Authentic adventures: how to experience a Queenslander on your holiday

There’s plenty that goes into a true Queensland experience: a good dose of sunshine, enough time on the beach you forget where your shoes are, diving into spectacular nature, and kicking back with a bevvy and a view.

It’s in the big adventures and the small, special moments. And it’s also in the architecture. We’re not kidding: there’s a style of building so iconic to the Sunshine State that it’s known as a ‘Queenslander’.

You’ll find historic Queenslanders dotted through our cities, small towns and countryside – and many are now home to unique B&B accommodation, dining destinations, drinking holes and more. If you’re an architecture buff or you simply want to get a taste of our unique way of life, here’s how to experience a Queenslander or two on your next visit.

What is a Queenslander?

Developed in the late 1800s, the Queenslander architectural style was a simple workers cottage designed to suit our often hot, humid weather. Instantly recognised for its pyramid shaped roof, weatherboard siding and welcoming verandahs, it’s further proof of our longstanding alfresco lifestyle. Traditionally, most Queenslanders homes were also characterised as a raised ‘house on stilts’ which enabled summer breezes to flow through while protecting it from heavy rains. Take a peek inside and you’re likely to find all bedrooms peeling off the main corridor, which leads to the shared living areas and backyard.

Designs have certainly evolved over the years: some grander styles feature remarkable details including multiple gables, butterfly stairwells and wrap-around verandahs with ornate wrough-iron railings, and many are painted brightly to create rainbow streetscapes for those strolling through the neighbourhoods.

Explore Brisbane’s inner city suburbs like Paddington, Red Hill, Nundah and Hawthorne and you’re sure to stumble across plenty of Queenslanders, while heritage cities like Ipswich, Maryborough, Townsville and Bundaberg are home to grand examples. 

Where to sleep in a Queenslander

Brisbane accommodation

Watch city lights sparkle from Spicers Balfour, a stunning classic Queenslander in the heart of New Farm that’s been converted into a luxurious inner-city sanctuary with nine spacious rooms. Just steps from vibrant dining and shopping on James St, there’s a rooftop bar boasting city views and sensational restaurant here too.

Only 3km from the CBD in leafy Hawthorne, Number 12 is a grand old 1907 built Queenslander home to a popular B&B, with antique furnishing across all four rooms.

For a country escape near Brisbane

Escape the city for a weekend of fresh country air with your Queenslander experience.

Eco-accredited Mount Barney Lodge is set in the shadow of its towering namesake (and Queensland’s fourth highest mountain), where you can explore heritage-listed Gondwana Rainforest while staying in one of the Queenslander style homesteads that sleep 6 – 15 people. Scenic Rim neighbour Worendo Cottages offers some of the best views of the valley moments from Lamington National Park, which you can soak up from the sprawling verandah; while Herrmann House is perfect for a luxurious group getaway – the Queenslander style homestead offers four beautiful bedrooms, four bathrooms, indoor fireplaces and outdoor dining for eight.

Head to Sunshine Coast Hinterland township of Eumundi for your own taste of Queensland history. Ornately restored 1910-era Rangeview Cottage is the spot for a cosy escape, while you can also find two self-contained Queenslander guesthouses set on 60 acres of rolling pastures at The Eumundi Dairy, including character-filled original farmhouse The Homestead – and it’s only 20 minutes from Noosa. Montville's Country House at Hunchy, The Postman's Cottage at Montville Estate and Palmwoods' Little Railway Cottage also make for quaint, luxurious getaways in easy reach of the city.

Queenslander accommodation around the state

It doesn’t stop at our capital, either. You’re sure to find Queenslanders you can sleep in across the state, in the most unlikely of places. Soak up old fashioned hospitality at Townsville’s Classique Bed and Breakfast, an historic Federation Queenslander that’s been restored to its former glory with three ensuited guest rooms. Deep in the Daintree lies Red Mill House B&B, a traditional 1920s Queenslander just steps from the national park. A little south of Cairns, Licuala Lodge is your rainforest-clad retreat near Mission Beach. You can even find architectural beauties on your own private Whitsundays island set amongst the Great Barrier Reef. Or in Outback Queensland, where red dirt meets rustic luxury at Longreach’s Saltbush Retreat.

Turn to Airbnb and you’ll find plenty of Queenslander cottages for rent, too.

Where to dine in a Queenslander 

Paddington favourite Kettle and Tin has everything you’d want from a neighbourhood haunt, and from the moment you sit down you’ll want to be one of the regulars. Here to satisfy your hunger from breakfast through to late night bites, with a solid drinks line-up, live music and friendly staff - this Brisbane Queenslander should be at the top of your list.

For a refined retreat, make your way to the hills of the Sunshine Coast Hinterland to spoil yourself in the old world charm of The Long Apron at Spicers Clovelly Estate. The hatted-restaurant offers an a la carte menu or French-influenced degustation, along with an award-winning cooking school. You’ll quickly want to spend the weekend – and you can do just that, the Estate is home to 16 exclusive, luxury suites.

For something you might never have expected in Queensland, venture 45-minutes from Brisbane City to Summer Land Camels, where you can meet the animals, help feed them, then taste products fresh from the farm along with country fare in their cosy Queenslander, Homestead Café. Savour camel milk, gelato, cheese and cakes – and don’t leave without a famous camel-cino. 

Where to drink in a Queenslander

Get a taste of Queensland while you raise a glass at one of our historic pubs. The fair lady that reigns over Toowong’s riverfront, Regatta Hotel is one of Brisbane’s most iconic drinking holes, entertaining thirsty locals since 1874 (and surviving her fair share of floods along the way). Instantly recognisable for its white lattice verandas, it’s a great spot for a beer, a morning coffee from the River Road Café, or head down into the basement level to discover speakeasy style rum bar, The Walrus Club.

Built in 1864, Kangaroo Point’s The Pineapple Hotel – known as “The Piney” – is a great spot to grab a beer before catching a game at The Gabba. A sunny afternoon at Sixes and Sevens is a rite of passage in the River City. Housed in an 1878 heritage-listed cottage and nestled between James Street’s trendy eateries and boutiques, grab a mango Mai Tai or spritz and grab a seat in the leafy beer garden. A stone’s throw away in the heart of Fortitude Valley you’ll find quirky Alfred & Constance: with two linked Queenslanders that house a pub restaurant, tiki bar and bunker style nightclub, a casual drink can easily turn into something more here.