Head further north and explore some of nature’s finest attractions. The Great Barrier Reef, a collection of 2900 individual coral reefs stretching 2300km along the Queensland coast, is home to an incredible world of colourful corals, fish and exotic marine creatures.

The Great Barrier Reef is now the largest World Heritage listed area in existence. It is by far the largest single collection of coral reefs in the world.

Queensland’s Tropics offer fabulous on-the-water activities, including snorkelling, scuba diving, and day or extended cruises to the islands and reefs.

In the Tropical North around the cosmopolitan city of Cairns, the World Heritage listed Wet Tropics rainforests are among the oldest on Earth, cascading down steep mountain ranges to the coast, where the rainforest meets the reef.

The closest islands to Cairns are Green and Fitzroy Islands, easily accessible by day excursions on catamaran cruises.

Just south of Cairns are the idyllic Frankland Islands – a group of five continental islands protected as national park. Also offshore, hideaways like Lizard, Dunk, Bedarra and Orpheus offer varying degrees of privacy and exclusive island resort experiences.

For those who need to relax and rejuvenate, Palm Cove, Port Douglas and Daintree – north of Cairns – are home to internationally-awarded spas featuring both ancient and novel treatments. The healing waters of the world’s oldest rainforest, the bounty of the Great Barrier Reef, Aboriginal medicinal knowledge, and an array of Australian flora have inspired a unique and endemic spa experience.

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