Geography of Queensland and the Simpson Desert are partially located in Queensland. Drought has had a significant impact on Queensland rural communities, both socially and economically. The east coast of Australia, including what is now known as Queensland was first explored by James Cook but for thousands of years before it was occupied by Indigenous Australians. The capital of Queensland is Brisbane. Queensland uses the Australian Eastern Standard Time Zone, but does not adjust in summer for daylight saving. Mining and agriculture, particularly sugar cane harvesting, are the state's main industries. The Great Artesian Basin is an important water source for the state.
Queensland June 1961 and at The Hermitage (near Warwick) on 12 July 1965. Temperatures below are, however, generally uncommon over the majority of populated Queensland. Queensland is less centralised than most other Australian states, with 50% of the population living outside the state capital, and 25% living outside the South East Queensland urban agglomeration. Queensland is home to many regional cities, the most populous being the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast, Townsville, Cairns, Toowoomba, Mackay, Rockhampton and Bundaberg. For decades, Queensland has consistently been the fastest-growing state in Australia, while Western Australia has grown faster in the 2010s. At its peak