It's All Ozzy Mate!

Geography

Queensland is bordered to the north by the Torres Strait with Boigu Island off the coast of New Guinea representing the absolute northern extreme of the territory. The triangular Cape York Peninsula, which points toward New Guinea is the northernmost part of the state’s mainland. The western side of the peninsula is washed by the Gulf of Carpentaria, while its eastern side borders the Coral Sea, an arm of the Pacific Ocean. The eastern border is the Pacific Ocean. To the west, Queensland is bordered by the Northern Territory, at the 138°E longitude, and to the south-west by the north-eastern corner of South Australia.

In the south, there are three sections that comprise its border: the watershed from Point Danger to the Dumaresq River; the river section involving the Dumaresq, the MacIntyre and the Barwon; and 29°S latitude (including some minor historical encroachments below the 29th parallel) over to the South Australian border.

The state capital is Brisbane, located on the coast 100 kilometres (60 mi) by road north of the New South Wales border. The fifth-largest city by area in the world, Mount Isa, is located in Queensland. The city area is in excess of 40,000 square kilometres (15,400 sq mi). The state is divided into several officially recognised regions. Other smaller geographical regions of note include the Atherton Tablelands, the Granite Belt, and the Channel Country in the far south-west.

Queensland has many places of natural beauty, including: the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast having some of the state’s most popular beaches; the Bunya Mountains and the Great Dividing Range with numerous lookouts, waterfalls and picnic areas; Carnarvon Gorge; Whitsunday Islands and Hinchinbrook Island.

The state contains five World Heritage listed preservation areas: Australian Fossil Mammal Sites at Riversleigh in the Gulf Country, Central Eastern Rainforest Reserves, Fraser Island, Great Barrier Reef, and the Wet Tropics of Queensland.

Tourism

The Great Barrier Reef

Gold Coast City

Tourism is Queensland’s leading tertiary industry with millions of interstate and overseas visitors flocking to the Sunshine State each year. Queensland is a state of many contrasts that range from sunny tropical coastal areas, lush rainforests to dry inland areas.

The main tourist destinations of Queensland include:

• Brisbane
• Far North Queensland (Cairns, Port Douglas,The Daintree)
• Gold Coast
• Great Barrier Reef
• Hervey Bay/Fraser Island
• North Queensland (Townsville, Magnetic Island)
• North Stradbroke Island and South Stradbroke Island
• Sunshine Coast
• Whitsundays (Airlie Beach, Whitehaven Beach, Hamilton Island, Daydream Island)

The Gold Coast of Queensland is also sometimes referred to as “Australia’s Theme Park Capital”, with five major amusement parks:

• Dreamworld
• Movie World
• Sea World
• Wet ‘n’ Wild
• WhiteWater World

There are also wildlife parks in Queensland, including:

Gold Coast

• Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary at Currumbin
• David Fleay Wildlife Park at Burleigh Heads

Sunshine Coast

• UnderWater World at Mooloolaba
• Australia Zoo near Beerwah/Glass House Mountains

(home of Steve Irwin until his death on 4 September 2006)

Brisbane

• Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary at Fig Tree Pocket
• Brisbane Forest Park at The Gap

North of Brisbane

• Kumbartcho Wildlife Sanctuary (originally Bunya Park Wildlife Sanctuary)

Accommodation in Queensland caters for nearly 22% of the total expenditure, followed by restaurants/meals (15%), airfares (11%), fuel (11%) and shopping/gifts (11%).

(information and photos courtesy of Wikipedia)