Australia’s sunshine state offers amazing discoveries for every age and stage.
Many destinations claim to have it all, but Queensland really does get a bit closer to this ideal when it comes to the sheer variety and breadth of experiences available. How many places can boast vibrant culinary experiences, great wine, fascinating art, luxury hotels, endless theme park fun for kids, romantic island escapes, and adventure tourism? Not to mention the world’s largest reef and one-million-year-old World Heritage-listed rainforest? It’s pretty impressive by any standard.
Whether you’re on a family holiday or looking to reconnect as a couple, far from the noise of your kids (or anyone else’s), there are endless options. Here are a few suggestions from the team at My Queensland, curators of perfectly packaged holidays to this varied region. After 15 years of travel experience sending more than 500,000 travellers on resort holidays and touring adventures, My Queensland can help you with handpicked holidays with every detail taken care of – whether you’re travelling in a whānau group or as a romantic twosome.
Port Douglas There are endless possibilities for families in Port Douglas. Learn about the wildlife – lizards, koalas, kangaroos and more – at Wildlife Habitat Eco Sanctuary. You can also poke around in quirky beach town shops, wander the vast sands, take a snorkelling trip to the reef, and eat great food (fabulous tapas at Seabean, craft brews and casual kai at Hemingway’s and so much more). Silkari Lagoons is a great base to stay, and you can get packages with plenty of inclusions for various family activities, including Breakfast with the Birds at Wildlife Habitat and an Outer Great Barrier Reef Cruise.
If you’re sans enfants, while away evenings over cocktails and dinner by the marina as you watch the sun set; spend a day on a luxury yacht, snorkelling and exploring sand cays on the reef; take long walks while you drink in the scenery, lounge by the pool at your accommodation, get a couple’s massage or just read books in exquisite perfect silence. When you’ve had enough relaxation, there’s plenty to get you moving, too. Cycling, hiking, rafting, and golfing options are all close by if you can bear to leave your bliss bubble.
Cairns
Cairns is the ideal gateway to Tropical North Queensland, the Great Barrier Reef and all its delights. There’s plenty of family-friendly accommodation and beaches to explore – and if you’re looking for adventure, there’s canyoning, jetboating, snorkelling and so many other fun activities close by.
If you’re going without children, Crystalbrook Flynn in Cairns is an eco-conscious, luxury tropical escape that’s ideal for a couple’s break. Check out My Queensland for perfectly packaged holidays that include wine, dine and spa credits, as well as bonus dining experiences and guaranteed late checkout. When you’re not soaking up the sun in your lounger, grab your snorkel and togs and head out on a trip to Green Island, a fascinating 6000-year-old coral cay located in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. There are also day tours of the outer reef and in the evenings, you can stroll down to the waterfront and take your pick of Cairns’ outstanding eateries with serene sea views. While plenty have gorgeous interiors and high-end food, it’s also worth checking out the iconic Prawn Star boats, where you can feast on fresh, largely unadorned seafood in the floating restaurant.
Cairns is the perfect base for a world of different day trips – rainforest, gorges, beaches, quirky small towns are only a short drive away.
The Daintree
The Daintree is one of the oldest rainforests in the world – millions of years older than the Amazon –and this is the only place in the world where two world heritage sites sit side by side (the Daintree rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef). You can explore the sea as easily as you can explore the lush green jungle, which means every day brings a different type of adventure. Kids and couples alike will love ziplining with Treetop Adventures or taking night walks in the rainforest to observe fascinating creatures and insects; the Daintree is home to 663 species of animal, 230 butterfly species and more than 2800 different types of plants – most of which are not found anywhere else. You might even be lucky enough to spot a cassowary!
The Daintree extends right down to the beach at Cape Tribulation, an easy step-off point for exploring the Great Barrier Reef and its colourful coral splendour. Snorkel with turtles, schools of brightly coloured fish in a whole other world that feels like a real-life aquarium. It’s the perfect destination for couples wanting to escape the stresses of everyday life. Take a guided walk, have dinner right in the heart of the rainforest, and cosy up at night in accommodation with nothing but ancient vines and fauna around you and then explore the wild blue reef the very next day. It’s impossible to feel stressed in an environment like this. Mother Nature truly has control.
Gold Coast
The Gold Coast has always been a favourite for Kiwi families and My Queensland has packages that include accommodation and entry to perennial favourites, including four nights at Sea World Resort Gold Coast, including unlimited entry to Warner Bros, Movie World, Sea World, Wet’n’Wild, and Paradise Country. Hit up the shops, take in 360-degree views from SkyPoint Observation Deck, eat at local surf clubs, and check out markets and art galleries (HOTA has a dedicated children’s gallery) and enjoy the warmer temperatures.
Broadbeach has plenty of beautiful accommodation with activities to suit couples. While you can take things slow and meander around shops, cafes, and markets (and you should), it’s only 45 minutes from the Gold Coast to locations like Mt Tamborine where you can experience spectacular views and ancient rainforests, and even glow worms! Gallery Walk in Tamborine Mountain is also home to arts, crafts, artisan producers, a winery showcasing fantastic Queensland wines as well as Australia’s most awarded distillery.
The Whitsundays
The Whitsundays need no introduction, and while these gorgeous islands off the Queensland coast are the perfect getaway for couples looking for secluded romance, the white sand, turquoise water beaches of your dreams are also perfect for getting your children to forget their obsession with screens and devices for a while.
A My Queensland package at Daydream Island Resort and Living Reef includes return flights between Brisbane and Hamilton Island, plus return ferry transfers. Enjoy five nights in a guaranteed double-upgraded superior poolside room, plus kids get to stay and eat free as a bonus. You’ll receive wine and dine credits, two complimentary kids’ club sessions, plus discounts on island and Living Reef experiences, as well as complimentary use of non-motorised water sports equipment.
So, whether you are looking for an adrenaline rush, poolside lounging, rainforest exploration or a more urban escape, there’s a package that will work from the My Queensland team. Choose your vibe, your pace, your type of activities and let the experts help you sort out the rest. With handpicked inclusions and so many bonus activities for children, you’re guaranteed an amazing time designed by people who know the destination inside out.
Queensland is the ideal blend of stimulation and relaxation, meaning it’s not one of those destinations where you need another holiday after your holiday because you’ve run around ticking things off an enormous ‘must-do’ list. You can go from pool, beach and lounger to action and adventure and back again according to what suits you that day. Queensland is also the perfect destination for couples, whether you’re newly loved up or have been together for decades.
My Queensland can help you find your ideal break, no matter what budget or requirements you have for a good time. There are few destinations that can cater to such a wide spectrum of interests – from nature to city, luxury to rustic, busy and buzzy to remote and isolated. Queensland really does have it all – the only hard part is deciding what you want to do from so many options. With handpicked inclusions and so many bonus activities for children, you’re guaranteed an amazing time, designed by people who know the destination best.
Go to My Queensland - myqueensland.co.nz for perfectly packaged holidays.