How to get to Queensland, Australia

By | May 11, 2022

Overview

Life in Queensland is exactly what you imagine Australia to be: beaches, cookouts, wilderness, endless sunshine and cold beers. Known for its laid-back lifestyle and miles of sandy beaches, this wonderfully diverse state never fails to offer visitors unlimited fun. In addition to beaches, Queensland also has ancient rainforests, parks and historic settlements to offer. The Whitsundays, Cairns and Mackay are ideal destinations for exploring tropical Australia; the outback is found in the Gulf and Western Downs. Brisbane, the third largest city in Australia, can be wonderfully discovered on a boat tour on its lifeline, the Brisbane River. Adventure sports such as sailing, white water rafting, paragliding and scuba diving into the wonderful underwater world of the Great Barrier Reef are extremely popular in Queensland. See other countries in Oceania on philosophynearby.

Getting there

Arriving by plane

There are no direct flights to Queensland from Germany, Austria and Switzerland. However, there are one-stop flights to Brisbane. From Frankfurt/M. fly Lufthansa (LH) in cooperation with Singapore Airlines (SQ) via Singapore, Etihad Airways (EY) via Abu Dhabi and Emirates (EK) via Dubai. From Vienna there are flight connections from Emirates (EK) via Dubai and China Airlines (CI) via Taipei (Taiwan). Swiss (LX) fly from Zurich in cooperation with Singapore Airlines (SQ) via Singapore and in cooperation with Qantas (QF) via Hong Kong and Emirates (EK) via Dubai. Emirates (EK) flights can also be booked through Qantas (QF). Within Australia, direct flights to Queensland will operate from Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Darwin are offered by Tigerair Australia (TT) and Jetstar (JQ), among others, which also connect the cities of Brisbane, Cairns and Townsville non-stop. Qantas (QF) operates between Brisbane and Mount Isa. Qantas (QF) is the state’s largest airline, which also offers services between Brisbane and Hamilton Island. Charter airlines Seair Pacific and Sunstate Airlines, a subsidiary of Qantas operating under QuantasLink, fly to both major Queensland cities and barrier reef resorts.

Flight times

Frankfurt/M. – Brisbane: 20 hrs 10 mins; Vienna – Brisbane: 19 hrs 45 mins; Zurich – Brisbane: 20 hours 15 minutes (in each case pure flight times, the stay times at stopovers vary). Sydney – Brisbane: 1 hr 30 min; Adelaide – Brisbane: 2 hrs 25 mins; Melbourne – Brisbane: 2 hrs 15 mins; Darwin – Brisbane: 3 hrs 55 mins

airpasses

With the Qantas Walkabout Pass, destinations in Queensland can be booked at discounted prices. The individual flights are reserved in advance along with the Qantas flight to Australia. With the Visit Australia Airpass from Singapore Airlines, destinations in Queensland can also be flown to inexpensively together with the long-haul flight.

Arrival by car

By car: The Great Tropical Drive is a self-drive route that travels inland through the rainforest and outback along the coast of the Great Barrier Reef. The tropical interior should be traveled with an off-road vehicle, as many roads are unpaved. Four-wheel drive vehicles with a guide are available for hire. The excellent highways and road networks ensure good connections between the big and small towns. The Bruce Highway runs from Cairns along the east coast to Brisbane and on to New South Wales. Several expressways lead inland, e.g. These include the Capricorn Highway (Rockhampton – Winton), the Flinders Highway (Townsville – Mount Isa, links to the Northern Territory) and the Warrego Highway (Brisbane – Charleville). Mitchell and Landsborough Highway are partially unpaved. These expressways run north (Barcaldine) south (Charleville) to Sydney. The Newell Highway connects Brisbane with Melbourne and runs right through the heart of the country. The Kirrama Range Road leads from the coast into the outback. In Kennedy, this connecting road branches off the Bruce Highway. More information from the Department of Transport and Roads. Long-distance coaches: Greyhound Australia’s extensive coach network enables uncomplicated and inexpensive round trips. Tolls: In Queensland, tolls are payable in and around the Brisbane Gateway Bridge, Gateway Extension & Logan Motorway, Paradise Road Interchange and Clem Jones Tunnel (CLEM7). The toll is collected automatically via a transponder installed in the car. Documents:

