Adventure and relaxation, combined?
Queensland is your go-to destination
Searching for your perfect holiday destination that combines a little bit of adventure with the opportunity to slow it down and tune into your senses? Look no further because Queensland offers the best of both worlds. We’re talking world-class dining to tantalise any foodie’s tastebuds, art and culture that will lift the heart and enlighten the mind, lesser-known natural gems waiting to be uncovered and hidden retreats that will rejuvenate the soul. Whether it’s your first time or you’re a repeat visitor, there’s a raft of new and exciting experiences to discover when you land in Queensland.
Not to mention, a trip to Queensland is super easy thanks to Air New Zealand’s direct flights. Brisbane and the Gold Coast both have frequent direct flights throughout the year and the airline offers seasonal non-stop flights to the Sunshine Coast between June and October and direct flights to Cairns from April to October.
Whether you’re looking for new reasons to explore familiar surroundings, or you’re keen to unearth hidden gems beyond the beach, there’s plenty to surprise you in Queensland.
Brisbane
Brisbane not only boasts a vibrant and enviable outdoor lifestyle, but at the city’s beating heart is the cultural, dining and entertainment scene that has really turned up the volume in recent years. Enjoy a tipple at Felons Brewing Co, just one of many river-front bar and dining options at Howard Smith Wharves with views of the Brisbane River and Story Bridge. Feeling peckish? Take a short stroll along the boardwalk from the brewery, where you’ll discover authentic Cantonese flavours at Stanley, or the vibrance of Yoko Dining, a Japanese restaurant brimming with pop counter-culture. Fortitude Valley is another central neighbourhood that has really stepped it up a notch when it comes to elevated dining options. Honto is a lot of Japan and a little bit of Australia with each bite. Head Chef Jake Smith has designed a menu made to be mixed and matched with your dining companions. Must-trys include a raw dish featuring coral trout, sweet ginger, horseradish, avocado, and nori, and sushi with braised shiitake, smoked daikon and asparagus. Essa offers an escape from the expected, with an environmentally conscious approach to the menu in collaboration with local farmers and producers. City Winery serves up an urban winery experience in the heart of Brisbane where visitors can try their hand at blending their own bottle.
If you haven’t spent much time in the city before, a free walking tour with Brisbane Greeters is a great way to get to set your internal compass. Greeters are passionate volunteers bursting with local insights and knowledge of the city’s rich history. Curious to understand more about Indigenous art and culture? Pop in to Birrunga Gallery and Dining - the only Indigenous-owned gallery and cafe in Brisbane’s CBD. Imagine a cafe by day featuring modern Australian cuisine with a native twist, blended with a gallery displaying contemporary Indigenous art.
City Winery offers an urban winery experience in the heart of Brisbane.
City Winery offers an urban winery experience in the heart of Brisbane.
Sunshine Coast
With more than 100km of pristine coastline, there are plenty of places to feel the sand between your toes on the Sunshine Coast. One bay that flies under the radar of many visitors to this popular beach destination is Rainbow Beach. Just under two hours from Noosa, this coastal hub is a hidden gem. With pristine beaches and rainbow-hued sea cliffs the destination recently ranked third in Tourism Australia’s Best beaches list for 2023. Rainbow Beach is an outdoor adventurer's dream as the starting point for the Great Beach Drive 4WD route, a main entrance to Cooloola National Park and the southern gateway to World Heritage listed K’gari (Fraser Island). South of Rainbow Beach, holiday favourite Noosa offers stunning views from beachfront restaurants like Bistro C, where it pays to book ahead. For more relaxed beachfront dining Noosa Surf Club has a prime position overlooking Main Beach and serves up fresh seafood. Another must-visit is Sum Yung Guys, of which one of the owners is ex-MasterChef contestant Matt Sinclair who is known for his bold Asian flavours. Head to the hinterland and sip on a Eu-Bundy lager, a unique Eumundi Brewery brew blending Ginger and Bundaberg Spiced Rum, or wander through the Original Eumundi Markets - the largest artisan market in Australia, held every Wednesday and Saturday.
Connect with nature and your special someone on a romantic escape at Starry Nights, a glamping experience set against the lush greenery of the Sunshine Coast hinterland. Combine a luxury stay with epic hiking at Narrows Escape rainforest retreat, on the edge of Kondalilla National Park. Alternatively, kick back and take in the unrivalled valley views at The Ridge at Maleny, a hideaway nestled in the sprawling hills of Jinibara country, less than an hour's drive from Mooloolaba.
Narrows Escape is a luxury rainforest retreat.
Narrows Escape is a luxury rainforest retreat.
