Things to Do in Queensland

Suitably named, Byron Bay's Main Beach stretches along the front of the town and is the go-to destination for beach lounging, swimming or catching a wave. On a sunny day in Byron Bay, expect locals and visitors alike to be making the most at Main Beach – the town's closest beach outlet.

Main Beach is known for its beautiful surroundings, with views of the Julian Rocks, Cape Byron Light and grassy hills meeting the horizon line of white sandy beach and enticing water. Besides swimming and beach lounging, a popular activity is to snorkel out to the old shipwreck of the Tassie II just off-shore.

The reliable right and left-hand breaks at Main Beach make it a popular place for beginners to learn to surf. Several surf schools operate directly at Main Beach, but make sure to research this fact before making a booking. Surf schools must be authorized to operate at the beaches of Byron Bay or else they travel several minutes outside of the region for their lessons.

The Surf Club has called Main Beach home since 1906, and you can expect a patrolled beach during the summer month, but always remember to swim between the flags.

Cairns Cruise Port

One of Australia’s busiest cruise ports, Cairns may be best known for its close access to the Daintree tropical rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef. Once the site of mangrove swamps and sand ridges, the city today is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Australia, offering a plethora of water and adventure activities.

How to Get to Cairns

The brand new cruise terminal at Trinity Wharf is located in the heart of the city, so you won’t have far to go to reach the center of Cairns. Larger cruise ships may have to anchor in the harbor, in which case tenders will carry you from the ship to the port.

One Day in Cairns

If you’re like many visitors with just a day to spend in Cairns, chances are you’ll choose to forgo the city itself and instead book an excursion to the Great Barrier Reef.  Over 1,600 miles long and composed of nearly 3,000 individual reefs, the Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest coral reef system. Swimming, snorkeling, diving or riding on a glass bottom boat are all possibilities to explore the incredible biodiversity of what has been called one of the seven great natural wonders of the world.

For those who choose not to visit the Reef, taking the Skyline Rainforest Cableway to the town of Kuranda is another great way to spend a day. In Kuranda, you’ll find a variety of arts and craft shops, as well as the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary. After taking a cable car to Kuranda, you can return to Cairns by bus.

Back in the city, head to the Cairns Esplanade to stroll along the Harbour Walk, explore the handicrafts market and enjoy live entertainment and public art displays. Art aficionados may also want to pay a visit to the Cairns Regional Art Gallery, featuring fine art from a variety of Australian artists, including Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders.

Another option for those who want to see more of the tropical rainforest would be to take a day-long guided tour to the Daintree Rainforest, about two hours north of Cairns.

Port Information

The official language is English and the local currency is the Australian dollar. ATMs are widely available and are the best way to obtain local currency. Most shops and restaurants will also accept credit cards.

Admire historical glamor and civic pride at Brisbane City Hall, which was built between 1920 and 1930 and reopened in 2013 after an extensive $215 million heritage restoration.

Located in the heart of the city, next to King George Square and close to Queen Street Mall, the heritage-listed Brisbane City Hall is Australia’s only city hall and is the home of Brisbane society, culture and governance. As well as hosting community events and civic ceremonies, Brisbane City Hall accommodates the Brisbane Lord Mayor, Deputy Mayor, Brisbane Council chambers and the world-class Museum of Brisbane.

The gem of City Hall is the stunning circular auditorium, with an impressive fluted Corinthian pilasters, overhead dome, an organ built in 1892, restored gallery seating and gilded elegance.  A tour of the marble halls, auditorium and 70 metre tall clock tower is a Brisbane tourism must, followed by an indulgent serve of tea and cake at the locally-loved Shingle Inn café, which is located within City Hall.

More than 1,500 tropical butterflies—from the electric blue Ulysses to the green and yellow Cairns Birdwing—call this world-class aviary home. Stationed in the heart of the Kuranda rainforest, the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary has been impressing visitors with both its whimsical nature and state-of-the-art laboratory since it first opened in 1987.

