Destination: Queensland, Australia

Small group tours of Queensland, Australia

A small group Queensland tour with Odyssey is balanced authentic and safe escorted collection of small group tours that confidently take you deep into that unspoiled wilderness or expanses of pasture, passing by some of the largest cattle stations in the world in the state of Queensland. This collection of small group tours limited to 15 couples or solo senior travellers give you the chance to explore the state’s indigenous and colonial history.

Located in Australia‘s northeast, Queensland is the second largest, and third most populous state in Australia. Covering an area about 7 times the size of the U.K, or roughly the size of Mexico, Queensland has a rich and diverse landscape, featuring lush rainforest , beautiful beaches , coastal islands, deserts and the world famous Great Barrier Reef, as well as the metropolitan cityscape of its capital, Brisbane . The state’s long coastline stretches along the east coast of Australia , running from Brisbane and the Gold Coast in the south, all the way to Cape York and Thursday Island at Australia ‘s northernmost point.

The immensity of Queensland and its varied landscapes shapes the climate of the state, with a cooler subtropical climate towards the south, and rainforest , monsoon, or savanna type climates as you head towards far north Queensland. Queensland’s appeal lies foremost in its natural heritage, with countless miles of unspoiled wilderness and coastline making for one of the richest natural ecosystems in Australia, and creating the perfect destination for those seeking adventure.

History

Queensland, like the rest of Australia, was originally inhabited by Australia‘s indigenous aboriginal peoples. It is thought that Aboriginal people arrived on the north coast of the continent some time between 50,000 and 60,000 years ago. Gradually people spread south and east across what is now the state of Queensland. Forty thousand years ago Queensland was cooler than it is today and covered in grassland and forest. Increasing aridity expanded the grassland and shrank the forests. The Aborigines living in the region adapted to the changing conditions and learnt to manage their resources. Wells were dug and maintained throughout outback Queensland. Aboriginal people maintained the wells by ensuring that debris was cleaned out regularly. On the tablelands finely woven nets were used to snare herds of wallabies and kangaroos. There were some six geographic and cultural regions across the state, each containing several different language groups. Indigenous people traded extensively over both short and long distances, exchanging such things as dilly bags and spear throwers for boomerangs and axe heads. There were some six geographic and cultural regions across the state, each containing

The origins of the colonial state of Queensland can be traced back to the mid 19th century. At this point in time much of Australia and New Zealand were integrated into the greater British colony of New South Wales, which spanned across every major state and territory in both countries, save for Western Australia or the ‘Swan River Colony’ as it was known at the time. The first official European settlement was at Moreton Bay (Brisbane) where an infamous penal settlement was established in 1824. When the penal settlement was closed in 1842, the Morton Bay area was opened up to free settlement. White settlement was disastrous for the Aboriginal people with its dispossession of native land and the consequent destruction of the traditional way of life. Conflict between Aboriginal people and white settlers was brutal in central and northern Queensland. Massacres in Hornet Bank (1857) and near Emerald (1861), resulted in indiscriminate reprisals led by the notorious Native Police. Legislation in 1897 confined Queensland’s Aboriginal people to mission stations and government reserves. Government protectors could remove Aboriginal children from their families without right of appeal, causing harm down through the generations. It is only in relatively recent times that an attempt has been made to redress some of these discriminatory policies.

As the mid 19th century progressed many of the Australian territories opted to separate from New South Wales and become their own self governing states, Queensland was one of these states, becoming formally independent in the year 1859. Queensland’s economy boomed in the later 19th century, when, like New South Wales and Victoria, it experienced a boom due to successive gold rushes. The mining booms brought wealth into the colony and an accompanying influx of migrants which aided in the growth of the state. Today Queensland is the country’s third largest economy, being an important part of the mining, agriculture, and tourism sectors.

Travelling to Queensland

A tour of Queensland can offer spectacular scenery with a wide variety of experiences, landscapes, and climates, ranging from rainforest regions to reefs, beaches, outback plains, deserts, and much more. Queensland is a truly vast area, with its natural heritage being breath-taking both in its sheer scope as well as in its diversity. You can visit Fraser Island, the world’s largest sand island or take a cruise along the Great Barrier Reef. On a small group tour with Odyssey, however, you are more likely to explore the Brisbane hinterland and venture into outback Queensland. You can travel with us across the Atherton Tableland in a journey from tropical Cairns to Karumba on the east coast of the Cape York Peninsula in far north Queensland, or journey deep inland to outback Birdsville, Bedourie and Boulia.

