The Ipswich Labor politician was the youngest female MP to be elected in Queensland when she won her seat in 2001.

After losing her seat to the LNP's Ian Berry in 2012, she went overseas for two years, travelling over land from Ireland - where her ancestors were from - to Indonesia and back to Australia.

"It was a little exploration of the world, it's something I had always wanted to do and there was just, for me, politics is such hard work," Ms Nolan said.

"I had worked my guts out, in my case from when I was quite young. I was elected when I was 26 - there was a real sense of freedom and doing something different."

Ms Nolan said it was a privilege to be a member of Parliament and it was a big change leaving politics, and believed her physical journey helped with the transition.

She now owns a cafe in Ipswich called Cactus Espresso Bar, which hosts speakers, music and community events and has a 14-month-old son.

Ms Nolan, who occasionally fills in behind the counter at the cafe, said people did a variety of things after politics and she was keen to do something new and diverse.

"I think people answer that question of what will I do now in really different ways," she said.

When asked if she would go back into politics, Ms Nolan said: "I don't imagine so, certainly not back into state politics."

"I was really fortunate to leave and not have a sense that things were left undone," she said.

"I don't imagine myself doing politics again (but) I remain a member of the Labor party and I remain tremendously interested."

Fairfax Media has investigated where former Bligh ministers are now.

Anna Bligh ministers:

Premier Anna Bligh

The former premier was appointed the chief executive officer of the Australian Bankers' Association in February 2017.

Deputy Premier and Infrastructure and Planning Minister Paul Lucas

Mr Lucas retired from politics at the 2012 state election. He started a job overseeing the delivery of Labor's Cross River Rail project earlier this month, being announced as the deputy chairman of the Cross River Rail Delivery Authority Board. Mr Lucas has been running his own consulting firm and working as the non-executive director of Powerlink Queensland. He obtained his masters in urban and regional planning from 2012-14 and has been involved with several non-profit organisations.

Public Works, Information and Communication Technology and Housing Minister Robert Schwarten

Mr Schwarten, who left politics in 2012, was appointed to the Queensland Building and Construction Commission board in December 2016.

Police, Corrective Services and Sport Minister Judy Spence

After leaving politics at the 2012 election, Ms Spence has become an environmental crusader against the Spit on the Gold Coast and is the vice-president of Save Our Broadwater. She was awarded a life membership of the Labor party at the conference on the Gold Coast in 2016.

Treasurer and Deputy Premier Andrew Fraser

The state's youngest treasurer lost his seat at the 2012 election and took some time off before taking a job as the NRL's head of strategy and investment. In February 2017, Mr Fraser announced his decision to resign from the NRL. Mr Fraser is also a director on the Sunsuper board.

Education, Training and Arts Minister Rod Welford

Mr Welford did not contest the 2009 election. He is now an industry fellow for the Griffith Centre for Sustainable Enterprise and his LinkedIn profile lists him as the chief executive officer of Integrated Resource Planners. Mr Welford has held several other roles since retiring from politics, including as the chief executive of the Australian Council of Recycling.

Health Minister Stephen Robertson

After the 2009 election, Mr Robertson served as Natural Resources, Mines, Energy and Trade Minister. He retired before the 2012 election. Mr Robertson is currently the chairman of the Healthy Waterways and Catchments board and the principal advisor and government strategist at Ethical Consulting Services.

Transport, Trade, Employment and Industrial Relations Minister John Mickel

Mr Mickel, who did not contest the 2012 election, has been keeping himself busy in "retirement". He recently led the government's trading hours review and he is a sessional lecturer and tutor at QUT. Mr Mickel was reappointed a Queensland Rail board director in October 2016 but quit the position recently. He has been appointed to the Queensland Art Gallery board. Mr Mickel is also a strategic advisor to ACCESS Community Services and Rowland.

Disabilities, Mental Health and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships Minister Curtis Pitt

After a stint in opposition, Mr Pitt was sworn in as Treasurer in the Palaszczuk government in 2015.

Child Safety and Women Minister Margaret Keech

Ms Keech lost her seat at the 2012 election.

Tourism, Regional Development and Industry Minister Desley Boyle

Ms Boyle retired at the 2012 state election. She served on the board of the Telecommunications Universal Service Management Agency from 2012. Ms Boyle has recently been posting photos of her spending time with grandchildren and travelling.

Primary Industries and Fisheries Minister Tim Mulherin

Mr Mulherin announced on day four of the state election campaign in 2015 that he would quit politics. He was first elected in 1995 and was one of only seven Labor MPs to make it through the 2012 election. Mr Mulherin is now the chairman and a board member of the Mackay Hospital and Health Service.

