From the 13th to the 15th century, Bruges was the most important trading centre in North-West Europe. Spanish merchants settled along the Spaanse Loskaai (Spanish Quay) and in the Spanjaardstraat. The Germans or Easterners — ‘oosterlingen’ in Dutch — took up residence in the Oosterlingenplein. In this old Hansa Quarter you can admire the mansions of the wealthy international merchants and the great trading nations of the day. You can almost still smell the atmosphere of the Middle Ages.

Stretching along Mackay’s coastline there are more than 31 glorious beaches all fringed by the turquoise tropical waters of the Coral Sea and The Great Barrier Reef.

In this beautiful park, 50 km north of Mackay, the rainforest literally meets the ocean. A terrific park featuring long white sandy beaches and 25 species of tropical butterflies. The unique self-guiding Jupiera Aboriginal trail highlights native plants and inquisitive wallabies that visit the palm fringed beach at sunrise and sunset.