The Norman Hotel. Credit:Glenn Hunt 1. Eimeo Pacific Hotel, Mackay This beer garden would rate highly for the view alone. But there's more to it, including more than 100 years of history. There's a lunch, brunch and dinner menu, much of it cashing in on an abundance of local seafood. The sunsets are magic. 2. Stradbroke Island Beach Hotel There are a few things which make this hotel great. The views of Moreton Bay are a given, but it's the community spirit which makes Straddie a great place to live and visit. Any afternoon, you'll get a mixture of visitors and locals, a decent counter meal and a game of pool overlooking the ocean. And there's live music Saturday afternoons.

Montville Pub 3. Mon Komo, Redcliffe Beyond the hotel, there's a spectacular beer garden with high-end food and plenty of space to move around. On a bright day, there's shade cover, but high ceilings create an open atmosphere. It's so good you'd swear Redcliffe had become a tourist attraction. Breakfast Creek Hotel. Credit:Tourism and Events Queensland 4. Sunshine Beach Surf Club

Sunshine Beach in itself is a hidden gem. While locals know about the surf club – many of them have trained here – the beer garden is a beauty. There's a long menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and in the community spirit, the share platters are well worth a look. If life's a beach, this place should be on the bucket list. 5. Norman Hotel Billed as Brisbane's worst vegetarian restaurant, the Norman seems to have regained some of its mojo over the past year or so. The food's all about steak, the drinks about beer, and the ambience about hanging around a table with mates in a city beer garden with a country feel. 6. The Post Office, Maroochydore Meet the most modern of Queensland beer gardens. The only thing old about it is a large one shilling postage stamp painted on one of the walls. All the rest is chic decor with a hipster vibe. Tucked in Ocean St, the menu is focused heavily on the grill, and plenty of beer brands are hosted on tap.

7. Breakfast Creek Hotel Many a good Sunday session has been held in this part of town, across from the river, by the creek, and to the front of Albion Park dog/trot track. Indeed, 10 years ago, this place might have sat at the top of the list. It's still one of Queensland's favourites – the ghost stories are legendary, as is the beer off the wood and of course the steaks complete with coleslaw and the little stick which tells you how your meat's been cooked. 8. The Wickham, Fortitude Valley This old Fortitude Valley pub has undergone a transformation which in its advertising it says caters to people of all identities. If good music, good beer and good company are your thing, the crowd at The Wickham will lay claim that their spot in the top 10 is well justified. 9. Montville Pub

Beer gardens are all about good times, and weekend sessions at this venue have traditionally come with relaxing live music. Draught beers hold centre stage, and the best of the menu comes off the grill. There's also accommodation, and the garden is one of the more picturesque on the tourist trail. 10. The Courthouse, Port Douglas Many people who've done the drive from Cairns to Port Douglas will have stopped here for a counter lunch. It's the oldest pub in the area, and while the outdoor area is probably more brick than garden, there's a beach feel. So slap on your thongs and tuck into a favourite dish from the multicultural menu. Others worth checking out: Gladstone Yacht Club

Tannum Sands Beach Bar and Grill Ricks at Palmwoods Grandview Hotel, Cleveland Apollonian, Boreen Point Belvedere, Woody Point

Montville Cafe Bar and Grill Pig and Whistle, New Farm Eagle Heights, Mt Tamborine The Triffid, Newstead Beach Burrito, Fortitude Valley

The Courthouse, Cleveland The Karalee Tavern Remys Bar, Paddington Eatons Hill Tavern Wooly Mammoth

Blackwater, Moffatt Beach The Deno, Bowen The Brightside Story Bridge Hotel Harrigans, Jacobs Well