1. Rockhampton and Great Keppel Island.
Fancy a few days on an unspoilt tropical island with some of the best beaches in Australia? I did and I loved the experience so much, I've returned twice.
Here's a suggested plan:
Leave the train at Rockhampton, stay overnight and the following morning,take a bus to the coastal town of Yeppoon. It is then just a short ferry ride to Great Keppel Island.
Your introduction to this island paradise is unique. There is no jetty. You just walk down a ramp straight on to the cleanest white sand you will ever see! It is a place to relax and enjoy.
If you want a pristine beach with crystal clear water to yourself, take a walk past the airstrip and there it is. If you want to party until dawn, you'll love the social life.
One of my most pleasant memories was sitting on the beach near the Youth Hostel sharing a bottle of chardonnay with 3 backpackers from Broadway in the Cotswolds, watching the sun setting over mainland Australia. The sand was warm and soft and the evening balmy. A magic holiday moment.
2. Tully and Mission Beach.
Tully is the train stop for Mission Beach, Dunk Island and white water rafting on the Tully River. The pretty coastal resort of Mission Beach has a wide range of accommodation including a superb Youth Hostel called "Treetops".
This small town is the base for exploring another tropical paradise, Dunk Island.
If you're game, you may like to experience the adrenaline rush of white water rafting. This out-of-comfort zone adventure is something you must try. Regardless of your age, if you're reasonably fit you'll love the heart pulsating experience and sheer fun.
In between the rapids there are periods of calm where you are invited to jump out of the rafts and drift down this beautiful river on your back. Don't worry, your compulsory lifejacket will keep you afloat.
The sheer pleasure of floating in the calm, warm water, listening to bird calls and being surrounded on all sides by dense tropical rain forest is surreal. Ah what bliss!
3. Cairns and Tropical North Queensland.
Cairns is the largest city in North Queensland and the centre of one of the most popular tourist regions in Australia. There is plenty to see and do in Cairns but it is the region outside the city that is a magnet for overseas and Australian visitors.
The most popular tours are to the Great Barrier Reef, Kuranda, Port Douglas and the rainforests near Cape Tribulation.
Footnote. The Sunlander has been rated Australia's number one rail journey and amongst the top 25 rail journeys in the world.
In its 25th anniversary edition, the prestigious US based Society of International Railway Travelers recently published a list of the world's top 25 iconic rail adventures.
Three Australian trains, including the Sunlander were named in this prestigious list.
They represented the group's best loved railway journeys and according to president Eleanor Hardy, "The trains met stringent standards for service, accommodation, scenery, itinerary, off-train experiences and passenger enjoyment."
Want to discover more about these and other exciting holiday adventures in Queensland? Australian travel expert Graeme Lanham's popular new Ebook gives you all the answers. As a special bonus claim your 3 free reports (valued at $57) available at: http://www.traveltipsaustralia.com
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