After a few days in Brisbane it was finally time for Dave to give Australian camping a go and it was also the first time in over a month that it rained. And I mean it rained! Prior to the downpour however we managed to go and see the glasshouse mountains and the surrounding areas. The lookouts around this area are all worth a few minutes stop because they give unprecedented views of the mountains in all their unique shaped glory. There’s also a rainforest walk and centre (Mary Cairncross scenic reserve) which is free to enter and is a really good way to get to know the bugs and trees common to Queensland rainforests. (There is a lot of rainforests!) 

Tip; In Australia and mainly Northern Queensland/Western Australia the summer is the wet season and it really is wet. You need to be aware of cyclones and adverse weather and you MUST stay ahead of the weather as you will run into trouble. We have been really lucky but that’s because we’ve stayed ahead by following the board of meteorology weather forecasts. 

Our first night camping together wasn’t the best experience but you live and learn and soon the tent became an easy process and so did the camping. Now, Nick and Dave are Steve Irwin fans and so I was outvoted and we embarked on our day trip to Australia Zoo. I’ve always been a bit sceptical of zoos but Australia zoo was a great day out. We laughed a lot and the rangers have an excellent knowledge of the animals and where they’ve been rescued or come from. It was a laugh if nothing else! 

After we visited the zoo we headed north up the coast until we reached Noosa. Noosa is very similar to Byron with its surfs shops, endless blues and surfers. It is absolutely stunning. The Noosa Heads National Park is one of the best walks I’ve ever done. You stop every few minutes for a photo or, even better, a quick dip in the sea! The south of Queensland is one of the last places in Queensland where you can just jump in the sea without having to worry about marine stingers and crocodiles! Make the most of it! 

The campsite in Noosa was one of the best in Australia. We literally opened up onto the beach and you have your own bit of beach to enjoy! It really was excellent and a brilliant to wake up in the morning! 

From Noosa we wanted to go over to Fraser Island (separate blog!) but we had to wait a few days so I’m the name of efficiency we headed up to Bundaberg with a stop off at Tin Can Bay to see the famous Australian dolphins that visit each morning. The dolphins are unique to Australia and unlike the typical grey dolphin they are black and white speckled and really big. They’re endangered so it’s really worthwhile visiting to learn a little something about them. The reason they visit is because they got accustomed to the fishermen returning after a night of fishing! They are insanely clever creatures! 

The day we visited the dolphins was the day we went to see the turtles at Mon Repos. We were so so SO lucky that day. Not only did we see over 120 hatchlings take their first teeny tiny steps into the ocean but we also saw a loggerhead turtle laying her eggs. What an experience! The Mon Repos centre is one of the best places we’ve visited in Australia and this experience is one which I’ll wholeheartedly remember for the rest of my life. It started off really badly and we were so fed up/tired we almost gave up waiting but then we got to see all of that! Lesson; patience really is a virtue. 

If this is something you’d be interested in doing then bare in mind you’ll start at 7pm and it goes on until 2am. So get a good night’s rest prior! The experience is dictated by the turtles and so you may not be as lucky as us (it’s really rare to see both laying of eggs and actual hatchlings at the same time) but for $12.80 I’d say it’s worth the risk! Honestly, absolutely magic. I love turtles they’re remarkable animals. 

Now, after the turtley amazing experience (sorry, not sorry) we had in Mon Repos we weren’t sure how the rest of Bundaberg would hold up. People are always negative about everything and we’d heard bad things about Bundaberg but we should have just realised by now not to listen! Bundaberg is Australia’s home of excellent drinks! The Bundaberg Rum Distillery and the Bundaberg Barrel are absolutely a must do if you’re visiting Bundi! We visited the rum distillery first and it was an ace few hours which was followed by samples of 3 different rums. The rum here is something else a totally different flavour to the rums we get back at home! Yum yum yum! At $28 entry fee this really is a bargain the tour takes two hours and includes the three samples and also gets you access to the museum which has some really interesting facts and artefacts about the history of the rum and particularly what it meant during WWII. 

