Queensland General Information Area: 1,730,650 sq km (668,207 sq miles). Population: 3,597,200 (official estimate 2000). Population Density: 2.1 per sq km. Capital: Brisbane. Population: 1,601,400 (official estimate 1999). GEOGRAPHY: Two-and-a-half times the size of Texas or seven times the size of the United Kingdom, Queensland, more than half of which lies above the Tropic of Capricorn, is known as the ‘Sunshine State’. Within its borders are the Great Barrier Reef, numerous resort islands, kilometres of golden sandy beaches, national park forests, vast plains, lush rainforests, forested mountains and extensive wilderness areas. Time: GMT + 10. Public Holidays Queensland observes all the public holidays observed nationwide (see the main Australia section) and, in addition, the following are observed: May 5 2003 Labour Day. Jun 9 Queen’s Birthday Celebrations. Aug 15* People’s Day at the Brisbane Royal Show. May 3 2004 Labour Day. Jun 14 Queen’s Birthday Celebrations. Aug 13* People’s Day at the Brisbane Royal Show. Note: *The Brisbane Royal Show is a holiday in Brisbane only. Travel - International AIR: There are several major air carriers serving Brisbane and Queensland including: Air New Zealand, Air Pacific, All Nippon, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Garuda Indonesia, KLM, Malaysia Airlines, Qantas, Singapore Airlines and United Airlines. For more flight details see Travel in the general Australia section. The major domestic airline is Qantas. Airlines such as Seair Pacific and Sunstate offer charter flights and feeder services to Queensland’s main towns and Barrier Reef island resorts. Aproximate flight times: Approximate flying time from Brisbane to London is 23 hours 30 minutes. International airports: Brisbane International (BNE) (website: www.bne.com.au). The airport is 13km (8 miles) northeast of the city centre (travel time – approximately 35 minutes). Flights are available from Europe, Asia, the Far East, New Zealand, Canada and the USA. Airport buses, taxis and trains operate services to the city. Airport facilities include left luggage, first aid, banks, bureaux de change, bars, car hire (Avis, Budget, Hertz, Europcar and Thrifty), duty-free shops, restaurants and tourist information. Townsville (TSV) is 5km (3 miles) from the city. Townsville is served by flights from Europe, Asia, New Zealand and the Far East. Cairns (CNS) is 8km (5 miles) from the city. Cairns is an excellent gateway both to the Great Barrier Reef and the tropical north, and hosts flights from Europe, Asia, the Far East, New Zealand, Canada and the USA. Airport shuttle buses (travel time – 10-15 minutes) and taxis operate services to the city. The extensive internal airline system means that Queensland is connected with nearly all major Australian gateways. Brisbane is connected directly to Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Alice Springs and Darwin, as well as having links with Cairns, Mount Isa, Townsville and other smaller airstrips within the state. Cairns and Townsville also offer easy connections to the rest of Australia. RAIL: Queensland has its own railway system, run by QR (website: www.qr.com.au), the main routes being the Sunlander and the Queenslander which connect coastal towns from Brisbane to Cairns. In addition, other services, such as the Inlander, Westlander and Spirit of Outback (from Brisbane to Longreach) open up the Outback to travellers. The Spirit of the Tropics provides more coastal services. The main tourist services are the famous Kuranda Scenic Rail, the Savannahlander and the Gulflander. The Great South Pacific Express running from Brisbane to Sydney is a luxury service operated by Orient-Express Trains and Cruises. The new Tilt Train provides a faster service from Rockhampton to Brisbane. The main train stations are Central and Roma Street. The Sunshine Railpass allows unlimited travel on Queensland’s rail routes. Passes are valid for 14, 21 and 30 days in first- or economy-class, offering excellent travel facilities for those intending extensive travel throughout the state. The Queensland Roadrail Pass, for economy class only, offers ten journeys over a 60-day period or 20 journeys over a 90-day period. For more information about rail travel and passes visit Queensland Rail Travel (website www.traveltrain.qr.com.au). ROAD: There is a high standard of highways and road networks offering easy connections between towns and cities. The Bruce Highway runs down the whole east coast from Cairns to Brisbane and continues into New South Wales. An extensive coach network offers an easy and cheap way of getting around. The inland areas can be explored with four-wheel-drive vehicles, many of the interior roads being unsealed. Four-wheel-drive vehicles and guided self-drive tours are available. The other main highways running into the interior are the Capricorn Highway (Rockhampton–Winton), the Flinders Highway (Townsville–Mount Isa, connecting with the network in the Northern Territory) and the Warrego Highway (Brisbane–Charleville). The Mitchell and Landsborough Highways, which in places have unsealed road surfaces, run roughly north–south, connecting the main east–west highways and terminating at Sydney. The Newell Highway runs inland between Brisbane and Melbourne. For more information about driving in Queensland, visit the website of Queensland Transport (www.queensland-holidays.com.au/driving). URBAN: Brisbane’s electrified rail system is easy to use for suburban services, particularly cross-river. There are also cross-river ferries, and a comprehensive bus network with zonal fares and ten-journey pre-purchase fares obtainable through newsagents. Day and other period tickets are also available. The City Sights Bus stops at 18 places of interest around the city, during a 90 minute tour, for A$20 (adult) and A$15 (children). In Cairns, bus services operate Mon-Sat and there is a touring bus that follows a circular route, Cairns Red Explorer, that departs from the Transit Centre. Day tickets are A$20 (adult) and A$10 (children). Taxis are also available. Accommodation HOTELS: International standard hotels are available in Brisbane, Cairns and the Gold Coast together with a high standard of hotel/motel accommodation throughout the state. Information regarding price and location of accommodation can be obtained through the Tourism Queensland website (see Contact Addresses section). MOTELS: These are usually in or on the outskirts of towns and cities and normally offer self-contained rooms at reasonable rates. SELF-CONTAINED APARTMENTS: These are available throughout the larger resort areas and offer a variety of facilities. FARMSTAYS/HOMESTAYS: ‘Holiday Host’ services operate throughout Australia, matching hosts with visitors, in stations, family homes and farm properties. CAMPING/CARAVANNING: Parks are located in tourist areas around Queensland, and offer facilities of varying standards. Camping is permitted in parks, but permission must be sought from the National Parks Association of Queensland Inc, PO Box 1040, Milton, QLD 4064 (tel: (7) 3367 0878; fax: (7) 3367 0890; e-mail: npaq@npaq.org.au; website: www.npaq.org.au). A number of companies can arrange motor camper rentals, with a range of fully equipped vehicles. Full details can be obtained from the Tourism Queensland website (see Contact Addresses section). YOUTH HOSTELS: Budget dormitory-style accommodation is available throughout Queensland. Brisbane Brisbane is the economic hub and State capital of Queensland, with a year-round warm subtropical climate. Australia’s fastest growing city, it is the gateway to many coastal resorts and itself offers many attractions. Probably the most famous of these is the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary,which can be reached via a river cruise. The Botanic Gardens is a splendid shady reserve at the south end of the city centre, accessible by a new footbridge. City Hall in King George Square houses an art gallery, museum and clocktower observation deck. Other buildings of note include the State Parliament House with its glittering copper roof, St John’s Cathedral, The Mansions and the Old Windmill, the city’s oldest surviving building and once a treadmill worked by convicts. The Queensland Cultural Centre at South Bank contains the Queensland Art Gallery, Queensland Museum and Performing Arts Centre. The South Bank Parklands, on the site of the 1988 World Expo, boasts an interesting Maritime Museum and an enormous artificial swimming beach. The Brisbane Powerhouse is a lively alternative arts venue, and the looming Art Deco Castlemaine Brewery offers enjoyable daily tours with samples of it's famous product. Festivals such as the biennial Brisbane Festival, Ekka (Royal National Exhibition) and Livid (rock music and arts) are other major attractions. Beyond Brisbane Probably the best beach area in the country, the Gold Coast region 80km (50 miles) south of Brisbane comprises 42km (25 miles) of white surfing beaches, theme parks (Sea World, Movie World and Dreamworld), a casino, hotels and restaurants. It has year-round sunshine and lively tourist facilities. The partying never stops at Surfers Paradise, a Miami-style high-rise strip overlooking a crowded beach. Inland are lush green mountains, rainforests, walking trails and scenic villages. Nature lovers will also appreciate the Lamington National Park in the McPherson Mountains, and the Currumbin Bird Sanctuary. An hour’s drive north from Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast offers miles of untouched wilderness, lakes, mountains and unspoilt beaches with surf ranging in condition from mild to wild. Arts and crafts trails, nature walks and awe-inspiring views can be found in the hinterland, where the Glasshouse