Currumbin 20080717_0947 by Michael Dawes via Flickr Creative Commons

Travelers will be able to stay busy for weeks in Queensland if you have plenty of money to throw around. The state is home to a long list of natural attractions like the beaches, coral reefs, and dense rainforests. The Gold Coast is home to plenty of things for families like exciting theme parks and amusement parks which are packed with thrill-seekers every day of the week, especially during the peak months of December and January.

Traveling north along the Queensland coast, visitors will come to the Great Barrier Reef. This World Heritage site is Australia’s best underwater holiday. Miles and miles of reefs and islands make coral sightseeing a beautiful part of the Queensland experience.

Queensland and the Gold Coast in particular, are home to a number of amusement parks, so visitors will have to spend several days exploring. Theme parks like Dreamworld, Sea World, Movie World and Wet’n’Wild are great for kids, while the Australia Zoo on the Sunshine Coast and Underwater World are fun for the whole family. Find package deals to Queensland’s best theme parks through Experience Oz.

Queensland is famous for its beaches, which can be toured with Responsible Travel. The Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast are home to the major surf breaks, but all along the coast are gorgeous strips of sand. The further north you get, the more calm mangrove beaches and golden sand can be found as the Great Barrier Reef guards the shore from larger waves.

With dozens of rainforests, bushwalking has become a popular pastime for locals and visitors to Queensland. From the Daintree in the far north, to the southern temperate forests of Lamington National Park, Queensland has a slew of forest treks with hundreds of miles of paths. Discovery Ecotours offer great guided journeys to Queensland’s national parks.

With mile after mile of reef to explore, it’s not surprising that Queensland is the center of Australia’s snorkeling/scuba diving community. Cairns is at the heart of the region, so most tourists charter boats here to the outer islands, where secluded dive trips and snorkeling adventures take place. Great Adventures and Reef Trips are two reliable operators that know the Great Barrier Reef like the back of their hand.

The southern region of Queensland is home to some of the world’s best surf breaks. Beaches like Kirra and Duranbah on the Gold Coast regularly host the world tour and see the pros play in their waves. If you’re looking to learn, there are dozens of beaches for beginners on both the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast. Ask Surfing Queensland to book you a class at a great surf school.

The world famous golfer, Greg Norman, is a testament to the great golfing culture that Queensland radiates. There are courses all over the state, some of which are world-class links that host tournaments on a regular basis. Coolum’s Hyatt Regency Golf Course, and the Gold Coast’s Royal Pines Resort Golf Course are two of the best in the area. Golf Adventures can help organize a package for enthusiasts.

Rural Queensland is a popular part of the tourism industry these days as a way to experience lives past. Farm stays are growing in popularity, and there are a variety of options to spend several days on a real outback cattle ranch, or enjoy the rolling hills of the coastal hinterland dairy farms. Accommodations are available through Experience Oz.

Click here for Attractions in Queensland