01 December 2025 – Queensland turned the fun dial right up in 2025 serving up a platter of new experiences for travellers to sink their teeth into. From new luxury stays on the Gold Coast and in the Whitsundays, to accessible adventures on Brisbane's iconic Story Bridge, Queensland has really raised the bar. The New Year promises even more stunning experiences to add to a holiday hit-list, kicking off in January with Queensland's ultimate cliffhanger, Happitat, a world-first cliffside adventure park, and tours for the highly anticipated Ngaro Track multi-day guided island hike setting off in the first half of the year. Here are 26 new reasons to visit Queensland in 2026:

New Stays, Big Personality
In 2025, luxury got a Queensland-style transformation. Mondrian Gold Coast swung open its doors in June just a short sandy stroll from Burleigh Beach, marking the Mondrian brand's first hotel in Australia. With 208 design-led rooms, including ocean-facing suites, it quickly became a scroll-stopping standout. The elevated beach holiday extends much further than the rooms and suites, as guests unwind at CIEL Spa, bask in the sunshine and salty sea air by the pool, and drift between Italian flavours at LiTO and sea-to-plate dining at Haven.

Further north along the Pacific Coast Way, The Sundays on Hamilton Island welcomed its first guests in April. Perched above Catseye Beach, this 59-room retreat leans into that “every day feels like Sunday” mindset, where the views do all the talking. Guests at The Sundays' Catseye Pool Club have been savouring a mouthwatering share-style menu by acclaimed chefs Josh and Julie Niland with seasonal Aussie ingredients and seafood the shining stars.

For travellers chasing something grounded but enchanting, Pat's Farm is an eco-hideaway in World Heritage Listed Lamington National Park. From the team at O'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat, Pat's Farm features six off-grid chalets, private plunge pools and stargazing hammocks that set the pace for a deep, relaxing exhale.

In February, Peppers Gladstone became the region's first new-build hotel in more than a decade – giving the town's accommodation offering a fresh new look.

Nature, Culture and Wellness: Feel-Good Escapes That Hit Different
Wellness really found its groove this year, with Queensland's lush hinterland hubs delivering calm in all the right ways. Sol Elements at Tamborine Mountain turned soaking and steaming into a full body reset inspired by Japanese bathing culture and reflected in its unique design. Having opened in June, the spa features mineral-rich thermal pools, icy plunges, a Himalayan salt cave and a sunken firepit.

In the Noosa Hinterland Kin Kin Spring Bathhouses invited travellers to be whisked up the hillside in a buggy, then settled into a handcrafted spring-water bath for two hours. Choosing between pure spring water, Epsom salts or aromatic oils for the ultimate rest and reset, the only neighbours here are the local wildlife.

Just a short drive south, Saltwater Eco Tours introduced guided canoe tours on the Sunshine Coast's Mooloolah River, where travellers hear stories of Country while paddling in double canoes painted with Aboriginal artwork. The tours run twice a week and include accessibility support such as adaptive seating and hoists, so everyone can join in the experience. Staying on the Sunshine Coast and on the water, The Boat Mooloolaba set sail in August, offering relaxed canal cruising with cocktails, live music and the sound of water lapping at the hull.

The Gold Coast gained a new after-dark family-fun activity earlier this year when Astra Lumina lit up the night sky at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. This glowing forest walk turned bushland into a starlit story across a gentle, 1.5km wander where sound, light and nature unite under the trees.

Sip and Savour Queensland Flavours
French class met Queensland heart when Winnfred's said bonjour to Brisbane in August, with more than 360 cuvées of Champagne from over 60 growers lining the shelves. Guests are instantly transported to Champagne as they wander to one of the intimate spaces (each named after a region of France) of this sophisticated multi-level building in Fortitude Valley, designed for long conversations and slow sips.

In the heart of wine country in Queensland's Granite Belt, The Church – Local Wine Project joined the party, and turned a restored timber chapel into a relaxed tasting space where visitors sample small-batch wines from Australia's highest wine region and chat to local makers.

December sees the debut of Flinders Street Wharves, a reimagined waterfront precinct in Townsville. The restored building anchors cafes, eateries and a breezy rooftop bar perfect for warm evenings. Down on Ross Creek, The Docks added a floating restaurant serving North Queensland seafood with river views worth lingering over.

Adventure at the Ready
Brisbane's accessible tourism offering made headlines in 2025 when Story Bridge Adventure Climb introduced the world's first wheelchair-accessible bridge climb in April – a show-stopping moment for accessible tourism.

On the Sunshine Coast, the Australian Surf Bus ramped up its popular 5-day Epic Tour in December giving surfers (and first-time wave riders) a deep dive into coastal beaches, surf culture, and hidden breaks.

Keep the rashies on because Yeppoon Jet Ski Tours turned the ocean into a natural fun factory, carving past rocky headlands and sea-life hotspots – a wow-worthy way to feel alive on the water.

