The South East corner of the state would have to be the busiest section of coastline in the country.  It includes the Sunshine Coast, Scenic Rim, Gold Coast and Brisbane.

GOLD COAST QUEENSLAND

Just across the New South Wales border you’ll find a 70 kilometre stretch of coastline known as the Gold Coast which boasts 300 days of sunshine each year. This sun drenched region is home to skyscrapers, Movie World, Dream World, Sea World and Wet ‘N Wild Theme Parks.

The “Coast with the most” is lively and energetic. There’s a huge range of shops, lots of places to eat and lots of places to have fun. West of the beachfront esplanade discover the green behind the gold in the Numinbah Valley and Mount Tamborine. At Mudgeeraba you will find the Gold Coast War Museum, Skirmish and Balloon Down Under.

If you haven’t had a chance to visit the Polar Bear cubs at Southport’s Sea World then you really are missing out on the current best attraction on the coast. Arrive at Sea World at 10am and go to visit the bears first. They play first thing, so catch up with them before they take a snooze. Also, don’t miss the big cats at Dreamworld. Located at Coomera, Dreamworld is just a short hop from Movie World and Wet ‘N Wild.

The Broadbeach Blues Music Festival provides five days of the best of Australia’s Blues Music. The Surfers Paradise Arts Festival in July highlights the diversity of art available at many leading art galleries throughout Surfers Paradise. Beachfront markets every Friday night from 5.30 and there’ll be roving musicians and street performers. Broadbeach is better known as the home of Pacific Fair Shopping Resort and Conrad’s Jupiter Casino.

Currumbin Bird Sanctuary has been getting us up close and personal with lorikeets for years. These brightly coloured birds are a delight.

Whether you visit for a day trip or longer we’re sure you’ll love the coast with the most!

Top 10 things to do on the Gold Coast
Whether you’re a local or just here for a visit, make sure you fit these into your agenda to get a real taste and feel of one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

1. View from Q1 – It is the tallest residential building in the world and the views up and down the coast or back towards the hills are sensational. You might even spot a whale frolicking in the Pacific Ocean as you gaze from the 78th floor wall-to-roof windows.
2. Dawn parade – Join the hundreds of hardy souls who walk the sand highway every morning. The kilometres of white sandy beaches of the Gold Coast make the perfect place for a morning walk or jog. Go alone and enjoy the sunrise over the water or take a friend and share the crisp, clean morning air.
3. Crab sandwich – OK, we’re sharing a local secret here. The fresh crab sandwiches at the kiosk at the end of The Spit are a Gold Coast special. Take a few moments longer and walk out along the sand pumping jetty just next door and feel the waves crashing underneath you as the jetty stretches out into the ocean.
4. Pac Fair shopping – Hundreds of busloads of tourists can’t be wrong and they head to Pacific Fair (Pac Fair to the locals) every week. It is an all-day shopping experience with acres of retail therapy beckoning.
5. Place a bet – Nothing beats a day at the races and the horses run every Saturday afternoon at the Gold Coast Turf Club, Bundall. But you can also have a bet at any hotel featuring the “PubTAB” sign. Yes, anyone over 18 can buy a beer, fill in a betting card, pay over the bar and watch your horse on the pub TV in the corner. It’s an Aussie specialty.
6. Picnic in the park – Pack your sausages, bread, a few drinks and a frisbee and head to one of the Gold Coast’s top class parks for a barbecue and picnic. Parks like Rosser Park, Cascade Gardens and Macintosh Island have plenty of open space, shade, free electric barbecues, toilets and town water.
7. Cruise the Broadwater – Grab a cruise or rent a boat and head around the Broadwater for a few hours. You can’t beat it at sundown and marvel at the yachts moored at Southport. Another unique experience is buying a few refreshments from the floating shop that does the rounds.
8. Walk the Burleigh Hill – You can’t get much better than this. Walk through the lush rainforest remnant that is Burleigh National Park, spot the scrub turkeys and birdlife, as you round the headland and return to the picnic area with breathtaking views back towards Surfers Paradise.
9. Learn to Surf – Whether you’re six or 60, if you are on the Gold Coast, you have to have a go at surfing. There are plenty of schools to choose from and most will promise to get you upright and riding in a day. Go on, do it, imagine the home video once it’s over.
10. Enjoy a day spa – After getting through that nine, you will need an ultimate relaxation package. The Gold Coast has world-class day spas offering everything from hot rock massage to mud-pack facials. Make the time, spend the money and let your body and soul be nourished.

Sunshine Coast

Noosa Heads is the main town and is situated on the southern shore of Luguna Bay and on the far western side of Noosa Headland. The area has a small population but caters for 250,000 holiday makers a year.

Noosa Heads sub-tropical climate is tempered by the ocean so it is never blazingly hot and rarely cold enough to demand more than a light sweater. The average annual rainfall is 1709mm and lightning storms are common in the summer months. The temperatures are mild to hot ranging from 17 to 28°C in the height of Summer and 7 to 22°C in Winter.

Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city of  Queensland, as well as the third largest city in Australia. It is set close to the Pacific Ocean, and is situated beside the Brisbane River on plains between Moreton Bay and the Great Dividing Range in south-eastern Queensland.

When people visit Brisbane, where are the “must-see” places? Where are the places that give tourists a memorable view, an insight into our city, our history and our people?

Our top picks in no particular order are:

* Mt Coot-tha Lookout
* South Bank
* Cultural Centre
* Lone Pine
* A trip on the river
* Moreton Bay
* City Botanic Gardens
* Mt Coot-tha Botanic Gardens
* Roma Street Parkland
* Story Bridge