Queensland, Australia: where is it, when to go and what to see

australia queensland whitsundays The Australian state of Queensland occupies most of the east coast and is nicknamed the Sunshine State because the sun almost always shines here.
In addition to the beautiful coral reef that stretches for over 2000 km, there are immense rainforests, some tropical islands, beautiful deserted beaches and you can enjoy some life in the bustling city of Brisbane.

Travel information: useful info

Inhabitants: 5.071 million
Capital: Brisbane
Languages: English
Local currency: Australian dollar AUD (€1.00=1.64 AUD)
Climate: subtropical, warm all year round. The seasons are divided into a dry period (winter) from June to October with temperatures between 10° and 27° and a rainy period (December to March), which is wetter and warmer with temperatures between 23° and 32°, and a warm period (April, May, October, November) with little rain and high temperatures between 24° and 32°. The water temperature is 23° in winter and 28° in summer.
Vaccinations: no vaccinations are required, although tetanus and hepatitis shots may be useful.
Entry requirements: a passport with a residual validity of 6 months and a 3 month tourist visa is required. For more info: how to apply for a visa to Australia
Distance from Italy: 14,820 km, 20-25 hours flight time

Location

It is the state that occupies the north-eastern part of Australia; bordered to the north by the Northern Territories, to the south-west by South Australia and to the south by New South Wales.
To the east, the coastline is lapped by the Coral Sea and the Pacific Ocean.
The main locations are Brisbane, Cairns, Townsville, Hervey Bay and Airlie Beach.

Getting there

From Milan or Rome: there are no direct flights from Italy to Brisbane, however some airlines operate one-stop flights. These include Singapore Airlines on the Rome/Milan-Brisbane route with a stopover in Singapore (21 hours), Emirates with a stopover in Dubai (23 hours) and Ethiad with a stopover in Abu Dhabi (22 hours 35 minutes).
Flights fromRome from €640.00 - Flights from Milan from €773.00
From major European capitals: there are no direct flights, all involve at least one stopover. From Paris, Amsterdam and London fly China Southern (stopover in Canton Bayun), Ethiad with a stopover in Abu Dhabi and Singapore Airlines (stopover in Singapore).
Compare flights to Queensland - from €687.00

When to go? Weather and best time info

Month	Average temperatures (min/max)	Rainfall (days/mm)
January	24/29°	13 days/160 mm
February	20/29°	15 days/170 mm
March	19/28°	13 days/140 mm
April	16/26°	12 days/90 mm
May	13/23°	11 days/80 mm
June	11/21°	9 days/70 mm
July	9/20°	7 days/60 mm
August	10/22°	7 days/40 mm
September	13/24°	8 days/30 mm
October	16/27°	10 days/90 mm
November	18/28°	13 days/90 mm
December	19/29°	13 days/120 mm

Climate: it is subtropical oceanic with mild, dry winters and hot, rainy summers. Compared to Italy, the seasons are reversed. Being a very large state, temperatures vary by a few degrees between locations in the north and south. During the autumn and winter months (December to May) there is plenty of rain but high temperatures (20/29° in Brisbane, 22/31° in Cairns), while in spring and winter the climate is dry with 9/20° in Brisbane and 11/27° in Cairns.
Best period: since it has a good climate it can be visited all year round, however to enjoy more the beauty of this region the best period is our summer, or rather their winter (May-October) because it does not rain and there is less risk of jellyfish in the sea.
Period to avoid: none in particular although you should know that from November to April the ocean is invaded by jellyfish. Therefore, you should always wear anti-jellyfish wetsuits when swimming.
Tips: pack swimming costumes, light, comfortable clothing, a sweatshirt, a windproof jacket, a heavier jacket (for winter evenings), sun cream with a high protection factor, mask and snorkel.

Which city to stay in?

brisbane notturna australia

Brisbane: the capital city, is ideal if you want to visit a cosmopolitan city with several museums, the beautiful Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary (where you can pick up Koalas) and want to take an excursion to the nearby Gold Coast.
Hervey Bay: this small town on the coast is nothing much, but it is the ideal location if you want to go on excursions to Fraser Island and spot numerous whales swimming a few kilometres from the shoreline.
Townsville: this is the starting point for a visit to Magnetic Island, a 56 square kilometre island that is very green and rich in wildlife where you can easily spot wallabies and koalas in the wild.
Airlie Beach: although it is nothing much, this town is the gateway to embark on catamarans and sailboats that will take you for a few days to discover the wonderful Whitsunday Island.
Cairns: in the north, it is a lively coastal town and a base for snorkelling excursions on the Great Barrier Reef and visiting Cape Tribulation.

10 things to see: beaches and places of interest

isola di whitsunday

Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, in Brisbane, is home to around 130 koalas, numerous kangaroos, flying foxes and many other Australian species.
The Great Barrier Reef, which stretches along the Queensland coastline, is the largest living organism in the world, visible even from space. We suggest snorkelling or diving between Cairns and Port Duglas (the best area) and flying over it in small scenic planes!
Discover the WhitsundaysIslands by boat for a few days to admire the many deserted white beaches, hiking trails and tropical forests, as well as the coral reefs that surround them - more about Whitsunday Islands
Fraser Island is the largest sand island in the world, stretching 120 km and characterised by dense forests, high sand dunes, long beaches, crystal clear lakes and colourful cliffs - more about Fraser Island
Cape Tribulation, part of the Daintree Rainforest north of Cairns, is the perfect place to get in touch with the wilderness.
Kuranda is an ideal day trip destination from Cairns; nestled within the forest, it can be reached by car, train or Australia's longest cable car, the Skyrail-rainforest Cableway.
Noosa is a location on the Sunshine Coast where you can enjoy crystal-clear, unspoilt beaches, rainforests and hike to admire the stunning views.
Mission Beach is the best place to go reef skydiving and spot the famous cassowaries, a species of ostrich that has found its preferred habitat here.
Cape York is Queensland's most northerly peninsula and is one of the wildest regions on the planet with vast savannahs, long palm-fringed beaches, tropical eucalypt forests and mangroves.
Boodjamulla National Park away from the coast, in the innermost northern part of Queensland, is the perfect place for those who want to venture into the outback and see deep sandstone gorges, streams and discover the Waanyi Aboriginal land.

What to do in Queensland: excursions and tours

How much does a Queensland holiday cost? Prices, deals and advice

reef snorkelling on the great barrier reef 1 Photo by User: (WT-shared) Queensland by wts wikivoyage. Queensland, like much of Australia, is quite an expensive state and prices are stable more or less all year round, although from June to September there is a 5% increase as it is high season.
Sleeping facilities are of different types and price, you can choose large chain hotels, simple motels or share rooms in hostels.
For eating, too, there is a wide range, from high-class restaurants to more modest fast-food outlets.
The average price for eating, however, is around 25.00/30.00 AUD (€15.00/€22.00).
To get around independently, the best way is to rent a car(international driving licence required) or you can take the night and day buses that connect the main locations.
Thesuggestion is to spend at least 10 days in Queensland to fully enjoy the many sights.