Cupid could not have discovered a dreamier place than Queensland to feel the love and set your hearts a flutter! Every couple can be different when it comes to romance. A secluded beach may sound like heaven to some but to others a retreat in the outback gives the chance to re-ignite the flame of passion.
Australia’s great diversity means you can choose a romantic Aussie getaway especially in the Sunshine State of Queensland which celebrates a nearly perfect year round climate, with over 300 days of sunshine each year. So a romantic getaway or a honeymoon is a no-brainer!
Thinking of popping the question? Start the countdown now and look at these 10 ideas for a romantic little hideaway.
1.Heart Reef – A Naturally formed heart-shaped reef made up of the beautiful colours of the Great Barrier Reef
Where is it? Approximately 80km off the coast of Airlie Beach, QLD
How to experience it: Experience from the air in helicopter or sea plane from both Hamilton Island and Airlie Beach
Who is it best for? Those looking to pop the question and take an ultimate travel snap of the memory
Most romantic places to stay: Qualia Resort, Palm Bungalows, Airlie Waterfront Bed & Breakfast, Pinnacles Resort
For a sight that just feels significantly romantic, the Heart Reef has seen more wedding proposals than perhaps any other location in Australia. As a travel icon in the Whitsundays region this completely natural reef formation is a phenomenon which never fails to disappoint!
An experience of the Heart Reef is best had from the air, but the soon to become engaged will have to save up for the pricey scenic flight.
The reef measures only 17 metres wide and due to its protected status, you cannot swim or snorkel there. So it is best seen from the air in a flight taken with an expert pilot who will be fully aware just how important the view of the Heart Reef will be to the proposer! A skilled pilot’s navigating skills means they can fly relatively low back and forth to allow for a closer look. The lower altitude gives a chance to spot sharks, manta rays and turtles form the air for the romantic ride and photographic opportunities of a lifetime! It may be just a very small part of the reef but the heart shape has a strikingly different variation in colours compared to the encasing waters. It is one of many breath-taking locations to see in a scenic flight of the Whitsundays so don’t miss the moment!
https://www.whitsundays-australia.com/whitsundays-flying-adventures.html
This almost perfect coral formation is smack bang in the middle of the Great Barrier Reef. Any ride can also include an extended trip to the stunning Whitehaven Beach on Whitsunday Island for that follow up picnic on the white sands and another perfect romantic finale and declaration of love!
2. Noosa’s gondolas – A Romantic, private gondola cruise and an unforgettable way to make your Wedding proposal
Where is it? Along the Noosa River and canals
How to experience it: At sunset, or in moonlight or even daylight
Who is it best for? Couples
Most romantic places to stay: Sofitel Noosa Pacific Resort, Netanya Noosa, Seahaven Noosa
Increase the romance of your Noosa Wedding proposal by climbing aboard a Venetian style gondola and be taken away on a romantic adventure. Enjoy the beautiful Noosa River in style as you take in the views of Noosa North Shore, the river mouth and the canals of Noosa Sound. You will see a great variety of local wildlife as you float past Noosa’s luxurious waterfront mansions. Sip champagne, or have pre dinner drinks on your way to your favourite waterfront restaurant. These stunning gondolas can also offer specially catered menus to eat whilst floating along.
Alternatively add even more romance by making a dramatic entrance to your waterside wedding ceremony. A gondola can also be reserved as a very romantic private interlude for the new husband and wife as they glide through the tranquil waters. Or even provide a romantic exit as the new couple go away on their honeymoon.
These stunning 1940’s style gondolas are guaranteed to set a very romantic mood for any special occasion with breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert cruises available. The ultimate romance package or the wedding package can be booked for your special day or you can even BYO with ice buckets and glasses provided!
The cruise lasts for an hour to an hour and a half. The Gondolas of Noosa has departures daily form Sheraton Jetty. There are several pick up points including Sofitel Noosa Pacific Resort, Quamby Place and Ricky’s Bar and Restaurant. Gondolas of Noosa will also pick you up from anywhere along the river, stop off at sand banks along the way and drop you at your chosen venue.
