Superlatives

Queensland - A State of Superlatives

The Biggest

Fraser Island
… is the world’s largest sand island. Fraser Island is 124 kilometres long and 163,000 hectares comprising coastal heath, mangrove swamps, freshwater lakes, subtropical rainforest, sand dunes and ancient trees over 70 metres tall.

Great Barrier Reef
… is a part of the world’s largest Marine Park covering an area of 345000 square km. The reef itself is the largest of its kind, and the largest structure made completely by living organisms. It is known as the only natural structure visible from outer space. Measuring 2300km in length, it is a natural wonder of the world.

Reef HQ
… offers a great alternative to see the spectacular underwater world of the Great Barrier Reef without getting your feet wet. It ist he biggest corral aquarium in the world and visitors can observe the fascinating and colourful diversity of the animals through a thick glass panel.

Mount Isa Rodeo
The Mount Isa Rodeo is the biggest rodeo in the Southern Hemisphere attracting the best local and overseas competitors. As Outback as the Outback can be, ‘The Isa Rodeo’ is the epitome of an Australian Outback experience.

Mon Repos
… is the largest loggerhead sea turtle nesting area in the South Pacific, just 15kms from Bundaberg. From November to January, when it is dark, you can join a rangerguided tour to watch these magnificent creatures make the journey up the beach to lay their eggs. From January until March you can watch hatchlings make their first struggling steps back to the ocean.

School of Distance Education
... At the School of Distance Education in Mount Isa, Longreach or Charleville, visit one of the largest "classrooms" in the world. Listen to a lesson from the ‘School of the Air’, providing education by two-way radio to children on isolated properties.

Dinosaurs
... the fossilised remains of Australia’s biggest-ever dinosaur were found on a remote sheep station near Winton, central-western Queensland. Dubbed ‘Elliot’, the new dinosaur would have stretched the length of five cars and weighed as much as five fully grown African elephants. Had he been alive today, Elliot would have easily been able to peek into the window of a second floor apartment

Hinchinbrook Island
… is listed as a world heritage area and Australia’s largest island national park. The island is covered by lush palm trees, mangrove swamps and rugged granite rocks. This nature reserve is best explored on a boat, cruising through the reeds, home of dugongs (sea cows) and sea turtles.

The Longest and Highest

Wallaman Falls
... are Australia’s largest single drop waterfall - the main drop is 268m which is preceded by 70m of drops. The falls are on the UN's World Heritage site registry.

King Fern
… or ‘Angiopteris evecta’ produces possibly the longest fern fronds in the world (up to 7m in length). Fossils well over 300 million years old (predating the dinosaurs) and very similar to the modern versions have been found on most continents. The King Fern can be found in Queensland from sea level to about 600m, New South Wales (only the north-east where it is very rare however), Polynesia and Malaysia. Excellent examples of the King Fern can be seen on the 1km Lake Eacham Waterfall Walk.

Flying Postman Route
… the world’s longest mail run in single day is the flying postman’s route. From Cairns to Cape York the ‘posties’ cover 1450km over 9 hours with 10 stops.

Undara
... the world’s longest lava tubes, at 160km in length and 20 metre’s wide! They are in Undara National Park and are estimated to be 190 000 years old.

Mount Bartle Frere
… Mount Bartle Frere is the highest mountain in Queensland. Its elevation is 1622 metres. It is located 70 kilometers south of Cairns. Its immediate neighbour Mount Bellenden Ker is the second highest at 1593 metres.

Mount Tempest
... is the highest sand dune on Moreton Island and is also the highest vegetated sand hill in the world with the peak approx 285m above sea level. The walk to the top of Mt Tempest can be a challenging climb once you reach the top the breathtaking views will make it all worthwhile.

The Most Bizzare

The Purple Wallaby
… Petrogale Purpureicollis, inhabits the Mt Isa region in Northwest Queensland. The Wallaby secretes a dye that transforms its face and neck into colours ranging from light pink to bright purple.

Australian Lung Fish
… Queensland is home to lung fish, a living fossil from the Triassic period 350 million years ago. Bundaberg region is the only known habitat in the world for the rare Ceratodus, or Lungfish.

Herkules Moth
… belongs to the family Saturniidae. It is the largest species of moth in Australia and one of the largest in the world. It is found in both Tropical North Queensland and in New-Guinea. Males are slightly smaller than females which can have a wingspan of 25cm.

Cockroach Racing Championships
... are held every January 26 (Australia Day) at the Story Bridge Hotel in Brisbane, Australia. It all started in 1982.

World Lizard Racing Championships
... have been conducted in Eulo, 60 km west of Cunnamulla, for at least 36 years. A wide range of lizard species are contenders - shingle backs, dragons, blue tongues - all caught in surrounding bushlands by brave locals. They must tag the lizard on the spot and return it to this habitat after the race.

Thargomindah
... Back in 1893, Thargomindah was the first town in Australia and the third in the world to Paris and London to have electric street lighting! A hydroelectric scheme powered by a high-pressure artesian bore supplied electricity for the town until 1951.

Lark Quarry Dinosaur Trackways
… 110 km from Winton - the world’s only recorded evidence of a dinosaur stampede. Now exposed in a small quarry are thousands of dinosaur footprints, recording the events of a few moments in time 95 million years ago. Over 3000 footprints, made by nearly 200 individual dinosaurs, were found at the site.

Pine Islet Lighthouse
… is the last and only lighthouse in the world that is operating with kerosene. In 1995, is was transferred from Pine Island into the harbour of Mackay.

Sapphire Gemfields
… a few small Outback towns (Anakie, Rubyvale, Sapphire and Willows) lie within the area of the famous Gemfields, a region in which gems and sapphires are mined. The Gemfields are one of the largest mines accessible to tourists, also offering guided tours.