Queensland is located in the northeastern corner of Australia. Like Florida, Queensland is referred to as the Sunshine State, and was named for Queen Victoria. This Australian state holds 10 large Australian cities, with the capital being Brisbane, the third largest city in Australia. It is more than twice the size of Texas. Queensland used to belong to New South Wales until it was broken off in 1859. Queensland experiences two main climates all year, with winter falling between April and September and summer between October and March. Winters are very mild while summers can be hot and sticky with lots of rain. Queensland’s Great Barrier Reef is their largest claim to fame. It’s the largest coral reef in the world that stretches for more than 2000 kilometers or 1400 miles. Tourism for the Great Barrier Reef pulls in more than 3 billion dollars a year. If you like swimming, scuba diving or snorkeling, you have to visit the Great Barrier Reef. Queensland also contains more than 200 national parks and more than 1000 native species of vertebrae animals. Queensland is also home to the "Daintree Rainforest", the largest rainforest area in Australia. It is located on the coast and runs right to the edge of the water.