3. The Hinterland’s vineyards – Charming mountain towns, providing a romantic hinterland hideaway
Where is it? 70 minutes from Brisbane airport, 35 minutes from Noosa
How to experience it: Book a hideaway style B&B, cottage or holiday home
Who is it best for? Couples, newlyweds
Most romantic places to stay: Secrets on the Lake, Hunchy Hideaway, Narrows Escape Rainforest Retreat, Montville Country Cabins, Glass on Glasshouse
The lush Hinterland’s vineyards provide a secluded getaway destination for a couple who want to escape. With hectare upon hectare of vineyards, delightful mountain villages and plenty of secret spots to take in the stunning views, cupid can knock and enter the hearts of any couple!
The Sunshine Coast Hinterland has mountainous greenery mixed with historic and appealing towns with a chance to have beach access on the stunning Sunshine Coast beaches. The elevation benefits from a cooler climate and a balance of more consistent temperatures throughout the year. Stunning views including the natural highlight of the Glasshouse Mountains, which when seen at sunset with someone special from a lookout, never fails to melt the heart.
The region has a variety of vineyards offering the chance to indulge in wine tasting as well as visiting award-winning cafes and restaurants. Ideal for short breaks, the Sunshine Coast Hinterland offers a chance to relax and take in the beauty of waterfalls, rainforests and mountain views and is one of South East Queensland’s best kept secrets for a romantic couple’s getaway.
4. Daydream Island – A romantic island getaway surrounded by coral reefs and a kaleidoscope of colours
Where is it? 30 minutes by boat from Hamilton Island
How to experience it: Choose a room with a balcony and an ocean view
Who is it best for? Couples, honeymooners
Most romantic places to stay: The 4-5 star Daydream Island Resort
Daydream Island is the perfect size to stage a relaxing romantic getaway, honeymoon or as a beautiful expression of love to you partner. In the rapturous surrounds of the Whitsundays. Viewing the surrounding coral reefs and kaleidoscopic colours beneath the ocean can be rounded off by dining on the freshest of seafood together, while watching one of the most beautiful sunsets over the Coral Sea.
At the northern end of the island is the Daydream Island Resort with a number of pools, water sports, bars, world class restaurants and an underwater observatory. There is an abundance of activities a couple can do together as well as relaxing massages to be had at the spa. The Glass Bottom Boat Tour gives you the opportunity to discover the beauty that makes Daydream Island so unique. Long walks can be taken along the white sandy beaches where you can absorb the island’s peaceful, tropical tranquillity or visit the stunning rainforest. There is even a spot called Lovers Cove, where you can have an afternoon swim then sunset cocktails on the beach.
5. Palm Cove – Tropical beachfront & great sunrises
Where is it? Half way between Port Douglas and Cairns in tropical North Queensland
How to experience it: Take a picnic basket stocked with treats and a bottle of bubbly for a picnic at sunset on the sand
Who is it best for? Couples, honeymooners looking to relax on the beach with fewer crowds and a peaceful reef destination
Most romantic places to stay: The Elysium, The Reef Retreat, Pullman Palm Cove Sea Temple Resort & Spa, Paradise on the Beach Resort
In one of the loveliest coastlines in Queensland this little corner of Tropical North Queensland is known for its pristine white sandy beaches lined with palm trees and secluded locations. The laid back atmosphere and less noise makes Palm Cove idyllic. Palm Cove strikes a nice balance between the seclusion from the busier resorts and large tour groups in Cairns and Port Douglas.
