61K votes reveal Queensland’s best – from beach to pub to Big Thing

Taylah Darnell Taylah Darnell
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Queensland’s best of the best, as voted by its people.

To honour the Sunshine State’s 166th birthday this year, thousands of Queenslanders have participated in an online survey to determine the state’s best of the best. The poll received more than 61,000 votes across 15 separate categories and on Queensland Day (6 June), state premier David Crisafulli announced the winners. From coffee and burgers to pubs and beaches – this is officially Queensland at its absolute best.

Queensland’s best Big Thing

Don’t skip the Big Mango in Bowen. (Image: Getty Images/Kokkai Ng)

Every Aussie shares a unique love for the country’s iconic Big Things – our eclectic yet incredible collection of giant sculptures dotted across Australia. Quite a few of them call the Sunshine State home, including the Big Mango, which has taken out the title of Queensland’s best Big Thing. Located in the Whitsundays’ town of Bowen, this 10-metre structure symbolises the region’s prolific cultivation of the summer fruit. Pop in for a photo opp and some delicious sorbet made from locally sourced mangoes.

Queensland’s best pub

Slipstream Brewery Co in Brisbane
Slipstream Brewing in Brisbane took out the best pub in the state.

From iconic outback pubs to boutique breweries on the rise, Australia has a watering hole for all kinds of occasions. And for Queenslanders, their thirst for good beer has been well and truly quenched by Slipstream Brewing Co in the Brisbane suburb of Yeerongpilly. Beating an exquisite line-up of Brissy pubs, the local landmark is known for its delicious range of craft beers that are brewed onsite. It also does a mean pub feed, hosts trivia nights and offers takeaway, too – so you never have to go without.

Queensland’s best beach

Coolum Beach in Queensland
Coolum Beach is a Queensland hotspot. (Image: Getty Images/Harmonise Creatives)

If Queensland is famous for one thing, it’s definitely its beaches. With over 6000 kilometres of coastline, there’s no shortage of places for seaside fun. But according to Queenslanders, nowhere does it better than Coolum Beach. While it has long been recognised as one of the best beaches on the Sunshine Coast, it’s now officially the best in the state. And it’s not hard to see why – fringed by greenery, this pretty patch of sand offers crystal-clear waters, rock pools and sunshine all year-round.

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Queensland’s best fish and chips

Nothing beats fresh fish and chips. (Image: Unsplash/Meelan Bawjee)

It’s a meal no Australian can say no to – a fresh, newspaper-wrapped batch of fish and chips. But with a seafood shop on the corner of almost every beachside town, how do you find the best? Well, ask the Queensland public and they’ll direct you to Bird’s Fish Bar in Bowen – a town proving to be a real hotspot! The quintessential co-op took out the title thanks to its boat-to-plate philosophy, locally caught seafood and fresh hot chips seasoned to perfection. And from a quick glance at the menu, it could be in the running for the best fish and chips in Australia.

Queensland’s best meat pie

Stock images of meat pies
The best meat pie can be found in Blackbutt. (Image: Unsplash/FitNish Media)

Nothing beats a good meat pie – chunky bits of beef and flaky pastry fresh out of the oven. And while we’ve got some incredible meat pies around the country, there’s only one in Queensland that does it best. The town of Blackbutt’s eponymous bakery has come out on top in 2025 for its classic meat pie, which is served alongside a range of other sweet and savoury treats. Don’t wait until you’re simply passing through this scenic town; this is a pastry worthy of a trip in itself.

Queensland’s best coffee

The Coffee Commune in Brisbane
Queenslanders claim The Coffee Commune is home to the best brews statewide.

While the best coffee in the country can be found in NSW, Queensland’s best brew is located in Bowen Hills. Not to be confused with the other Bowen (the town that took out ‘best Big Thing’ and ‘best fish and chips’), it’s another suburb of Brissy. Make a beeline for The Coffee Commune to sample the best coffee in Queensland for yourself. Where else would you want to buy a brew?

