Things to do in Queensland

Save time and money with this convenient 3-day admission pass to 3 of the Gold Coast's most popular theme parks. Zoom around on roller coasters at Movie World, admire marine life at Sea World, and prepare to be thrilled on a variety of extreme rides at Wet'n'Wild.  Located only a few minutes from central Surfers Paradise, Sea World features amazing aquatic animals, fun rides, and family-friendly shows. Enter the frozen tundra of the Penguin Encounter, see predators up close in Shark Bay, and meet tranquil critters in the dolphin nursery. At Movie World, experience the glamour of Hollywood as you hang out with your favorite superheroes and stars. Enjoy the Scooby-Doo Spooky Coaster, Harry Potter-themed sets, a Lethal Weapon ride, the Batwing Spaceshot, and the steepest inverted drop in the Southern Hemisphere on the Green Lantern Coaster. For families, enjoy music from the Looney Tunes crew among other entertainment. Wet'n'Wild hosts some of the most extreme and fun-packed rides on the continent. You may even recognize some of them from scenes filmed in The Inbetweeners 2 movie.   

Join a guided day trip to K'gari (Fraser Island) in a 4WD bus and visit highlights, such as Lake McKenzie, 75 Mile Beach, and the Maheno Shipwreck, with return ferry transfers included. Let your driver traverse the tracks and tides to ensure an enjoyable experience on the world’s largest sand island. Begin your adventure with pickup from your Hervey Bay accommodation, or make your own way to River Heads. Take a 40-minute ferry ride to K'gari, keeping a look out for dolphins, turtles, and other marine life. Once on the island, follow your local guide to see the stunning natural sights. If English is your second language, download the free foreign language app prior to the tour and use it offline for audio commentary. Learn fascinating facts about the island’s history, and its flora and fauna. Travel in an air-conditioned bus to Central Station, a former logging station. Then stroll along the Wanggoolba Creek boardwalk to discover the ancient king ferns, towering ghost gums, and pine trees. Continue to Lake McKenzie and swim in the crystal blue waters or relax on the sandy beaches. Next up is the Seventy-Five Mile Beach. Choose to take a flight over the island (at an additional cost), or float down Eli Creek. Visit the Maheno shipwreck and enjoy a photo stop at the rusting wreck of the Maheno. Also, see The Pinnacles colored sands, and learn how these formations were created. Board the 5:00 PM ferry back to River Heads, and get dropped off at your accommodation.

Experience the serenity of the Capricorn Caves for a full 90 minutes with a guide. Explore through some of the best hidden secret spots and step into stunning locations like the Deep Vault Cave and The Flowerpot. Learn of the geological forces that shaped these caverns and try to spot rare wildlife. Don your helmets and headlights and venture into the Capricorn Caves. Zig-zag through hidden passages and learn about the formation of the caves form you guide. Enter into the Deep Vault Cave, known for its cathedral-like ambience and backlit walls. Pass through a section of tree roots and growth, commonly known as the Flowerpot. Admire how life seems to merge and find its way through the coral-formed rock. As you go through, keep yours eyes peeled for a chance to see some rare and local wildlife.

On this full-day excursion, you’ll cruise the Great Sandy Strait along the pristine shores of Fraser Island (K'gari). Spot dolphins, turtles, dugongs, birds, and dingoes as you enjoy a light morning tea of tea, coffee, hot chocolate, slice, and biscuits. An amphibious watercraft will take you to the remote western side of World Heritage-listed Fraser Island (K'gari), driving right onto the beach to ensure you remain dry and comfortable. Enjoy the crystal clear waters of Wathumba Creek on a range of activities including snorkeling with turtles, kayaking, tubing, beach walks, or a sand dune climb. Following a delicious lunch served on the boat, the tour continues to Awinya or Bowarrady Creek. Enjoy the diverse natural surroundings and a variety of water activities. From mid-July to the end of October each year, be on the lookout for humpback whales and experience the thrill of getting up close and personal with these majestic creatures as they enjoy the calm clear waters off Fraser Island (K'gari). If conditions are ideal, guests will have the opportunity to experience a humpback whale immersion. The friendly and experienced staff will provide expert commentary throughout the tour as well as serving afternoon tea: antipasti platter including cheese, cabana, crackers, pickled onions, and dip. The tour concludes with a relaxing cruise back to the Hervey Bay Marina.

Climb aboard a Quicksilver catamaran for a full-day cruise to Australia’s renowned Agincourt Reef, a jewel-like ribbon reef on the edge of the Continental Shelf. Showcasing unsurpassed coral formations, colorful marine life and exceptional underwater visibility, you can snorkel or view the sights from the comfort of a semi-submersible. The Quicksilver's stylish wave-piercing catamaran transports you in air-conditioned comfort. From the spacious activity platform, moored in a protected lagoon, enjoy the widest range of activities for swimmers and non-swimmers alike. A friendly and attentive crew, including professional marine biologists, are on hand to ensure you gain the most from your day. Snorkel among the coral gardens, or stay dry and explore the reef from the comfort of a semi-submersible. Enjoy an informative reef commentary and see the reef from an underwater observatory. Add on exciting optional activities for a complete adventure. Get an introductory dive of the reef, or enjoy certified diving, helmet diving and marine biologist-guided snorkel tours. You can even take a scenic helicopter flight and fly over the reef to see it from another perspective.

