Guide
By Jesse Lindemann
Warning: The following amazing drone photography from Queensland may result in extreme wanderlust for a holiday to the Sunshine State.
And while Queensland is already known for having one stunning landscape after the next, thanks to these talented travellers and the state’s more liberal drone rules in national parks, we now have a whole new level of appreciation (and perspective) of the pristine beaches, lush rainforests, rugged mountain tops and natural patterns of Mother Nature.
From Coolangatta right up to Cape York, get ready for some serious drone-envy.
Photo by @melissafindley
Love is in the air, literally, when it comes to Lady Musgrave Island. If you can get the angle just right, this marine paradise on the Great Barrier Reef definitely looks like a postcard perfect for Valentine’s Day.
Photo by @nics_mindset
When you conquer a mountain peak like Mount Beerwah evidence is essential. Capturing the mountain itself, the view and you on top of the world certainly makes for one envy-inducing Instagram post, as well as a unique snapshot of one incredible memory.
Photo by @florols
A slightly elevated view highlights the crystal clear waters of Noosa, and with the surfer’s black wetsuit contrasted against the white of the breaking wave, the subject really pops.
Photo by @reubennutt
Symmetry game is strong (and extremely pleasing to the eye) at Thala Beach Nature Reserve on the road from Cairns to Port Douglas. If you’re road-tripping in tropical paradise, what better way to capture it than a top-down reveal of a winding road through palm trees for days?
Photo by @thesailingyogi
Drones are the new selfie stick for showing off your squad’s latest adventure and capturing the perfect shared moment from above. And if you’re bareboating in the Whitsundays, you’d be showing off too.
If you are planning your bareboating adventure use this handy guide.
Photo by @rajveerjohal
When timing is (almost) everything: a sunrise drone flight over Surfers Paradise means you can avoid the crowds (on the ground and in the sky) as well as capture some colourful clouds and beautiful soft light.
Photo by @swaller4
The shipwrecks of Moreton Island, popular with snorkellers, are given a whole new perspective from above. Best shot in the early morning and using a polarising filter to minimise the glare off the water, there’s nothing to distract from this rustic centrepiece.
Photo by @_aswewander
An outback adventure in the top-end along the red dirt roads of Cape York, leads to some of Australia’s most unspoilt wilderness. The long straight road and silhouetted travellers against the bright red rugged landscape lets you know this adventure isn’t for the faint of heart.
Photo by @snapair
All fifty-shades of blue of Lake McKenzie show up perfectly from the air. And with all those natural leading lines guiding your eye around the shoreline, this stunning image of Fraser Island’s most famous lake sure makes for some serious eye-candy and a beautiful artistically-composed shot.
Photo by @mitch.cox
Let your drone do all the waterfall chasing, and you’ll be amazed at the results. Perfect for capturing the different levels of falls like Millaa Millaa in Tropical North Queensland, adding a teenie-tiny human for scale only adds to the epic magnitude of the falls.
Photo by @wanderstories
If you find yourself in a clearing on the high point of a mountain range but surrounded by trees, the only thing to do is rise above. Not only can you capture an amazing sunset from above the treeline and down over the valley (of Paluma Range National Park, for example), you can also include yourself in the frame for context… bonus.
Photo by @cleocohen
Looking for a couples photo shoot on a tropical island but with no photographer in sight? Don’t fret, Droney McDroneface has got your back. Not only can you both be in the pic, but so too can the remote and pristine landscape of Dunk Island that surrounds you.
Photo by @mattraimondo
If your holiday adventure has taken you somewhere as unique as the Noosa Everglades, you’ll want more than just the classic ‘nose of the kayak pointing down the river’ shot. And with portable drones so small you can launch and land from your hand, you can grab a shot like this during a short-paddling break.
Photo by @seanscottphotography
Perfectly balanced with the coloured cliffs and blue water separated by the white sand of Fraser Island’s 75-Mile Beach highway, this image just shows how much more epic your road trip looks from above.