The rest of the best

Keen to find Queensland’s coolest cafe? Or the best burger in the state? From food to festivities, these are the nine remaining category winners from Queensland’s best of the best 2025.

  • Queensland’s best parmi: Botany Restaurant & Bar in Newstead
  • Queensland’s best bahn mi: My Street Food in Woolloongabba
  • Queensland’s best ice-cream: Rad Rolled Ice Cream in Hervey Bay
  • Queensland’s best burger: Mr Jeebus in Tingalpa
  • Queensland’s best beer: Qld Pale Ale by Archer Brewing Company in Wilston
  • Queensland’s best cafe: Dorney’s Cake Shop in Chinchilla
  • Queensland’s best event: India Fest in Townsville
  • Queensland’s best landmark: the Story Bridge in Brisbane
  • Queensland’s best natural attraction: the Great Barrier Reef
Taylah Darnell
Taylah Darnell is Australian Traveller's Writer & Producer. She has been passionate about writing since she learnt to read, spending many hours either lost in the pages of books or attempting to write her own. This life-long love of words inspired her to study a Bachelor of Communication majoring in Creative Writing at the University of Technology Sydney, where she completed two editorial internships. She began her full-time career in publishing at Ocean Media before scoring her dream job with Australian Traveller. Now as Writer & Producer, Taylah passionately works across both digital platforms and print titles. When she's not wielding a red pen over magazine proofs, you can find Taylah among the aisles of a second-hand bookshop, following a good nature trail or cheering on her EPL team at 3am. While she's keen to visit places like Norway and New Zealand, her favourite place to explore will forever be her homeland.
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7 wellness experiences on Hamilton Island for complete rejuvenation

(Credit: Riley Williams)

    Eleanor Edström Eleanor Edström
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    Conjuring calm and active adventure in equal measure, Hamilton Island is a tropical tonic for body and mind.

    Hamilton Island knows a thing or two about indulgence. There are long lunches to linger over, seafood towers to savour and poolside loungers designed for guilt-free idling. But for health-minded travellers wanting to feel energised inside and out, this sliver of the Whitsundays takes wellbeing just as seriously. Think yoga mats rolling out at dawn, kayaks skimming turquoise water, state-of-the-art fitness facilities and spa therapists working tropical magic. These Hamilton Island wellness experiences promise to restore, rebalance and leave you feeling brand new.

    1. E-Mountain biking

    mountain bikers on Hamilton Island wellness
    Follow Hamilton Island’s mountian biking trails. (Credit: Harry Gruttner)

    For travellers with an appetite for adrenaline, Hamilton Island’s new self-guided e-mountain biking experience is worth carving out a morning for. Start at HI Trails HQ, where you’ll be fitted with a full-suspension, pedal-assisted e-mountain bike and given a run-through of a nine-kilometre section of the island’s 25-kilometre trail network. The electric boost makes the ride more accessible (and the climbs more manageable), though an intermediate level of fitness is still recommended.

    As a first-time mountain biker, I start off wobbly – taking my time to get used to switching gears and electric modes – and wonder if I’ve overestimated my coordination. But soon something clicks. Suddenly we’re zooming through pockets of eucalyptus and out onto ridgelines with sweeping views of electric blue waters, catching our breath at hidden bays with barely another soul in sight. More than 70 per cent of the island remains untouched, so witnessing these lesser-explored pockets feels like a blessing. It’s the kind of adventure that leaves you buzzing, accomplished and blissfully tired out.

    2. HI Fitness Club

    HI Fitness Club reformer pilates
    Stretch out with reformer pilates.

    If mountain biking isn’t quite your speed, there are plenty of other ways to stay active on the island. One of the newest Hamilton Island wellness experiences, HI Fitness Club now has 24-hour access, offering a fully equipped modern gym, group classes spanning HIIT to yoga, plus two bubbling spas and a sauna waiting to loosen sore muscles.

    I drop in for a Reformer Pilates class. Each of the four machines has its own mini screen with a wide selection of high-quality virtual classes, meaning I can select one that suits my level and mood that day. Beyond Pilates, the virtual library is like a choose-your-own adventure for fitness enthusiasts: dance, Body Pump, Body Combat and GRIT Cardio are among the options. Or perhaps challenge a family member or friend to a hit of tennis at one of the three courts.

