If you've never been to Queensland, guess what? You're in for a treat. I envy those that still can experience Queensland for the first time. The state has many beautiful tourist destinations including the Great Barrier Reef, Whitsunday Islands, tropical Cairns and outback towns. However, the place I recommend to start your journey is Brisbane.

Only an hour flight away from Sydney, you'll find that Brisbane is a great starting point to exploring South East Queensland. You can rent a car at Brisbane Airport and then take the motorway either north to the Sunshine Coast or visit Gold Coast to the south. What I recommend though is taking a closer look at Brisbane itself. You'll find beautiful restaurants (check this Brisbane guide) and cafes in Fortitude Valley and Southbank.

The Gold Coast is a destination worth stopping by for longer on its own. Apart from famous surfing beaches it boasts a fantastic night life, especially in Surfers Paradise, and theme parks that will guarantee fun for the whole family for days. Especially popular ones are Sea World, Warner Brothers Movie World and Dreamworld. However, that's not all that the Gold Coast has to offer. One of the less travelled to destinations on the Gold Coast, although still quite popular, is the Tamborine Mountain region. A beautiful region with wonderful waterfalls it's getting more and more visitors each year – and without surprise.

The next area that you must visit is the Sunshine Coast. More beautiful beaches and Australia-wide famous places like Noosa and Mooloolaba. On the Sunshine Coast you'll also find Australia Zoo run by the Irwin family. Close by are the Glasshouse Mountains which are definitely worth spending a day on exploring. The Sunshine Coast too has a great hinterland and places like Montville and Maleny are a famous not without a reason.

Still don't know what to do in Brisbane? You'll find more ideas on Brisbane's Wikitravel page. I'm sure you'll love your time spent in South East Queensland.