Queensland

-HAYLEY BLUNDEN

Regions/Destinations & Types of Product Offered

• Queensland offers endless places to visit, from beautiful coastline beaches and the rolling hills of hinterland to the beautiful islands of the Great Barrier Reef. You will definitely be delighted of what you find in Queensland.

• Queensland has numerous popular destinations including; Brisbane Bundaberg Cairns and Great Barrier Reef Capricorn Fraser Coast Gladstone Gold Coast Mackay Southern Queensland Country Outback Queensland Sunshine Coast Townsville The Whitsundays Each of these destinations offer unique and memorable experiences great for all types of travellers. (Elderly, Families Backpackers etc.)

Gold Coast & Whitsundays • The Gold Coast and Whitsunday are two very popular destinations for

tourist to visit while holidaying in Queensland. • If you are after a fun filled adventure for your holiday in Queensland, the

Gold Coast is certainty the place! Known for fun the Gold Coast has so much to offer, see and do. From the theme park capital of Australia, to their beach side markets along Surfers Paradise and the Tamborine Rainforest Skywalk, the Gold coast brings smiles to people of all ages and stages.

• On the beautiful tropical coast of Queensland Australia the Whitsundays is made up of 74 different islands. If you are into stunning natural landscapes with schedule beaches and friendly towns, this island offers it all, with so much to do and see.

Current Health & Safety issues for the destination including weather information, health advisory notice issued by state/territory Government

health departments, safety advisory information issued by federal and local police authorities and emergency service authorities

• Queensland Australia is generally a safe destination with travellers enjoying unhindered travel experiences in terms of their personal safety and security. Our stable political system, well-maintained roads, low crime rate and high standard of health make it a safe and easy country to explore.

• No special immunizations or vaccinations are required to visit Australia unless you have come from, or have visited a yellow fever infected country within six days of your arrival.

• Would definitely recommend tourist/ travellers to invest into some travel insurance. A visit to a Queensland medical practitioner for a health problem whilst on vacations can cost you roughly $60. Costs for a private hospital can be anywhere from $500 to thousands of dollars. Comprehensive travel insurance can take care of these expenses in the event of medical emergencies.

• In Queensland you have to be very sun smart and safe. As Queensland is a subtropical destination it is very important that you wear lots of sunscreen, hats, sunglasses, protective clothing etc.

• http://www.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/community/public-safety-246.html great website about safety advisory information issued by local police for the Gold Coast.

Regulatory issues including passport, visa and restrictions for visiting that destination

• When Arriving in Australia you must declare all foods, plants and animal items.• You need a valid in-date passport to travel to Queensland Australia, with validity

lasting longer than the period your stay.• If you are visiting Queensland from another country, you can drive if you have a

valid overseas licence. If you are visiting Queensland from another Australian state or territory you can drive if you have a valid interstate licence.

• While visiting the Great Barrier Reef you must abide by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act 1975 (http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Details/C2011C00149)

• Also abide by Commonwealth and Queensland legislation. • Must be over 18 to engage in drinking alcohol and to be let into nightclubs and

bars.

Key information on major geographicalfeatures including:

• Climate/seasonal factors; Queensland is divided into a subtropical region in the south, where summers are warm, winters are mild and autumn & spring offer the very best of climates, as well as a tropical region in the north, where the wet season (throughout summer) can be quite humid and hot, while the dry season (throughout winter) is quite dry and mild.

• Summer is from October to April with average temperatures of: Max temperature 30°C Min temperature 20°C Water temp 28°C • Winter is from May to September with average temperatures of: Max temperature 20°C Min temperature 10°C Water temp 18°C</phttp://www.experiencequeensland.com/iss/uk/travel-info/climate--weather/climate--weather_home.cfm

• http://www.itafe.net/learningbar.do?smarkId=125021276&desktopId=1000001005268455&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.queenslandholidays.com.au%2F

• This site shows you pictures of the climate temperature and rainfall within different destinations in Queensland.

