Experiences

Natural Encounters

Queensland is home to a wide range of wildlife, and there are plenty of opportunities to get up close and personal with these amazing creatures.

Scuba dive or snorkel in the Great Barrier Reef, the world’s largest living organism, and see first hand the exotic, colourful and diverse marine life. An incredible 1,500 of the world’s 13,000 fish species call the reef home. It’s an unforgettable experience to hand feed dolphins in the wild on Moreton Island or join a whale watching cruise and watch these giant mammals put on a spectacular show only metres away. Or, if you want to get up close and personal, at Sea World on the Gold Coast, you can swim with the dolphins or sea lions.

On land, watch baby turtles hatch and take their first steps near Bundaberg at Mon Repos. Their fascinating journey is one of the great natural experiences to be had in Queensland and you can get a taster here. If you have always wanted to come up close and personal with the Australian icons, cuddle a friendly koala or hand-feed kangaroos at a wildlife sanctuary. Bird-lovers from all over the world visit the Daintree to spot cassowaries and rare rainforest species. A downloadable guide to birdwatching in Queensland is available here.

Or, pay a visit to a farm stay and see cattle dogs rounding up sheep, go horse-riding, milk a cow and bottle-feed a lamb.

If golf is more your thing, experience teeing off on a golf course in a natural setting with kangaroos as your spectators.