What are the best towns in Queensland for visitors?

The best towns in Queensland for visitors include Montville, Mooloolaba and Noosa on the Sunshine Coast, plus Yungaburra, Cape Tribulation and Cairns in far north Queensland.

Detailed answer: Most of Australia’s states are centred around one big city. Queensland is something of an exception here, however. Brisbane is by far the biggest city in the state, true, but there are several strong regional hubs such as Rockhampton up the Queensland coast or Toowoomba inland.

This relative lack of centralisation also means that there are several highly appealing small cities and towns in Queensland. These include…

Best towns near Brisbane

Redcliffe: Coastal Redcliffe is where the Bee Gees formed. The open air Bee Gees Way acts as a mini-museum about the pop legends. You can also get some beach time at Woody Point.

Are the Bee Gees Australian? Find out at Bee Gees Way in Redcliffe — Are the Bee Gees Australian? Find out at the marvellously kitsch Bee Gees Way in Redcliffe, Queensland. Photo by David Whitley/ Australia Travel Questions

Best towns on the Sunshine Coast

Eumundi: The small hinterland town of Eumundi is home to the biggest arts and crafts markets in Australia. Drop by on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Montville: Arty shops, galleries and cafés line hilly Montville. It’s great fun to mooch around, and is also the gateway to the walks of the Kondalilla National Park.

Mooloolaba: Family-friendly Mooloolaba is best known for its beach, but it also offers cruises along the waterways and whale-watching tours. The snorkelling cruises to Mudjimba Island are worth a go, too.

Noosa: The best resort town in Queensland offers top shopping and dining on Hastings Street, plus great surf beaches. You can also go canoeing on the Noosa Everglades and spot koalas in Noosa National Park. The drive from Brisbane to Noosa takes just under two hours. It makes a good stop on the drive from Brisbane to Hervey Bay, too.

Noosa, Queensland — Noosa is the perfect town to beat jetlag in. And the drive from Brisbane to Noosa only takes an hour and 42 minutes if coming from the airport. Photo by David Whitley/ Australia Travel Questions

Best towns on the Fraser Coast

Hervey Bay: Hervey Bay is the main gateway to World Heritage-listed Fraser Island. Tag-along backpacker tours leave from Hervey Bay. It’s also a hotspot for migrating humpback whales – with several whale-watching cruises available.

Rainbow Beach: The alternative departure point for Fraser Island is Rainbow Beach, a chilled-out beach town. The multi-coloured sands make it worth driving up the beach here.

Rainbow Beach in Queensland, Australia — The multicoloured sands give Rainbow Beach in Queensland its name. Photo by David Whitley/ Australia Travel Questions

Best towns in Central Queensland

Bundaberg: Cruise boats head up and down the Burnett River, but Bundaberg’s place in the Australian psyche is almost entirely based on the Bundaberg Rum Distillery. You can do tasting tours there.

Tannum Sands: A decent bet for a stop on the drive north – the Tannum Sands caravan park has cabins. Tannum Sands near Gladstone is also pretty much the furthest north you’ll find a surf beach. Fishing fans should concentrate their efforts on nearby Lake Awoonga.

Biloela: The administrative centre of the Banana Shire has a smattering of heritage attractions, but kayaking on Lake Callide and walking in the Kroombit Tops National Park are the main reasons to visit.

Rockhampton: Queensland’s beef capital sits on the Tropic of Capricorn, and it’s the biggest city for a long, long way in any direction. The Dreamtime Cultural Centre and Capricorn Caves are the top attractions in Rockhampton.

Yeppoon: Primarily known as the gateway to Great Keppel Island, Yeppoon has become an appealing beach town. Go for a swim in the Yeppoon Lagoon, walk in the Capricorn Coast National Park and go on a snorkelling cruise around the Keppel Islands.

Best towns in the Whitsundays

Airlie Beach: Airlie Beach is to the Whitsunday Islands what Hervey Bay is to Fraser Island. It’s a backpacker party spot, with a bewildering array of Whitsundays cruises available. There are also some excellent Whitsundays kayaking tours and crocodile-spotting cruises on the Proserpine River, although you can just as happily spend a day at the Airlie Beach Lagoon. Pick up a rental car at the Whitsunday Coast Airport to explore further afield.

Half day Whitsundays kayaking tour from Airlie Beach — Half day Whitsundays kayaking tours head to White Rock from Shute Harbour in Airlie Beach. Photo by David Whitley/ Australia Travel Questions

Best towns in far north Queensland

Cairns: The holiday hub of far north Queensland, Cairns, offers Great Barrier Reef trips and adrenalin activities such as skydiving and bungy jumping. Less hectic are the excellent themed walking trails in the Cairns Botanic Gardens.

Cape Tribulation: Shrouded in World Heritage-listed rainforest, Cape Tribulation was where Captain Cook came a cropper. It’s also one of the closest points to the Great Barrier Reef – ideal for a small group reef cruise. Hire a car in Cairns, and you can stop for a Daintree River crocodile cruise and ferry crossing en route to Cape Trib.

Innisfail: On the Cassowary Coast between Townsville and Cairns, Innisfail is close to Nandroya Falls and offers croc-watching cruises on the Johnstone River.

Kuranda: Highly touristy Kuranda is most visitors’ sole experience of the Atherton Tableland. Several mid-tier and nature-heavy attractions gather there. You can hold a koala at the Kuranda Koala Gardens, though.

Port Douglas: An unashamed resort town, Port Douglas is the departure point for many Great Barrier Reef cruises. But animal lovers can also enjoy Wildlife Habitat Port Douglas.

Tully: Tully proudly boasts of being the wettest town in Australia. This makes for great white-water rafting tours on the Tully River.

Yungaburra: The Atherton Tableland town of Yungaburra has an arty streak, which is best seen at the Yungaburra Markets. But it’s best known as somewhere to spot a platypus in the wild. Windin Falls is a short detour away.