Brisbane is the third largest city in Australia after Sydney and Melbourne and the capital of the state of Queensland. The city is located in the northeast of the country on the Pacific Ocean. Just north of Brisbane is the Sunshine Coast vacation region. The Sunshine Coast stretches from the coastal town of Caloundra near Brisbane to the Great Sandy National Park in the north and impresses with pretty villages, famous surf spots and impressive surroundings. Hamilton Island is the main island of the 74 Whitsunday Islands in the Great Barrier Reef. It is about 740 hectares in size and stretches 5 kilometers from north to south and 3.5 kilometers from west to east.