A good place to start on a tour of Queensland is its capital city Brisbane. Located in south east Queensland, Brisbane lies in the sheltered Moreton Bay, relatively close to the famous Gold Coast beaches as well as the border with New South Wales. Although one of Australia‘s oldest cities, Brisbane is now a modern city with a population of some 2.5 million and a wide range of cultural activities. This region has some of the state’s most temperate climate, with slightly cooler weather year round than the majority of the state. While in Brisbane you can take a day trip to a koala sanctuary or get off the beaten track on a day tour to the Gold Coast hinterland. Odyssey’s small group tour of Queensland begins and ends in Brisbane.

Off the coast of Brisbane lie three of the largest sand islands in the world, Moreton Island , Bribie Island , and North Stradbroke Island . Together these islands shelter Brisbane‘s Moreton Bay, becalming the waters of Brisbane ‘s coastline, and are also popular attractions for camping, or tobogganing down the immense sand dunes. The bay is also a marine hotspot, playing host to many different species of whales, dolphin, and even dugong. Further north, just past the idyllic Sunshine Coast is the largest of the world’s sand islands, Fraser Island . Inscribed as a world heritage site since 1992, Fraser Island is home to a huge number of birds, amphibians and reptiles, even playing host to the occasional saltwater crocodile. It also contains over 100 freshwater lakes, which contain some of the cleanest fresh water found anywhere on earth.

Heading further afield to North Queensland, the Great Barrier Reef runs along Queensland’s coastline, with towns in the wet tropic such as Port Douglas, making excellent jumping off points for an exploration of one of the planet’s richest ecosystems. Whether you choose a cruise off the coast, snorkelling, or scuba diving, the Great Barrier Reef is truly one of the world’s greatest natural wonders, being the world’s largest coral reef, as well as the only living organism visible from space. Nearby you can also find the islands of Hamilton Island , as well as Whitsunday Island , which are notable for having a bright turquoise water, and some of the purest white silica sand in the world. The national park on Whitsunday Island is a popular destination for travellers, with Whitehaven Beach on Whitsunday Island being voted Australia ‘s number one beach by TripAdvisor’s Travellers’ choice beaches awards.

As you reach far north Queensland, you will find a more tropical climate, characterised by warm humid weather and an abundance of biodiversity. This is an ideal spot for those exploring Australia‘s spectacular scenery and unique flora and fauna. Cairns is the gateway to far north Queensland , and is the most popular destination for travellers to Australia after the major capitals, attracting a large number of international tourists each year. From Cairns it is a short day trip to the Daintree National Park , lying just north of the Daintree River. The Daintree’s tropical rainforest is the oldest rainforest on earth, with flora dating back all the way to the age of the dinosaurs. This lush rainforest also houses a tremendous amount of biodiversity, with over 30% of Australia‘s frog, reptile, and marsupial species, 90% of its bats and butterflies, and 7% of its birdlife in an area accounting for just 0.2% of Australia‘s landmass. The rainforest also runs parallel with the Great Barrier Reef along the coast, and they even meet at Cape Tribulation , marking the only place on earth where two world heritage sites can be found side by side.

Heading inland, a tour to outback Queensland is a great way to capture the quintessential spirit of the Australian bushland, as well as the pioneer spirit that shaped European Australia. While in the outback Odyssey visits places which have become part of Australian mythology. Birdsville, Coopers Creek, the Diamantina and Carnarvon all resound with the legends of the outback. Outback Queensland is full of gems such as Longreach, with its Cattleman’s Hall of Fame, and Winton , famous for its dinosaur fossils, as well as home to Australia ‘s unofficial anthem ‘ Waltzing Matilda ‘. One of the best ways to experience what Queensland has to offer is with a small group tour. Odyssey specialises in this kind of tour, offering an engaged and intimate tour of Queensland ideal for senior, solo travellers and couples. While Odyssey offers a tour which begins and ends in Queensland, we also offer tours which begin in other states and then travel through outback Queensland.