7 Queensland Australia attractions for an unforgettable campervan road trip

Brisbane is a great starting point for an Australia road trip, with plenty of campervan rental companies based in and around the city.

We chose Apollo for our trip. There's a huge range of rental vehicles in Australia, from compact campervans and 4WD campers to large motorhomes.

Our Euro Deluxe is actually designed for up to six people, which makes it pretty spacious for just the two of us. For our trip, though, that's exactly what we want: two separate sleeping areas plus enough space to work from the road.

The kitchen has everything we need too, including a large fridge, crockery and cutlery.

If you're travelling from the UK, remember that Australia uses Type I electrical sockets, so you'll need an Australian plug adaptor for UK chargers and other devices.

There's one thing that will feel immediately familiar, though: Australians drive on the left-hand side, just like we do in the UK.

Brisbane is Queensland's capital and one of Australia's largest cities. The Brisbane River winds through the centre, surrounded by a mixture of modern architecture, green spaces and historic buildings.

The city is also preparing to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2032, so Brisbane is changing quickly.

For us, though, it's already a brilliant first stop.

There are plenty of things to do in Queensland, Australia, but these are three of our Brisbane favourites:

• Take in the views from Brisbane's skyline: explore the riverside precincts and head up high for panoramic views across the city.

• Climb Story Bridge: the Story Bridge Adventure Climb takes you above the Brisbane River for a very different perspective on the city.

• Meet Australian wildlife at Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary: just outside central Brisbane, the sanctuary is home to koalas, kangaroos and plenty of other native Australian wildlife.

After exploring the city, pick up your campervan, stock the fridge and head north towards the Sunshine Coast.

Next stop: Noosa.

This relaxed Sunshine Coast town captures the Australian beach lifestyle perfectly. Think surfing in the morning, coastal walks in the afternoon and good food and cold drinks afterwards.

Main Beach is a popular place for surfers, while Noosa National Park offers coastal walking trails with sweeping ocean views. Keep an eye on the water as you walk – dolphins can sometimes be spotted from the coast.

The wildlife doesn't disappear when you get back to the campsite either. Kangaroos are regular visitors at some campgrounds, parrots sit in the trees and cicadas provide the soundtrack.

K'gari – formerly widely known as Fraser Island – is easily one of the most unusual Queensland Australia attractions on our route.

The UNESCO-listed island is the world's largest sand island, with enormous dunes, freshwater lakes, rainforest and seemingly endless beaches.

And those beaches aren't just for sunbathing. They're also roads.

The famous 75 Mile Beach runs along the island's eastern coast and is used by 4WDs as well as small aircraft. Normal Australian road rules still apply, and driving conditions are heavily influenced by the tides.

You can explore K'gari on an organised 4WD tour, or take an approved 4WD rental vehicle onto the island yourself.

Can you take a campervan to K'gari?

This is one place where you need to plan carefully.

You cannot take an ordinary 2WD campervan onto K'gari's recreation area. Queensland Parks requires a suitable high-clearance 4WD, with low-range capability required for many island routes. You'll also need to purchase a vehicle access permit before entering K'gari.

If you're travelling in a rental camper, there's another important step: check that your rental company allows its vehicle onto K'gari. Rental-company restrictions can be stricter than the general park rules.

Camping permits are required for camping in Queensland's national parks, and some K'gari camping areas are directly beside the beach.

Bring enough food, drinking water and fuel for your plans, check tide times and current park alerts, and follow the island's dingo-safety guidance.

This is a genuine 4WD adventure rather than an ordinary campsite detour – which is precisely what makes it so memorable.

From the sand of K'gari, we're heading towards one of Australia's greatest natural wonders: the Great Barrier Reef.

At its southern end lies tiny Lady Elliot Island, an eco resort surrounded by coral reef and clear, calm water.

You can't take your campervan with you, of course. We travel to the island by light aircraft, leaving the campervan behind on the mainland.

Once you arrive, though, you don't need another vehicle. The island is small enough to explore on foot, and the reef is right on your doorstep.

Put on a mask and snorkel and you can see colourful reef fish, turtles and, depending on the season and conditions, manta rays and other marine life. Glass-bottom boat trips are another option if you'd rather stay dry.

Lady Elliot Island also has a strong focus on conservation and environmental sustainability, making it a fascinating place to learn more about the ecosystem you're swimming through.

And there's another unusual feature: don't expect to spend the day scrolling through your phone. Mobile reception is extremely limited – a pretty effective digital detox.

Just outside Bundaberg lies Mon Repos, one of the most important loggerhead turtle nesting sites in the South Pacific.

The Mon Repos Turtle Centre introduces visitors to the turtles and the conservation work taking place here. But if your visit falls at the right time of year, the most memorable experience happens after dark.

From November to early February, guided Turtle Encounter tours may give you the chance to see adult turtles coming ashore to lay their eggs. From around late January until the end of March, you may instead see tiny hatchlings emerging from the sand and making their way towards the sea.

Of course, wildlife doesn't follow a timetable, so sightings can never be guaranteed.

The beach is protected during nesting season and unauthorised night access is prohibited. If you want to see the turtles, join an official ranger-guided Turtle Encounter and book ahead.

Continue north and you'll reach Yeppoon on the Capricorn Coast.

By now, the climate feels noticeably more tropical. Parrots and other colourful birds fill the trees, and Yeppoon makes an excellent base for exploring the islands just offshore.

One of the best day trips is Great Keppel Island, around 15 kilometres from the mainland.

Leave the campervan behind in Yeppoon and take the passenger ferry across. Once there, spend the day swimming, snorkelling, walking or simply doing very little on one of the island's beaches.

Boat trips can combine snorkelling with glass-bottom boat tours and other activities, giving you another opportunity to experience the Southern Great Barrier Reef.

Afterwards, a drink at the beach bar with views across the bay is a pretty good way to finish the day.

We've saved one of the most unusual things to do in Queensland, Australia until last.

Airlie Beach is the gateway to the Whitsundays, but instead of simply taking a day cruise, we're heading further out onto the Great Barrier Reef.

Cruise Whitsundays operates trips from Airlie Beach via Hamilton Island to its Reefworld pontoon at Hardy Reef.

Once there, you can snorkel directly above the reef, join optional diving experiences or see the underwater world without getting wet.

But the really special part comes after the day visitors leave.

After travelling from Brisbane to Airlie Beach, one thing is clear: Queensland is brilliant to explore by campervan.

Roads between the major stops are generally straightforward, campgrounds are well set up for campervans and motorhomes, and travelling with your own kitchen, bed and bathroom gives you plenty of freedom.

For British travellers, driving on the left also means there's one less thing to get used to.

But don't underestimate the distances. Australia is enormous, and what looks like a short stretch of coastline on a map can still involve several hours behind the wheel. Leave enough time between stops and avoid planning long drives immediately after arriving on a long-haul flight.

Most importantly, treat the journey as part of the holiday. Some of our favourite memories aren't traditional Queensland Australia attractions at all: they're the kangaroos outside the campervan, the parrots above our campsite and the mornings when the ocean was only a few steps from the door.

That's what makes campervan holidays in Australia so special.

Compare campervans now with CamperDays and start planning your Queensland road trip.