Before you even touch down, some of Meeanjin’s (Brisbane’s) best features reveal themselves. The easy-breezy outdoor lifestyle the city is known for is embodied by the lush parklands that stretch alongside Maiwar (Brisbane River) and the crowds that move through the lively precincts dotted along the riverfront. Make a beeline for Sky Deck – the crown jewel of the freshly unveiled Queen’s Wharf, which soars 100 metres above the water – to soak up uninterrupted views of the city and Scenic Rim mountains from rooftop bar Cicada Blu or upscale dining room Aloria. For a dash of theatre with your vistas, head to Cucina Regina on the Terrace below Sky Deck, where authentic Italian dishes are prepared tableside.

Beloved holiday spot Minjerribah (North Stradbroke Island), a 25-minute ferry ride from Brisbane, has been home to Quandamooka woman Elisha Kissick’s family for generations. At Yura Tours, Kissick welcomes guests to “Straddie”, sharing creation stories and local knowledge about plants and wildlife. Join her on a whale-watching cultural walk at Point Lookout’s Headland Park (June to start of September) to see the coastline through her eyes as humpbacks pass close by on their annual migration – you might also spot dolphins, turtles, manta rays and the occasional dugong.

Dine at the hottest restaurants, kick back on an island break and take in the city skyline from your perch on the brand new Sky Deck. Plan your Brisbane visit now at qantas.com.

A laidback beach holiday or glamorous city break? On the Gold Coast, you won’t have to choose, with more than 70 kilometres of beaches to sink your toes into and stand-out coffee and food on every corner. Learn to ride on Kirra Beach’s beginner-friendly waves with Kirra Point Surf School, then order miso scrambled eggs at Tarte Bakery on the banks of nearby Currumbin Creek while your hair is still wet. Pros will love the south-east swells at Kirra Point followed by a seafood feast at Pipi’s – the lobster with handmade linguine is a crowd-pleaser. If you prefer your feet to stay firmly planted on the sand, make a splash in the Nobby Beach shallows then wander up to Japanese-inspired newcomer Bobby Bang’s for iced matcha and panko-crumbed Wagyu sandos.

You know that stomach-flipping, zero-gravity moment you feel on a roller-coaster? It happens no fewer than 12 times on the new Jungle Rush ride at Dreamworld. Many of Australia’s best theme parks are within easy reach of the Gold Coast and nearby Warner Bros. Movie World has just unveiled its new The Wizard of Oz precinct, which features a recreation of the 1939 film’s iconic Yellow Brick Road and two family-friendly rides.

Just 30 minutes from the coastline, the Gold Coast hinterland is peppered with striking lookouts and idyllic swimming holes. Follow one of the moderate walking trails in the lush Gondwana Rainforests, such as the stunning 4.8-kilometre Twin Falls Circuit, to spy crimson rosellas flitting among the prehistoric greenery. Or visit after dark with Southern Cross Tours to witness the caves of Tamborine Mountain illuminated by glow-worms.

Come for the endless stretches of sand, thrilling theme parks and pumping nightlife; stay for the surprises hidden within the lush green hinterland. Find great fares to the Gold Coast at qantas.com.

An hour-and-a-half south of Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast is famous for its pristine stretches of sand (Mudjimba and Tea Tree Bay beaches are insider favourites) but it’s also where you’ll find one of only two everglades systems in the world. Here, three UNESCO biosphere reserves in Noosa, the Great Sandy and the Sunshine Coast create an unmatched environmental corridor that’s home to a diverse array of flora and fauna. Noosa’s 65-kilometre stretch of wetlands calls for exploration via kayak, the serenity interrupted only by birdsong and the splash of a paddle. Book a guided tour with Kanu Kapers – and be sure to keep watch for black swans and eagles.

Campers have long embraced the world’s largest sand island, K’gari (formerly Fraser Island), 15 kilometres off the coast of Hervey Bay. But those seeking more luxurious accommodation can find it at Kingfisher Bay Resort. This 152-room eco-resort on the island’s sheltered west side also hosts light artist Bruce Ramus’ new Illumina show, which paints the area in mesmerising laser projections and soundscapes as night falls.

The Sunshine Coast’s white beaches unfurl beneath you as you get a bird’s-eye view of the region on an Oceanview Helicopters flight. Your exclusive Picnic on a Peak tour first stops in the country town of Kenilworth to sample local cheeses and doughnuts before soaring over the dramatic volcanic landscape of the Glass House Mountains. You’ll land atop a remote hinterland peak for an indulgent picnic with a view.

Picture yourself paddling through the serenity of the Noosa Everglades, then toasting your achievement with a frosty beer on the Noosa beachfront – now make it happen. Find flights today at qantas.com.

The Southern Great Barrier Reef is speckled with idyllic coral cays, each surrounded by reefs sheltering countless fish, rays and sea turtles. Visit Heron, Wilson, Pumpkin or Lady Musgrave Island from October to March to experience the magic of turtle hatching season. Keen to extend your adventure? Pair wildlife encounters with coastal hikes and 17 sandy beaches on Great Keppel Island; swim alongside manta rays on eco-friendly Lady Elliot Island; or hire all seven self-catering cottages and beach bungalows on Pumpkin Island for the ultimate group escape.

The juicy sugar cane grown in the rich volcanic soil of the Bundaberg region has helped keep Australians in supply of “Bundy” rum for more than 130 years. Now, the Blend Your Own Rum Experience at Bundaberg Rum Distillery lets you devise your own perfect formula – straight from the barrel.