Palm Cove has a reputation for offering high-end accommodation and relaxing wellness activities. Many resorts offer pampering packages including hair and massage treatments. The life in the village is slow and laid back and if you want more than sipping a cocktail at a hotel bar and looking at beautiful ocean views there are opportunities to join in with all the activities and Barrier Reef trips. The tranquillity of the village, boutique shops, fabulous galleries, and elegance of the accommodation, beautiful views, beach walks and warm summer evenings make Palm Cove an ideal Romantic destination.
https://www.palmcoveaustralia.com/blog/a-romantic-escape-to-palm-cove.37/
6. O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat – Escape into nature
Where is it? Lamington National Park, Canungra
How to experience it: Bring supplies to enable you to have a romantic candlelit dinner on the deck of the mountain villa
Who is it best for? Couples who want romance and to get away from humanity
Most romantic places to stay: O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat villas
Perched high above the rainforest canopy at O’ Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat you will feel like you are in a world of your own. This magical place for you and your loved one gives a stopover experience that allows you to indulge in time together with the feeling you can do what you want. The rainforest in this region is several degrees cooler than that on the coast so it is a perfect place to spend some romantic summer days and escape the heat.
Nestled in over 20,000 hectares of the ancient Gondwana Rainforest in the Lamington National Park you can book the ultimate hideaway in a Mountain Villa. The villas are fully self-contained, with a fully equipped kitchen, barbecue on the deck and 2-3 bedrooms each with their own en suite. Open the glass doors to the outdoor setting to have either a valley setting or a rainforest view. If you feel like hiding from the world you can light the gas fire, laze around on the lounges or stay in bed all day with no one to bother you. All villas have a TV so if you are in and you have had enough of reading or gazing through the window nook there is Foxtel access. If you feel like escaping the villa The Lost World Spa dissolves all of a couple’s tensions and makes romance so much easier.
If you have not stopped at Canungra village on your way up, to stock up on supplies for your villa there is also a general store on site to pick up essentials. A short walk up the mountain in the heart of the resort is the main dining room where guests can indulge in hearty country breakfasts and scrumptious dinners. While you are there, no romantic getaway can be complete without having pre dinner drinks to start and a platter of cheese to finish. There is a Mountain Café for lunch and the Rainforest Bar where you can also get a light dinner and drinks.
From Wildlife adventures to magical experiences of seeing the glow worms in the bush at night, or chasing the majestic waterfalls and swimming in pristine crystal clear rock pools, no trip is complete without an outing to Moonlight Crag where you can see the breath-taking sunset and pop the question!
7. Bedarra Island – A paradise without people, offering serenity and solitude
Where is it? Approx. 2 hours south of Cairns accessed by launch or helicopter from Mission Beach
How to experience it: Give in to spoiling yourself and make use of all of the all-inclusive perks available!
Who is it best for? Honeymooners, weddings
Most romantic places: On your wraparound balcony or private beach to enjoy candlelit dinners and stunning views
Located about 10 km from the coastal village Mission Beach, Bedarra Island offers an experience of high-end, unadulterated living with genuine privacy. As privacy as the keynote, the villas give the perfect romantic treat in a chic, small, eco-friendly and luxurious (but expensive) surroundings on a tropical island. The villas offer a perfect setting for the most romantic memories with the scent of tropical flowers drifting in the air!
As Australia’s most exclusive island, only 10 guest villas are scattered throughout 100 hectares of unspoilt tropical rainforest and palm-fringed beaches. With awe striking 180°ocean views overlooking Doorilla Bay, the Coral Sea and nearby islands Bedarra Island, the spot is part of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. The resort offers a freshwater swimming pool, restaurant with outdoor terrace and a famous open bar! Everything on the island is free and the open bar even encourages visitors to make their own cocktails! All meals are free including gourmet picnic hampers for lunch to enjoy on your own personal beach. Visitors do pay extra for massage and spa treatments, snorkelling, scuba diving, reef fishing, or to charter scenic helicopter trips.
The calm beauty of the secluded tropical island can be experienced by you on a romantic getaway or can be booked exclusively for a wedding party of up to 20 guests.
