensland is a place that ignites your senses.

Hear the roar of a rushing waterfall and the sweet morning song of native birds.

Feel the smooth squelch of mangrove mud between your toes as you go crabbing with a First Nations guide.

Take in your first glimpse of the vast the Great Barrier Reef as it opens up before you.

Smell vibrant flowers and plant life as you explore ancient rainforest.

Taste aromatic spices during a chef-guided cooking class.

Whether you’re hard of hearing, low vision, neurodiverse or prefer low sensory environments, discover the best sensory experiences in Queensland – and add them to your next travel adventure. 

Mamu Tropical Skywalk, Cairns & Great Barrier Reef

Feel the immensity of exploring some of the world’s oldest rainforest from a sky-high vantage point at Mamu Tropical Skywalk. Located an hour south of Cairns within Wooroonooran National Park, this section of UNESCO World Heritage Wet Tropics Rainforest is the homeland of the Mamu Aboriginal People.

Each experience is unique here, as visitors explore a series of wide boardwalks and platforms – some which are accessible for mobility aids and wheelchairs. Perhaps you’ll ascend to the 37-metre observation tour for views that stretch over the North Johnstone river gorge. Or pause to appreciate the sounds of nature and vibrant scents of the rainforest.

Braille signs provide important information about this protected landscape, while visitors can also download the App to listen to audio commentary about the diverse flora and fauna along the way.

Back Country Bliss, Cairns & Great Barrier Reef

Embrace all your senses among the Daintree Rainforest on a unique river drift snorkelling tour with Back Country Bliss Adventures. Floating down the cool, crystal-clear waters on a relaxing raft offers the opportunity to breathe the fresh air and take it all in: the sounds of birds, trees softly rustling in the wind, water splashing with the current. Dip your hands into the river and feel refreshed, look up to view the rainforest canopy as electric blue butterflies flutter above, or don your snorkel and peer below for the chance to spot elusive platypus swimming by. Your guide will share the history and stories of the Daintree along the way. 

Australian Age of Dinosaurs, Outback Queensland

Journey back to prehistoric times and learn about when dinosaurs roamed Outback Queensland. Winton’s Australian Age of Dinosaurs is home to the world’s largest collection of Australian dinosaur fossils, with endless facts to discover, life-sized bronze dinosaur dioramas, an exhibition that includes Australia’s best preserved sauropod tracksite, an observatory, and a laboratory where visitors can help prepare specimens. Whether you’re exploring through touch, sight or sound, Australian Age of Dinosaurs welcomes all – thanks to braille, large print and tactile guides, a free audio guide, as well as a downloadable visual story to help visitors prepare for museum spaces that may have bright lights, smells, sounds, or things to touch.

All areas of the museum and laboratory are wheelchair accessible and table heights can be changed for the Prep A Dino program when required, where guests get hands on with real dinosaur bones.

Mossman Gorge, Cairns & Great Barrier Reef

Follow the footsteps of a Traditional Owner as you explore Mossman Gorge, land of the Kuku Yalanji People. This sacred natural paradise outside of Port Douglas holds rich Indigenous heritage, and a Dreamtime Walk is one of the best sensory experiences in Queensland. Hear fascinating stories of the Kuku Yalanji culture as you explore, alongside the sounds of flora and fauna. Be witness to a traditional welcome ceremony, as the smoke from fire wisps into the air, joining the sweet smells of the rainforest. Feel the sensation of ochre painted onto your skin, touch native plant foods and medicines pointed out by your guide, and run your fingers in the cool waters that flow through this enchanting place.

Special note to visitors: the Dreamtime Walk follows a track that is on uneven terrain and is slippery when wet, so please be mindful of these conditions when booking. 

iFly Indoor Skydiving, Gold Coast and Brisbane

Want to experience the feeling of skydiving, but not quite up for jumping out a plane at 14,000ft? It’s time to visit iFLY, where you’ll get the same exhilarating sensory experience while indoor skydiving – without the fear-inducing heights.

Enter the glass tunnel and a column of air will soon have you floating effortlessly into flight, with a fully qualified instructor to assist. This is an adrenalin rush in a safe, supportive environment which can be adapted for visitors of all abilities, aged from 3 to 103 years.

Great Barrier Reef, Port Douglas and Townsville

The Great Barrier Reef is a bucket-list travel destination for all – and it’s one of the best sensory experiences, too. Those visiting Port Douglas should jump on board Quicksilver Cruises and make the pontoon on Agincourt Reef the day’s base for a range of Great Barrier Reef experiences which will ignite the senses, from ‘dry-land’ on a semi-submarine and underwater observatory, or by joining a Master Reef Guided snorkel, scuba or helmet dive among the colourful coral gardens and vibrant marine life. The pontoon features a chairlift to allows people with a mobility disability to submerge in the water for snorkelling, diving or simply to feel the refreshing waters of the Coral Sea against their skin.

