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About Queensland: Queensland is Australia's second largest
state, covering 1,722,000 square kilometres and the third most
populous of the Australian states with more than 3 Million inhabitants
(17 per cent of Australia's people). It occupies 22.5% of the
continent in the north-east and has boundaries with New South
Wales, South Australia and the Northern Territory. It is bounded
by the Gulf of Carpentaria, Torres Strait and the Coral Sea in
the north, and the South Pacific Ocean in the east. The total
coastline is 7,400 km. Brisbane, the capital, is in the south-eastern
corner of the State with a population of 1,327,000. The Gold
Coast is Queensland's fastest growing city, internationally acclaimed
for its brilliant attractions and lifestyle. For more details
on the Gold Coast click here
The People:
Most settlers in Queensland during the 19th century were from
Britain and Europe. In recent years there has been an increasing
number of new settlers from South-East Asia. About one-third
of Queenslanders are migrants or the children of migrants. The
warm climate, a relaxed way of life and the economic prospects
of Queensland also attract large amounts of residents from other
parts of Australia.
Geography: Queensland
is essentially a state of great plains which merge into high
country of sharper relief to the east and north-west. To the
north, the country falls gradually to meet the coastal plain
which reaches the Gulf of Carpentaria. The far north-west is
occupied by a rugged uplands region, rich in minerals. Eastward,
the country rises towards the Great Dividing Range which runs
from the southern border to the northern tip of the state and
is the main watershed between the coastal and inland rivers.
East of the Great Dividing Range, the country drops seaward to
mountain ranges separated by lowlands. This structure is continued
in a chain of mountainous offshore islands sitting on the continental
shelf. Beyond them is the Great Barrier Reef, a series of coral
formations stretching for about 2,000 km.
Rainfall:
Queensland is known as Australia's "sunshine state"
although weather conditions vary greatly between the coastal
plain and the inland areas. Annual rainfall can exceed 4000 mm
in the north. In the north-west, Mount Isa averages less than
400 mm a year, while Brisbane the state capital averages 1200
mm.
Wildlife & Vegetation: Queensland has more than 1,000 species
of native vertebrates. Of these, 86 are unique to the region.
There are 572 species of birds and 1,600 species of fish. Many
animals, such as the tree kangaroo, live only in specialised
habitats. Vegetation in Queensland varies from tropical rainforest
in coastal regions to arid Mitchell grass downs in the south-west.
Plant species vary from banksias and eucalypts to tropical plants
common throughout South-East Asia.
Economy: Mining,
tourism and agriculture, are the three major economic industries.
Queensland accounts for 24 per cent of the total Australian mining
production, 37 per cent of Australia's beef production, and almost
all of Australia's sugar production. Sugar is the main export
crop. Other important crops are wheat, sorghum, maize, cotton,
tobacco and peanuts. Tropical fruits grow extensively along the
coast. Beef cattle and sheep dominate the livestock industries.
Coal is the most important mineral followed by copper, lead,
bauxite and zinc. There are major developments of bauxite near
Weipa; copper, silver-lead-zinc and phosphate rock in the north-
west, centred on Mount Isa; coal in the Bowen Basin of central
Queensland and the Moreton Basin of the south-east; nickel at
Greenvale, north-west of Townsville; natural gas and oil in the
southern inland; and mineral sands along the southern beaches.
Tourism: Queensland contains a good number of Australia's
top international destinations such as Cairns, the Great Barrier
Reef, the Gold Coast and the Whitsundays and tourism injected
approximately $10 billion into the State's annual economy. Queensland
offers a great diversity of holiday and touring opportunities,
with the Great Barrier Reef, tropical islands, rainforest and
wilderness, open sandy beaches, and the vast outback, as well
as the sophisticated attractions of Brisbane and the Gold Coast.
Queensland has three international airports: Brisbane, Cairns
and Townsville.
Health System: The State Health Department provides services
including the supervision of general hospitals, nursing homes,
maternal and child health clinics, community health centres,
dental care for primary school children, youth welfare and guidance
clinics, geriatric care and services for the intellectually handicapped.
People in isolated areas are served by the Royal Flying Doctor
Service, the Flying Surgeon and the Aerial Ambulance.
Education: There
are eight universities, 32 colleges of Technical and Further
Education and 1730 state and private primary secondary and special
schools. Education in state schools is free while fees are charged
in private schools.
Transport and communications: Queensland has modern transport and communication
systems. The railways carried nearly 50 million passengers and
more than 100 million tonnes of minerals and other freight. More
than 130 regional airports and aerodromes complement three international
airports. Nineteen major ports dot the coast, the busiest being
the Port of Brisbane.
Government:
Queensland is represented in the Federal Parliament by 25 (of
148) members in the House of Representatives and 12 (of 76) Senators.
The Parliament of Queensland consists of the State Governor,
representing the Sovereign, and the Legislative Assembly, consisting
of 89 elected members. Queensland's cities, towns and shires
are run by 134 councils elected every three years.
For information on the fastest growing
city in Queensland click here |
