You’re planning a trip to Queensland and don’t know where to start? Well, look no further! In this ULTIMATE Queensland travel guide you’ll find everything you need to know for a trip along the East Coast of Australia! From where to go, to where to stay and what to pack… and so much more!
Quick facts
Queensland is a state located in north-eastern Australia. It’s the second largest and third most populous state in Australia. The largest city and the state capital is Brisbane.
Life in Queensland is mainly cantered around the coastal areas. Since the nature is what makes Queensland worth a visit, the coastal area is where you will also be spending the most of your time. The largest city and the state capital is Brisbane.
Due to its size, Queensland’s geographical features and climates are diverse, including tropical rainforests, rivers, coral reefs, mountain ranges and sandy beaches in its tropical and sub-tropical coastal regions.
Entry & visa requirements
Unless you hold an Australian passport, you will need to get some sort of visa to enter the country in general. Depending on how long you want to stay and what your main purpose for visiting is, there are different types of visas you can apply for. Check out your options on the official webpage here.
Once you have your visa for entering Australia, there are no additional requirements for the state of Queensland 🙂
Climate
Queensland is also called the sunshine state! I think that already tells you a lot about the climate.
However, Queensland is also located between the latitudes of 10° and 29° S, which means that it experiences tropical and subtropical climatic conditions, especially around the coastal regions. Thanks to the warm ocean waters, the coastal areas have mild temperatures all year round.
In Far North Queensland (e.g. around Cairns), you can expect hot and humid summers and warm and humid winters. It’s basically summer weather all year round!
In central, coastal Queensland summers are also hot and humid, but winters are not as humid as the Far North, but still very warm!
In South Queensland (around Brisbane), summers are hot and humid, but winters are quite mild. You will need a light jacket here in the winter months, but still far from a true winter like I’m used to in Switzerland!
Best time to visit
As I’ve mentioned before, the weather is mostly hot/warm and humid all year round along the coast. However, if you have the choice, it is best to avoid the monsoon season between November and April. The rest of the year tends to be a little less humid and a little less rainy, which might make your stay more enjoyable.
Another thing to consider is the stinger season, which largely overlaps with the monsoon season anyway. In Northern Queensland there are two dangerous species of jellyfish, called “stingers” in Australia. Specifically, this is the Box Jellyfish and the Irukandji. Both species are mainly present from November to April. During this time, it is not advisable to go swimming without a special suit for protection.
If you want to be more relaxed in the Queensland waters, try to avoid visiting the area during this time of year!
Should you travel from North to South or vice-vera?
I would say it doesn’t really matter that much which direction you choose. However, there are some things I could tell you that might help you make a personal decision based on what you value the most.
One thing I heard why people choose to travel from South to North rather than the other way around is that Far North Queensland is a lot more tropical, and hence “paradise like”. If you travel upwards, you will end your trip in the tropical climate, which might be a nice last impression to have before returning home. Depending on the season, you will experience the weather getting warmer and warmer as you move up.
On the other hand, especially if you are visiting between June/July and December, it might make sense to start North and head South. Especially if you are travelling slow, this will give southern Queensland time to warm up a little more until you reach that area. This is what I personally did. I arrived in Cairns in mid-September, and by the time I reached Brisbane it was already mid-October. Hence, it was warmer than if I would have visited a month before, while there was no real change in temperature in the North!
How to get around
There are many ways how to explore Queensland. This will mostly depend on personal preference and your budget.
Rent a car
This is the most convenient option and will give you the most flexibility. Having your own car lets you completely modify your itinerary, let’s you dictate your own pace of travel and you can reach any destination, no matter how remote.
However, be aware that distances in Queensland are HUGE! Even if things look close on the map, there might be hours and hours of driving between them. If you plan to drive yourself, make sure to check your preferred itinerary beforehand and see whether it is feasible and compatible with your driving style.
Also, it is also to note that this is one of the more costly options out there. If you are solo travelling, this might not be the most economical choice.
Rent a campervan
This option is similar to renting a car, with the added possibility of sleeping wherever you want! Australia is a super popular destination for van life enthusiasts.
