Queensland's Outback covers an enormous area of over 800,000 square kilometres (almost half of the state). You can follow the dinosaur footprints that are many millions of years old and the cultural trail of the Aboriginal people that have walked the land for thousands of years. The history of white settlement along the stock routes. Visit the billabong of "Waltzing Matilda" fame and "Crocodile Dundee" country as well as old pubs and abandoned mines.

Mt Isa is the world’s largest silver and lead producer and so its main attraction is the huge Mount Isa Mine, the financial base of and indeed the reason for the existence of the Mt Isa township. Situated beside the Leichardt River its skyline is dominated by the enormous lead smelter that rises to a height of 270 metres. Mt Isa is a typical mining town and a highlight of any journey through outback Queensland.

The Southern Downs stretches from Cunningham's Gap (120km southwest of Brisbane) in the east, north to Allora, south to the border town of Wallangara and to Goondiwindi in the west. In the Southern Downs you will experience real country life and hospitality. The region provides a natural alternative to the cities and beaches of the coastal area. The Southern Downs region has five National Parks offering everything from granite landscapes and spectacular wildflowers to rainforests and waterfalls.

The Darling Downs is one of the world's richest agricultural areas and is part of the Golden West Region. Taking up the southeast corner of Queensland, the Golden West has a rich agricultural base seeped in pioneering history. Toowoomba is situated on the crest of the Great Dividing Range and offers panoramic views from 700 metres above sea level. In spring the regions gardens come to life and the whole area becomes vibrantly colourful.

The seasonal changes in Queensland are not really the destinct changes of summer and winter. The changes in Queensland are generally the hotter the climate the wetter it is or the cooler the climate the dryer it is.

In the northern parts of the state the hot/wet season is between November and May, particularly in January, Feburary and March where daily temperatures reach around 35C to 40C. This time of the year is also the time for cyclones and flooding with Cairns getting around 1300mm of rain during this period. In the southern parts of the state Brisbane and other major cities average around 450mm of rain in the hot/wet season with temperatures rarely droping into the 20C's.

In the cool/dry season the state still has relatively warm temperatures compared to the rest of Australia during the months of June to October. Temperatures hardly drop below 20C and the nights are still warm as well unless you are in the inland/outback regions of the state where it can be cold during the nights.