It has strengths in mining, banking, insurance, transportation, information technology, real estate and food.

[8] Some of the largest companies headquartered in Brisbane, all among Australia's largest, include Suncorp Group, Virgin Australia, Aurizon, Bank of Queensland, Flight Centre, CUA, Sunsuper, QSuper, Domino's Pizza Enterprises, Star Entertainment Group, ALS, TechnologyOne, NEXTDC, Super Retail Group, New Hope Coal, Jumbo Interactive, National Storage, Collins Foods and Boeing Australia.

[11] Sugar cane is harvested in coastal areas from Far North Queensland to the southern border and is the state's biggest rural commodity.

[12] Customers in the Asia-Pacific region can be supplied all year round through the use of storage facilities at bulk port terminals.

This has produced a boom in construction work for the region despite the global downturn[14] but created conflict between farmers and mining companies.

[15] The Lockyer Valley is a significant horticultural region, although persistent drought is forcing the local economy to diversify.

[20] Minerals including copper, lead, silver, zinc, bauxite, gold, phosphate rock, magnesite and silica sand are mined in the state.

[22] A series of gas pipelines, which began operating in the late 1990s, connects users in Mount Isa and Brisbane to the south west.

[25] Landowners have raised concerns with the mining development ranging from a lack of compensation, property access, construction of gravel roads on farming land, water runoff from drill sites and the potential problems from the millions of tonnes of salt that will be brought to the surface each year.

Until an extensive rail network developed in the state early industries depended on seaports to get their products to market.

[29] In 2008, the federal government provided Queensland an extra $20 billion for major capital works to address port and rail infrastructure shortcomings.

Queensland has slid to third place behind Victoria and Western Australia in a comparison of taxation competitiveness between other states and territories.

[45] The tourism industry plays a key role in the economies of regional areas and supports thousands of small businesses.

Foreign backpackers and students on working holiday visas make up a large proportion of international visitors.

As a result of its many varied landscapes, warm climate and abundant natural beauty, tourism is Queensland's leading tertiary industry with millions of interstate and international visitors visiting the state each year.

[52] Major attractions in its metropolitan area include South Bank Parklands, the Queensland Cultural Centre (including the Queensland Museum, Queensland Art Gallery, Gallery of Modern Art, Queensland Performing Arts Centre and State Library of Queensland), City Hall, the Story Bridge, the Howard Smith Wharves, ANZAC Square, St John's Cathedral, Fortitude Valley (including James Street and Chinatown), West End, the Teneriffe woolstores precinct, the Brisbane River and its Riverwalk network, the City Botanic Gardens, Roma Street Parkland, New Farm Park (including the Brisbane Powerhouse), the Kangaroo Point Cliffs and park, the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, the Mount Coot-tha Reserve (including Mount Coot-tha Lookout and Mount Coot-tha Botanic Gardens), the D'Aguilar Range and National Park, as well as Moreton Bay (including Moreton, North Stradbroke and Bribie islands, and coastal suburbs such as Shorncliffe, Wynnum and those on the Redcliffe Peninsula).

The Gold Coast is home to numerous popular surf beaches such as those at Surfers Paradise and Burleigh Heads.

Cairns is renowned as the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, Far North Queensland (including Port Douglas) and the Daintree Rainforest.

The Whitsunday Islands off the coast of North Queensland are a popular tourist destinations for their resort facilities, access to the Great Barrier Reef and natural beauty.

Starting in the Darling Downs in the 1840s, squatters and pioneering families established cattle stations up until the 1870s, as far north as the Gulf Country.

In 1863 the first sugar-cane plantation was established and the first South Sea Islanders, referred to as kanakas, arrived, providing cheap labour[28] - compare blackbirding.

[59] By 1890 developments in refrigeration technologies had opened new markets for types of produce which would previously have spoiled on the two-month-long journey to England.

[60] As of 2009[update] experts estimated that $60 million in losses occurs annually in Queensland due to dingoes that have penetrated the barrier.

[61] In 1886 the introduced rabbit crossed into southern Queensland,[62][failed verification] causing yields from pasture production to decrease.

[63] In 1908, 700 bores were supplying artesian basin water to western Queensland, transforming an otherwise mostly arid landscape into a more productive area.

[64] Refrigeration and regular steamer services between Brisbane and London allowed Queensland to become Australia's largest exporter of meat in the same year.

The Franco-British Exhibition of 1908 was a good opportunity for Queensland to promote itself, particularly the desirable climate and expanses of fertile land.

[64] Australia's largest airline, Qantas was founded as Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services in Winton in 1920.