Queensland is famous for its winter sunshine and spectacular beaches, just perfect for escaping the cold.
It is home to the world’s largest coral reef and offers some of the best scuba diving and snorkelling in the world. But the fun doesn’t end there.
Above water, you can enjoy dawn hot air balloon flights, relax at spas and world-class resorts, or visit the oldest rainforest in the world.
And you know what else? Now is one of the best times of year to visit.
From the region that delivers world-renowned sugar from our superior sugar cane, it's little surprise that we also make a mean coffee to go with that sweetness. Here's our 6 top picks for your next espresso hit.
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For the surf-averse, going to the beach isn't quite the glorious summer day experience that it is for those happily swimming between the flags. But Australia has some beaches where you don't need to get in the water to have a great time.
Mon Repos Beach, Queensland 14km north-east of Bundaberg, Mon Repos is one of the world's most important nesting sites for loggerhead turtles. Come between November and March, and special ranger-guided tours take you on to the sand to watch the turtle circle of life. Early in the season, mother turtles haul themselves up the beach to give birth. Later on, hundreds of tiny hatchlings fight through the sand and scuttle into the sea. See parks.des.qld.gov.au
When one thinks of Queensland’s eastern coast, the mind drifts straight to either end of the state: The Gold Coast or Far North Queensland. But what if we told you that in between the two exists a region of untapped beauty? A place so serene that glamping by a creek teeming with platypus is trumped only by camping under the stars, floating above the waters of a paradisical, uninhabited lagoon.
Well, that place—known as the Bundaberg region—does indeed exist, and there are more than a few reasons it should be at the top of your travel hit list. For starters, just east of the coastline is The Great Barrier Reef’s southern tip, so the snorkelling, diving and island adventures come standard. And if you look west to the land, you’ll be treated to the finest artisan producers along with a slew of bucolic experiences that you’re going to want to bookmark immediately. And for those wondering, yes, this is the home of Bundaberg Rum, and yes, you can visit the distillery.
Best get bookmarking. Here is everything you need to do, see, eat and drink in the Bundaberg region.
It’s a balmy beachy evening, the kind that reminds you of those old-fashioned holidays when you were young. You remember the type. When mum miraculously tossed out the rule book about being home by the time the sun conceded to another sultry summer day. Instead, she allowed you to frolic by the ocean with your mates. Mind you, not too late, just enough time to allow you to squeeze that last bit of oozy goodness out of your day, before crawling into your summer sheets, sandy feet and all. Reading under the covers by torchlight way beyond bedtime? You had that sorted too.
Late November/early December in Bundaberg and it’s that same scent of nostalgia. These are languid lollypop days in Queensland’s coastal city most renowned for its rum. The Tilt Train & Turtles Getaway begins aboard Queensland Rail’s Tilt Train. Crawl into your comfortable seat and let the world wash over you on this 351km journey which takes just 4.5 hours.