Off the coast of Townsville, Aquascene offers accessible boat tours around Magnetic Island. With an ethos that adventure is for everyone, the family-run experience is wheelchair accessible, and the crew can adapt their storytelling of local history to welcome those with low-vision, low-hearing, sensory needs and more. The boat is also equipped with a floating pontoon that enables a closer reef sensory experience for those who might not feel comfortable swimming, floating aids for those who want to enter the water with confidence, and plenty of beach time for those who prefer to take in the sights and sounds from the sand.

Queensland Performing Arts Centre, Brisbane

There’s nothing quite like a night at the theatre, and QPAC in Brisbane welcomes all visitors to enjoy a huge calendar of live performances and experiences throughout the year. QPAC offers a range of accessible technologies and special performances, including an assistive listening system (ALS) to send audio directly to headphones, hearing aids, or cochlear implants - with ListenTech available free of charge. Select performances are professionally signed by Auslan interpreters, with theatre-goers encouraged to download the GoTheatrical app to access live captions on mobiles or tablet devices. There are also audio-described performances for low-vision or blind patrons, while designated ‘relaxed performances’ are beneficial for those who may prefer a more relaxed theatre experience, including people with autism, sensory sensitivities, learning disabilities, dementia or anxiety.  

Australia Zoo, Sunshine Coast

Animal lovers will discover a wonderland of furry, feathered, big and small friends at Australia Zoo, many of which you can book a close encounter. But budding wildlife warriors can experience life as a ranger for the day with Australia Zoo’s Khaki Sensory Program. An adapted program specifically designed for those aged 7 years and older who have autism or special needs, participants spend the day encountering animals with all their senses, from scaly snakes to spiny echidnas, patting koalas and feeding native birds.

If you’re on the Gold Coast, Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary offers accessible ways to explore, including the Wild Skies Free Flight Bird Show which has hearing augmentation via an assisted listening service, amplifying sound through headphones, which can be hired from the Visitor & Member Services.

Kuranda Scenic Rail, Cairns & Great Barrier Reef

One of Queensland’s most memorable train journeys, Kuranda Scenic Railway is a heritage-listed railway line that passes spectacular waterfalls and rainforest in the mountains outside of Cairns. But there are more than just sweeping views of Wet Tropics wonder to enjoy passing by. Sit back and listen to the chug of the train, the roar of waterfalls, and song of the forest; before tasting your way through an exquisite afternoon tea served on board.

The train also offers an accessible carriage and motorised lift for wheelchair users.

Brisbane Botanic Gardens, Brisbane

A walk in the park becomes a multi-sensory experience at Brisbane Botanic Gardens. The Sensory Garden is a dedicated space filled with fragrant, culinary and medicinal herbs from around the world, along with flowers and aromatic foliage, where visitors are encouraged to smell and touch the variety of plants. Families can also collect a map and explore the dedicated Hide ‘n’ Seek Children’s Trail, filled with surprises and fun plant facts to learn, or feel the humidity as they enter the Tropical Display Dome, which is climate-controlled to protect the range of exotic plants found inside. 

Paradise Jet Boating, Gold Coast

Buckle up and hold on for some fast-paced thrills as Paradise Jet Boating completes an exhilarating ride of turns, twists and plenty of sea spray while exploring the Gold Coast’s glistening waterways. The ‘Adventure Ride’ is accessible to people living with a range of physical, sensory or neurological abilities – call to chat to the team to find out if it’s right for you. The power of the wind in your hair, the exciting force of the turns, and the inevitable – getting wet – makes this one of the best sensory experiences in Queensland. 

Immersive dining experiences across Queensland

Queensland is home to endless food adventures, but there are some that immerse you in more than flavour. Dine to the sound of crashing waves and scenes of surf action at the Gold Coast’s iconic Rick Shores, or learn the secrets of Asian cooking at Spirit House’s renowned Sunshine Coast cooking school, before dining on the fragrant flavours beside a serene pond. Taste local seafood beneath swaying palm trees while dining on the sand at Nu Nu in Palm Cove, or venture deep into the Daintree for an enchanting evening at Flames of the Forest – and experience that combines rich Indigenous food and culture in a fairy-lit setting with traditional music and the all the soulful sounds of being immersed in the world’s oldest surviving rainforest.

Ready for more? These Queensland experiences are accessible to all.