Greyhound bus / Premier bus
If you’re travelling on a budget, this is the best transportation option for you! There are two main bus companies operating a very similar route along the East Coast of Australia, namely Greyhound and Premier. There are usually 1-2 buses per day (depending on the start and end point), and both companies offer bus passes that allow you to hop on and hop off an unlimited amount of times during a specific time period. I went with Greyhound, and I had a bus pass with unlimited journeys in any direction in a 2 week timeframe. I had a great experience with Greyhound. The buses were always clean, there were charging ports and most importantly, the buses were always on time. I felt very safe and content overall.
The buses stop in all major tourist towns / attractions. I really liked this option because you don’t need to drive yourself, which means that you can even take the bus at random times during the day. For example, between Airlie Beach and Noosa I took an overnight bus, which allowed me to save on accommodation and I didn’t lose any time out of my day for sightseeing 🙂
Airplane
Lastly, you could of course also fly from one place to the other. However, I really don’t recommend this unless you are really really pressed with time. You will see a lot less if you simply take an airplane, and you will miss many cool spots along the way.
What to pack for Queensland
So we’ve already established that Queensland is generally hot and humid, and that you will be spending most of your time along the coast. Keeping this in mind, here is my recommended packing list.
Packing list
- Flowy shorts / flowy dresses: Something to keep you cool during the hot and humid days!
- Light-weight t-shirts/tank tops: Here again, nothing tight or uncomfortable. Remember, it’s very humid during the day!
- Jeans: Depending on the season you go, I’d recommend to bring one regular pair of long trousers (e.g. jeans). Brisbane for example does get fresh outside the summer months.
- Light jacket (wind/water proof): Especially if you want to go on a sailing trip or something like that, it’s good to have a good outdoor jacket. It does get surprisingly cool at night.
- Bikinis: Take at least 2-3 bikinis / bathing suits with you.
- Board shorts: You don’t want your bum to get sunburnt while snorkelling…
- Rushie: Once again, the sun is very strong – protect your skin.
- Beach cover up: You’ll be spending a lot of time on the beach, so a beach cover up will come in handy.
- 2 microfibre towels: If you’re going to be staying at hostels, I recommend to bring two microfibre towels with you. One for showering, one for the beach.
- Sunscreen: Ideally REEF SAFE!
- Hat: Once again, the sun is very strong!
- Sunglasses: Make sure that they have good UV protection!
- Sneakers: There are plenty of hikes to go on, so have some good shoes with you!
- Flip flops: You’ll be living in these!
- Beach bag: Something to fit all of your beach essentials.
- Backpack: You’ll be taking a lot of excursions and doing some hikes, make sure to have a comfortable backpack to carry snacks, etc..
- Waterproof bag: To keep your valuables safe on the beach or on boats.
- GoPro: To take awesome underwater pics of the Great Barrier Reef!
- Lock: A hostel essential.
What NOT to pack:
- Make up: You’ll be spending so much time outside in the sun and in the water, that wearing too much make up is going to be so impractical! Bring some concealer and waterproof mascara, maybe an eyebrow pencil and a powder and you’re good to go. Trust me!!!
- Heels: In my experience, nobody wears heels in Queensland, not even for going out! The vibes are very laid back and beachy, so make yourself a favour and leave the heels at home.
- Thick jacket: Even in winter, it will never be freezing cold in Queensland. As mentioned above, bring a light, wind and waterproof jacket and you should be fine. No need for thick and chunky jackets!
Extra tip
- I would avoid packing too many things. I travelled only with a carry on and never felt like I’m missing something. Because it’s hot and humid I washed my clothes often, which helped to keep my overall luggage quite low.
- If you plan on changing locations often and/or are staying in hostels, I highly recommend to use packing cubes! They really helped me to keep my clothes organized and I always immediately knew where to find what I’m looking for. I got mine on amazon!
What to see
There is soooo much to see and do in Queensland. I will include in the list below everything that I visited myself, but also things that people I met along the way had recommended!
From North to South, the top attractions in Queensland are:
- Cape Tribulation: A long, beautiful beach in Far North Queensland. I visited Cape Trib as part of a day trip from Cairns.
- Daintree Rainforest: Take a bush walk and go on a crocodile river cruise. Possible to visit as a day trip from Cairns.
