Tourism and recreation
Activities by topic
- 4-wheel driving and motoring
- Boating and water activities
- Camping and caravanning
- Cycling
- Exhibitions
- Festivals
- Fishing
- Museums
- Other arts organisations
- Performing arts
- Writing and publishing
Activities by location
- Cairns and Far North Queensland
- Central West (includes Gladstone and Rockhampton)
- Mackay and Whitsunday
- Mount Isa and North West (includes Townsville)
- Brisbane and South East Queensland
- South West and Darling Downs
- Wide Bay Burnett
Browse a map of Queensland if you’re unsure where to start.
Cairns and Far North Queensland
Far North Queensland is where the rainforest meets the Great Barrier Reef.
You can:
- swim among the coral and sea life
- explore World-Heritage-listed rainforests
- 4-wheel drive in the outback.
Find activities and places in Far North Queensland.
Central West (includes Gladstone and Rockhampton)
Gladstone has a sub-tropical climate with many recreational activities at the edge of the Great Barrier Reef. Enjoy diving and fishing in the clear waters of the Pacific Ocean or riding and hiking in the region's national parks.
Rockhampton is bordered by tropical beaches on the coast, and rainforests and highlands in the west. On the Tropic of Capricorn, it offers a range of activities like bushwalking, gem fossicking, fishing and diving.
Discover some of Queensland’s history at:
- the Workers' Heritage Centre at Barcaldine
- the Stockman's Hall of Fame
- the Qantas Founders' Museum at Longreach
- the Waltzing Matilda Centre at Winton
- Blackall's historic woolscour
- the Lark Quarry National Park with the world's only preserved tracks of a dinosaur stampede.
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Mackay and Whitsunday
The Mackay Whitsunday Region is in the heart of Queensland's Great Barrier Reef.
You can:
- relax on one of the 74 Whitsunday Islands
- snorkel and dive on the Great Barrier Reef
- bushwalk in Eungella National Park.
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Mount Isa and North West (includes Townsville)
The land of legendary cattle drives, this region is a vast area of rugged mountain ranges, eucalyptus and red gum forests, spinifex plains, and dry and flooded waterways.
You will find:
- the World-Heritage-listed Riversleigh fossil area
- Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill Gorge) National Park
- regional camel races
- remote locations for gem fossicking.
The Townsville region covers coastal towns, rainforests and rugged outback terrain. Dive and snorkel among brightly coloured fish in the Great Barrier Reef or fossick for gold in Charters Towers. Enjoy canoeing, jet-skiing, fishing or relaxing on sandy beaches, or visit the rainforests and the outback.
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Brisbane and South East Queensland
South East Queensland is home to Queensland’s capital Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast. Stay in 5-star hotels or camp under the stars—choose from beachside apartments, luxury resorts, cosy hinterland cabins, or welcoming ‘bed and breakfasts’.
You can:
- surf stunning beaches
- enjoy exciting nightlife
- escape to mountain getaways
- explore hinterland art galleries
- spot koalas in our national parks
- treat yourself to something special at the Eumundi markets
- watch the sunset over Moreton Bay from the beach at Tangalooma.
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South West and Darling Downs
Discover Queensland’s pioneering past in an area rich in history, wineries and country towns 2 hours drive west of Brisbane.
You can:
- explore Stanthorpe's 65 wineries
- go bushwalking in Currawinya National Park
- see the City of Toowoomba in full bloom during the annual flower festival
- fish for Yellowbelly and Murray Cod on the banks of the Balonne River in St George
- enjoy Warwick's Jumpers and Jazz Festival.
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Wide Bay Burnett
A 4-hour drive north of Brisbane is the southern gateway to the Great Barrier Reef. This region offers a range of natural attractions and recreational activities:
- 140km of sandy coastline
- several national parks
- humpback-whale-watching off Hervey Bay from June to November
- 4-wheel driving across the world's largest sand island (Fraser Island)
- a vibrant cultural community with an exciting calendar of events.
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