13 unmissable Queensland experiences for students

Splurge: Embrace adventure with a weekend traversing Moreton Island, diving the famed wrecks, and sandboarding the dunes that are scattered across this natural playground. Rest your head with a glamping getaway courtesy of Castaways, or enjoy the ease of everything catered to with Moreton Bay Escapes.

Budget: Grab your best tent and make way for the North Stradbroke Island ferry. Sleeping on the beachfront is an unmissable Queensland experience for students, and will see you stay within arm’s reach of surf breaks if you set up at Main Beach Camping Grounds, or Minjerribah Camping which also offers a series of Indigenous tours.

Gold Coast

Splurge: Take to the luscious foliage of the Gold Coast Hinterland, spending a night under the canopy with a stay at nightfall wilderness camp. Spend the night in a luxury escape with just 7 others, off-the-beaten track in Queensland’s Lamington National Park.

Budget: Make the most of the world-renowned breaks scattered across the Gold Coast and hit the waves with a surf lesson. Currumbin Alley and Surfers Paradise are two of the most popular places to learn - you’ll find a comprehensive list of operators around the region here.

Sunshine Coast

Splurge: Immerse yourself in the rich food culture of the Sunshine Coast with a visit to Noosa during Noosa Eat + Drink. The annual festival hosts a series of events around town, incorporating local and international foodie talent, as well as stand-out local producers.

Budget: Paddle your way through the Noosa Everglades by kayak. One of only two worldwide, you can explore this picturesque natural wonder solo or with one of the many group tours on offer - Everglades Eco Safaris and Kanu Kapers are two of the most popular.

Queensland Country

Splurge: Treat yourself to a weekend in wine country with a stay in the Granite Belt. Luxury escapes are plentiful here - relax at Allure or Girraween Environmental Lodge, with days traversing the local wineries, like Ballandean, Hidden Creek, and Twisted Gum or Granite Belt Brewery. Or keep active with a meander of Girraween National Park.

Budget: Grab your day pack and some decent walking shoes before you embark on an adventure through Bunya Mountains National Park. Formed 30 million years ago, this region is rich in rainforest and Indigenous significance - large groups of Aboriginal people gathered here as a part of regular bunya nut festivals.

Fraser Coast

Splurge: Spend some time getting better acquainted with the world’s largest sand island, K'gari (formerly Fraser Island) with Fraser Island Cool Dingo Tours - they’ll take you trekking across the adventure playground, getting an authentic experience of the area with a troupe of local guides.

Budget: If you’re around during winter, take the time to gaze on the giants of the deep at play with a whale watching tour in Hervey Bay. On the cusp of K'gari this region is a haven of whale-related activity and a sure way to see them in the wild. Certain operators will even help you swim with them, though you may have to dig deep for the opportunity.

Bundaberg

Splurge: Bid hello to the hearty population of turtles and manta rays that call Lady Elliot Island home with a holiday spent diving off its reef. The southernmost island on the Great Barrier Reef doesn’t just boast an abundance of marine life, but a much adored eco lodge.

Budget: Help protect Australia’s turtle population with a day trip to Mon Repos Turtle Centre in Bundaberg. The much-revered space plays host to both an educational offering for all ages, as well as a rehabilitation centre for injured marine life.

Capricorn

Splurge: Grab a group of friends and rent out Pumpkin Island. The petite sandy patch stretches just 6 hectares in size, and sits just off Yeppoon. It’s also particularly well-versed in seclusion hosting only groups of 34 at a time across it’s gathering of bungalows.

Budget: Get off the beaten track with a road trip through Carnarvon National Park. A 200 million-year-old vibrant oasis in the midst of the red desert, this national park isn’t just home to ample wildlife, but an impressive array of Aboriginal rock art, with more than 2000 different examples to enjoy.

Gladstone

Splurge: Make like Robinson Crusoe with a night spent glamping on Wilson Island. Though islands are plentiful in these parts and you may prefer to take a day sojourn to Lady Musgrave with Great Barrier Reef Eco Tours which boasts a $200 student special.

Budget: Experience sunset from the water with a kayak tour courtesy of 1770 Liquid Adventures.You’ll be guided along the idyllic waterways of the historic settlement, past the headland and out onto the conservation park.

Mackay

Splurge: Take the opportunity to enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime experience with the world’s first Rainforest Scuba. Hosted in Finch Hatton Gorge this memorable adventure offers you a chance to see the area’s population of platypus at play.

Budget: Take part in one of the most unmissable Queensland experiences for students by watching the sunrise with the resident wallabies on Cape Hillsborough. The secluded beach outside of Mackay also conveniently offers plenty of accommodation options for those who want to spend the night.

The Whitsundays

Splurge: Rest your head atop the coral for a night with the Reefsleep experience. Cruise Whitsundays is behind the overnight encounter, which will see you spend the night in luxe quarters on a permanently moored pontoon perched over Hardy Reef.

Budget: See the beauty of the Whitsundays with an island hopping foray around its iconic residents. Join Salty Dog Sea Kayaking for an educational adventure around the likes of Whitehaven Beach - a place that is an unmissable Queensland experience for students.

Townsville

Splurge: Charter a chopper for the day with Nautilus Aviation. Collecting you in Townsville, you’ll soar to Havannah Island, where you can enjoy a gourmet picnic hamper or even the chance to drop in to the Yongala Dive to see the wreck.

Budget: Escape the big smoke for a weekender on magical Magnetic Island. Grab your mates and settle in to Base Magnetic Island before you embark on your outdoor escapades begin - bushwalking, horse riding and snorkelling are all on offer.

Cairns & Great Barrier Reef

Splurge: Take a personalised tour of the Great Barrier Reef with Passions of Paradise. Dive, sail and snorkel your way through the international icon aboard a 30-metre luxury custom-designed catamaran.

Budget: Take a closer look at one of the Daintree Rainforest’s most popular attractions with a tour of Mossman Gorge with the Kuku Yalunji. The Dreamtime Walks are an unmissable Queensland experience for students, and conducted by local Indigenous people.

Outback Queensland

Splurge: Discover the best of Boodjamulla National Park (currently closed) as a part of North West Tours’ 3 day Adels Grove adventure. You’ll cover some 30 hectares of historical trails and preserved park, bushwalking, swimming, and cruising among more.

Budget: Pack the car for an unforgettable foray through the Outback with a road trip. Bitumen-based adventures are plentiful here, particularly when it comes to combining country and outback in a single trip. But our favourite? Make way for Birdsville, timing your trip to coincide with the Big Red Bash.