- Port Douglas: A cute little, but classy beach town in far North Queensland. A popular base in Far North Queensland if you don’t want to stay in Cairns.
- Palm Cove: An even cuter and smaller, but still classy beach town. I loved this place! There are regular buses that run from Cairns.
- Kuranda Railway: I didn’t have time to go on this excursion but it looks very cool. Check out some tours here.
- Cairns: The town itself is not that special, but it’s a great base for your stay in Far North Queensland. There are many day trips and Great Barrier tours departing from here every day.
- Great Barrier Reef: My personal highlight from all of Queensland. I booked a day trip incl. two dives from Cairns. Check it out here.
- Fitzroy Island: A paradise-like island just off the coast from Cairns.
- Babinda Boulders: Unique, big rock formations.
- Skydiving in Mission Beach: One of the best places to go skydiving for all you adrenaline junkies out there!
- Magnetic Island: Great for Wallabies and Koala spotting!
- Airlie Beach: Another cute beach town with great boutique stores and the starting point for Whitsunday excursions!
- Whitsundays: Home to the most beautiful white, sandy beaches you’ll ever see! I booked a two day sailing trip to truly immerse myself in this environment, check it out here!
- See wallabies on the beach in Mackay: Yup, how cool!
- Whale watching at Hervey Bay: One of the best places for whale watching, especially in August and September.
- Feed the dolphins at Rainbow Beach: A really unique opportunity to feed wild dolphins that come up to the shore in the evenings!
- Fraser Island: The largest sand island in the world, there is so much to do here! Whale spotting, dingo spotting, swimming in freshwater lakes, rainforest walks, …
- Noosa: A great place for surfing in Queensland!
- Australia Zoo: Steve Irwin’s Zoo, RIP.
- Brisbane: The state capital, there is a lot to do here! Check out my dedicated Brisbane Itinerary here.
- Surfers Paradise: Great beach, surprisingly not that many surfers!
How many days you should stay
I would say Queensland is one of those places on Earth where no matter how much time you have you can keep exploring new places. There is so much beautiful nature that can keep you occupied and fascinated for months. I mean just think of the Great Barrier Reef itself, there are over 3’000 reefs one could eligible!
But I know that most people, including myself, don’t have endless amount of time on their hands. Hence, I would say that two weeks is the bare minimum that you should plan for your first trip to Queensland. To find out exactly how you should split your time to get a good feeling for all the different areas, check out my detailed 2 Week Queensland Itinerary.
How much money do you need?
Australia is not a cheap country to visit! I’m originally from Switzerland, and I found that the prices for many things were quite comparable to what I’m used to at home.
With that being said, there is still a way to travel the coast of Queensland on a budget. I personally always stayed at hostels and mostly cooked my own food.
I have a whole blog post dedicated to budgeting for a trip to Queensland. But in a nutshell, if you don’t want to miss out on cool experiences you should budget for around 100 CHF (which is the equivalent to 100 USD or 100 EUR) per day in total. This includes any activities, food, hostel dorms and miscellaneous expenses, excl. flights to and from your initial destination.
getting a local sim card
Whether you’re a (wanna be) influencer or not, I would highly recommend to get a local SIM card during your time in Australia. Distances are huge, and there’s lots to see, so you will be very glad to have internet at your disposal to entertain yourself or to help you move around. Especially if you plan to use public transportation, Google Maps will be a game changer for you. The app is great at telling you the exact bus stop and timetable in any city along the coast, I was so impressed!
I personally got a SIM card from amaysim for like 2 AUD, and then added a data/voice package through the app. They have many different offers at different price points, so I’m sure there will be something to suit your needs. I personally recommend to get a package incl. voice, you’ll be glad to have this should you need to contact some your tour guide or accommodation for any questions.
I was also very happy with the network coverage. Queensland has some very remote parts, e.g. in the Whitsundays or the Outer Great Barrier Reef, but even there I the phone connection was mostly ok.
Overall, very good value for money 🙂
THAT’S IT, NOW YOU ARE TOTALLY READY FOR YOUR TRIP TO QUEENSLAND!!! If you’re looking for some more info, check out my 2 Week Queensland Itinerary. I also have a dedicated guide for Brisbane, and a detailed breakdown of how much a trip to Queensland costs here.