The islands of Queensland

The beautiful state of Queensland is unique amongst the other Australian states, in that it has the iconic GREAT BARRIER REEF just off its coast. The number of islands located in the Coral Sea is really high (around 155) and they are the ideal place for anyone looking for an idyllic, exotic, sunkissed holiday destination, far from the “stressful world”.

Here you can always count on a perfect climate, in that Queensland has a moderate, semi-tropical climate, so it’s pleasant for holidaying in all year round. And what you’ll find on its coasts are golden beaches and a blue sea that is dotted with tropical islands.

The islands of Queensland are Australia’s crown jewels, with a choice of accommodation and activities for all budget ranging from luxury lodges and elegant resorts to simple and welcoming hostels. Queensland boasts a whole selection of great cultural and artistic sights, as well as world-class bars and restaurants. Queensland’s Great Barrier Reef and Whitsunday Islands are ideally suited for honeymooners, families, divers, beachcombers.

In the next posts we’ll share with you our experiences in 6 of these amazing islands, but of course we’ll also give you some tips for others stunning spots!

North Stradbroke Island is perfect for a weekend off from your Brisbane city life:

Moreton Island is a wild place to stay in touch with the nature:

Fraser Island, besides being the largest sand island in the world, is superb for a two-day tour and to meet new mates:

Great Keppel Island is just so untouched that will be your love at first sight:

Lady Musgrave Island is the second island in the Great Barrier Reef chain of islands and a real tropical paradise:

Dunk Island is sorrounded by reefs and wandering around the island’s tracks is wonderful:

Have a look at the map below to see where all these beautiful islands are and stay tuned to read more about them in the next posts.

Hervey Bay

Despite the city itself cannot be considered as beautiful as other Australian cities, Hervey Bay has something  that other cities only dream to have and for this reason it has been nominated as capital of an amazing activity…. we are talking about Whale Watching!  Located in Queensland, just 3½ hours’ drive from Brisbane, the town of Hervey Bay is absolutely the best known place to spot humpback whales. Migrating along the coast between April and October, these beautiful animals can be found in the narrow sea between Hervey Bay and Fraser Island. There are several whale watching companies in town and all of them offer the same type of service:  Half day (4h) or All day (6h).

Two humpback whales playing in front of us

N.B: Platypus Bay is the place where usually whales are spotted and to reach it the agencies spend almost 2 hours sailing, so it means you spend 2/3 hours with whales  (if you are lucky!). See these beautiful animals is not guaranteed, especially if you go in late October, but take the risk and try this incredible experience!

Quick cat II ticket

Some of the whale watching companies are:

-          SPIRIT OF HERVEY BAY

-          THAT’S AWESOME

-          MV TASMAN VENTURE

-          BLUE DOLPHIN MARINE TOURS

-          QUICK CAT II

We personally chose  the last one and we were happy with their service. The crew also gave us a DVD with the video of our journey, awesome! We recommend them also because the price was a bit cheaper than the others.

Being an important stop for who is going to Fraser Island, now you know that in Hervey Bay there is another reason why you should visit this town. If you are looking to stay more nights in Harvey Bay we advice the YHA hostel, which we found the best YHA hostel we have ever beeen:

https://www.yha.com.au/hostels/qld/fraser-capricorn-coasts/hervey-bay

The hostel offers a relaxing environment with first-class accommodation for backpackers and travellers of all kinds and it is surrounded by tropical gardens and it also provides  large pool, bistro, internet lounge, tennis and basketball courts and tour booking service.

Thank you Hervey Bay for this amazing experience

The Australia Zoo

Steve Irwin ( 1962 - 2006 )

This is a special place nature lovers should visit if they are in Sunshine Coast area because this is not a simple zoo, but home of the great Stephen "Steve" Irwin. Also called by the name of Crocodile Hunter, someone of you could remember his face thanks to the famous program where he was “involved” in activities with snakes and crocodiles. The program abroad was called as Crocodile Hunter and it was on air in Italy with the name of Missione Natura on La7 channel. Tragically died when he was playing  for a documentary, because of a poisonous sting of a manta ray, he’s considered as “national hero” in Australia. The wildlife park, owned now by his wife, won several Tourism Awards and it’s an oasis full of fauna. You’ll find all the typical Australian animals – as kangaroos, koalas, crocodiles, parrots, snakes and spiders  – and some others coming from different states – white tigers, giraffes, hippo are some examples.