Bit and pieces by the AT team on QLD from over the years….

Vertically Challenged
“At 3am when the cold wind is blowing, you’re right up against it. That comes back to why you’re there . . . remembering what the young men went through back in 1942 helps provide perspective and drive.”

 One Lucky Lady

AT Reader Michael “Blake” Roet takes time out from his Melbourne office to rough it on the tiny island paradise of Lady Elliot in the southern Great Barrier Reef..  

Luxury In Brisbane
BrisVegas continues to undergo a citywide metro makeover, so for your next visit AT has stepped it up a notch with these high-end favourites.

Brisbane’s Soft French Touch
Ever run into an old friend you haven’t seen in years and been amazed by how fabulous they look? That’s exactly how Tiana Templeman felt when she returned to the Sofitel Brisbane after a multi-million dollar makeover. (to The hotel, not to Tiana.) 

Australia The Movie — One set With Hugh Jackman & Nicole Kidman
To nail the pre-war Darwin scenes, Baz Luhrmann filmed in tiny Bowen in Queensland. As Australia the Movie gets set to debut in cinemas around the country, AT talks to the woman who single-handedly put the small town on the Big Screen.

The Noosa Round My Neck
A golden start gave Bendigo its solid foundation, but diversification and a gorgeous Mediterranean climate have seen the central Victorian nugget go from strength to strength, writes Bendigo regular Ann Bolch.  

The Birdsville No Races
AT Reader Ian “Rocky” Rockwell leads tours to the outback, his favourite of which is to the famous Birdsville Races. But in 2007, rampaging equine flu saw the races declared a horse-free zone. That didn’t stop Rocky. He went. He saw. And boy did he conquer . . .  

Sh*t Coffee — Kopi Luwak
Mike Larder takes a mighty caffeine hit from Allan Sharpe to get the full story behind the man behind the world’s rarest and most expensive coffee. 

Just Ask AT — The Hayman Island Jitters
Don’t wander willy-nilly around the countryside. If you’ve got a trip coming up, there’s no better way to prepare than by asking the experts…

AT Reader in Chillagoe
AT reader Wayne Martin from New Zealand recently ventured with his family into our outback for the first time.

Out & About — Longreach
Longreach, outback oasis and pastoral capital of Central Western Qld, basks in the long reach of the Thomson River. Everything about it is big: big skies, big trucks, big hats, big steaks, big hearts and bigger distances, writes Mike Larder.

Food Review — Harrison’s
The first and last place to eat when you drop into Port Douglas must be Harrison’s, writes Tom Barclay.

Out & About — Noosa
A costly place to holiday, Noosa remains one of the best upmarket, informal and understated beach destinations in Australia.

Shark Bait & Trochus Flesh
Underwater gourmand Peter Russell-Clarke goes for a stroll on the seabed and barely escapes with his rubbery skin intact.

Hotel Review: Middleton Manor
AT stumbles on a high class treasure in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland and is compelled to return. Again and again and again . . .
Words and images by Sara Moss. 

To the Bat Cave!
Snakes, bats and a dark cave. Not your typical combination of holiday attractions, right? Chris Cipollone begs to differ.  

Sun Therapy in Port Douglas
If it’s raining outside on a Monday, don’t you deserve to be on a beach by Friday? Chase the winter blues away with this sun-drenched tale of a quick stop in warmer climes. 

48 Hours On Fraser Island
Come join us in the 4WD for an outdoor adventure where every stop is one of the best campsites in Australian. 

QLD – FEATURES

Hotel Review – The People’s Palace
Living the rockstar life isn’t just for rockstars these days. At Palazzo Versace, you can dial up true Italian extravagance any time you like.

1770 – It’s More Than Just A Number
It is often called the "New Noosa", but we think that’s a misnomer. There’s more to 1770 than you think… It’s time to take a look at 1770 for your next Queensland holiday.

