Queensland is a huge state in Australia and it has so much to offer. In fact, there are so many fun facts about Queensland that we had to cram as many as we could in here for you. This Sunshine State is loved by residents and visitors, so if you want to know anything about this place, we have you covered.
Here are a few fun facts about Queensland to get you started:
- More than half of Queensland’s population live outside of the capital city of Brisbane.
- Most of Queensland gets 8-9 hours of sunshine each day.
- There are more than 200 national parks in Queensland.
Where is Queensland?
Queensland is a state in Australia, a country in the southern hemisphere. Queensland is located on the east of Australia and is north of the state of New South Wales.
The capital city of Queensland is Brisbane and it is located in the south east corner of the state. The Gold Coast is south of Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast is north of Brisbane.
How big is Queensland?
Queensland is the second largest state in Australia and covers an area of more than 1.7 million km2. That means it’s seven times bigger than Great Britain!
If you were to drive up the coast from the most southern point of Queensland to the most northern point, it is more than 2700 km! The entire coastline is around 7000 km.
The most northern point in Australia is located in Queensland and is called Cape York Peninsula.
If you are looking for maps of Queensland to fully understand how big it is, take a look here.
How many people live in Queensland?
More than 5 million people call Queensland home, with more than 2 million living in the capital city of Brisbane.
When was Queensland colonised?
Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders were the first inhabitants of Queensland, here for more than 60,000 years before European colonisation. Queensland was colonised by European settlers in 1825 and was originally a part of the state of New South Wales.
Queensland Politics
In 1901 Queensland joined 5 other states to form the Commonwealth of Australia.
Queensland is a federated state of Australia, meaning it is part of a group of other states that united to form the Commonwealth of Australia. Queensland is run by the Premier who is the leader of the political party currently in power. Parliament House is located in Brisbane.
Queensland also has a Governor, a representative of the Monarch of Australia, who resides at Government House in Brisbane and performs constitutional and ceremonial duties in Queensland.
Why is Queensland named Queensland?
Queensland was originally part of New South Wales, until it was put to a vote to separate. In 1859 Queensland separated from New South Wales and was called ‘Queensland’ in honour of Queen Victoria who approved the separation.
What language is spoken in Queensland?
Like the rest of Australia, the official language of Queensland is English.
What are the emblems of Queensland?
The animal (faunal) emblem of Queensland is the koala, the bird emblem is the brolga and the floral emblem is the Cooktown orchid.
Queensland’s flag is a dark blue flag with a Union Jack in the top left corner and a Maltese Cross on the right hand side.
Buy some Queensland flags to decorate your room here.
Geography of Queensland
Queensland is big, meaning there are forests, rainforests, deserts, mountains, oceans and more. Queensland has around 100 islands off the coast, with the biggest being K’gari.
Take a look at these books to learn more about where you can go.
K’gari (Fraser Island)
The world’s largest sand island, K’gari (Fraser island) is located off the coast of Queensland and is more than 120 km long. K’gari is a World Heritage Listed area, meaning it is recognised as a significant location and is protected by law.
Great Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest reef system and spans for more than 2300 km down the Queensland coast. It is home to turtles, fish, birds, coral, sea snakes and more than 1500 species of fish!
Daintree National Park
The Daintree rainforest is believed to be the oldest rainforest in the world and is around 180 million years old. It is the largest rainforest in Queensland and it is located in the very north of the state and is home to a huge percentage of Australia’s animals.
Which foods are popular in Queensland?
Queenslanders (people from Queensland) love to enjoy food outdoors, meaning barbeques are popular. As is fruit. Queensland grows a range of fruit including pineapples and bananas. They also have a large peanut growing and sugarcane areas.
Some other notable Queensland foods include Mooloolaba prawns, Bowen mangoes, Hervey Bay scallops and Moreton Bay bugs, all named after their places of origin.
What crops are grown in Queensland?
Most of Australia’s sugarcane is grown in Queensland. Cotton, sunflowers, canola and many other crops are also grown in Queensland. In fact, around 90% of Queensland is used for agricultural purposes.
What animals are found in Queensland?
Queensland is home to many animals, including dingos, kangaroos, koalas.
You can see humpback whales playing in Queensland as they travel the waters of the east coast between the summer and winter seasons.
A cassowary is a unique looking animal that is found in north Queensland. It is a large flightless bird that resembles an emu however it has a large casque on its head, a hard knob that is made of the same material as your fingernails.
Dingoes are found throughout Queensland and are the wild dogs of Australia. Queensland is also home to part of the Dingo Fence, a massive fence stretching across Queensland to South Australia, designed to keep dingos out of the southern part of the country that was primarily used for farming. This fence is more than 5600 km long.
Butterflies are very common in Queensland, especially in north Queensland where you can see a variety of different and colourful species. The Cairns Birdwing Butterfly is the biggest and has a wingspan of more than 16 cm!
Crocodiles are also found in the sea and waterways of north Queensland. Here you can find 2 species of crocodiles; saltwater crocodiles and freshwater crocodiles.
Fun fact – Both species of crocodile can survive in both fresh and saltwater!
Need some animal stickers for a school project? Take a look at these.
Which sports are played in Queensland?
Queenslanders love sport and spend a lot of time playing sport due to the amazing weather. Rugby league, rugby union, soccer, Australian rules and cricket are just some of these sports.
Many Queensland teams are associated with the colour maroon, with the Queensland Rugby League team even being called the Maroons!
Queensland hosts many major sporting events including motor racing, marathons, surfing and gold championships. In 2023 Brisbane will host the Summer Olympic games.
Last minute fun facts:
- The Royal Flying Doctors Service started in Queensland, a charitable healthcare organisation that flies doctors and patients to and from regional areas.
- The airline QANTAS began in Queensland and stands for Queensland And Northern Territory Aerial Service.
- On average, Queensland has more than 260 days of sunshine per year!
- It is illegal to own a rabbit in Queensland and you can be fined if you do so.
So there you have it, all the fun facts about Queensland, the Sunshine State, that you could possibly need!