8. Hamilton Island – Rich with romantic hotspots and blissful escapes
Where is it? In the Whitsunday Islands
How to experience it: Exploring everything the Whitsundays have to offer
Who is it best for? Couples, honeymooners, weddings
Most romantic places to stay: Beach Club, Reef View Hotel, Palm Bungalows, Qualia’s one bedroom Windward Pavilion
Surrounded by glorious sandy beaches Hamilton Island is nestled in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef. Hamilton Island is rich with honeymoon hotspots, having many resorts, beaches, spas and restaurants. Wherever you decide to stay every whim can be catered for by your concierge team leaving you more time to focus on each other.
Take a sunset sail with champers and canopes, to Whitehaven beach on Whitsunday Island to see the breath-taking white silica sand and piercing blue waters. Take a walk in the warm sunshine to Catseye Beach and get away from every stress that fills your mind on a remote holiday. Dine at Coca Chu with a South East Asian sharing plate and look over views of tropical gardens and the ocean. Be together at Bommie Restaurant which serves the highest quality food. Sunbathe at one of the pools or indulge in a cocktail at Hamilton Islands Main Pool. Get an adrenaline rush by riding on a tandem jetski or have as much relaxation as your body craves by treating yourself to a couples’ massage. Take advantage of the catamarans to explore nearby islands or organise a personal drop off with a picnic lunch at North and West Henning Island. As above romance will also soar on a helicopter flight over the romantic Heart Reef!
Check out https://www.hamiltonislandweddings.com/romantic-proposals/
9. Gilberton Outback Retreat –Romance in the outback that will stay with you forever
Where is it? Inland on a 5 hour drive from Townsville or a 7 hour drive from Cairns
How to experience it: Relax in the countryside with downtime between you and your loved one
Who is it best for? Couples seeking time to themselves
Most romantic places to stay: The four poster bed!
Located in the goldfields of North Queensland the Gilbert Outback Retreat is unique in its remoteness and luxury. The captivating rustic style hut sits in an 88,000 acre cattle station. The hideaway is perfect for nature lovers, with views of North Queensland’s stunning scenery. There is an atmosphere of escape from everyday living which begs you to look back to the origin you came from and understand your real feelings for each other.
There is no phone, no TV and no internet, so it is ideal for couples yearning to leave the busyness of daily life and needing to spend time just with each other. This private five star hut includes a self-contained kitchen, canopy bed, and open fireplace with panoramic views over the Gilbert River. Besides curling up in a four- poster bed and staring out of the window you will love the freestanding semi- outdoor bathtub and a never-ending supply of bubbles waiting to be enjoyed from this all-inclusive experience!
https://www.gilbertonoutbackretreat.com
10. Lizard Island – Book the Romance Package to experience with that special person!
Where is it? 240km north of Cairns
How to experience it: 3 day Romance Package
Who is it best for? Honeymooners to start their married life
Most romantic places to stay: The Villa or The Pavilion
Escape to a tropical island with the one you love and experience romance on the reef. Located in the middle of The Great Barrier Reef on over 1000 acres of National park, Lizard Island is an exclusive secluded resort where you can experience pure indulgence and relaxation. Fringed by powdery white beaches with the bluest of clear blue ocean waters, the coral reef gardens shimmer in brilliant colour.
Lizard Island’s villas and suites have been designed to suit the natural beauty outside. The natural light streams in from the floor to ceiling windows making you feel as if you are never sitting inside.
There is the opportunity to give in to your heart’s desires by indulging in the Romance package! With champagne and chocolate dipped strawberries on arrival, spa treatments, sunset cruises, private beach days and a beach dining experience as well as gourmet picnic hampers!
This package isn’t the only option tempting you. Other equally deserving packages with private beach outings, gourmet meals, unlimited non-alcoholic beverages and a fine selection of wine, beer, spirits and sparkling wine, leaving you wondering why you haven’t taken your loved one here before!
https://www.lizardisland.com.au/special-events/