Explore the village of Kuranda in a pristine World Heritage-listed rainforest. Be picked up from your hotel and travel to the train station. Take the Kuranda Scenic Railway and marvel at mountains on the way. Soar over waterfalls and over Barron Gorge on the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway. Explore the markets, shops, and walking trails, or take a river cruise (seasonal) for 2.5 hours. Discover the food stalls and cafés, or dine with the water dragons at Frog’s Restaurant famous for its sauces and dressings. Take the famous Skyrail down, spanning 7.5km over the rainforest canopy. Spot native wildlife, including the cassowary, the world's 3rd-largest flightless bird. Next, take the 2:00 PM Skyrail back to the bottom (Skyrail Smithfield station). Embark on a fascinating journey of discovery over and deep into the world’s oldest, continually-surviving tropical rainforest. The iconic Skyrail experience is a must-do Cairns attraction of Australia’s World-Heritage listed tropical rainforest, immersing you in one of the most botanically fascinating areas on earth. At the end of your Skyrail experience, be picked up again by bus at 3:30 PM to be brought back to the hotel.

Get up close and personal with Australia's native and exotic wildlife at Hartley's Crocodile Adventures, a wildlife sanctuary and ecotourism park located between Cairns and Port Douglas at Wangetti. Upon arrival at the park, you will be allocated a time for a boat tour during which you will be able to see crocodiles being pole fed. During your visit to the park, learn more about crocodiles and snakes with daily talks and shows, including a tour of the crocodile farm, a crocodile attack show, and a venomous snake demonstration. In between shows, feel free to explore the 2500 meters of boardwalks and pathways winding through melaleuca wetlands, eucalypt woodland, and riverine rainforest, enjoying a wide variety of native and exotic animals. No doubt after all the walking you'll be hungry for the range of snacks and meals available at the onsite bistro. After the shows, explore the wildlife exhibits at your own pace. See Komodo dragons, alligators, cassowaries, wombats, koalas, emus, lizards, quolls, kangaroos, and wallabies. In the Gallery of Living Art, meet tropical and predatory birds in a walk-through aviary, then enter the reptile room to admire exotic reptiles. Finish the day with a selfie with the koalas, crocs, or pythons for a memorable souvenir of your day out.

Rainbow Beach is a perfect spot for a beach holiday. It is ideally situated next to the world’s largest sand island. On a day trip to the world-famous K'gari, learn fascinating facts about its history, fauna, and flora.  Then stroll along the Wanggoolba Creek boardwalk to discover the ancient king ferns, towering ghost gums, and pine trees. Continue to Lake McKenzie and swim in the crystal blue waters or relax on the sandy beaches. On arrival at 75 Mile Beach, you can choose to take a flight over the island or float down Eli Creek and enjoy the crystal clear freshwater.  Visit the Maheno Shipwreck, and snap some photos of the rusting wreck. See The Pinnacles Coloured Sands in all their glory and learn how they were created. A lunch at K'gari Beach Resort provides an opportunity to stop at the general store gift shop.  At the end of your tour, head back to Rainbow Beach and your accommodations.

This tour departs from your Hervey Bay accommodation. You will depart the marina, and travel to Fraser Island, across the beautiful blue, clear water. Look out for Australian wildlife including dolphins, turtles, and whales on the way. Morning tea will be served on the journey over. Arrive at Fraser Island's western beach and/or Pelican Banks, depending on the season and weather. Beaches on the western side of Fraser Island are far more remote and untouched. Pelican Bank is a sandbank on the Great Sandy Strait which is utter perfection due to the clear water. Swim, kayak, fish, walk, play and explore this beautiful location. An Aussie BBQ lunch will be provided as you cruise back from Fraser Island. This includes locally-sourced ingredients such as quality rib fillet steaks, gourmet sausages, fresh Hervey Bay prawns, 3 delicious and nutritious salads, and bread. Cold drinks are available for purchase at the licensed affordable bar.

Embark on a day trip where the rainforest meets the reef. See natural sights including the Great Barrier Reef, experience a wildlife cruise, and participate in a smoke ceremony as you go. Start your adventure with a scenic coastal drive from Cairns to Port Douglas, the far north’s very own great ocean road with panoramic views of the sparkling Coral Sea. The first stop is Mossman Gorge, which is in the southern sector of the world-famous Daintree National Park. The gorge has been carved out by the cold mountain waters of the Mossman River, which winds through large granite boulders, bordered by lush green rainforest. It’s a magical place and you’ll be welcomed by the traditional owners, the Kuku Yalanji people, who will also cleanse you of evil spirits during a smoke ceremony. Also, enjoy a refreshing swim in the cascading waters. After crossing the mighty Daintree River and a lunch break, it’s time to explore the ancient rainforest environment on an interesting guided tour of the Marrdja Botanical Boardwalk. Highly trained guides will give expert rainforest interpretation, which will inform and impress. Be amazed at the huge diversity you will encounter, you will discover everything from low-lying ferns and shrubs, to the massive rainforest canopy and even mangrove ecosystems - all in one short easy walk. You can choose to taste locally made ice cream, at your own cost, and prepare for a photo opportunity at the Alexandra Range Lookout, which provides sweeping views over the Daintree River, its rainforest delta, and out to the Coral Sea. In the afternoon, experience a wildlife cruise on the river (if option selected). During the cruise, you may see a crocodile, while learning about the fragile ecosystem of this impressive serpent-like river system. On the return journey to Cairns, drive through Port Douglas, a picturesque beachside village with a laid-back vibe and loads of bars and cafes.