If you're on holidays or travelling to Queensland, you'll find there are some exclusively gay and lesbian accommodation, as well as gay-friendly accommodation, venues and cafes.

Destinations such as Brisbane, Tropical North Queensland, the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast have gay-friendly bars, venues and accommodation.

Brisbane's Pride Festival is a major gay and lesbian event which includes the vibrant Pride Rally March and Fair Day in June each year. You can find up-to-the-minute information in publications such as Queensland Pride newspaper and Q News.

The Tropical North Queensland city of Cairns has an exclusively gay and lesbian hotel, 18-24 James Street with Turtle Cove Resort also exclusively gay and lesbian, 30 minutes to the north. The newest gay and lesbian resorts are Liberty Resort nestled in the rainforest at Kuranda and the Pink Flamingo in beachside Port Douglas. Head to the beaches at Cleo's Guesthouse at Yorkey's Knob, which caters for women, and the Witchencroft Women's Guesthouse is a women's-only rainforest retreat. The Beach Front Lodge at Yorkey's Knob is gay and lesbian friendly.

On the Sunshine Coast, Noosa Blue Resort and Horizon's at Peregian are notable gay and lesbian friendly properties. Others include Beachcomber Resort at Peregian (no children under 16 years) and Hunchy Hideaway, self-contained hideaways in the Blackall Range rainforest near Maleny. Palm Tree Tours is a gay friendly tour booking office based in Noosa. Further north Kingfisher Bay Resort and Village on world heritage Fraser Island is the perfect nature-based getaway.

You'll find like-minded guys and gals in the Brisbane suburbs of West End, Woolloongabba, Spring Hill, Fortitude Valley and New Farm. The Allender Apartments, The Sportsman Hotel, Central Brunswick Apartment Hotel and Thornbury House all offer gay and lesbian friendly accommodation. Clubs and bars include The Lychee Lounge, Options Nightclub, The Alliance Hotel, Sportsman Hotel, The Beat Wickham Hotel, The Empire Hotel, GPO, Ric's Bar and The Zoo.

Team Brisbane organises and promotes lesbian and gay sporting events in Brisbane. The Australian Gay and Lesbian Tourism Assocation is a non-profit association of businesses and individuals involved in travel and tourism.

Brisbane Pride Festival started in 1990 as a means of organizing and promoting public events and activities that contribute to queer culture. The first event was held as a Rally and March through the streets of Brisbane, ending with a small gathering at Musgrave Park, South Brisbane. This day has now grown to encompass a Parade through the city streets and a huge Fair Day.

For 13 years the Festival was run by a collective and in 2002 was Incorporated. Pride is now the state's largest and the country's third largest Gay and Lesbian event, attracting more than 50 000 Festival-goers over a three week period in the clear and sunny winter months of June/July each year.

The Festival is a celebration of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender culture through the arts, sporting, community and political events.

The Pride Festival aims to bring lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people of Brisbane together. In the process, the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community unites – and through the media, advertising and public visibility, their profile within the wider community grows.

Pride Fair Day held in Musgrave Park, South Brisbane is the main event with more than 25,000 attending. The Festival is an inclusive, community-based celebration run by Brisbane Pride Inc, a non-profit organisation operated by a voluntary board and working committees, assisted by a trusty band of volunteers.

The lush green rainforests, golden beaches, red outback, cool blue coast and warm sunshine and the Great Barrier Reef. All this embodies Queensland, the "Sunshine State". You'll find the locals friendly and helpful, and discover a relaxed vibe unlike anywhere else in the world. At seven times the size of the United Kingdom and five times the size of Texas, Queensland is vast yet relatively uncrowded.

There's something to suit every budget and plenty to lure gay and lesbian travellers - breathtaking natural attractions, gay and lesbian accommodation and thriving club scenes. Brisbane, the capital has an 'out there' gay and lesbian community. Brisbane Pride Festival each June, includes cultural events, a Pride March and Fair Day. The clubs, bars and restaurants of Fortitude Valley, West End and Spring Hill are where the boys and girls play. Nearby Noosa, Fraser Island, the Gold Coast, and the Sunshine Coast all offer glorious beach holidays with plenty of gay and lesbian friendly accommodation, dining and shopping.

Further north you'll discover the delights of the Whitsunday coast and islands. But no visit would be complete without tasting Tropical North Queensland. Here you'll find exclusive gay and lesbian resorts, and many gay friendly ones. Essential ports of call in this tropical wonderland include Cairns, Port Douglas, the Daintree Rainforest, the Reef, Mission Beach and Magnetic Island. Eat the most delectable food, snorkel amid dazzling coral and reef fish, and trek in the World Heritage-listed rainforest.

Heatwave Festival Port Douglas is a celebration of diversity and pride that brings people together in a tropical setting. Its main purpose is to create a safe, inclusive space where the LGBTQIA+ community and allies can freely express themselves. The festival’s goals include promoting acceptance, strengthening community bonds, and supporting local tourism and businesses. Among its tasks are organizing performances by DJs, drag artists, and cultural showcases that highlight creativity and connection. Though its history is still young, Heatwave has already become a symbol of joy, resilience, and unity, turning Port Douglas into a vibrant hub of celebration and inclusivity.