Interested travelers can follow free 30-minute tours that include up-close looks at the caterpillar breeding nursery. Here, you can see newly born butterflies before they’re released into the aviary and learn about the stages of development that lead to the birth of these fanciful creatures.

The sanctuary’s laboratory is another popular stop that showcases efforts to keep the aviary well stocked. While just two percent of eggs survive in the wild, more than 80 percent mature here thanks to lab experts. Catch a peek at the hard-working scientists who keep this facility thriving.

Bundaberg is most known for its sugar cane fields, rum production and outdoor recreation. Because of its subtropical climate, sugar cane grows in abundance, which creates the bi-product of molasses for their famous Bundaberg Rum. Visitors can tour the distillery to see how the delicious product is made firsthand before sampling some for themselves.

Bundaberg is also the home to The Bundaberg Barrel, one of "Australia's Big Things," and which houses Bundaberg Brewed Drinks known internationally for their ginger beer.

Bundaberg’s subtropical weather also allows for an array of fresh local produce and ingredients, some of which include avocados, macadamia nuts, pineapples, mangoes, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, cherry tomatoes, watermelons, citrus and much more. In terms of outdoor recreation the Burnett River is lined with parks, while sting ray-free beaches litter the coast. From August through October Bundaberg is a great place to go whale-watching, while November through March brings Giant Turtles to Mon Repos Beach.

Bundaberg is a great starting point for visiting Fraser Island, as you can take the Bruce Highway south to Torbanlea and follow the sign to Hervey Bay. You can take a ferry to Fraser Island from River Heads, located just south of Hervey Bay. Bundaberg is part of the Fraser Island district, and essentially runs parallel to Fraser Island’s northern tip.

Airlie Beach may be two-horse small, but it's the main point of departure for many Whitsunday cruises so it's always got the lively feel of constant movement. In the day, the pace is laid back and mainly revolves around the town's artificial lagoon. This is a giant swimming pool (and we mean giant - more than the equivalent of six full-size pools) built by the council to give the town's inhabitants and visitors somewhere to swim when jellyfish season closes the beach.

The lagoon is surrounded by landscaped gardens and everything you'll need for a lazy day spent between the water and the picnic basket - BBQs, showers and toilets are all on tap. 

Brisbane is a city shaped by the river. It is a city of long walks in the summer dusk and riverside picnics on weekends. Bringing natural life to the urban scape, the Brisbane River is the site of many of Brisbane’s best attractions, events and everyday joys.

Popular activities on the Brisbane River include kayaking through the city at night, exploring the river on a CityCat, taking a dining river cruise or catching a local ferry to reach the opposite shore. Climbing the Kangaroo Point Cliffs on the river’s edge is a popular evening activity, and many residents and visitors alike enjoy climbing the famous Story Bridge, dining at South Bank by the water and relaxing with a drink at Eagle Street Pier.

You can also take a walk through the City Botanical Gardens that follow the northern river’s edge, see a live show at the famous Riverstage, look across the urban night from a Gallery of Modern Art ‘Up Late’ event, or read by the river from a peaceful seat on the State Library Queensland deck.

Seeing as they guarded Queensland’s coast for over 100 years, it only make sense that Townsville’s military be given a proper museum. Here at the Army Museum of North Queensland, visitors will learn of Japanese attack and fear of Russian invasion, and also hear of Australia’s involvement in Korea and Vietnam. Collections include cannons, guns, and artillery that stood at Kissing Point Fort—some of which has only been discovered during recent, exceptionally low tides. Take a walk through re-created tunnels that were used in World War I, and hear the tales of North Queensland soldiers who fought, and died, in battle. With interactive displays, visitors of all ages can tour the museum and be entertained for hours, and a network of walking paths up Kissing Point Fort lies just outside the museum. For visitors with an interest in history, the museum offers gripping, first-hand accounts of Queensland’s soldiers and battles, and since Townsville is closer to Papua New Guinea than it is to Melbourne or Sydney, it geographically has somewhat fended for itself over all these years. Since the museum is only open a few hours, be sure to arrive early and allow ample time to tour this fascinating spot.