A most bearable job, by gum

Koalas are the biggest draw in the Lone Pine sanctuary.

China has become one of Australia's biggest tourism markets over the past few years. In 2013, 672,000 Chinese visited Australia, an increase of 17.9 percent from 2012.

The growth is more obvious in Queensland, which has seen 313,000 Chinese visitors in 2013, an increase of 25.9 percent from 2012, according to Violet Tan, marketing coordinator in China with Tourism and Events Queensland.

The potential market lies in not only the growing number of visitors but also the change in the way of traveling.

Luke Edwards, leisure tourism executive for the Brisbane Marketing Economic Development Board, says Chinese tourists are "shifting from 'quick tourism' to 'slow travel'," when he accompanied a group of Chinese journalists in a media familiarization trip to Brisbane sponsored by China Southern Airlines.

Instead of hopping around several sites in one day, visitors like to stay in one place for one or two days to indulge in local landscapes, cuisines and culture, Edwards explains.

Also when they plan a trip, they are looking for a destination with a balance of adventure and relaxation, he adds.

That explains why Spicers Hidden Vale, a luxurious rural retreat in Grandchester, Queensland, has seen more Chinese guests in recent years.

Many Chinese guests come with their friends or relatives living in Australia and stay for the weekend, according to Kylie Stever, group sales manager of Spicers.