Australian Natural Adventures

Custom Australia, New Zealand & Pacific tours and travel

Southern Queensland

While not as popular with international visitors as the Far North, southern Queensland is Australia’s premier domestic holiday destination, due to warm weather and spectacular beaches. But there’s more to the region than straight hedonism. Lamington National Park, southwest of Brisbane, is an area of upland temperate rainforest and open eucalyptus forest, and is rich in fauna and flora. Two of Australia’s original ecolodges, including our favorite, O'Reilly's, is here, and both offer superb nature tour experiences, or just a peaceful stay in a beautiful, untouched environment. Further west is rich farming country, and several of the farms and stations (Australian for ranch) offer accommodation and a chance to be involved in the working of the property.

The Great Barrier Reef ends around Gladstone, the northern limit of Southern Queensland. Several islands, including Lady Elliott and Heron Island, enable visitors to stay right on the reef. The northern wet season has little effect here, and so the reef, and the region generally, can be visited easily all year round.

Steve Irwin's Australia Zoo is located near Beerwah, once a tiny rural village but now virtually engulfed by the booming North Coast. By visiting the Zoo not only do you have a grat time and see some wonderful animals, but you support Steve, Bindi and Terri's wonderful efforts to conserve wildlife around the world. Back in the early seventies Australian Natural Adventure's president, Andrew Haffenden, lived near there, and enjoyed trips looking for reptiles with Steve's Dad, Bob. At the time Steve was only small (and yes,in shorts of course), but as interested in animals as he appeared on television. Thanks, Steve for all you've done.

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