Queensland’s royal attractions – a guide for Meghan Markle and Prince Harry

By MiNDFOOD

Blue waves rolling on Surfers Paradise beach, QLD, Australia
Blue waves rolling on Surfers Paradise beach, QLD, Australia

First it was the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Charles and Camilla, and Prince Edward to visit the Sunshine State earlier this year. Now, on October 22, Queensland will hit the royal trifecta, with a visit from newlyweds Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

Before they touch down on the powdery-white sands of Fraser Island, we’ve got the inside scoop on the most pap-worthy experiences in Queensland.

Queensland, the Sunshine State, is Australia’s most popular holiday destination. Golden beaches, reef-fringed tropical islands, fantastic surf breaks, World Heritage-listed rainforests, rivers, reefs, and waterfalls are just some of Queensland’s natural jewels. And all of these sun-soaked settings offer a multitude of outdoor adventures. A must-stop for any visit to Australia – even a royal one at that.

Time for a snorkel

The newlyweds should make time for a snorkel at the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. It extends off the northern coast of Queensland from Mackay to the northeastern corner of Australia. The Reef Park protects more than 3,000 coral reefs; 600 continental islands, 300 coral cays, and many mangrove islands.

Step out in Brisbane

If it’s a slice of Australian culture Prince Harry and Megan Markle are after, they could cruise along the South Bank cultural precinct in Brisbane, where they’ll find the Queensland Performing Arts Centre and the Gallery of Modern Art to name a few.

Bright White Sand of Lake McKenzie, a fresh water lake on Fraser Island.

Island life

Fraser Island may be the talk of the town this month with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex making their Queensland debut, and for good reason. World Heritage-listed Fraser Island is the largest sand island in the world. Four-wheel drive adventures here explore wide windswept beaches, crystal clear lakes and streams, dingoes, dense forests, sacred aboriginal sites, and multi-hued rock formations. 

Explore nature

The Daintree, a two hour drive north of Cairns, is the world’s oldest tropical rainforest and so beautiful that it provided inspiration for the movie Avatar. Stand in awe under the branches of the 600-million-year-old Zamia Fern, which has an underground trunk system evolved in defence against dinosaurs.

The Beautiful Daintree Rainforest.

Surfers paradise

The Gold Coast is one of Australia’s best-known holiday regions. During the last few decades, a building boom transformed the coast into a kind of tropical Las Vegas with high rises and hotels stretching from Southport, in the north, to Coolangatta, in the south. Packed with attractions and high-rise hotels, Surfers Paradise – ‘Surfers’ for short – is a tourist magnet legendary for its alliterative assets: sun, surf, and sand.

There is no shortage of attractions for the royal couple, especially with summer well on its way. It’s no wonder the state has become somewhat of a royal hot-spot.

Read all the details of the royal visit, here.

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