Heath? Other Aussies?  

.
....ask away.
Apart from our overpriced dollar and a very expensive place to live (sydney anyway) it's not such a bad place.

It's my 19 year-old daughter.
Traveling alone to participate in an exchange program. Location as yet undertermined, but likely Queensland. Either Townsville or Cairns or both for six weeks starting at the end of January. She wants to get around some on her own, too, as long as she's there. Sydney, of course, and possibly even as far as Hobart. She's something of a sailor and keeps mentioning NZ, but that's probably a stretch.
Neither my wife nor I have been to your continent and we don't know anyone there. I'm not overly concerned, but I am her dad and I could probably come up with a hundred questions for a native off the top of my head.
I realize this is off-topic and Im happy to take it to PM if you or anyone else here has anything to offer.

.
You can email if that suits or we can talk here....either way is fine by me.
I do understand as I have a newly 18yo so your concerns are understandable
my emails is wrcrw at hotmail.com

I'd suggest Melbourne and Sy...
I'd suggest Melbourne and Sydney or Tasmania if she enjoys natural beauty. Queensland she would probably find a bit parochial unless she is happy to experience the local colour and National Parks.
Cairns and a little further North is better than Townsville, the Atherton tablelands are nice too.
Safety is a concern I'm sure, there are heaps of websites all about crocodiles and sharks and spiders and all that, if its people you're worried about just think of it as being like Canada but hot, I think the crime and socio economic stats are much the same.

Thank you both.
I'm not a worrier by nature, but maybe it says something about her parents that she's chosen a location halfway around the globe for her first big trip on her own?