Drive 40 minutes north of Mackay and you’ll find the coastal Cape Hillsborough National Park. Time your arrival with the first rays of daylight to witness kangaroos and wallabies feasting on mangrove pods on Casuarina Beach while the morning sky is coloured in glorious pastel hues. Afterwards, head west to Finch Hatton Gorge in the Pioneer Valley – this reserve is just over an hour’s drive from either Mackay or Cape Hillsborough – to take a refreshing dip in a rock pool, walk through rainforests to waterfalls and spot platypuses playing in crystal-clear streams.

The tropical rainforests, sugar-cane fields and dreamy islands off the Queensland coast are calling. Plan your holiday today at qantas.com.

The Whitsundays’ Heart Reef is so picture-perfect it almost looks man-made. Hamilton Island Air’s Journey to the Heart tour takes guests from Hamilton Island Resort by helicopter to view the romantic isle from above, then touches down on a private pontoon. After that, it’s time to take a closer look at the reef via a glass-bottomed boat and snorkel around the lagoon.

You can’t sleep any closer to the warm blue waters of The Whitsundays than in the plush below-deck lodgings of Reefsuites Underwater Hotel, a dive and snorkel pontoon anchored at Hardy Reef, about 80 kilometres off the coast of Airlie Beach. Each of the two rooms features expansive windows that peer directly into the ocean, so you’ll drift off to the sight of kaleidoscopic fish gliding past. Swag-style glamping beds on the top deck also allow for a starlit night’s sleep after a dinner under the Milky Way.

Just off the coast of Townsville, Pelorus Private Island is home to a sleek five-suite residence and 400 hectares of pristine bush – and it can be all yours. Start the day with sunrise yoga on the coral-strewn sand and enjoy hyperlocal fare prepared by a personal chef. Directly south is Orpheus Island Lodge, accessible only by helicopter. A plush tropical hideaway where the menu changes daily, it can be exclusively hired for up to 28 guests and includes guided hikes and snorkelling expeditions, sunset cruises and complimentary use of water equipment.

View the Great Barrier Reef from the air, a glass-bottomed boat or under the waves when you book your Queensland holiday. Search for flights today at qantas.com.

Officially, it’s part of Townsville but in reality Yunbenun/Magnetic Island – eight kilometres off the coast and accessible via a 20-minute ferry ride – is a charming, laid-back escape for locals and visitors alike, where you can rent electric mopeds or pedal-assist bikes from Magnetic Island Roaming, spot koalas on hilltop hikes and tuck into Moreton Bay bug sliders at Stuffed on Seafood.

Thundering 268 metres over a rock face in Girringun National Park, one hour west of Ingham, Wallaman Falls is Australia’s highest permanent single-drop waterfall. Do the one-hour hike to the base of the year-round falls to take in the full sight-and-sound display of nature’s might. (Always check park conditions before you set out.)

Beyond its beauty, the Great Barrier Reef is also the most exciting classroom you’ll ever visit. Learn to scuba dive on a full-day voyage from Cairns with Down Under Cruise and Dive or contribute to conservation efforts on a Marine Discoveries Reef Naturalist program. Both experiences are led by Master Reef Guides – industry leaders who have undergone extensive in-field training to share up-to-date knowledge about this unique ecosystem.

Explore waterfalls, reef creatures and koala hideouts on your North Queensland getaway. Find great fare deals now at qantas.com.

The Great Barrier Reef is not the only World Heritage-listed site you can explore from Cairns. On a full-day experience with Back Country Bliss, you’ll drift down Mossman River on an inflatable and receive a traditional welcome to the Daintree Rainforest – the world’s oldest tropical rainforest, nestled around 100 kilometres north of Cairns – from the Kuku Yalanji people, who’ll also share stories about Country. Afterwards you’ll embark on a guided walk through the lush rainforest and take a refreshing dip in Mossman Gorge.

The Sphinx, Castle Rock, Turtle Rock: the granite formations of Girraween National Park near Stanthorpe in the state’s south-west make for a descriptive roll call. Granite Arch is an easy stroll from Bald Rock Creek but for more of a challenge, tackle The Pyramid, a two-hour trail that takes you to Balancing Rock, a remarkably poised boulder. You’re in Granite Belt Wine Country so venture 25 minutes down the road to sip minimal-intervention drops from La Petite Mort, one of three labels produced by Bent Road Winery and Distillery

Coolabah and eucalyptus trees shade the seven geothermal mineral pools of Cunnamulla Hot Springs overlooking the Warrego River, about 800 kilometres west of Brisbane. Paint your skin in cooling ancient clay and wash it off in a mineral shower, then soak away any tension as you watch the outback sunset turn into a canopy of twinkling stars. Finish up with a plunge into the cold pool, if you dare, before relaxing in the sauna and steam room.

Mud baths, cool rock formations and dinosaur bones await on your Queensland Country holiday. Discover them all when you book flights at qantas.com.

On Australia’s Dinosaur Trail a 916-kilometre journey around Winton, Hughenden and Richmond in central-west Queensland, you’ll find evidence this area was once brimming with marine life. Help unearth these prehistoric treasures on a Digging at Dawn tour at the Kronosaurus Korner fossil museum. Three hours south, the Australian Age of Dinosaurs museum bears witness to a dinosaur stampede that occurred 95 million years ago.

Qantas’s roots as a regional carrier are celebrated at Longreach’s Qantas Founders Museum. Walking along the wing of a 747 – one of the many experiences on offer, along with a 25-minute light and sound projection of Qantas’s 100 years of aviation history shown on the side of that same 747. You can just about see the nearby Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame, celebrating life on the land through exhibits and live shows.

30 Queensland Resorts Where You Don’t Have to Lift a Finger