• The Whitsundays enjoys a tropical climate of hot summers, warm winters and bright spring and autumn days. Average daily temperatures range from around 22 – 23°C in the winter months of June and July, and up to 29 - 30°C in December and January during the height of summer. Water temperatures remain a welcoming 25°C most of the year round. The tropical wet season occurs during January to March when days can be steamy and the summer heat is often broken by tropical showers.

• The Gold Coast has a comfortable, sub-tropical climate, which is enjoyable all year round. Temperatures average in the mid to high 20 s all year round.′

• Location; Queensland is located at 23°S 143°E and is in the North-East of Australia. The total mass of Queensland covers 22.5% of the Australian continent, an area of 11,730,648 square kilometres, making it the second largest state in the Commonwealth of Australia. The total length of Queensland mainland coastline is 6,973 km.

• The Gold Coast; The Gold Coast is 94 kilometres (58 mi) SSE of the state capital Brisbane. The coordinates of the Gold Coast are 28°1’0’’S 153°24’0’’E.

• The Whitsundays; The Whitsunday Shire covers a total of 2686 square kilometres including the Islands. The Shire is situated between Bowen Shire and Mackay City and includes 74 islands located in the Great Barrier Reef. Whitsundays coordinates are 20°18’S 148°56’E.

Major cities, towns, tourist areas &precincts

• Gold Coast; The City of Gold Coast has numerous major tourist areas and things to see and do in each town and city. Places such as Surfers Paradise is a major tourist area in the Gold Coast and has a wide collection of Attractions & Tours, creative things to do, driving experiences, adventure and extreme, family things to do, activities for your group, outdoors and water activities. Surfers Paradise main tourist attractions consist of their perfect fusion of city and beach lifestyle, spectacular skyline and brilliant stretch of coast. Once you arrive, you'll soon feel that you've literally arrived in paradise. Surfers Paradise provides non-stop action, with an abundance of theme parks such as Dreamworld, White Water World, Sea World, Movie World and Wet and Wild(exhilarating rides, exotic animals and endless waterslides )and family attractions all in easy access, you're never short of finding things to do(especially being surrounded by their beautiful beaches). Instead you may have trouble finding enough time to do everything. Surfers Paradise is also known for their nightlife. When nightfall comes Surfers Paradise burst into 24 hour action and excitement with bars and nightclubs, also on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday nights beachside markets are set up all along Surfers Paradise beach, perfect for a night stroll after dinner with your family or partner, or after a busy day full of activities. Another area tourist love to visit while on holidays is of course the shopping centres. Pacific Fair shopping centre is located in the heart of Gold Coast, and up until 2006 was the largest shopping centre in Queensland.

• Whitsunday; The Whitsundays is blessed with stunning natural beauty, from islands and reef, to rainforest and sandy coastlines. With 74 different islands and places to visit this is a tourist destination. Places such as the Great Barrier Reef and Whitehaven Beach are a must visit while holidaying in the Whitsundays and are major tourist areas. The Great Barrier Reef offers a lot of attractions to tourist. If scuba diving or snorkelling is your passion or you want to put a bit of excitement in your holiday, then the Great Barrier Reef is the place to do it. Known for the largest living structure on earth, the Great Barrier Reef can be seen from the air and the heart shape Reef in the Whitsundays is a magical sight and attraction. You can take a seaplane or helicopter flight to admire these beautiful sights, and if your on a holiday with your partner, you can surprise them with a beautiful romantic gesture over the regions most romantic natural icon. Whitehaven beach is a definite must see, in the Whitsundays. It defines nature at its best and provides the greatest sense of relaxation and escape, perfect for tourist who love to unwind. This is a destination area perfect for tourist who love nature, relaxation and the crystal clear aqua waters. Stretching over 7km along the Whitsunday island, Whitehaven beach offers magical attractions such as cruises or boat tours and water sports that consists of ocean rafting and crocodile safari.

