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DAINTREE SILKY OAKS LODGE OOOO ½ Experience the soothing sights and sounds of the rainforest at Silky Oaks Lodge, established on the edge of the World Heritage-listed Daintree National Park. This non-smoking lodge blends casual and contemporary design wwith tranquil surroundings. Fifty Treehouses and Riverhouses, featuring wide verandas and spa baths, provide the perfect base for Great Barrier Reef exploration. Full breakfast and an array of activities are included. 9 DAYDREAM ISLAND GREAT BARRIER REEF DAYDREAM ISLAND RESORT AND SPA OOO ½ This non-smoking resort offers affordable luxury with numerous accommodation styles and dining experiences, contemporary facilities, secluded beaches, and stunning rainforest. Unique to the island is the outdoor aquarium, a network of reef lagoons with stingrays, sharks, and vivid coral. Your stay includes a full breakfast daily, catamaran use, giant chess, an open-air cinema, shark and stingray feeding, and much more. 10 GLADSTONE GREAT BARRIER REEF HERON ISLAND OOOO Open year-round, Heron Island is a protected habitat for a stunning variety of wildlife; in the crystal-clear aquamarine waters surrounding the island, awe-inspiring coral gardens and sea creatures flourish in abundance and color, making for ideal diving, snorkeling, and swimming. After a day's activities, opt to pay a visit to the Aqua Soul Spa to rejuvenate. 11 FRASER ISLAND MERCURE KINGFISHER BAY RESORT OOO ½ This non-smoking, ecotouristic resort is nestled among tree-covered dunes on the edge of the calm waters of the Great Sandy Strait, and is a paradise for boating, fishing, swimming, bush walking, four-wheel driving, or simply enjoying the magnificent natural beauty of the largest sand island in the world. Naturalists will delight in an included program of ranger-guided walks, talks, and activities. 12 GOLD COAST PALAZZO VERSACE OOOOO The world's first Versace hotel incorporates 205 classically elegant guestrooms, three award-winning restaurants, and a private marina on a historic site on the edge of the Gold Coast Broadwater. The Salus Per Aquum Spa provides a tranquil environment with a variety of health and beauty treatments. World-class golf and tennis, white-sand beaches, deep sea fishing, surf schools, and Outback adventures are all within easy reach. 13 INTERCONTINENTAL SANCTUARY COVE RESORT OOOO ½ Located in Sanctuary Cove, Australia's first fully integrated golf and boating residential resort is only a five-minute walk to Marine Village and the marina. The main lobby building, the Guest House, is styled as a traditional 1940s grand Queensland homestead and set amid lush, tropical gardens. An on-site restaurant and café, large beach lagoon, and terrace swimming pool are also part of the experience. 14 SHERATON MIRAGE RESORT & SPA GOLD COAST OOOO ½ An oasis of rare beauty, this Gold Coast hotel is set right on the beach. Enjoy views of the abundant gardens, the surrounding lagoons, or the rolling surf from your beautiful guestroom or private villa. Suites offer unmistakable style, and the self-contained Pacific Mirage Villas provide enough room for the whole family to spend that long-awaited vacation together. 15 CROWNE PLAZA SURFERS PARADISE OOOO This non-smoking hotel is a 15-minute walk from the shopping heart of Surfers Paradise, and ten minutes from bustling Broadbeach and the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre. Separated into two stunning high-rise towers that are readily recognizable landmarks on the Surfers Paradise skyline, it's the only hotel in Queensland to feature a revolving restaurant—its 26 th floor location offers views over the glittering Gold Coast. 16 22 | Queensland

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