Matt Tebbutt's Queensland, Australia - Destination Special

Matt Tebbutt's Queensland, Australia - Destination Special

From The Travel Diaries by Holly Rubenstein

May 30, 2026 · 31 min · Season 16

About this episode

This episode explores the diverse holiday experiences in Queensland, Australia, highlighting its cultural, natural, and culinary offerings.

On today’s Destination Special, we’re taking you somewhere that, for so many travellers, represents the ultimate holiday feeling: Queensland, Australia. This is a state seven times the size of Britain! A place where one trip can take you from the cultural heartbeat and riverside energy of Brisbane, to the al fresco beach lifestyle of the Gold Coast, to ancient rainforest, island life, wildlife encounters, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island cultures, First Nations storytelling, and one of the seven natural wonders of the world, the Great Barrier Reef. Known as Australia’s Sunshine State, Queensland is, of course, famous for its blue skies, golden beaches and that blissful sense of switching off the moment you arrive. But as I discovered through making this episode, it is so much more than that. And that, really, is what makes Queensland so compelling - it’s not just one kind of holiday. It’s a whole collection of holidays in one place. You can wake up in Brisbane, wandering along the river as the city comes to life, stop for brilliant coffee and world-class food, then be out in nature within minutes, perhaps heading to nearby Minjerribah, also known as North Stradbroke Island…

People in this episode

Host: Holly Rubenstein

Topics covered

  • travel
  • Queensland
  • beaches
  • First Nations culture
  • nature
  • food
  • holiday experiences

Keywords

  • Queensland
  • Brisbane
  • Gold Coast
  • Great Barrier Reef
  • First Nations culture
  • travel
  • beaches
  • holiday

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Great Barrier Reef

Places: Queensland, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Minjerribah, North Stradbroke Island, Whitsundays, Hamilton Island, Whitehaven Beach

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