QLD – HOTEL & RESORT REVIEWS

Resort Review – Couran Cove
Tired – or wary – of the glitz and glamour of the gold coast? Happily, the eco-friendly option of couran cove on South Stradbroke Island is just a wallaby’s hop away.
Resort Review – Bedarra Island
Happy couples, no keys. Only 32 people on one of Australia’s best islands.
Resort Review – Hayman Island
Long considered Australia’s premiere resort, this old girl has some steep competition. Is she still Australia’s best resort?
Resort Review – Silky Oaks Lodge
Get the complete pampering experience in the middle of the rainforest
Resort Review – Sea Temple Resort
The pride of Palm Cove.
Resort Review – Lizard Island
Where the "A" list take their holidays. The only resort that is actually ON the Great Barrier Reef.
The Resorts – Great At Any Price?
The Great Barrier Reef boasts some of Australia’s most expensive, exclusive and enviable holiday resorts. But does high cost always ensure high quality? We savour some of the reef’s richest resorts and pass a critical eye on life in paradise.

QLD – GOLD COAST

Gold Coast – Fantasy Land
The gold coast is many things to many people – holiday playground, theme park nirvana, surfing utopia or crass, contrived and overdeveloped urban nightmare, depending on who you talk to. Long-term resident Tim Baker details the numerous and varied attractions of his adopted home. . .
PLUS

• Ten Essential Gold Coast Experiences
• Twelve Things You Didn’t Know About The Gold Coast
• Partied Too Hard – Recover At The Health Retreats
• Gold Coast Accomodation Guide
• War Of The Theme Park Worlds
• The Real Surfer’s Paradise

North Stradbroke Island
If you’d like to see what the Gold Coast might once have been like, the good news is – you still can. An hour’s drive and a 45-minute ferry ride from the Gold Coast delivers you to North Stradbroke Island, a dreamy trip back to the beach holidays of yesteryear.
Fatal attractions
The glittering lure of a dream world can quickly turn into a nightmare – unless you do your research. Or, alternatively, you could have us do it for you.
Coolangatta 1950s
Should anyone doubt that the Gold Coast is and always has been about the risqué, the somewhat saucy, the borderline salacious this photo from the 50s is tendered in evidence.
Dapins Diary
New Dad Mark Dapin has pram challenges on the Gold Coast

QLD – SUNSHINE COAST

The Insider’s Noosa 
If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. Don’t run away from Noosa during the sason….muck in, look around and discover there’s plenty to enjoy just below the surface.

QLD –  FAR NORTH QUEENSLAND

Hinchinbrook:
AT Reader Stephen Orth returns from Hinchinbrook a changed man.

Great Drives Of Australia:
Some of the greatest drives in Australia are to be found in QLD. We have uncovered the top 10. Here is our pick of the drives in Queensland.

• The Great Tropical Drive (Cairns, Atherton, Port Douglas, Townsville)
• The Savannah Way (Cairns to Broome)
• Brisbane to Cairns
• Sydney To Brisbane

The Big Wet
Looking for a different Christmas holiday destination? Head to the tropics – where there’s a very good chance of rain.
Vintage Port
Proceed with caution when booking your stay in Port Douglas. The old resorts are looking their age, but at least the location is as appealing as ever.
The Remote – Cape York
Cape York Peninsula may be alive with crocs, snakes and other dangerous animals, but it’s also a classic destination for lovers of untouched wilderness, great fishing and camping, and the type of moments that make any travel story worth telling…
The Rainforest – Revelling In Rainforest
Staying on dry land doesn’t make you a drip in Tropical North Queensland. With the rainforests and open roads, there’s loads of treasures – and the odd crass trap – to discover.
The Great Indoors
Even the local tourist board’s officer in charge of happy faces would struggle to pretend that, in the tropics during the Wet, people don’t sometimes need to get out of the sheeting rain and inside. Mercifully, there are a few things on offer.

QLD – PHOTO ESSAYS

Fraser Island
Explore Australia’s greatest sand island through local resident Peter Meyer’s lense.
The Reef – Saving Nemo
The Great Barrier Reef is one of the most fragile ecosystems found on the planet. The good news is tourists may be securing its future.

QLD – EVENTS & ODDITIES:

Gotta See This – The Abbey Tournament
It’s amazing what thousands will do joust for fun on a winter weekend in Caboolture.
Gold Coast Indy Festival Oct 20-23
Its the boast of the coast
The Next Big Thing – The Golden Gumboot
Tully’s aspirations for the wettest town in Australia gets BIG