Queensland plays by its own rules, politically, artistically and culturally. It’s got some of the most stunning scenery in Australia, and without doubt the best beaches. It’s got most of Australia’s theme parks and it’s got Surfers Paradise – it can be brash and glitzy. But it can also be quiet and laid back, and it has some of Australia’s greatest natural wonders. It may not have the cultural cachet of the southern cities, or the splendour of an Opera House or Harbour Bridge. But what it does have is unique, and here are five things you can only do in the Sunshine State.
- Visit Five Worlds in One Day
It would probably kill you, but you could theoretically visit five theme parks in one day when you visit the Gold Coast, namely Sea World, Dreamworld, Movie World, Wet’n’Wild World and Whitewater World. You might think this would cost you thousands, but currently you can get a ‘VIP Magic Pass’ that gets you in to three of the five Worlds for a dollar less than one hundred. Of course you’ll still spend thousands on food, drinks and souvenirs, but you knew that anyway.
- Play in the World’s Biggest Sand Pit
Fraser Island is the world’s biggest sand island – take that, United Arab Emirates! It also has more than 100 beautiful freshwater lakes, with some of the cleanest water in the country. At 123km long, it’s all sand, with stretches of rainforest on the dunes. You need a permit if you want to drive on the island, and only a 4WD will do. It’s World Heritage listing puts it next to Uluru, Kakadu and the Great Barrier Reef in importance.
- Dive on the World’s Largest Reef
The Great Barrier Reef is a 2,300km long stretch of coral along the coast of Queensland and it’s one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. But amazingly, UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee says the reef may fall onto its endangered list if problems such as coastal development, agricultural run-off and climate change aren’t solved. Fifty per cent of the reef’s coral cover has disappeared in the past 30 years. This could be a sad case of ‘See it while you still can’.
- Walk through the Oldest Rainforest in the World
The Daintree National Park is a wilderness area north of Cairns that includes some of the oldest rainforest in the world. It’s home to cassowaries, tree frogs, lizards and Australia’s largest butterfly – the Cairns bird wing. A number of companies offer tours around the Daintree, but you can drive there yourself, and into at least part of the rainforest. This is what the super continent of Gondwanaland looked like before it separated. Amazing!
- Refuse to vote in an Upper House election
That’s because there isn’t an Upper House – Queensland is the only state that doesn’t have one. It was Queensland’s first Labor Government in 1915 that began to push for the removal of the Upper House, which it considered a throwback to feudalism since its members were appointed by the Governor. Despite the obvious solution of holding elections for the Upper House, political forces and general ill feelings meant the Upper House passed a bill to abolish itself in 1922. Attempts to bring it back have failed.
On this day: #auslaw history: 1922 The Queensland upper house was abolished in favour of a unicameral parliament
— Erik S. Dober (@ESDober) March 22, 2015
Queensland is unique in Australia, and those are just five of the reasons why. If you can think of more things you can do only in Queensland, let us know below.
(Featured image: Brian Gratwicke)
