QUEENSLAND, REIMAGINED

You may have been here before, but not like this. Queensland has reinvented the getaway.

You might think you know Queensland… those golden beaches, rainforest canopies and long warm evenings that seem to stretch forever. But look again. Across the region, something new is stirring. From reef to river city, island to hinterland, familiar favourites are being reimagined, inviting you to see, taste and feel Queensland in a whole new light.

The Reimagined Holiday Feeling

There’s a particular rhythm that defines a Queensland escape. It’s the sun on your shoulders, the soft sound of the sea, that easy sense of belonging that makes every day feel like Saturday. It’s the home of “that holiday feeling”, and lately it’s found new ways to surprise. Each region moves to its own beat: reef dives before breakfast, lazy market strolls at noon, rooftop cocktails after dark.

What’s constant is how Queensland connects you… to nature, to loved ones, to life at its most vivid. Whether it’s your first trip or your fifth, this is a state that keeps evolving, blending creativity, cuisine and calm into a holiday vibe that’ll keep you coming back.

Effortless Gold Coast Energy

Once the classic Kiwi playground, the Gold Coast has grown up without losing its golden glow. From the Southern Gold Coast, where Burleigh Heads buzzes with a new kind of sophistication, sunrise brings surfers carving through molten light and locals queuing at Custard Canteen or Tarte Bakery and Cafe before a swim. Boutique stores line James Street, and sunset draws everyone back to the water for dinner at Rick Shores or The Tropic.

Across the Coast, the relaxed-luxury vibe extends to its hotels and resorts. The Langham offers seaside elegance with standout pools and sleek design, while QT brings playful, design-led energy. In Burleigh Heads, the Mondrian is the newest luxury stay, folding coastal style into a modern, resort-like experience.

WHAT'S ON:

Blues on Broadbeach
Four days of live blues, roots and soul. Alongside ticketed events, there are free performances spread across Broadbeach streets, parks and venues. 14–17 May.

Pacific Airshow
High-speed aerial performances and precision flying unfold over the Gold Coast skyline in a spectacular coastal setting. 14–16 August.

Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500
Street racing returns to Surfers Paradise as Supercars tear through one of the most iconic circuits on the calendar. 24-26 October.

DISCOVER THE GOLD COAST

Tallebudgera Creek, Burleigh Heads

Discover the Brisbane Vibe

No longer just a stopover, Brisbane has blossomed into Australia’s subtropical capital of style… a city alive with creative rhythm and riverfront glow.

Start at Howard Smith Wharves under Story Bridge, where craft beer and open-air restaurants hum with evening laughter. Wander through the designer precincts of James Street in Fortitude Valley, or slip into the lively parklands of South Bank, with kids playing, open-air dining and busy boardwalks. Queen’s Wharf, the city’s new $3.6 billion riverside precinct, lifts the skyline with premium accommodation, open-air pool decks, Sky Deck’s panoramic dining, and destination venues like Black Hide Steak & Seafood and Sokyo. Brisbane proves you can enjoy a summer-city vibe all year long.

WHAT'S ON

NRL Magic Round
Three days. Eight games. One city. Rugby league takes over Brisbane as fans descend for a full weekend of footy. Extend the experience with Women’s State of Origin Game Two on 14 May. 15–17 May.

Men’s State of Origin Game Three
One night. One stadium. One of Australia’s fiercest sporting rivalries, played out in front of a passionate Brisbane crowd. Feel the energy on Caxton Street before and after the game on 8 July.

Brisbane Festival
A city-wide celebration of music, theatre and art, culminating in Riverfire’s signature fireworks over the Brisbane River. 4–26 September.

Rugby League World Cup Final
The world’s best women's and men's teams come together for the biggest matches on the international rugby league calendar. 15 November.

EXPLORE BRISBANE

Queen's Wharf

From Beach to Brew Trail on the Sunshine Coast

Where the surf meets the hinterland, mornings taste of salt and afternoons of hops and honey. Wake early for a dip at Mooloolaba or a walk along Noosa’s coastal trail and national park, then head to the lush hinterland on scenic roads through rainforest hills to Maleny and Montville.

