In
1824 Queensland began as a penal colony, with settlers following shortly
after. It wasn't, however, until 1859 that Queensland became an
independent colony from New South Wales. During a large part of the 19th
century there was great tension between the white settlers and the
Aboriginal people, resulting in fierce opposition. The first British
settlement was in Cooktown, which is also home to a large gold rush. The
main industries in Queensland are agriculture and mining, taking up the
substantial part of mineral wealth in Australia. More recently, the
state has earned money in tourism, a growing development in Queensland.
Queensland is often referred to as the 'holiday state' and this is
certainly a fitting title. The population of approximately 3.5 million
live in the states 1,727,000 square kilometers.
Queensland holds activities for everyone, and is the perfect holiday
destination. It includes Surfers Paradise, Brisbane, Cairns, the Great
Barrier Reef, many islands along the coast, a great number of beaches,
rainforests and National Parks.
Experience all this and more with Queensland Cruises.
The many islands located along the Queensland coast offer a wide range
of different attractions, activities and landscapes. Several of the more
popular islands include North Stradbroke Island, Moreton Island, Fraser
Island, the Southern Reef Islands, Great Keppel Island, the Whitsunday
Islands, Magnetic Island, Fitzroy Island, Green Island, Lizard Island
and the Torres Strait Islands.
The numerous small towns between Brisbane and Cairns offer all
activities related to the sea. Whilst visiting the inland National
Parks, you are also sure to come across the small isolated towns and
cattle stations. You may be lucky enough to reach Birdsville, along the
Birdsville Track, the most isolated of all.
The Great Dividing Range aligns the coast with mountainous views.
Inland, beautiful scenery can be found in the Atherton Tableland, along
with agricultural land. The most productive of all agricultural growth
is found in the Darling Downs. Further north the wilderness grows
deeper. It incorporates a barren outback of desert, empty roads, and
small towns, which occasionally blooms when it rains. The Cape York
Peninsula is also affected by rain, many of it's dry riverbeds flood in
heavy rain.
The hotter but wetter seasons are between November/December and
April/May, while the rest of the year tends to be cooler and drier.
Queensland is also crossed by the Tropic of Capricorn, through
Rockhampton and Longreach.
Queensland Cruises - Points of Interest
Cairns
The gateway to the beautiful Daintree and Cape Tribulation National
Parks.
Great Barrier Reef
This world famous reef makes is ideal for the inexperienced and
experienced diver who wants to see a multitude of different types of
coral and marine life.
Whitsunday Islands
Here it is possible to camp on the beautiful, tropical Whitsunday
Islands
Queensland Cruises
Vibrant ports of call, tropical island resorts, calm bays, crystal-clear water,
and the Great Barrier Reef -- Queensland may the best place under the sun to
take a cruise. Experience Queensland Cruises.
Queensland’s tropical latitudes are perfect for touring by ship, and its rain
forest-clad islands, coral reefs, warm waters and lively ports of call create
unforgettable Queensland Cruises vacation itineraries and experiences.
Queensland's Great Barrier Reef is the largest and most complex expanse of
living coral on the planet, a brilliant archipelago home to an immense variety
of fish, marine mammals, turtles and birds. Long revered as a diving and boating
paradise, the Reef is the largest marine park in the world and is fast
developing a reputation as a premiere cruise destination.
With so many ways to sail away, the quality of cruising Queensland is matched
only by its variety. Queensland's sea-faring outlook extends back to the days of
tall ships and outrigger canoes. Today, cruising Queensland is generally an
amenity-rich and relatively deluxe affair -- and one can still sign on for a
square-rigger cruise of the Whitsunday Islands! And with more than 1,700 miles
of South Pacific coastline – most of it harboring the Great Barrier Reef –
Queensland is a cruise destination for boats and ships of all size, shape and
itinerary.
Discovering a destination via the sea with Queensland Cruisesis a classic method of exploration; for
contemporary visitors, cruising is a magical way to cover a lot of territory
while enjoying a carefree, inspiring "top-down" vacation. Look no further than
Queensland, Australia as your next point of departure!
The quality of Queensland Cruises is matched only by its variety.
There are many ways to sail away, from small, luxury lines that call on
exclusive Great Barrier Reef islands to exciting expedition-class voyages to
ultra-modern mega-ships where everything is perfectly laid out like a grand
vacation buffet as you visit Reef and Coral Sea ports of call.
Start your journey of Queensland with
Queensland Cruises by searching
here