Queensland clearly loves fast-paced water-based activities because in January, Purple Thunder brought fast drifts, spins and splash-filled fun to the Pioneer River in Mackay for a lively 30-minute burst of pure joy.

For travellers short on time but keen for an experience in the tropics, Cairns Adventure Group's Overnight Daintree Rainforest & Reef Tour started in October. This small-group, expert-guided adventure threads together jaw-dropping rainforest ziplines, croc-spotting on the Daintree River, an overnight stay in Cape Tribulation and time on the Great Barrier Reef with Ocean Safari, with a stirring Welcome to Country at Mossman Gorge.

Where the Reef Shines
What's better than one Reef island escape? Two! In September the Two-Island Explorer tour from Reef Unlimited invited guests to spend a day soaking up the salt water and sun across two Great Barrier Reef islands in one trip. The tour transports guests to both Fitzroy Island and Green Island in the same day, with time to snorkel, wander the beaches and settle into that unhurried holiday rhythm before returning to Cairns.

Also in the Tropical North, ABC Reef Safaris cast off Voyager in December, a new vessel carrying just 24 curious Reef lovers at any one time. It's the first new Reef tour boat in Port Douglas since 2018 and offers intimate snorkelling led by marine biologists and Master Reef Guides.

On Magnetic Island, Pilgrim Sailing partnered with Destination Adventure to launch a Trek & Sail adventure in April, which pairs a morning hike and a relaxed afternoon on a classic yacht, with swimming stops and an onboard lunch for the ultimate land and sea combo.

That's a wrap on 2025, here's a sneak peek at 2026
Next year is already shaping up to be massive for tourism in Queensland, with plenty of 'firsts' in the pipeline across the state.

Welcoming guests from January 2026, Happitat is Queensland's new adrenaline escape focussing on the natural landscapes of the Gondwana Rainforests – an Australian World Heritage Area. Inspired by overseas cliff-based adventures in Europe and North America, it's a world-first cliffside adventure park high above the Gold Coast Hinterland bringing multiple cliffside experiences at the one park. With sky-high ziplines (one stretching 200m), a via ferrata climb, an 80m bridge connecting to tightropes and timber crossings suspended high above the valley, forest trails and swimming holes, it's a park built for those wanting to connect with nature in the most epic way.

Also launching in January is the Dreaming Trails Tour from Mystic Mountain Tours, a full-day journey led by First Nations knowledge holders, weaving cultural stories with hinterland flavours including little-known favourites of the Sunshine Coast such as QCamel Dairy – a family-run camel dairy farm – and My Dilly Bag where Aboriginal chef Aunty Dale and her team showcase seasonal bush tucker. Guests meet the makers, taste native ingredients and take part in hands-on cultural activities – from ochre painting to rainforest walks – all designed to deepen connection to Country.

Opening April 2026, Australian Age of Dinosaurs' newest experience takes visitors on a time-travelling journey through Dinosaur Canyon – a sound-and-light trail where prehistoric shadows flicker across ancient landscapes. As darkness settles in Outback Queensland, the adventure shifts to The Jump-Up Dark Sky Sanctuary for guided stargazing under skies so clear they're showing off. It's a multi-sensory blend of dino tourism and astro-tourism that brings the long-lost world of Gondwana to life.

Opening on the Sunshine Coast in April 2026, Avani Mooloolaba Beach Hotel brings a show-stopping coastal stay just metres from the golden sand and shallows of Mooloolaba Beach. Think 180 breezy rooms and suites, a rooftop pool and bar tailor made for the ultimate sunshine escape.

In 2026, World Expeditions will launch two grand hiking tours guaranteed to work up a sweat and capture the hearts of trekkers. In May 2026, World Expeditions, in partnership with the Ngaro People, kicks off tours of the Ngaro Track, a 32km island hike linking Whitehaven Beach to Hill Inlet with snap-it-up moments at every turn. Purpose-built camps and capped numbers keep the experience low-key and authentic while guided walks weave in Ngaro stories, turning this Whitsundays trail into a true must-do for nature-lovers. In another win for hikers in 2026, World Expeditions, supported by the Bandjin and Girramay Peoples, will guide walkers along the Thorsborne Trail — one of Queensland's true off-the-grid treasures. The fully supported four-day journeys will blend deep cultural storytelling with the island's wild rainforest, waterfalls and beaches with nature calling all the shots.

Get shucked in 2026 when Brisbane Oyster Farm Tours serves up a day on the glass-blue water with fresh oysters and local stories just a 45-minute jaunt from the city. Cruise across Moreton Bay before tasting oysters, while learning how these beauties are grown. With bubbles in hand as the sand hills of Moreton Island rise in the background, just don't forget the camera.

With so many new and tantalising experiences across Queensland, holidaymakers are truly spoilt for choice. Visit queensland.com and surrender to that holiday feeling.

/ENDS

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