Health Minister Geoff Wilson

Mr Wilson held several cabinet positions over the Bligh government's cabinet reshuffles, including as health, mines, energy and education and training minister. He lost his seat at the 2012 election. Mr Wilson is listed as a consultant on his LinkedIn profile. He is also a board member of the General Practice Supervisors Australia and Coeliac Queensland.

Natural Resources and Water Minister and Minister assisting the Premier in North Queensland Craig Wallace

He later held other ministerial responsibilities including Main Roads, and lost his seat at the 2012 election. Mr Wallace is the deputy chairman of the board of TerraCom, a resource and energy company. Mr Wallace is also the director and chief executive officer of the Shanghai Commonwealth Investment and Consulting Company, based in China. Mr Wallace is the chairman of the China advisory board at CPG Capital Partners, an investment banking and funds management business.

Communities, Disability Services, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships, Multicultural Affairs, Seniors and Youth Minister Lindy Nelson-Carr

Ms Nelson-Carr did not contest her seat of Mundingburra at the 2012 election.

Attorney-General, Justice Minister and Minister Assisting the Premier in Western Queensland Kerry Shine

Mr Shine lost his seat at the 2012 election. But he has not stayed out of the limelight, losing to the LNP's Trevor Watts at the 2015 election in Toowoomba North and announcing he would contest the next state election, expected to be held late in 2016.

Emergency Services Minister Neil Roberts

Mr Roberts also picked up responsibility for police and corrective services in a reshuffle and then did not contest his seat of Nudgee at the 2012 election. He is now a nationally accredited mediator with Neil Roberts Mediation.

Sustainability, Climate Change and Innovation Minister Andrew McNamara

The member for Hervey Bay was defeated at the 2009 election by former Hervey Bay mayor Ted Sorensen, who ran for the LNP. Mr McNamara has had roles with the Energy Supply Association of Australia, Yarra Energy Foundation and Chiropractors' Association of Australia.

Infrastructure and Planning Minister Stirling Hinchliffe

Mr Hinchliffe was also employment, skills and mining minister from 2011-2012 after a Bligh reshuffle. Mr Hinchliffe is still in Parliament and faced ongoing pressure over Queensland Rail's issues before resigning from cabinet in February 2017. He is still the Leader of the House.

Transport Minister Rachel Nolan

Ms Nolan was also finance, arts, natural resources minister under premier Anna Bligh and was defeated at the 2012 election. She is now an adjunct senior lecturer in philosophy at The University of Queensland and owns Cactus Espresso Bar in Ipswich, even occassionally stepping in when needed to make the coffee. Ms Nolan has also written for The Monthly.

Tourism and Fair Trading Minister Peter Lawlor

Mr Lawlor lost his seat of Southport at the 2012 election. Recently he has been spending time in south-east Queensland with his family and it is understood he has retired.

Child Safety and Sport Minister Phil Reeves

Another Labor MP to lose his seat at the 2012 election, Mr Reeves was named as chief executive of the Wynnum Manly Seagulls Rugby League Football Club in 2014. He resigned from the position in October 2015 due to personal and health issues. Since then, he has been involved with the Arthur Beetson Foundation and Surf Life Saving Queensland.

Community Services, Housing and Women Minister Karen Struthers

Ms Struthers lost her seat of Algester at the 2012 election. She was then awarded a doctorate in philosophy for her research, Pathways into Trades for Girls, with Griffith University. She also researched youth-led domestic violence prevention model R4Respect.

Disability Services, Multicultural Affairs, Transport Minister Annastacia Palaszczuk

You do not have to go far to find out what Ms Palaszczuk is doing. She is now Premier and Arts Minister, after leading Labor through the dark days when it was reduced to only seven seats after the 2012 election.

Climate Change and Sustainability, Environment and Resource Management Minister Kate Jones

Ms Jones is another Bligh minister to still be in politics. She is the Education, Tourism, Major Events and Commonwealth Games Minister.

Attorney-General, Industrial Relations and Education Minister Cameron Dick

Mr Dick is now the Health and Ambulance Services Minister.

Tourism, Manufacturing and Small Business Minister Jan Jarratt

Ms Jarratt was defeated at the 2012 election.

Government Services, Building Industry and Information and Communication Technology Minister Simon Finn

Defeated at the 2012 election to the LNP's Carl Judge in Yeerongpilly, he is now based in Victoria, and is a non-executive director on the board of Glentworth, which helps organisations with data. Mr Finn is also the chief executive officer of the Council of Private Higher Education.

Environment Minister Vicky Darling

The member for Sandgate lost her seat at the 2012 election and has had several roles since then, including as a chief of staff in Canberra for former federal Labor minister Kate Ellis. She is the co-founder of consulting firm Kintsugi Alliance Pty Ltd, is a board member of government authority Sustainability Victoria and a director on the board of the Australian Cervical Cancer Foundation.