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Queensland
AREA: 1,723,936 sq. km., POPULATION: 2,625,000
CAPITAL: Brisbane (1,200,000)
Queensland enjoys the self-appointed name of the 'Sunshine State', much of which is deserved
for its semi-tropical weather, thousands of kilometres of beaches, and easy going life-style.
It may well be called the 'diverse' state, due to the variety of landscape and climate which it
constitutes.
In the north the tropical region has rain-forests, gorges, islands, and massive rivers which cut
access to many places after rains. Being tropical it is also cyclonic and the extremes of weather
can be experienced.
In the south, the climate is more moderate with cooler nights and clearer days. The state is divided
east-west by the Great Dividing Range which closely follows the coastline. West of the range the
'Outback' is cattle country with sparse vegetation and in the more remote areas nights will be below
zero in winter and days can reach 50° in summer.
Many of these regions are criss-crossed by a network of rivers including the Diamantina and Cooper Creek
which can flash flood after rains many kilometres away and isolate the lonely stations of the outback.
The state is rich in primary industry with copper and lead mines at Mount Isa, opals, gold and
precious metals around the state, bananas, mangos and pineapples along the coast. peanuts at Kingaroy,
and all types of vegetables and fruits. A wine industry is being established in the south
near the border.
Queensland also contains several of Australia's best known and visited tourist attractions in the
Gold Coast, and the Great Barrier Reef. In the far north Cape York Peninsula and the Daintree Forest
and gaining increasing popularity, and the islands off the coast in the reef are popular holiday
destinations for millions each year.
Queensland is high on the list of places to visit for international travellers and there is an International
Airport at Cairns in the north and Brisbane in the south. A railway follows the coast between
Brisbane and Cairns.
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