The state of Queensland, situated in North East Australia, has a population of about 2.5 million people and covers a total area of 667,000 square miles (1,727,200 sq km).

Its capital is Brisbane but other cities such as Gold Coast, Toowoomba, Townsville, Rockhampton, Cairns, and Ipswich are also important.

Queensland coastline touches the Coral Sea and the Pacific Ocean on the east and the Gulf of Carpentaria and Torres Strait on the west. The whole north eastern part of the Australian continent is taken up by Queensland, with the majority of its coastline being sheltered by the Great Barrier Reef. About 50% of the state is in the tropical zone, with rain forests on Cape York Peninsula in the north.

Queensland's annual rainfall ranges from 5 in. (13 cm) in the desert area to the south west to 160 in. (406 cm) in some of the north east coast areas.

This fertile coastal strip is separated from vast interior plains by the Great Dividing Range. The Great Artesian Basin, covering an area of 376,000 square miles (973,840 sq km) in the interior, provides water for the huge livestock-raising area.

Sugarcane is the chief crop of Queensland though cotton, wheat and tropical fruits make a large contribution to its economy. The state is also Australia's leading producer of beef.

Also important is its mining industry with copper, lead, coal, zinc, and bauxite at the forefront. Manufacturing has gained importance over the last 35 years, as has tourism with the Great Barrier Reef, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast attracting thousands of tourists each year.

Almost half of the people of Queensland live in the metropolitan area of Brisbane.

The state decided, in 1994, to merge Gold Coast, Cairns, and Ipswich with their shires. These shires being Albert Shire, Mulgrave Shire, and Moreton Shire, respectively, resulting in Gold Coast becoming Australia's second largest municipality after Brisbane.

Tropical North Queensland
Consisting of half a million hectares Tropical North Queensland is a vast region spanning from Mission Beach in the south to the Cape York Peninsula in the North and spreading west across the Tropical Tablelands and Gulf Savannah to the Northern Territory border.

Australia Zoo
The late Steve Irwin and his wife Terri have made Australia Zoo one of the most famous in the world due to the television series The Crocodile Hunter and their unconventional approach to nature conservation. The current site of Australia Zoo was bought by Steve Irwin’s parents in 1970 and the original name of the attraction was Beerwah Reptile Park. It was renamed Australia Zoo in 1992.

The zoo now houses many exhibits of Australian wildlife including koalas, Tasmanian devils, wombats and snakes. A previous major attraction at the zoo was Harriet, a 175 year old Galapagos tortoise, but she died in 2006.

Getting there by Rail
Interstate trains are linked with Queensland via Roma Street Station in Brisbane. There are also many rail services which operate throughout the State.Trains depart daily from Brisbane's Central Station. Contact Australia Zoo on 07 5436 2000 for your free pick-up from the Beerwah train station. For train times please contact TransInfo on 13 12 30.

Getting there by Coach
Australia Zoo have their own Courtesy Coach that operates 7 days a week (not Christmas Day) and runs from Noosa to Caloundra along the Sunshine Coast. They pick you up in the morning and return you in the afternoon. To take advantage of this free service you can contact Australia Zoo on 5436 2000. You must pre-book this service.

The schedule is as follows:

8.30am-Noosa Heads Bus stop, Noosa Parade
9.15am-Maroochy RSL (1st Ave Bus stop)
9.20am-Intercity Bus stop,Alex Headlands
9.25am-River Esplanade Bus stop,Mooloolaba
10.00am-Caloundra Bus exchange on Cooma Terrace
10.20am-Arrive Australia Zoo
3.30pm-Depart Australia Zoo
3.50pm-Caloundra Bus Exchange
4.15pm-Intercity Bus stop,Alex Headlands
4.25pm-River Esplanade Bus stop,Mooloolaba
4.35pm-Maroochy RSL
5.20pm-Noosa Heads Bus stop

From Brisbane there is a choice of operators. Australia Day Tours operate daily to Australia Zoo with departures from the Gold Coast and Brisbane. To book you can call 07 3236 4155. Or you can use either Croc Connections, who also operate a daily service from central Brisbane.Tel:1300 551 249 or Tours and Detours who run a daily service from Brisbane.Tel:1300 300 242.

Getting there by car
The Sunshine Coast is easily accessible by a number of major highways which dissect the region. It is approximately 60 minutes' driving time from Brisbane via the Bruce Highway.

Australia Zoo is situated on the Glasshouse Mountains Tourist Drive, Beerwah. Directions from Hervey Bay to Australia Zoo. Approximately 230kms (3 hrs 30 mins)

• From Hervey Bay, follow the signs to Maryborough
• From Maryborough, follow the signs to Gympie
• From Gympie, follow the signs to Sunshine Coast
• Follow the Bruce Highway until the Landsborough/ Glasshouse Mountains Tourist Drive exit on the left
• Take the exit which goes back over the Bruce Highway and get onto the Glasshouse Mountains Tourist Drive
• Follow the Glasshouse Mountains Tourist Drive
• Pass the Mooloolah exit on the right
• Pass the Landsborough exit on the right
• Australia Zoo is on the left about 5 kms past Landsborough

Directions from the Gold Coast to Australia Zoo, Approximately 150 kms (2 hrs)

• From the Gold Coast, take the Pacific Highway
• Follow the Pacific Highway onto to the Gateway Arterial Road
• Go over the Gateway Bridge and through the toll leading onto the Bruce Highway
• Stay on the Bruce Highway and follow the signs to the Sunshine Coast
• Go past the Caboolture exit
• After 10 kms take the Glasshouse Mountains Exit on the left (there is a big brown sign with Beerburrum, Maleny and Landsborough on it)
• Follow Glasshouse Mountains Tourist Drive for 18 kms without exiting
• Pass Beerburrum exit on the left
• Pass Glasshouse Mountains exit on the left
• Pass Beerwah exit on the left
• The Australia Zoo entrance is on the right, 3 kms past Beerwah

Climate of Queensland
Queensland’s vast area has a marked variation in climate with long hot dry summers in the west to monsoons in the north. Along the coast of Queensland a warm temperate climate exists, whilst in the southern and inland regions there can be low minimum temperatures.

The warm waters of the Coral and Tasman Seas have an effect on the climate along the coastal strip of Queensland which in general, keep the region free from extremes of temperature and provide moisture for rainfall. The annual average rainfall along the coastal strip is usually between 1000 to 1600 mm.

On the western side of the Great Divide, the rainfall decreases to an annual average of about 700 mm. and then slowly decreases further. The further away from the coast the average maximum temperatures steadily increase.

Towards the dry inland plains to the west where the land steadily levels off the nights become much colder but this area experiences the hottest temperatures in Queensland with the lowest rainfall, usually below 200mm

Agriculture and tourism is a major part of Queensland’s economy source of income, and tourism is particularly important along the coast, although from November to May tropical cyclones can devastate the area, bringing heavy rain and high winds.

Whilst tropical cyclones are a problem for coastal settlements, they provide much needed rain for the dry inland regions. >> Places to see >>