Queensland

Queensland offers everything a grey nomad could ask for ... and a little bit more besides. The climate, of course, is a very big plus. In the cold winter months, southern nomads head en masse to destinations in the north such as Cooktown, Port Douglas, Mission Beach and Karumba. It’s great to sit out the so-called chilly season playing cards, fishing, and sharing happy hour drinks with an army of like-minded travellers.

But don’t get too comfortable ... there’s an awful lot of places still to see and an awful lot of things to do in the Sunshine State. For those game enough, the rugged adventure of a trip to Cape York can bring lasting memories, and the Gulf country is simply magnificent. Then there’s the national parks ... the Daintree, Carnarvon Gorge, Lawn Hill. Unforgettable. Likewise, the rainforests and lush surroundings of Cairns and the Atherton Tablelands, and the world-renowned Great Barrier Reef.

The Queensland beaches are superb all the way down the coast and the sophistication of the capital Brisbane contrasts sharply with the fun and chutzpah of the brash Gold Coast.

There’s certainly something for everybody and the lure of Outback adventure is irresistible to most. Many grey nomads now have Longreach, where the revered Stockman’s Hall of Fame is located; and Winton, where Waltzing Matilda was penned; and the legendary Outback town on Birdsville, firmly on their big lap itinerary.

You could travel for years here and not begin to see it all.

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