Adventure DOWN UNDER

Visit Queensland and the astonishing Great Barrier Reef for unforgettable scenery, marine life and more

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Sydney, Melbourne and Uluru (also known as Ayers Rock) might be top of your list for a first-time visit to Australia, but if you want experiences that you won't find anywhere else, head to Queensland. Home to the Great Barrier Reef (GBR), a Unesco World Heritage Site spanning an epic 1,429 miles, temperatures here are in the 20s and 30s year-round. Whales use the coastline as their nursery while kangaroos and koalas love the gum-tree forests. Plus, thanks to new routes from London into Cairns and its capital Brisbane, it's easier than ever to get there.

Try snorkelling

The GBR is one of the best places to try snorkelling or diving for the first time. Rainbow-colored parrotfish and blue damselfish dart between enormous staghorn and plate corals and there's a good chance of spotting giant sea turtles. Cairns is a good base as reefs here are close to the mainland, reachable in under an hour by boat. The familyfriendly Dreamtime Dive & Snorkel (dreamtimedive.com) cruise has guided snorkel trips with marine

biologists and indigenous guides on board so you can learn about marine life and GBR's story. A day trip costs £129 for adults, with five hours to explore two reefs, equipment and lunch included.