Joanna James
Queensland is a land that is rich in both cultural and natural heritage sites. There are nineteen world heritage sites in Australia of which five are located in Queensland. If you are planning to visit Queensland anytime during the end of the year, add these five sites to your schedule.
Fraser Island is the world's largest sand island and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is popular throughout the seasons and has large visiting numbers of both tourists and locals all year round. Among the reasons that people love to visit, apart from the 250 km wide sand beaches, are the beautiful sand cliffs, the pristine blue seas, dune lakes, lush marine life as well as the tall rainforests among the sand, something you wouldn't expect to find in an area that resembles an arid desert. Fraser Island should be top on your list.
Snuggling the border between Queensland and New South Wales are the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia. These are some of the most extensive subtropical areas of rainforest in the world and take up over 60,000 hectares in Queensland. Also, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the preserve consists of Springbrook, Mount Barney, Lamington and Main Range National Parks. The rainforest is home to a vibrant amount of flora and fauna including reptile species, birds and marsupials. There are also rare animals such as Albert's lyrebird and Coxen's fig parrot which are endemic to the rainforests. There are also some breath-taking waterfalls if you'd like to go on a hike.
The best-known attraction which is one of the prominent sights in the world, the Great Barrier Reef; a UNESCO World Heritage Site that stretches 2600 km long and is the world's largest coral reef system. It is made up of 900 islands and 3000 individual reefs. If you are a diver, get your scuba diving and snorkelling gear out for this one as it is the only way to see the abundant types of corals, clownfish, manta rays, giant clams and six of the seven turtle species in the world. You can also watch the annual Humpback and Minke whales who migrate across the Australian coast if you get there at the right time.
If you would like to take a road trip up to the Riversleigh Fossil site, you will find a UNESCO World Heritage Site where you can witness the evolution of Australia's mammals. The site will give you a thorough idea of Australia's prehistoric past and provide scientists with an in-depth understanding of the ecological future.
If you are planning to base yourself somewhere around the Middlemount Service apartments, you will need to make a bit of a journey to get to the Wet Tropics that spread from Cooktown to Townsville. This vast area covers all four of the natural criteria required by a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is one of the many places to be so. Staying at a hotel in Middlemount such as Oaks Middlemount Suites and plan a whole month's expedition.
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