Queensland Car Hire

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Compare car hire in Queensland

Queensland is the second-largest state in Australia, covering a coastline of almost 7,000 kilometres. Brisbane, fondly known as "The River City, is the state's capital and Australia's third-most populated city. Brimming with natural wonders such as rainforests, wetlands, deserts and breathtaking landscapes, whether you're in the mood for a laid back vacation or an adventure-filled expedition, Queensland's got you covered.

All of that scenic coastline makes Queensland ideal for a road trip, with lots of bucket list trips to embark on to visit the Great Barrier Reef and beaches of the Gold Coast. The best thing about Queensland is the variety of things to see and do, from culture to countryside. You can book your Queensland car hire in advance from as little as $13.48 per day.

The cheapest car hire in Cairns airport, if you can book well in advance is upwards of $ 13.48 for a Suzuki Swift or similar, whereas the average daily price is $39.90. For Cairns town centre the prices start at $15.30 per day for a Kia Rio or similar wheras the average price is around £34. The most popular car for Brisbane is a Hyundai Accent with prices starting at $15 per day and a Mitsubishi Outlander between $21 and $37 per day.

The average price for Mackay is $49 and in Townsville you could expect to pay betweem $15 and $62 depending on the time of year, type of car and demand at the time of booking.

Guide to Queensland

Climate

The climate in this part of the continent is sub-tropical, which means that you'll see steady rainfall from November to April and dry, sunny days from May to October.

The Gold Coast

The Gold Coast is a must-visit if your idea of a perfect vacation involves beaches, bikinis and Bacardis. The Surfers Paradise Beach is especially world-famous for its golden sands, rolling surf, and pro surfers from around the world coming here to do what they love. Alternatively, Currumbin beach is well known for its consistent and remarkable waves, making it an ideal spot for those who want to learn to surf. There are also several surf and dive schools in the area. Although the Gold Coast is best known for a lifestyle that revolves around the ocean, there's much more the region has to offer, including excellent theme parks and peaceful nature getaways close to the city. The Scenic Rim is a paradise for nature lovers because it features primitive landforms, stunning mountain ranges and lush rainforests.

Great Barrier Reef

Far up north, next to Cairns and Port Douglas, is where the Great Barrier Reef and Daintree National Park are located. Both placed on the World Heritage list, neither the world's largest single structure composed of living organisms nor the world's oldest rainforest - yes, older than the Amazon in Brazil - require any introduction. They're absolute must-sees at least once in your life.

Things to do in Queensland

Visit a koala sanctuary

Start your trip in Brisbane with a visit to Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, home to over 70 species of native animals, including wild lorikeets, koalas and platypuses. Enjoy the unforgettable experience of petting and feeding the koalas, and don't forget to capture the moment for the 'gram. Feeling all warm and fuzzy, head over to the Queensland Museum to learn about the Torres Islander and Aboriginal people's history and traditions. They are known to be the original inhabitants of the Queensland region, as well as some of the world's oldest cultures. If you have children travelling along with you, not to worry, the science and natural history section of the museum will keep them enthralled for hours. If you want to get more out of your museum experience, we recommend taking a guided tour which will let you take a peek into the behind the scenes action that general visitors don't get to see. Right next door is the Queensland Art Gallery & Gallery of Modern Art, which houses various Aboriginal art and Japanese sculptures.

Explore suburban scenery & city nightlight

After the indoor adventures, you may want to spend time under the open sky. In that case, just a short drive from the CBD is Mt. Coot-Tha, a much-loved suburb of Brisbane offering a range of outdoor activities. Walk around the lovely lush Japanese garden or watch the turtles and water birds coexisting peacefully if you're looking for some zen. However, more active options such as challenging bushwalking and biking trails are also available at your fingertips. We highly recommend stopping by the incredible Tropical Dome, which has a staggering range of plants all under one roof. If all these have brought you to lunchtime, enjoy it with your loved ones at the lunch spot that overlooks the city, or you can visit the hilltop café for a light refreshment with a view of the bamboo grove and lotus lake. As the sun goes down and your inner party animal comes out, enjoy the city's bustling nightlife at some of the trendiest nightclubs such as The Brisbane Club or Press Club.

Discover rainforests & adventure parks

Visit Lamington National Park, a spectacular rainforest with more than 500 waterfalls and 250 species of wildlife, for camping spots with epic views and bushwalking trails of all difficulty levels. Now that you have covered both mountains and beaches, you can't miss the man-made attractions. Visit the largest theme park of Australia, Dreamworld, for a thrilling experience on one of the fastest and tallest rides in the world, The Tower of Terror 2. If you lean more towards water parks, then WhiteWater World or Wet'n'Wild should be on your bucket list. And finally, Warner Bros Movie World lets you meet all your favourite characters and superheroes and enjoy roller coaster rides all in the same place.