    3. Walking trails

    runners on hamilton island
    Get the blood pumping on a morning run.

    We set out early. By 6:45am, we’re halfway up Passage Peak, the highest point on Hamilton Island and widely considered its most impressive vantage point. From the Scenic Trail Entrance, the viewing platform takes around an hour to reach by foot, with moderate inclines that will get your heart pumping without feeling too punishing. The payoff at the top is immediate. Bush-clad Whitsundays islands scatter across the horizon in every direction, the sunrise brushing the scene with soft melon and gold tones. I take my time soaking up the 360° panorama, remembering how powerful an active start in nature can be for clearing the mind and energising the day ahead.

    While Passage Peak is one of the most popular hikes on Hamilton Island, Flat Top Hill Lookout and the longer Southeast Head Trail are also excellent choices.

    4. Spa wumurdaylin

    Spa Wumurdaylin on hamilton island wellness experiences
    Feel your worries melt away at Spa wumurdaylin.

    In a tranquil treatment room at Spa wumurdaylin, the world disappears. The space is all brown stone tiles, bamboo racks and lush garden views, setting the tone for my Soul Temple treatment. My therapist, Kass, begins with a full-body, exfoliating orange buff sugar scrub that feels divine. Next comes the vertical Vichy shower and underwater massage to knead out muscle knots. The sound of cascading water is reminiscent of a tropical rainstorm, and stress becomes a distant memory.

    It’s a prime example of the transportive power of the island’s spa, where guests can come to reset the mind and loosen tension in the body. The menu spans radiance facials to deep release rituals and mud wraps, all using products from pH-balanced skincare brand LaGaia Unedited. Concluding with herbal tea, I leave in a blissful daze.

    5. Sunrise yoga

    sunrise yoga session at the sundays on hamilton island wellness experiences
    Start your day on the right foot.

    Morning movement doesn’t get more surreal than sunrise yoga on The Sundays’ seaside terrace. As we roll out our mats, morning light spills across Catseye Beach below, turning the water into a sheet of molten gold. But the setting only does half the healing. I match my breath to the rhythm of the waves and feel my body gradually lengthen and wake as instructor Tyla Rae guides us through a slow, mindful flow.

    Available exclusively to guests of The Sundays, this session captures the spirit of wellness on Hamilton Island – immersion in nature, slowing down by the sea, recalibrating both body and mind. To round out the experience, the perfect ocean cool-off awaits just steps away.

    6. Getting out on the water

    people on sup boards at the sundays hamilton island
    Try your hand at a host of watersports.

    Speaking of ocean delights, Catseye Beach’s host of watersports delivers spades of fun and rejuvenation. Glide over the crystalline water in a kayak, test your sailing skills in a mini catamaran, spot schools of fish (and a turtle if you’re lucky) from a stand-up paddleboard, or slip into an underwater wonderland when you snorkel off the beach.

    Out here, the water is so clear it feels like floating in glass, and the green silhouettes of the Whitsunday Islands rise on the horizon. Half an hour on the water here is all you need to reset your entire mood.

    Guests staying at qualia, Beach Club, The Sundays, Reef View Hotel, Palm Bungalows and Hamilton Island Holiday Homes have complimentary access to all these water activities, making it easy to dive right in.

    7. Take a swing

    Dent Island Golf course
    Enjoy incredible views with a swing of golf.

    For others, mindfulness comes from calm concentration – and golf fits the bill to a tee. Designed by five-time British Open winner Peter Thomson, Hamilton Island Golf Club is perched along the scenic ridges of Dent Island. It’s Australia’s only golf course on its own island, making it one of the most scenic golf courses in the world. The experience is suitable for golfers of all skill levels, with spectator bookings also available for those simply wishing to take in the views. Follow the game with a well-earned lunch at the Clubhouse restaurant.

    Find out more ways to unwind in the Whitsundays at hamiltonisland.com.au.