Here, growers, brewers and chefs have turned the Sunshine Coast into Queensland’s hidden foodie haven. Sip a cold one at Brouhaha Brewery in Maleny, settle into a long lunch at The Long Apron in Montville, and then explore further afield to The Woodshed Restaurant in Kin Kin where the menu celebrates local growers and seasonal flavours, or the vibrant Eumundi Markets. It’s a region where coast and country meet in one effortless breath.

WHAT'S ON:

Noosa Food & Wine Festival
Celebrity chefs, beachside venues and long lunches come together for one of Australia’s most loved food festivals. 11–14 June.

The Curated Plate
A Sunshine Coast celebration of local produce, seasonal menus and immersive paddock-to-plate dining experiences. 24 July–2 August.

Ironman 70.3 Sunshine Coast
Whether it's your first time taking on the distance or you're chasing down a PB - Sunny Coast is the place to race. 13 September.

PLAN YOUR SUNSHINE COAST ESCAPE

Mooloolaba Surf Club, Sunshine Coast

Where Reef Meets Rainforest in Tropical North Queensland

Tropical North Queensland feels alive in every sense… rainforest mist rising as the reef sparkles offshore. In Cairns, lean into adventure: explore the waterfall circuit, wander rainforest trails, ride the Skyrail, or head offshore for a reef day trip to Fitzroy or Frankland Island.

Further north, Palm Cove blends barefoot ease with day-spa indulgence, while Port Douglas offers poolside calm with the reef and rainforest on its doorstep. Meet marine life on a snorkelling trip, drift through the ancient Daintree Rainforest, or take a scenic flight over the Great Barrier Reef as the sun melts into the sea. Here, no two visits are ever the same – and that’s the point.

WHAT'S ON:

Taste Port Douglas
Four days of tropical flavours, long lunches and local produce, framed by rainforest, reef and warm winter weather. 6–9 August.

EXPERIENCE TROPICAL NORTH QUEENSLAND

Palm Cove

Barefoot Paradise in the Whitsundays

In this stunning part of Queensland, an incredible experience starts the minute you step off the plane.

Here lies a necklace of 74 islands adrift in turquoise water. On Hamilton Island, time slows to a golf-buggy pace. Spend the day exploring Catseye Beach or sailing across luminous shallows to Whitehaven Beach and Heart Reef.

Hayman Island is a true luxury escape, with palm-lined pools, blue-water horizons, exceptional dining and day trips to Whitehaven Beach or the Great Barrier Reef. Back on the mainland, Airlie Beach hums with easy charm — the perfect spot for sundowners before another day on the water.

Whether you’re sailing, snorkelling or simply switching off, paradise has never felt this easy.

WHAT'S ON:

Hamilton Island Race Week
Competitive sailing by day, island social events by night, set against the turquoise waters of the Whitsundays. 15-22 August.

UNCOVER THE WHITSUNDAYS

Hamilton Island

Queensland Beyond: Hidden Roads and Turtle Magic

Beyond the icons, a quieter Queensland waits; a place of breath-taking road-trips, wildlife and wonder. Stretching from Gold Coast to Cairns, the iconic Pacific Coast Way allows you to discover the charm of coastal Queensland with easy access to the islands of the Great Barrier Reef.

Iconic coastal towns, island-hopping adventures and stretches of lush rainforest rich with marine and wildlife are all regional showstoppers. Whale sightings dot the coastline, with Hervey Bay — the world’s first Whale Heritage Site — offering the best viewing from July to November, while nearby K'gari (Fraser Island) delivers wild beaches, freshwater lakes and ancient rainforest growing straight from the dunes.

In Bundaberg, watch baby turtles scurry to the sea at Mon Repos from January to March. Visit eco-islands like Lady Musgrave, Lady Elliot or Heron Island for reef experiences that renew the soul. Further north, Airlie Beach and Townsville open the door to island-hopping in the Whitsundays, reef encounters and the tropical coastline of North Queensland. It’s the Queensland you didn’t know you needed … the one that begins where the brochure ends .

EXPLORE MORE QUEENSLAND REGIONS