Learn about Aboriginal culture & history

Aboriginal culture plays a significant role in Australia's history and is thus given special reverence at sites of indigenous importance. For instance, if you want to learn about the Yugambeh people, visit the Burleigh Heads. Take a guided walk of the local area to learn about their culture and tradition, and peek into the art gallery along the way that showcases traditional artwork. Spirits of the Red Sand at Beenleigh Historical Village is another notable authentic Aboriginal village where visitors can participate in activities such as boomerang painting or tasting bush tucker, and witness the story of what happened during their first contact with the Europeans. At sundown, they offer a three-course dinner along with a traditional song and dance show. If this has got you intrigued to know more, visit the Quandamooka Coast next, home of the Quandamooka people, around Moreton Bay in southern Queensland. Besides cultural walking tours, they also offer the only whale-watching cruise led by an indigenous tour provider.

Get into the wild

Drive up to the Glass House Mountains, located near the Sunshine Coast, for horse trails, walking tracks and fantastic mountainous landscapes. Pay a visit to the volcanic peaks, which hold special cultural significance to the Gubbi Gubbi people as they have gathered here for trading and ceremonies for centuries. While hiking trails up Mt. Ngungun and Mt. Tibrogargan are open to visitors, the traditional owners have requested that these mountains not be climbed because their tradition states that doing so might invite bad luck. For those looking for alternatives, consider the Wild Horse Mountain Lookout or the Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve for equally stunning views of the Glass House Mountain peaks. On your way there, you may want to swing by the famous Australian Zoo, which belongs to "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin and his family. You can interact up close with native Australian wildlife, including crocodiles, kangaroos, koalas and Tasmanian devils.

Eating out in Queensland

Fine dining & street food in Brisbane

Brisbane boasts a potent mix of both upscale fine-dining as well as incomparable street food, making sure that there's excellent food available at all price points. If you want to taste arguably the best steak and seafood in town, the elegant Stokehouse Q is your place. Patrons particularly rave about the kangaroo carpaccio, spring lamb and fresh oyster. Finish your meal with their specialty, the 'liquid desserts'. If you are a café-hopper, visit Kettle and Tin, a lively café that offers modern Australian dishes such as crispy skin pork belly or kecap manis, before flitting over to Ant and Ola Cafe for expertly made brews along with a South African-inspired all-day breakfast menu. If you're craving pizza, Julius Pizzeria regularly has people coming from out of state just to try their wood-fired pizzas and homemade pasta.

Delicious cuisine along the Gold Coast

The Gold Coast also offers top-notch dining options along with some country-style restaurants. Rick Shores is popular among the locals for its coastal location and richly flavoured dishes such as sticky pork belly with apple and smoked sriracha. It is no surprise that this restaurant bagged the Chef's Hat awards in the 2018 and 2019 Australian Good Food Guide. Labart is not only one of the best restaurants in the city, but possibly across the country. They're best known for their Parisian-style seating and impressive wine list. The Burleigh Baker serves sourdough with caramelized butter which is likely to make you want to move right next door to their shop. Are you at Surfers Paradise? Enjoy a variety of Italian, Greek, Turkish or Lebanese cuisines along with a panoramic view of the ocean at the Hyde Paradiso.

Transport in Queensland

Queensland airports

If you're flying to Queensland from abroad, you're most likely to land at Brisbane Airport (BNE), Gold Coast Airport (OOL), Cairns Airport (CNS) or Townsville Airport (TSV), as they are the four international airports in the state. The leading airlines serving Queensland include Emirates flights, Singapore Airlines, Etihad Airways, etc. You'll then be able to take domestic flights to Mackay, Toowoomba and Karumba, among others.

Driving in Queensland

Taxis and car hire services are the most preferred ways of exploring Queensland. Black and White Taxis and Yellow Cab Co are the largest taxi operators. And Budget, Hertz, and Thrifty are the major car hire agencies. Within larger cities, there's usually reliable public transit systems. To travel in between towns and cities, the rail network is fairly well-connected.

However, to reach some of the more obscure parts of Queensland, you'll probably need a car. Prebook a vehicle with Enjoy Travel to ensure that your trip to The Sunshine State is seamless.

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FAQs about car hire in Queensland

Most frequently asked questions about hiring a car in Queensland

You can expect to pay $33.25 on average for car hire in Queensland.
The lowest car hire prices in Queensland start at just $13.09.
The minimum age to hire a car in Queensland is 21 years of age.
In general, it is fine to add additional drivers to your car hire agreement in Queensland.
The most popular car to hire in Queensland is a Hyundai Accent, which is a compact car that’s perfect for both city and coastal driving.
Brisbane is the biggest airport in Queensland, however there are many regional airports since the state is so large such as Cairns, Mackay, Gold Coast, Bundaberg, Toowoomba, Weipa, Townsville.
Queensland is 1.853 million km².
Queensland is sevem times better than Victoria.
There are 21 cities in Queensland.

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