I wish they were here, too. It's fun on my own, but the Gold Coast is always a great destination with family or friends.

Just after we rolled back the clocks and settled again into the dark evenings and, in my opinion, the depressing half of the year, I amused myself with one of those silly online quizzes.

If you like sea turtles and snorkelling, islands and adventures, and sipping a gin and tonic as the water laps gently around you then bareboating in the Whitsundays could be for you.

Fitzroy Island is a cliche of a tropical paradise - pretty as a postcard. First impressions are of lofty palm trees, golden-tan sand and a blue, blue sea.

A short drive from the city lies Brisbane's Scenic Rim region where you'll find national parks, local wineries and quaint country towns.

There are swathes of blackened trunks and spindly ghosts of trees, killed when the sap boiled from the heat of bushfires.

Tackling the Great Beach Drive proves easier than expected, finds Andrew Louis.

Baxter Aldworth rides the Roadrunner Rollecoaster at Movie World on the Gold Coast.

Just like Auckland in 2011, as we swung into Rugby World Cup mode, Brisbane has undergone a rejuvenation and had an injection of coolness

It's easy to find yourself smiling at a baby saltwater crocodile, discovers Caris Bizzaca, from well behind the fence.

Each week, expat Kiwis tell us what they most love about living by Queensland's beaches. Today we hear from Kirsten Wise Boutique Voyage & Cruise Specialist from Cruise Traveller.

Each week, expat Kiwis tell us what they most love about living by Queensland's beaches. Today we hear from Sunshine Coast Tourism and Events Queensland director Lynne Banford.

From top-notch dining spots to boat tours, the Gold Coast keeps Ellie Mitchell busy.

The Gold Coast offers plenty of adventures for family members of all ages, writes Donna McIntyre.

Herald Cartoonist Rod Emmerson takes a tour over his old stomping grounds in Central Queensland and finds himself smiling at crocodiles.

Tim Roxborogh spins his wheels on a picturesque Queensland retreat.

Moreton Island's many activities include four wheel tours, quad biking, snorkelling the wrecks, segway tours, parasailing, bay boating tours, helicopter flights - and wild dolphin feeding.