The Bundaberg barrel we visited the following day and this place does the BEST soft drinks made from local ingredients with no nasties! The ginger beer is so good especially with some rum and lime over ice! The barrel cost $12 and this allows entrance into the museum, 18 samples and then 6 bottles of your choosing to take away! A bargain and a really great experience! Just prepare for the sugar rush.

Next up Fraser Island but I covered that in a separate blog which is worth a read if you’re considering visiting! 

After we departed Fraser Island we decided to waste no time and head straight up the coast, again, 1770. The only place in the world to have a number as a name. As you may have guessed they have a lot artefacts and tributes to Captain Cook and those who first came to explore Australia. It’s also famous for it surf lessons and is renowned as one of the cheapest places to learn on Australia. Me and Dave didn’t fancy it but certainly did enjoy watching Nick master it and we loved it even more when he fell off! 

Next up we decided to go inland to give Dave an outback experience, to see the beauty of a pitch black night sky and to see the stars like he’d never seen them before. Well…what can I say? He certainly did get an outback experience; 

• A farm stay – ✔️ 

• Steak from the farm and cooked on a fire in the bush – ✔️ 

• A whole bunch of frogs and cane toads plus other creepy crawlies – ✔️ 

•The second deadliest land snake in the world – ✔️ 

• A quintessentially Australian farmer pull out a shotgun and kill said snake whilst keeping his beer in hand – ✔️ 

I don’t think that’s going to be an experience any of us forgets anytime soon! Only in Aus! 

After the experience of the night before we decided to take it easy and happened across Finch Hatton Gorge which turned out to be one of our favourites sites. A beautiful and freezing cold swim spot with no need to fear any crocodiles! It’s a treacherous walk and does involve clambering through the river which are super slippery unless you’re Dave/Mowgli so maybe take some aqua shoes! Another relatively quiet and unknown spot which is just so special. It was so lovely we ended up visiting twice! From the quiet peace of the gorge we were onto the hustle and bustle of Airlie Beach. The gateway to the Whitsundays. Once again a bucket list experience for those visiting this side of Australia so we decided to experience by air and by boat and it was an absolutely gorgeous day. We walked to the hill inlet lookout, had a go at stand up paddle boarding, snorkelled off the boat but most importantly we flew. We flew around the islands and then went out to fly over the Great Barrier Reef and to see the infamous heart reef. I cried. The Great Barrier Reef is so beautiful and it looks like it does on any tv show or Attenborough documentary and it was definitely a ‘pinch me because I’m so bloody lucky’ moment. A must do in Airlie Beach! We flew with GSL aviation and I’d highly recommend them. 

After a few days R&R and waiting for the floods to pass we headed to Townsville to spend the day on Magnetic Island or, as it’s more lovingly called, Maggie Island. An island famous for its snorkel, it’s koalas and it’s great history during the war. We sadly didn’t see any koalas and due to the floods and full mol. the snorkel wasn’t great but the island really was beautiful and the Forts Walk was so beautiful. Looking at mainland Australia from a distance against the blue backdrop of the sky really is a sight for sore eyes!  

Tip; you can hire ‘Barbie cars’ or buggies to go around the island or you can use the bus service. I’d recommend to hire the car as the bus service was really quite terrible. 

Our next few days were spent exploring waterfalls and rock slides in the national parks which back on to Mission beach where we spent two nights searching for a cassowary bird which, despite all the signs, we didn’t manage to see! 

When we have up hope and left mission beach we took a little detour to Etty Bay and managed to see not one, not two but three! Beautiful creatures which are absolutely terrifying. A living dinosaur if you will! 

But, going back to Mission beach; it is SO beautiful here! The unfortunate thing is the water is riddled with crocs so you have to be really careful but an absolute must stop of you’re driving north of Townsville. 

We were going to head straight up the coast but a lady told us to take our time and to go through the Atherton Tablelands. She was so right and I’m so pleased we took her information. The tablelands drive has something for everyone; walks, waterfalls, a tea plantation, a specialist chocolatier and places to see Australian wildlife (we spotted a tree kangaroo). We were mainly interested in the waterfall drive and managed to see them all! The tablelands is the first place this side of Australia where I’ve felt like I’ve managed to get fresh air as the temperature really does drop quite significantly! Our night in Atherton was the first time in months where I’ve actually been really cold! Madness!  

