Journey to the Heart Reef in the Great Barrier Reef for an unforgettable encounter. Photo: Rama Gaind.
Mention Queensland, and invariably everyone says: “Beautiful one day, perfect the next.” Why not? Queensland has a slice of paradise to suit every traveller!
The state features rugged outback landscapes and ancient rainforests which are home to some of the world’s most unusual animals, but it’s best known for its sparkling coastline and idyllic islands dotting the wonderous Great Barrier Reef.
This World Heritage-listed natural inspiration contains an abundance of marine life and is comprised of more than 3000 reef systems and coral cays and literally hundreds of picturesque tropical islands with some of the world’s most beautiful sun-soaked, pristine golden beaches.
Discover one of the Great Barrier Reef’s most iconic sights in an unforgettable way. You have the chance to get up close and personal with Heart Reef, a 17-metre-wide shimmering composition of coral that has naturally formed into the shape of a heart, which could once only be observed from the sky.
All that has changed now, thanks to a floating pontoon, called Heart Island, right next to this reef, which is about 60 km northeast of Hamilton Island.
A helicopter ride awaits before you get the chance to board the private, buoyant escape, whizzing you up on a 30-minute scenic tour over Whitehaven Beach and Hill Inlet before reaching the turquoise jewel-scape that is the outer reef, and you land on the helipad.
A glass-bottom boat gives you the opportunity to ride exclusively around the heart. You cannot dive or snorkel at the reef due to its protected status, but you will drop anchor in a nearby lagoon to explore impressive colonies of coral that thrive in this magnificent technicolour underwater world!
Whitehaven Beach extends over 7 km, with sand made up of 98 per cent pure, tiny silica beads, making it brilliantly white and fine. Photo: Rama Gaind.
Look further afield. There are so many ways to do the Whitsundays. This world-renowned tropical paradise holds more than coral reef and white sand beaches within its 74 islands and lush mainland.
This is where you can kick back or kick up adventure – or do a bit of both. Visit the world-famous Whitehaven Beach.
Hamilton Island is located in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef in Australia’s Whitsunday region. With 70 per cent of the island’s bushland protected by national park, its lush interior is laced with bushwalking trails leading to panoramic viewpoints, where breathtaking vistas take in the Whitsunday Islands and Coral Sea.
This island is also where you find ‘a unique Australian expression of world-class luxury’: qualia on Hamilton Island, is nestled intimately on the edge of one of the world’s seven wonders!
Boasting unprecedented six-star luxury, qualia is a private resort on the largest and most established island in the Whitsundays, just 16 km off the Queensland coast.
It occupies Hamilton Island’s unashamedly beautiful and sun-drenched northern-most tip. Oozing with understated luxury and quintessential Australian charm, this award-winning resort immerses its guests in its tranquil atmosphere, where everything has been meticulously considered to relax the mind yet completely spoil the senses.
When you stay at qualia, enjoy a fine dining experience at the beachfront Pebble Beach restaurant with fabulous water views. Photo: Rama Gaind.
Following recent weather events, a sizeable range of supports have been made available for businesses around Queensland. Many marketing activities by Tourism and Events Queensland (TEQ) are supporting regions to recover on a national level.
TEQ also works closely with various stakeholders including Tourism Australia and regional tourism organisations to develop a range of opportunities for Queensland’s tourism businesses to engage with international trade partners.
It’s running ‘A Beautiful Way To Be’ campaign in international markets, with 80 partnership plans underway in international markets during 2023-24.
The waterfalls are flowing, the reef is beautiful and North Queensland tourism operators, in particular, are welcoming travellers in TEQ’s latest partnership with Virgin Australia.
There are also sharp deals on offer, allowing visitors across the state between now and September to enjoy some unforgettable holiday experiences.
This is where islands of white sand dot aqua waters in the Whitsundays, colourful coral bursts to life with fish and turtles on the Great Barrier Reef and lush green canopies dance in the sun in the Daintree Rainforest.
Home to more than 1000 ecosystem types and five World Heritage-listed sites, there’s something altogether magical about the attractiveness of Queensland.
As you bask in the breathtaking views of the Great Barrier Reef, marvel at the wondrous diversity of underwater life that forms the world’s largest coral reef ecosystem.
It is also the only natural structure visible from the moon!