Special Regional Features • The Whitsundays provides many spectacular features that makes this

destination so unique. The Whitsundays area consist of 74 picturesque islands rising from warm, sparkling aqua blue waters, white sand beaches and an abundance of incredible marine and wild life. Other special regional features include; stunning views, majestic mountains boarding the islands, the famous Great Barrier Reef, excellent ranges of accommodation(e.g. stylish resorts, hillside apartments, cosy bed and breakfast, camping and caravan parks etc.), shopping areas open 7 days a week in Airlie Beach, Airlie’s clubs and bars provide plenty of entertainment well into the night, exhilarating sailing through the spectacular islands, sunny and tropical weather almost all year round, the Great Barrier Reef made up of more than 2,800 coral reefs and a diverse range of colourful marine life providing some of the best diving and snorkelling in the world and nearly 200 types of fish.

• These are just some of the amazing regional features the Whitsundays has to offer and this is truly a unique and stunning destination.

Special Regional Features• The Gold Coast provides many special features that makes this destination

so popular to visit. The Gold Coast is the 2nd most popular city in the state due to many of it spectacular features including; the cities coastline with some of the most popular surf breaks in Australia, natural beauty, relaxed lifestyle, amazing nightlife entertainment from bars, nightclubs and Jupiter's casino, tropical rainforest with abundant wildlife and numerous bush walks, major shopping centres(e.g. Pacific fair, Harbour town etc.), Themes parks including Dream world, White water world, wet & wild, Movie World and Sea world, huge range of amazing accommodation from camping grounds to 5 star international resorts, and over 500 restaurants to wine and dine.

• These are just some of the wonderful features the City of Gold Coast has to offer and you can see why it is such a popular tourist destination and why it is a must visit.

Man-Made AttractionsThe Gold Coast has numerous man made attractions including;• Major shopping centres as well as numerous boutiques, specialty shops

and markets.• Nightlife entertainment from nightclubs, restaurants, clubs, hotels and

Conrad Jupiter's Casino to Broadway musicals, ballet and theatre.• Theme parks including Warner Brothers Movie World, Sea World, Dream

World, Wet & Wild and White Water World.• World-class sporting and recreational facilities • A huge range of accommodation from five-star international resorts to

camping grounds. The Whitsunday has a variety of man made attractions including;• Daydream Island resort and spa• A huge range of 5 star accommodation• Hamilton Island golf coarse.• Nightclubs and Bars (Mama Africa)

Major transportation gateways & networks

Gold Coast has a variety of transportation gateways and networks including;• The Gold Coast tourist Shuttle, that provides door to door Gold Coast

airport transfers, theme park transfers and unlimited use of the free bus shuttle all with one ticket. It is an easily affordable way to get around the Gold Coast.

• Trans link• Car rentals• Light rail• Cab/ Taxi services• Airlines• Ferries and water taxi’s• Buses

Major transportation gateways & networks

The Whitsundays has a variety of transportation gateways and networks including;• Airport transfers- shuttle buses, door to door pickups and drop offs

through the entire Whitsunday region • Rail transfers• Public transport• Yacht hires• Boat charter hires• Camper vans and motor homes• Car hire• Coach hire• Houseboats

Socioeconomic features including state of the economy (key industries) currency used

• Queensland Currency is in Australian Dollars (AUD or A$).• Queensland finical year is 1st July – 30th June.• Queensland Gross domestic product= A$283.6 Billion (2011-12)• GDP growth= 3.5% (2012-13)• Queensland main sources of economy income, comes from industries such as; mining,

tourism, agriculture and financial services.• Queensland export= A$49.2 billion (2010-11)• Main industries that export goods; coal, beef, aluminium, copper, copper oars &

concentrates, fertilizers, animal feed, zinc oars & concentrates and lead oars and concentrates.

• Main export partners; Japan (29.5%), India (11.8%), Republic of Korea (11.3%), China (9.3%), Taiwan (5.8%

• Main import partners; China (11.9%), United States (11.1%), Japan (10.2%), Papua New Guinea (7.2%), Malaysia (5.7%

• Queensland experiences the second highest volume of tourists after NSW and the tourism industry plays a key role in the economies of regional areas and supports thousands of small businesses in Queensland.

• The tourism industry in Queensland employs 5.7% of the workforce, or about 119,000 people and accounts for 4.5% of the state's GSP, directly generating A$$8.8 billion to the state’s economy

Source; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Queensland#State_budget