50 Shades of blue

The Whitsundays

From the soft silica sands (the purest in the world) and Tiffany-blue waters of Whitehaven Beach to Bowen’s gorgeous beaches and the tiny wisps of sand hidden away on secluded islands, the Whitsunday Islands boast an incomparable beauty. Located in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef – the largest living organism on Earth – its 50 mesmerising shades of blue are filled with pretty living corals, lavishly-hued fish, marine turtles and more than 30 species of whales and dolphins. And with everything from catamarans, tall ships and speedboats to helicopters and seaplanes standing by to take you out to explore, visitors are spoiled for choice on how to experience it. Mainland Airlie Beach is the gateway to the islands and the reef, with excellent accommodation for families, including the feature-packed BIG4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort. If you’d rather an island idyll, Daydream Island Resort & Living Reef provides a perfect playground for families. tourismwhitsundays.com.au

Outback Queensland

With its epic landscapes, rugged roads, pioneering history and fair dinkum friendly locals, Outback Queensland is a magical place for adventurous families. Get dusty shearing sheep or mustering cattle, or dirty digging deep for gold, gemstones and even 20 million-year-old dinosaur bones. Little palaeontologists can follow the Dinosaur Trail between Winton and Hughenden to see real dinosaur fossils at Winton’s Australian Age of Dinosaurs and life-size bronze dino replicas at Dinosaur Canyon. Wannabe astronauts might prefer to catch a shooting star and gaze in wonder at the star-studded outback sky at Charleville Cosmos Centre. Come back to Earth at Longreach to hear the real stories of the outback at the Stockman’s Hall of Fame, fly into the award-winning Qantas Founders Museum and switch the kids on to rural history at the Longreach Powerhouse and Historical Museum. outbackqueensland.com.au