Mountains can be found. Cairns is the major gateway to the far north. As well as the Barrier Reef, there are rainforests in the Atherton Tableland to the west, and to the south is Mission Beach with 14km (9 miles) of white sandy beaches, looking out to Dunk Island. To the north, there is the charming old town of Port Douglas attracting many visitors, as well as Daintree, which has services to Cape Tribulation National Park, and Cooktown, close to Endeavour National Park where excellent examples of Aboriginal rock art can be found. Beyond this lies the wilderness of Cape York Peninsula. Townsville is North Queensland’s largest city, boasting an international airport and a casino. Cruises are available to nearby islands, as are trips to the Barrier Reef for diving, walking or whitewater rafting. This pleasant city, its streets lined with palm trees and tropical flora, has a number of interesting attractions on offer, such as ReefHQ, the largest coral aquarium in the world, with a transparent walk-in tunnel, and Magnetic Island, a resort island with superb beaches, diving opportunities, bushwalking tracks and a koala sanctuary, only 8km (5 miles) offshore and a 25-minute ferry ride from the city centre. Great Barrier Reef This playground and beauty spot is also one of the world’s great natural wonders. It stretches for 2000km (1200 miles) along the Queensland coast, its width varying from 25km (15 miles) to 50km (30 miles). There is unique plant and animal life to be found, with visibility often as deep as 60m (200ft). Dotted along the coast are 25 island resorts, lying on or between the Barrier Reef and the mainland. Heron and Lady Elliot Islands are coral cays renowned as the best diving spots on the reef. Lizard, Bedarra and Orpheus Islands are quiet, secluded and luxurious hideaways. Hayman Island is an international resort, with 5-star luxury facilities. Long Island, Great Keppel Islands, South Molle, Hamilton and Lindeman Island are all-year-round resorts with facilities for families. Tropical Dunk Island and Brampton Island are popular with honeymooners. Fitzroy and Hinchinbrook Islands offer unspoilt beauty. Camping facilities can be found at Fitzroy, Hook and Keppel Haven on Great Keppel Island. Outside the main reef areas, the islands of Fraser, Moreton, Bribie, North and South Stradbroke offer some of the best unpopulated surfing beaches and national parks in Australia. Sport & Activities Watersports: The geographic proximity to the Great Barrier Reef and the long stretches of golden beach in Queensland mean leisure pursuits are associated predominantly with the sea – from surfing off the beaches in the south or scuba diving on the corals of the Reef to deep-sea fishing for black marlin and sailing round the islands. Many of the most exotic dive sites are within 20-35km (12-22 miles) north and south of Cairns. Some of the most popular are Thretford Reef; the Ribbon Reefs (comprising a string of ten coral ramparts covering a huge area, including the Cod Hole, Pixie Pinnacle and Dynamite Pass); Magnetic Island; the Pompey Complex; the Swain Reefs (near Gladstone); Great Keppel Island; Heron Island (reputed to support a record diversity of tropical fish); and Lady Elliot Island. Canoeing and sea-kayaking around the Great Barrier Reef are also popular. The best surfing can be found at Surfers’ Paradise, the Sunshine Coast, Bribie, Moreton and the Stradbroke Islands. Bushwalking: Given the high humidity encountered during the summer in the northern regions, the cooler southern parts tend to be more popular for walking. Lamington National Park has a well maintained, graded track system in the McPherson Range (on the border with New South Wales), which features tall rainforests, waterfalls and gorges. A three-day circuit is possible around Fraser Island, which has rainforest, huge sand dunes and beautiful lakes. A series of fairly demanding trails lead to the summit of the state’s highest mountain, Mount Bartle Frere. Popular day walks are available on the islands of Dunk, Green and Hinchinbrook. For further details contact the QLD Environmental Protection Agency, PO Box 155, Albert Street, Brisbane QLD 4002 (tel: (7) 3227 7111; fax: (7) 3225 1769; website: www.epa.qld.gov.au). Golf: Many of Queensland’s courses, especially those on the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast, tend to be part of luxury resorts. There are however also several good public courses, including the Palm Meadows Golf Club (on the Gold Coast); the Paradise Springs Golf Course (in tropical northern Queensland); the Palms Sanctuary Cove; and the Brisbane City Public Golf Course. Adventure sports: Queensland is Australia’s centre for paragliding and parasailing, which can be practised all along the coast. Abseiling is possible in the Lamington and Carnarvon national parks. The Sunshine Coast and Mount Tamborine are the main destinations