Audley in Queensland
This huge, dramatically beautiful state extends from its temperate border with New South Wales up into the tropical north, much of it still barely explored or settled. The capital is Brisbane, Australia’s fastest-growing city and a dynamic urban centre basking in 300 sunny days each year and within easy reach of the Gold Coast beaches and Lamington National Park. Most of the state’s great attractions are up along the coast: the huge Daintree Rainforest, the Outback oases of the Atherton Tablelands and the kalaidoscopic colours of the Great Barrier Reef.
Palm Cove and Port Douglas make excellent bases, with small-boat cruises exploring the reef, or you can head into the mountains that hug the coastline. There are also luxury resorts on a few Great Barrier Reef islands and character accommodation in the heart of the rainforest. It is worth taking time to explore the Outback: a few nights on a station give a flavour of this pioneer world.
Brisbane and the south are glorious all year round, while in the tropical north the wet season runs from January to April, drenching the countryside daily.