A friend is traveling to Australia and wants to spend a week or so on a horse ranch. In the US, we’d call it a dude ranch, but I’m pretty sure it’s got some other name in Australia. Anyone know of any horse ranches in Queensland that take guests? She’s an experienced rider, and wants to ride, help with the horses, etc.
The term “ranch” is used. This link may be useful.
A more common term if you’re searching is probably “farm stay” (or, alternatively, “farmstay”).
I’ve not heard the term “ranch” used very often in Australia, apart from the occasional breeder of Quarter horses with cowboy delusions. 
Farm or property would be be more usual; a horse breeding farm would be called a stud.
But as Cunctator said, your friend is probably looking for a farm stay … although if she’s a reasonably experienced rider, perhaps a horse trek would be a good bet. A two or three day trail ride, camping out at night, is a terrific way to see the country. I don’t know if their is anything really like a “dude ranch” though.
This might help: http://www.equitrek.com.au/ - horse holidays in Australia
And this place calls itself an “Aussie dude ranch”, and it’s in Queensland.
http://www.mooloolahvalley.com/
Myella Farmstay QLD: http://www.users.bigpond.com/myella/
Another one, which sounds lovely: Welcome to Queensland, Australia
I hit reply by accident.
More: http://www.mountnride.com.au/contact.htm
And here’s a list of them in QLD:
http://www.horsedirectory.com.au/qld/travel_recreation/farmstay/
And if it doesn’t have to be QLD, a friend of mine owns and runs Topline Park in the Barrington Tops in NSW. She’s an exceptional horsewoman and if your friend contacted her directly Lisa might be able to arrange a package or pssibly recommend somewhere in QLD.
http://www.topline-park.com/home.html
I hope your friend has a wonderful holiday.
My friend spent several hours surfing the web and came up with nothing. I’ll pass these links on to her. She knew “dude ranch” couldn’t be the right term, because it’s just too dorky, but I never would have guessed farmstay. Thanks!
These aren’t dude ranches, but this looks like a fun ride:
cross country international ride
as does this one:
equitours ride
I’ve been on rides through both companies (though not in Australia), and both are class acts (they’re not going to hook you up with a place with rank, unfit, or poorly cared for horses).