qld.in - Queensland Sunshine State
The state of Queensland occupies the north-eastern section of Australia. It is bordered by the Northern Territory to the west, South Australia to the south-west and New South Wales to the south. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean. Queensland is Australia’s second largest state by area, followed by Western Australia, and the country’s third most populous after New South Wales and Victoria.
Queensland was first occupied by Indigenous Australians and Torres Strait Islanders, who arrived between 40,000 and 65,000 years ago. Later, Queensland was made a British Crown Colony that was separated from New South Wales on 6 June 1859, a date now celebrated state-wide as Queensland Day.
The state capital of Queensland is Brisbane, which was originally the Moreton Bay penal colony, intended as a place for recidivist convicts who had offended while serving out their sentences in New South Wales. Queensland later encouraged free settlement, and today Queensland’s economy is dominated by the agricultural, tourist and natural resource sectors.
Queensland’s population is concentrated in South East Queensland, which includes Brisbane, Logan City, Redland City, Ipswich, Toowoomba, and the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast. Other major regional centres include Cairns, Townsville, Mackay, Rockhampton, Bundaberg, Hervey Bay, Ingham and Mount Isa.
Queensland is often nicknamed the Sunshine State, since it enjoys warm weather and a sizeable portion of the state is in the tropics.
Go now to: qld.in - Queensland Sunshine State Tourism Information
Australia’s Exotic Vacation Islands
By Ken MacKenzie
It doesn’t matter how many documentaries you’ve seen or how much you’ve heard about Australia or spoken to others about it, once you’ve taken your first look at Australia you’ll be forever hooked and want to come back for what can only be described as an exotic vacation.
Eventually, the urge will be there, irresistibly, to see it all.
There’s no doubt about it. You’ve not experienced the world until you’ve seen the wonders of Australia.
Have you ever imagined what it would be like to swim in crystal clear water, sit under a palm tree while sipping on some exotic drink or laze about beside a pool on a balmy night? If you have, then Australia’s exotic islands are for you. They’re just irresistible! (more…)