Start your Queensland Day celebrations early and witness the first light of day from Burleigh Headland. Follow the Oceanview walk track to the lookout point, just be sure to pack a torch! When you’re done marvelling at the magnificent view, head down to the Burleigh Heads State School (or one of the many other locations around the Gold Coast) and stock up on some amazing local produce from the farmers markets. Make the most of seasonal ingredients and whip up this Sundown Carrot Salad. If you’re not a culinary whiz in the kitchen, opt for breakfast at one of the Gold Coast’s many cafes and restaurants that proudly support local farmers by using locally grown produce such as Organics At Home at Palm Beach, The Yard Cafe or BSKT in Mermaid Beach, to name a few.

After breakfast has settled, throw on some boardies (or perhaps a wetsuit) and paddle out to experience one of the world’s best surf breaks right in our backyard, Snapper Rocks. If you’ve never surfed before, seize the day and give it a try. Surf Easy surf school offers group lessons every Saturday from 9:00 am in the calmer waters of Currumbin Alley. If surfing isn’t for you, embark on a road trip to explore the green behind the gold and spend some time discovering Tamborine Mountain’s secret spots. For the adrenalin junkies, the TreeTop Challenge will get your heart rate pumping or for those who prefer a more leisurely pace, set out on one of the mountain’s many bushwalking trails. While you’re in the area, pop in to enjoy a locally grown and roasted coffee from Mount Tamborine Coffee Plantation.

For lunch, sample some of the regions finest seafood. Grab some fish and chips to go from Fish Mongers Burleigh Heads and pull up a rug on the point or if you reside on the northern end, be tempted by the morning’s catch of prawns, spanner crabs, Balmain bugs, sand crabs, squid and octopus and buy direct from the trawler at the Spit in Main Beach. Indulge in a long lunch at Omeros Bros at Marina Mirage or The Fish House in Burleigh Heads. After lunch, head to your local surf club or pub for a compulsory schooner or two of XXXX. While it may not always be your brew of choice, XXXX is one of Queensland’s oldest and most well known products and was established way back in 1877.

After you’re sufficiently stuffed, finish your celebratory tour at the QLD Week Multicultural Celebration in the Gold Coast’s new Chinatown precinct in Southport. No matter how you choose to spend the day, spare a moment to appreciate how truly lucky we really are to call such an amazing part of the world home.