Arrival by train

Queensland is connected to the other Australian states by a railway line to Sydney (New South Wales). The rail network in Queensland itself is well developed and widespread, with Brisbane as a hub. The two main train stations in Brisbane are Central Station and Roma Street. There are numerous rail connections in Queensland. The Spirit of Queensland (Brisbane – Cairns) sails along the east coast. Inlander (Townsville – Mount Isa), Westlander (Brisbane – Charleville) and Spirit of the Outback (Brisbane – Longreach) open up the hinterland. The main routes for tourist travel are the famous Kuranda Scenic Railway, the Savannahlander and the Gulflander.

rail passes

With the East Coast Discovery Pass you can explore the east coast from Melbourne via Sydney to Brisbane by train. Travelers can choose between a validity period of 14 days or 1, 3 or 6 months. The Queensland Explorer Pass offers unlimited rail travel with QueenslandRail for either 1 or 2 months. Trains that can be used include: Tilt Train (Brisbane–Rockhampton), The Spirit of Queensland (Brisbane–Cairns), The Spirit of the Outback (Brisbane–Longreach via Rockhampton), The Inlander (Townsville–Mount Isa), The Westlander ( Brisbane-Charleville). The Queensland Coastal Pass offers one-way travel between Brisbane and Cairns with unlimited stops. The pass is valid for either 1 or 2 months. Trains that can be booked include: The Spirit of Queensland (Brisbane-Cairns), The Spirit of the Outback and Tilt Train (Brisbane-Rockhampton).

Arrival by ship

The Port of Brisbane has two cruise ship terminals; Portside Wharf with restaurants, cafes and gift shops and further downstream a terminal for larger vessels over the Gateway Bridge height limit.

Cruise ships

Brisbane is called at by numerous shipping companies as part of their cruises. Among other things, cruise ships from Cunard and Phoenix dock in Brisbane on their world voyages that start in Hamburg.

Passport and visa regulations

Entry with children

Since June 27, 2012, children need their own travel document (passport / children’s passport) for trips abroad (also within the EU). Entries of children in the parental passport are no longer possible.

Public Holidays

05/02/2022 Labor Day

03.10.2022 Celebrations for the Queen’s birthday

[*] Only occurs regionally.
Business

Business contacts

Queensland Chamber of Commerce and Industry Industry House, 375 Wickham Terrace, Brisbane, QLD 4000 Tel: (07) 38 42 22 44 Fax: (07) 38 32 31 95 Email: info@commerceqld.com.au Internet: www.qcci.com.au

 

Nightlife

Introduction

Nightlife takes place mainly on the beaches and in the resort centers of the Great Barrier Reef. Most of the big hotels in Brisbane host dance nights, and there are nightclubs in the city centre. Southbank Parklands is known for its nightclubs and restaurants.

Culinary

Overview

Mud crabs, king crabs, mackerel, fresh barramundi fish, avocados, mangoes, papayas, pineapples, strawberries, bananas and the extremely tasty macadamia nut are among the specialties. European, Asian and Chinese restaurants can be found in Fortitude Valley, on the edge of downtown Brisbane. Local wine comes from the Stanthorpe wine regions, the Hunter Valley near Sydney and other Australian wine regions. All beers offered are from breweries in the state.

Accommodation

Hotels

There are international class hotels in Brisbane, Cairns and on the Gold Coast. The standard of all hotels and motels is generally high.

Camping

In the resort areas there are numerous parks where you can camp, the equipment is different. The necessary permits are issued by the National Parks Association of Queensland Inc, PO Box 1040, Milton, QLD 4064. Tel: (07) 33 67 08 78. (Internet: www.npaq.org.au). Many companies also rent out fully equipped mobile homes. Details and campsite directory from the Tourist Office.

Other accommodation options

Inexpensive accommodation with shared rooms or dormitories is available everywhere. A brochure on youth hostels and backpacker accommodation is available from Queensland Australia. The Australian Holiday Host Service strives to find the right host for every visitor wishing to spend their holiday on a sheep station, farm or in a private home. A Farm Holiday brochure is available from Queensland Australia (see addresses). Mainly found on the outskirts and in the suburbs.

Climate

Best travel time

Almost all regions have a pleasant climate. Exceptions are the extreme north and the dry hinterland in the west. Brisbane gets an average of seven hours of sunshine a day in winter. Humidity is high from July to August, but a steady breeze on the coast makes for ideal holiday weather.

Country data

Area (sq km)

1730620

Population

5.046 million

Population density (per square km)

2.50

Population statistics year

2019

How to get to Queensland, Australia