Gold Coast
The Gold Coast’s sprawling sandy beaches and thrilling theme parks are firm favourites, but did you know there’s a bucket-load of enchanting experiences to uncover just a short jaunt into the hinterland range? Mount Tamborine is approximately 45 minutes’ drive from the Gold Coast’s beaches, but it feels a world away. Think lush, subtropical rainforest, jaw-dropping views across the valley and coastline, paired with a quaint village atmosphere. Explore Australia's unique flora and fauna amongst the forest canopy on the Tamborine Rainforest Skywalk or savour a tipple or two at Tamborine Mountain Distillery - Australia’s most-awarded boutique distillery set within a large English Tudor-style property. Alternatively, let the experts show you around on a Kiff and Culture tour to Tamborine Mountain to discover the best wineries, distillers, and gastronomy.
Though some may be familiar with the surf break and world-renowned wildlife sanctuary at Currumbin, take a short drive west of this beachside suburb and discover the hidden pocket of Currumbin Valley, loved by locals for its invigorating and grounded vibe. First stop, Ground at Currumbin. This wholesome precinct is home to Pasture & Co, a café that treats and nourishes the taste buds with locally sourced produce and recharge at hydrotherapy centre, The Bathhouse, taking a moment to revitalise the body, relax the mind and nourish the soul.
The Gold Coast’s sprawling sandy beaches and thrilling theme parks are firm favourites, but there’s also a bucket-load of enchanting experiences to uncover.
The Gold Coast’s sprawling sandy beaches and thrilling theme parks are firm favourites, but there’s also a bucket-load of enchanting experiences to uncover.
Cairns
Do you identify as an active relaxer when it comes to your holiday? Then Cairns and Great Barrier Reef might just be the destination for you. Reef Magic is the newest pontoon to welcome guests to the Great Barrier Reef, offering marine biologist guided snorkel safaris, helmet diving, semi-submarine and glass bottom boat tours, an underwater observatory, and the opportunity to learn how to scuba dive. The pontoon is also home to a dedicated scientific lab where marine biologists conduct vital Reef research and share their knowledge and findings with guests. Covering 1200 sqm in Queensland's tropical north between Mossman Gorge and the Bloomfield River, the UNESCO World Heritage Listed Daintree Rainforest is humming with wildlife, so much so that it was once described by David Attenborough as “the most extraordinary place on Earth”. Stroke and float through the Daintree Rainforest on a stand-up paddleboard river tour, looking up to the lush canopy and taking in the tranquil surroundings, teeming with life on this low-impact but energising adventure.
Switch gears in the crystal clear water of the Mossman River and walk through more than 50,000 years of culture and history, side by side with a Kuku Yalanji guide at the Mossman Gorge Cultural Centre, where you will gain an insightful understanding of the significance of the rainforest to the Indigenous People. Only 90 minutes’ drive from Cairns lies the Atherton Tablelands. Be transported to a world of rolling hillside, with a spectacular self-drive waterfall circuit and a foodie paradise with farm stores, wineries, distilleries and breweries, markets, artesian purveyors, and cafes.
Take a dip in the crystal clear water of the Mossman River.
Take a dip in the crystal clear water of the Mossman River.
Birrunga Gallery and Dining in Brisbane's CBD.
Birriunga Gallery and Dining in Brisbane's CBD.
Howard Smith Wharves offers views of the Brisbane River and Story Bridge.
Howard Smith Wharves offers views of the Brisbane River and Story Bridge.
K'gari (Fraser Island) is a World Heritage listed island.
K'gari (Fraser Island) is a World Heritage listed island.
Reef Magic is the newest pontoon to welcome guests to the Great Barrier Reef.
Reef Magic is the newest pontoon to welcome guests to the Great Barrier Reef.
Eumundi Markets is the largest artisan market in Australia.
Eumundi Markets is the largest artisan market in Australia.
Narrows Escape is a luxury rainforest retreat.
Narrows Escape is a luxury rainforest retreat.
Join a tour through the spectacular Daintree Rainforest.
Join a tour through the spectacular Daintree Rainforest.
Queensland is calling
Be in to win one of five distinctly different Queensland holidays, which promise an unbelievable adventure that you’ve probably never experienced before. Join Queensland’s call list for your chance to say hello to somewhere different at queensland.com
Look beyond what you know and explore somewhere new at queensland.com
Air New Zealand flies non-stop from Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch to Brisbane with a flight time of 4 hours and also operates non-stop flights to the Gold Coast from Auckland and Christchurch year-round – the flight time is also under 4 hours.
The airline also flies non-stop from Auckland to the Sunshine Coast (Maroochydore) seasonally between June and October with a flight time of 4 hours and non-stop from Auckland to Cairns between April and October in 5 hours, 40 minutes.
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