For more information and to book please visit www.mrandmrssmith.com or let us arrange your whole trip, by calling +44 (0)20 8987 4312 or from the USA dial 1 866 610 3867.
Capturing Queensland in a few sentences is impossible: not only because, to put it in the local idiom, it’s a bloody big place, but also because of the sheer variety of the landscape. Laid-back townships and buzzy cities pepper the coastline from Brisbane north to the party city of Cairns and tropical Cape York Peninsula beyond, but if you head a few miles east, you find yourself alone in swagman country – the rugged, ruddy, rocky sunburnt plains of the Queensland bush. In the other direction, a few miles off the coast, the innumerable islands of the Great Barrier Reef stretch the length of the state like so many pockets of paradise. With the most spectacular diving and snorkelling in the world, perennially calm azure waters, and powder-white sandy bays, the islands offer the ultimate in beach-based escapism.
Every February, the Chinchilla Melon Festival (www.melonfest.com.au) brings a carnival of fruit destruction to the eponymous Outback town, with indescribably messy events such as melon skiiing, melon bungee, melon ball games, and, intriguingly, 'melon iron man'.
Stand-up paddle surfing. A recent import from Hawaii, this is the latest trend in Aussie watersports, whereby you stand upright on a modified surfboard and row yourself along the water. Noosa Heads on the Sunshine Coast is the best place to try it – book lessons at http://standuppaddlesurf.com.au.
Our round-up of the hippest hideaways and romantic boutique hotels in Queensland & Great Barrier Reef
Peeping through the trees at the sun-caressed beach postcard that is Hernandia Bay, the spacious, secluded villas of Bedarra Island are smart and simple modern hideaways where relaxation’s guaranteed.
Camping doesn’t get more glamorous or romantic than at Wilson Island – six luxury tents erected steps from the sand and the turquoise sea.
Basking in the tropical sun at the northernmost tip of the Great Barrier Reef, the largely uninhabited Lizard Island is a remote refuge for runaway lovers, with 24 powder-white beaches to choose from.
Clinging to the northern tip of the tropical Hamilton Island, in the midst of the Great Barrier Reef, Qualia is one of Queensland’s most serene and beautiful escapes.
Planes, trains, automobiles, or maybe even helicopter – we tell you the best way to go.
26 January Australia Day is, unsurprisingly, widely and raucously celebrated, with one of the most quintessentially Aussie events being the annual Dunny Races held outside the Sunshine Coast's Ettamogah Pub. Several teams compete to see which can drag a toilet furthest and fastest. March The Feast of the Senses (www.feastofthesenses.com.au) comes to Innisfail in Northern Queensland; the 10-day gastro extravaganza features tropical food markets, cooking demos, fresh seafood stalls – everything a growing foodie needs. July–September The annual humpback whale migration sees the seas aswarm – sightings are almost guaranteed from the Barrier Reef islands or Hervey Bay. October–March When the whales go out, the turtles come in; green and loggerhead turtles visit the waters around Wilson and Heron Islands to mate and nest on the sands.
A cute Francophile patisserie just downstairs from the Salted View restaurant (see below), Chocalt serves everything its name would suggest. In decadent abundance.
Level 1, 53-57, The Esplanade, Cairns, Queensland 4870, Australia
A small bistro-esque wine bar with decidedly Gallic leanings – the lamb brain kievs may only be for the adventurous, but you won't find a better crème caramel or a broader pastis selection anywhere else in Brisbane.
697 Brunswick Street, New Farm, Brisbane, Queensland 4005, Australia
Cairns may not be renowned for its cuisine, but luckily Bali is, and the dishes on offer at this bright Balinese eatery are authentically Indonesian, finely spiced plates of deliciousness that blend South-Pacific culinary know-how with native Australian ingredients. This may be the only place in Australia serving crocodile satay.
Gatton Street, Cairns, Queensland 4870, Australia
Only open for dinner, Nautilus somehow manages to sustain the elegant feel of a glamorous gourmet hangout, while being completely alfresco. The kitchen makes use of locally sourced tropical ingredients to create a sumptuous seafood-orientated menu – to be savoured under the canopy of towering palms.
17 Murphy Street, Port Douglas, Queensland, 4877
Set in an old wooden Queenslander building, this lively but relaxed place dishes up tropical Modern Australian cuisine and killer cocktails.
26 Wharf Street, Port Douglas, Queensland, 4877, Australia
As its name suggests, wine is the dominant concern at this bright and spacious spot, with a 'buffet' of over 80 bottles available every day. That doesn't mean the food is neglected, though – the Grape serves delicious tropical seafood dishes too.
Level 1, 34-42 Lake Street, Cairns, Queensland, 4870, Australia
Ideal for a casual fish lunch. The scallops with pancetta are beyond delicious but the restaurant's speciality is market fish cooked seven different ways.
Shop 7, 20 Wharf Street, Port Douglas, Queensland 4877, Australia
Australian superchef Phillip Johnson's Brisbane bistro is minimalist in both style and cuisine – an unpretentious converted warehouse where the best quality ingredients are prepared with a no-nonsense approach to create a culinary firework display.
100 Boundary Street, Brisbane, Queensland, 4000, Australia
A lively Italian eatery on Hamilton Island's marina, Romano's offers a daily changing seafood menu, views over the water and a laid-back atmosphere.
Marina Village, Hamilton Island, Queensland, Australia
Lip-smackingly good Australian dishes in a low-key but elegant setting – best suited to leisurely lunching.
Level 1, 53-57, The Esplanade, Cairns, Queensland 4870, Australia
Just because its name evokes lentils and vegetarian fodder, doesn't mean this French/Japanese restaurant doesn't satisfy carnivorous cravings – there's a vast choice of delicately prepared meat and seafood dishes; tiger prawns are a speciality.
Pier Shopping, Pierpoint Road, Cairns, Queensland, 4870, Australia
Sitting right on the beach at Palm Cove, this award-laden eatery is a classy joint indeed, with great seafood and slick, polished service. On warm days (and a lot of the days are warm in these parts), staff set up tables on the lawn. Get there in time to catch the sunset.
Angsana Resort and Spa, 1 Viewers Road, Palm Cove Queensland, Australia
Innovative Asian-inspired cuisine dominates the menu at this largely alfresco restaurant, with slick, polished service and dishes such as sang choi bau of chilli quail to tantalise the tastebuds.
(+61 (0)7 4059 1880)
As well as a big woody bar serving the on-site brewery's six blends of beer, Cairns' latest hip hostelry also plays host to a restaurant, where you'll find a menu packed with classic Australian seafood, steaks, burgers and pasta – almost all of it flavoured with beer.
34–42 Lake Street, Cairns, Queensland 4870, Australia
©2009 Mr & Mrs Smith
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