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   Queensland Wonders

Nicknamed the Sunshine State, Queensland, Australia is on the northeastern tip of the continent, second biggest state and third most populated. Originally settled by indigenous tribes and Torres Strait islanders, some tens of thousands of years ago, it was part of the New South Wales colony until it was separated in 1859. While the history of this land covers many millenias, the area was explored by French, Portuguese and Dutch and ultimately being claimed by Captain James Cook in 1770. Sometime after that the local tribes and the immigrants engaged in a war that was calamitous to both sides. Once done with that and the separation from New South Wales, it experienced a time of progress and growth.

Where the capital Brisbane now sets was the Moreton Bay Penal Colony holding convicts that continued to commit crimes in New South Wales. Queensland eventually offered free land to all newcomers and the economy is now agriculture, natural resources and tourism. Because of the immense banana plantations the people of this land are sometimes known as banana benders. The largest segment of population is concentrated in the southeastern area of the state.

Considered to be Australia's quickest growing economy, mining and tourism have flourished over the past 2 decades. Migrants from within the country and overseas, increased mining of the great mineral deposits, expanding advancements in the aerospace industry and federal money have spurred this state to its present status. Brisbane enjoyed the lowest cost of living in 2003, but by 2005 had the 3rd highest housing in the land. Its cropbase continues to survive and thrive with; cotton, bananas, sugar cane, pineapples, grains, peanuts, wineries and many other fruits and vegetables. Wool and cattle raising are helping bolster the GDP, while copper, gold, silver, lead, coal and bauxite continue to be mined and exported.

The varied terrain of Queensland explains why it is such a wonderful place for tourists, both from abroad and the country itself. The coastline contains lush sunny tropical weather and areas, while inland there are bountiful rainforests and further inland arid vistas. While off the coastline lies the Great Barrier Reef which is a global hotspot in its own.

Areas where the tourist of today opts for most often are the following: Brisbane, the Gold Coast of Queensland, Far North Queensland, Whitsundays (Daydream and Hamilton Islands, Airlie and Whitehaven Beaches), Sunshine Coast, Great Barrier Reef, North and South Stradbroke Islands, Hervey Bay and Fraser Island and North Queensland with Townsville and Magnetic Island. The Gold Coast contains 5 major theme parks; Sea World, Whitewater World, Dreamworld, Movie World and Wet 'n' Wild. The state contains many beautiful and fabulous wildlife parks that include; Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary at Fig Tree Pocket, Kumbartcho Wildlife Sanctuary, Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Brisbane, Australia Zoo near Beerwah/Glass House Mountains (home of world renown Steve Irwin), Underwater World at Mooloolaba, David Fleay Wildlife Park at Burleigh Heads and Brisbane Forest Park at the Gap.

The Queensland name is part of many exciting venues in Brisbane including; Queensland Performing Arts Centre Museum, Queensland Performing Arts Centre, Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art, Queensland Museum South Bank, the Queensland Energy Museum, Maritime Museum, and the Military Memorial Museum. The Queen Mary Falls Circuit will excite you as you walk along the forest with large red gums and brush box trees in the subtropical rainforest. In this gorge, the waterfall falls over 30 feet of basalt rock to its bottom below, and as you continue and cross over Spring Creek a mist will envelop you. You might see small eastern water dragons taking a sunbath on the rocks nearby, or the spiny crays.

Well worth the stop is the Planetarium named after the governor of New South Wales in the 1820s, Sir Thomas Brisbane. Here you will marvel at the Observatory, Display Zone, Mini Theater and Cosmic Dome, and wander through the planetarium shop to see if you can pick up any deals. Peruse the Philip Bacon Galleries, a very distinguished private gallery well known locally and internationally. The Parliament House built in 1868 personifies the prominent beginnings of the government renovated recently and still home to Australia's only unicameral state Parliament. There are hundreds of stores, shops and boutiques that will fill your fancies, as well as farmers markets selling the freshest fruits and vegetables available anywhere. The Organic Growers Market at Northey Street City Farm was recently started in the late 90s.

And that is just a few of the wonderfully entertaining and exciting venues available for you to enjoy in Brisbane. There are still over a baker's dozen areas within Queensland to stimulate, invigorate and mesmerize you in this exotic land down under. The Gold Coast is home to some of the best surfing, beaches, resorts and theme parks in the world. At the Sunshine Coast, you will walk through unsoiled rainforests, quaint villages and unbelievable vistas in the state's best scenically gorgeous areas. In the whale watching capital of the world's biggest sand island, Fraser, this area is a fantastic place to enjoy; known as Fraser Coast South Burnett, it will give you unforgettable sights of the great right whale.

Gateway to the Great Barrier Reef regions is the Bundaberg and Coral Isles. Gladstone is the southern area of the reef with glorious beaches and islands. Whitsunday is near the reef with hundreds of tropical islands and some of the world's most spectacular beaches. Capricorn is where many of the state's hidden treasures lie as well as special outback trips. Townsville is an area that would be a vacation spot in itself with its awesome blue waters of Coral Sea and 300 days of beautiful sunshine along the Barrier Reef. And the list goes on of places to see, smell, taste and thrill in. You cannot come here without first making some kind of plan or your imagination will burst with the influx and overload of all the information. Relax a little, its your vacation.