for hang gliding. The Tully and Barron rivers in the north are suitable for whitewater rafting. Speed boating trips can be arranged in Cairns. Social Profile Food & Drink: The food of the area relies to a large extent on the sea and the subtropical climate for specialities in cuisine. Local delicacies include mud crabs, king and tiger prawns, mackerel and fresh barramundi, as well as avocados, mangoes, pawpaws, pineapples, strawberries, bananas and the highly recommended local speciality, the macadamia nut. In Fortitude Valley, just out of Brisbane city centre, there are a number of European, Asian and Chinese restaurants and trendy cafes. Brisbane is supplied with local wines from vineyards at Stanthorpe to the southwest, producing both red and white wines, and from other Australian vineyards. All beers on sale are brewed locally. Nightlife: Although much of the tourist activity is centred on the beaches and the Barrier Reef, Brisbane offers a wide selection of entertainment. Most of the large hotels have dinner and dancing facilities and there are several nightclubs in the city, especially in Southbank Parklands where discos and restaurants abound. The Gold Coast has many nightclubs, as well as Jupiter’s Casino. Townsville has the spectacular Sheraton Breakwater Casino on Sir Leslie Thiess Drive, offering a full range of gaming facilities and high-quality entertainment. Shopping: Good buys include opals, Aboriginal art and handicrafts, woollen clothing, sheepskin coats and wood products. Shopping hours: Mon-Fri 0800-2100, Sat 0800-1700, although hours vary depending on the city. Shops in the Gold Coast, Brisbane City, Sunshine Coast and Cairns are open on Sundays. Special Events: The following is a selection of festivals and special events taking place in Queensland in 2003 (for a full list consult the Tourism Queensland website; see Contact Addresses section or www.qldevents.com.au): Dec 31 2002-Jan 1 2003 South Bank Brisbane New Year's Eve Celebrations. Jan 3-14 Magic Millions Summer Racing Carnival (Magic Millions thoroughbred horse sales and racing), Gold Coast. Jan 26 Australia Day, all of Queensland. Feb 19-23 The ANZ Ladies Masters Golf Tournament, Royal Pines Resort, Gold Coast. Mar 18-23 Australian Surf Life Saving Championships, Kurrawa Beach Gold Coast. May 17-24 Air New Zealand Golden Oldies World Rugby Festival, Brisbane. Jul 6 Gold Coast Marathon, Southport. Aug 12-16 The Australian International Movie Convention. Sep 6-14 Bundy in Bloom (annual spring celebration, Bundaberg City). Oct 23-26 2003 Honda Indy 300 (Gold Coast). Oct 26-Nov 2 Noosa Triathlon Multi Sport Festival. Dec 11-14 2003 Australian PGA Championship Hyatt Regency Resort Sunshine Coast. Business Profile Commercial Information: The following organisation can offer advice: Queensland Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Industry House, 375 Wickham Terrace, Brisbane, QLD 4000 (tel: (7) 3842 2244; fax: (7) 3832 3195; e-mail: info@commerceqld.com.au; website: www.qcci.com.au). Conferences/Conventions: Brisbane’s major convention centres are Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre, Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane City Hall, Queensland Cultural Centre, RNA Exhibition Grounds, Sheraton Brisbane Hotel, Hilton International Hotel and the Carlton Crest International Hotel. Cairns’ major convention centres are Cairns Convention Centre, Cairns International, Cairns Civic Centre, Cairns Show Grounds, the Botanical Gardens, Sheraton Mirage Resort and Cairns Hilton. The Gold Coast also has some excellent convention facilities, especially the Hotel Conrad and Jupiter’s Casino with seating for 2300. Smaller centres can be found elsewhere along the Gold Coast at Royal Pines Resort and Sheraton Mirage Gold Coast. For more information on conferences and conventions in Queensland contact Gold Coast Tourism Bureau, Level Two, 64 Ferny Avenue, Surfers’ Paradise 4217 (tel: (7) 5592 2699; fax: (7) 5570 3144; e-mail: margiem@gctb.com.au; website: www.goldcoasttourism.com.au); or Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, PO Box 3869, Brisbane, QLD 4101 (tel: (7) 3308 3000; fax: (7) 3308 3500; e-mail: sales@bcec.com.au; website: www.bcec.com.au); or Cairns Convention Bureau (Tourism Tropical North Queensland) PO Box 865, Cairns, QLD 4870 (tel: (7) 4031 7676, ext 218; fax: (7) 4051 0127; e-mail: ci@tng.org.au; website: www.tropicalaustralia.com.au). Climate Queensland straddles the Tropic of Capricorn and this accounts for the pleasant climate throughout most of the region. Exceptions are the far north and the dry arid western Outback. Brisbane enjoys an average of 7.1 hours of sunshine daily in the winter. The period between November to March is generally humid throughout the state, but sea breezes temper the humidity and make for perfect holiday conditions. Copyright © 2003 Columbus Publishing Ltd.