Queensland's east is very much an idilyic tropical paradise. Lush rainforest stretches along almost the whole of Queensland's east coast. In the north the Great Barrier Reef is enormously popular. Scuba diving schools and snorkeeling trips can be arranged from Cairns to Gladstone. The reef is best in the north and Cairns has developed into a major tourist destination with many other adventure tour and adventure sports operators. 

The most islands are in the Whitsunday group off Airlie Beach. Many of the islands have resorts and Airlie Beach itself has developed into a ferry and diving school centre. Costs are cheaper staying on the mainland. 

Further south again, off Rockhampton, is Great Keppel Island which is orientated for young people. Many of the other resorts are exclusive and very expensive. 

Fraser Island, off Hervey Bay, though not near the reef is the world's largest sand island. It is an almost unspoilt wilderness and an exciting trip to tackle in a four wheel drive vehicle or tour. 

The  Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast in the far south are lined with surf beaches. The Gold Coast is much more developed with a jungle of multi-storey apartments and hotels at Surfers Paradise and a multitude of nightclubs and bars. It also feature theme parks with exilarating rides, many guaranteed to get you wet. On the Sunshine Coast, Noosa Heads is very pleasant and sophisticated. 

Brisbane with a population of one million is the capital of Queensland. 

Once you travel inland the landscape quickly becomes very dry, sparsely populated, and in the west arid. The road to the Nothern Teritory runs west from Townsville and through the isolated mining town of Mount Isa. 

To reach Sydney travel south from the Gold Coast along the New South Wales north coast, through towns such as Byron Bay.

Cairns district 

Hervey Bay and Fraser Island 

Sunshine Coast