Located right on the Great Barrier Reef, Lizard Island has over 1,000 hectares of National Park, 24 unspoilt beaches and an abundance of marine life. Remote and ruggedly beautiful, Lizard is surrounded by the finest beaches and waters of any Great Barrier Reef Island. Lizard Island is renowned for its diving including the world famous ‘Cod Hole’. Surrounded by fringing coral reefs, inner shelf, outer barrier or ribbon reefs and lagoon reefs, Lizard Island offers a number of outstanding coral gardens and many spectacular underwater attractions including more than 400 kinds of coral, over 1500 species of fish as well and giant clams over 120 years old. One of Australia’s premier resorts is located on the island. It’s Australia’s northernmost island resort where the design works in harmony with the Island’s spectacular natural beauty. This premium property caters for a maximum of just 80 guests. Guest activities on Lizard Island range from the ultimate in relaxation to adventure. Snorkelling or diving, allows guests to ability to explore the wonders of the Great Barrier Reef within minutes of leaving your room. Taking out a motorised dinghy to find a private beach and enjoying a gourmet picnic is another. For the more energetic there are catamarans, paddle skis and glass bottom boat trips as well as a number of walking trails to explore. A tennis court and gym and spa treatment area provide other diversions. There are many magnificent walks, and on at least one you can expect to glimpse a Monitor, the lizard after which the island was named.

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Cooktown – the gateway to the wilderness – was founded in 1873 as the port for the Palmer River Goldfields. This was more than a century after Captain James Cook spent 48 days in 1770 on the banks of the Endeavour River repairing his ship. Every June the town celebrates Cooktown’s status as Australia’s first, if brief, European settlement at a Discovery Festival which includes a colourful re-enactment of Cook’s landing. A highlight of a visit to Cooktown is an extended tour of the James Cook Museum – built in 1888 as a convent school run by Irish nuns. The Museum documents Cook’s voyages, Aboriginal and natural history, the gold rush days and their Chinese legacy. Walking tracks in the area allow for visitors to explore areas of beach, bush and mountains. Closer to town is Grassy Hill where one can share the same view as Captain Cook. Distance from Brisbane (State Capital): 2,047 kilometres on North Coastal Road or 2,137 kilometres via Peninsula Road.

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Once considered a down-at-heel pocket of the city, Fortitude Valley has emerged over the past decade as one of Brisbane’s liveliest and most progressive precincts. Known as The Valley, this is where a flourishing cultural community, a pumping party scene and a highly progressive dining industry collide. This is where quality cafes spill over with early morning patrons, where sophisticated bars and clubs feature the very latest in decor and disc jockeys, and where shoppers discover all manner of avant-garde designs. As with many precincts of its kind, the creative community has been a driving force behind The Valley’s renaissance. National and international standard fashion designers, artists, musicians and film makers all call The Valley home. A good place to start any visit to The Valley is the Brunswick Street Mall. Lined with cafes, bars and eateries, the mall acts as a hub, with many people starting their shopping excursions or big nights on the town right here. Adjoining Brunswick Street is Ann Street, a strip famous for its fashion boutiques. For cutting-edge and retro designs, unique one offs, and the very latest in urban threads, try one of the many boutiques along this strip. Elsewhere, the classy James Street precinct is a sign of how fast things are moving ahead in Brisbane, and just how exhilarating they can be. Featuring fresh fish and produce markets, cookery schools, designer furniture, an art-house cinema and several hip bars and cafes. The Valley is also home to Brisbane’s Chinatown, where Chinese supermarkets, exotic ingredients and steaming Yum Cha breakfasts bring people back time and time again. Entry into Chinatown Mall is marked by passing under traditional Chinese gates and 320 kilogram stone guard-lions. Walk around and you will see Chinatown is alive with architecture, fabrics, colours and emotions of the Orient.

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Perched out on the tip of a peninsula, Wellington Point has a bustling, friendly atmosphere where the water and seaside are enjoyed to the fullest by locals and the many people who visit this village on weekends. Bordered by water on both sides, it’s no surprise that Wellington Point is known as a great spot for fishing, boating, and various water sports. Adventurous water pursuits such as jetskiing, windsurfing, and more recently, the spectacular sport of kitesurfing, have become a common sight at Wellington Point. Its long jetty is the ideal spot to cast your fishing line and exchange stories with local and visiting fishing enthusiasts who gather there in droves. You’ll love the beautiful views across Moreton Bay and out to the islands, especially if shared with friends over a drink or a meal in one of the many cafes, restaurants and clubs throughout the area. Massive Moreton Bay Fig trees on the esplanade provide a fantastic natural playgound for children who like to climb. Ample picnic amenities nearby complete the picture to ensure an excellent family day out. At low tide you can walk out on the sand spit to nearby tiny King Island to investigate this unique conservation area, or visit Wellington Point Conservation Wetland. You can also spot dolphins and turtles in the surrounding waters and mangroves.

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Lady Musgrave Island is the only coral island on the Great Barrier Reef with a navigable lagoon – over eight kilometres in circumference. Accessible by boat from either Bundaberg or the Town of 1770, the island is a true coral cay and reef walkers will discover jewel-bright starfish, sea urchins, clams and corals exposed at low tide. Scuba divers may come face to face with a manta rays or moray eels, and snorkellers will discover giant rainbow coloured fish or coral trout. Swimming and snorkelling inside the lagoon offers calm, crystal clear water – like swimming in a giant aquarium! In summer, turtles come ashore to lay their eggs and thousands of seabirds nest in rookeries on the uninhabited island. The island is a national park and there are no shops or facilities ashore. However, camping wilderness style is permitted for up to 40 people at a time. Campers must take their own fresh water and food and all supplies for the ultimate in getaways. Lady Musgrave Island is a national park and as such there are no shops or facilities ashore. Lady Musgrave Island has a pontoon visited by the vessel departing Bundaberg, from which you can snorkel, take a glass-bottomed boat ride over the reef, or view coral in a semi-submersible vessel. The tour from the Town of 1770 offers snorkelling, glass bottom boat rides, fishing and island walks with more time spent at the reef and less travelling time.

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Emerald is a large country town that looks relatively new considering it was established in 1879 as a base for the building of the western railway. The disastrous town centre fires events of 1936, 1940, 1954 and 1968 combined with the much more welcome construction of the Fairbairn Dam and the Emerald Irrigation Scheme in 1972, and the commencement of large scale Bowen Basin coal mining in 1977, shaped the town into what you see today. Fairbairn Dam is a holiday destination in itself with a selection of cabin, caravan and camping accommodation. The lake is stocked with eight different kinds of fish including barramundi, but is famous for the Red Claw Crayfish. Relax by the lake or take a swim. Picnic tables and free electric and wood barbecues are available. Visit the world’s biggest Van Gogh sunflower painting on an easel in Morton Park at the western end of Clermont Street (Capricorn Highway). The superstructure is 25 metres high with approximately 13.6 tonnes of steel involved in its construction. The painting celebrates the Central Highland’s reputation as a major sunflower producer. Built in 1900 and restored in 1986, the National Trust listed Railway Station with its wrought iron lacework and pillared portico offers great photo opportunities. At the Emerald Town Hall view a fossilised tree aged 250 million years. The Botanic Gardens straddle the Nogoa River. Use the walking tracks to weave your way around the twelve themed gardens. Don’t miss the bush chapel and Federation Pillars. Drive north to get a view of the irrigation area activities; east to see explorer Leichhardt’s ‘DIG’ tree at Comet; south to Gindie to see the first tractor on the Central Highlands; or west to Lake Maraboon.

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Blackbutt is an attractive small town surrounded by native forests, Situated on the D’Aguilar Highway, at the southern entrance to the South Burnett. ‘Blackbutt’ is the common name for the Eucalyptus Piluralis tree, native to the area. Often referred to as the ‘Timber town’, Blackbutt has a strong association with the timber industry dating back to the mid-1800a when European settlers first arrived here. In town you will find businesses to cater for your meal and coffee breaks, provisions, fuel and service needs and some beautiful hosted accommodation. Enjoy your own private, fully self-contained cottage or a secluded hosted retreat set in luxurious private gardens. Blackbutt and surrounds has a multitude of experiences waiting for you, from excellent home-cooked cuisine, to camp oven dinners, leisurely activities and local area attractions. Blackbutt has also become a renowned artistic precinct. Opposite the township of Benarkin, located in Benarkin State Forest is Emu Creek State Forest Park. This is a perfect camping spot for a couple of nights or for enjoying a picnic alongside the creek. Walk or drive through native forests and pine plantations – as you wander the countryside, listen for the distinct call of the Bellbird. At nearby Taromeo you will find Jessie’s Well, a historic watering spot, and Taromeo Station, where many original buildings and a stone walled cemetery classified by the National Trust are available to visit by appointment.

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The trip to Seaforth takes you past beautiful and mountainous countryside. Seaforth itself is a quaint beachfront town that is also one of the most popular recreational fishing destinations in the region, especially from its well maintained boat ramp at Victor Creek. Today sugar and tourism are thriving industries for Seaforth which offers all vital services including two multi-purpose stores that sell fuel, bait, take away food, souvenirs and supplies. Other facilities include a bowls club, public swimming enclosure, nearby public toilets, and a well maintained caravan and camping area located directly on the beach. Accommodation for large groups can be arranged at Seaforth Sport and Recreation Centre. Sunday morning markets offer local crafts, produce and bargains from 0830 to 1130 every week. The Pictorial History of Seaforth Area and Mural can be seen at the Seaforth Community Hall on Wednesday’s 0900 to 1100 or by appointment.

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Kajabbi is a tiny, sleepy settlement in north west Queensland. It is located 118 kilometres north east of Mount Isa and 100 kilometres north west of Cloncurry. Whilst only a small settlement, Kajabbi stands in an area that is steeped in history. The warrior Kalkadoon tribe, after whom the local hotel is named, had their last battle against mounted troops on the slopes of nearby Battle Mountain. Mining relics, including smelter stacks, are still to be found at the sites of the former Dobbyn and Mount Cuthbert copper mines. There was a time when Kajabbi was an important centre. The nearby mines at Dobbyn and Mount Cuthbert attracted copper miners to the area and, as a railhead in the 1920s, it was a location where the cattle owners from the state’s far north west brought their herds for shipment to the coast. There is wildlife aplenty in this part of the Outback – kangaroos, dingoes, freshwater crocodiles and many bird species.

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Home of Queensland Boulder Opal, Opalton lies 124 kilometres from Winton. Opal was first discovered here by George Cragg in 1888 and the first mine was worked in 1894. By the end of the decade there was a bustling township of 600 and Opalton became known for the enormous volume and quality of its opal. In 1899 the largest piece of opal ever recorded was mined from Opalton, a pipe opal more than three metres long. Now home to a much smaller community, Opalton boasts one shop where you are likely to meet all the locals when the mail is delivered every Thursday. Try your luck in the public fossicking area. There are camping facilities at the bush park and basic cabins are available.

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