I think the Tablelands can be a forgotten place to some tourists and the colder and wetter weather here is also something that can put people off but they really are beautiful and a short detour from the main highway can give you a whole different version of North East Queensland. We followed the tablelands up to the Daintree and then we went onto the ferry for the Daintree rainforest and Cape Tribulation. Another one of my favourites views from our time in Australia! 

Before we hopped on the ferry we decided to go crocodile hunting but…for our safety, we opted to take a cruise with The Solar Whisperer. A lesser known company who use a very quiet solar powered boat with a croc cam and much smaller numbers. We were so lucky we saw snakes, bats and two big crocs and three young/baby ones. Im usually not a big fan of tourists attractions like this but, actually, David and Martin who run the Solar Whisper have the mission to unravel the myths around crocs who are unfortunately being culled due to fear and misinformation. It was really worthwhile albeit a bit scary being in a tinny boat in croc infested waters! 

On to the Daintree next and oh what a marvel it was! The oldest rainforest in the world and one which holds a million tales. It’s spectacular, it’s so vast and it’s just like a film set. It’s where the jungle meets the ocean and the look outs hold for spectacular views of the majestic land and sea meeting as one.  We spent the night in the rainforest and it was ace to see all the creepy crawlies, spiders and snakes and to be awoken by the cries of a thousand birds. I certainly don’t mind that alarm clock! A must visit in the rainforest is the Daintree Ice cream farm. All the fruit for the ice cream is grown on land and you can choose, for $7, a taste root which comes with different flavours which you probably wouldn’t opt for if you had the choice. We had coconut, jackfruit, wattle and a plum specific to Queensland. It was so delicious and interesting to taste different fruits! 

There is so much to see and do in the Daintree but it will make me sound like a broken record so I’ll just say this; do as much as possible. Take the walks along to the lookouts, do the rainforest boardwalks, go to the swim-spots and don’t rush it! Some people try to do it a day but I think you need at least two/four depending on how much you like walking! It was onto our last major stop and the thing that’s been top of our bucket lists since we arrived and the one thing Dave said he wasn’t leaving until he experienced. Snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef. We chose to go to the reef via Port Douglas because it’s closer than it is from Cairns and the operators from Port Douglas seemed better than those from Cairns. 

Before I go on to the reef I’ll mention Port  Douglas. It is beautiful and it really is so lovely. We walked around the town and it would be so easy to live there. The famous white church on the beach (St Mary’s by the sea) and Dickinson Inlet make for picturesque Sunday strolls and photo opportunities. There’s also a wealth of bars and eateries which we didn’t experience a lot of but I would definitely recommend Hemmingway’s brewery as they have a whole host of crafts beers, the most delicious alcoholic ginger beer and some tasty food! There’s also one in Cairns which has a trivia night on a Wednesday which is such good fun and it was the way we spent our last night in Australia! I’d definitely recommend a spot if only to quench your thirst. Now the reef; it’s everything you expect and more. The colours aren’t as vivid as those dramatised in magazines and books it’s actually more earthy colours which is wonderful as it means it’s healthy! It also worth noting; there has been episodes of bleaching and coral damage but it’s not as extensive as we see in the media. That’s not saying we don’t need to change our ways but don’t let anybody put you off experiencing the reef for yourself because I can promise you it’ll be one of he best experiences of your life. It was so good we opted to do it twice and both times we went from Port Douglas because we just didn’t like any of the companies in Cairns and really didn’t want to go from a pontoon where there would be way too many people. 

Rather than ramble I’ll give you a breakdown; 

Wavelength, Port Douglas – A company owned and operated by marine biologists with calibre of staff all trained as dive experts, marine biologists or specialists. The operation is run really professionally and with ease. It makes it so much easier for you as a customer and means you can really make the most of your day. We went on a day where the sea was exceptionally rough and it made a lot of people poorly so make sure you take the medication they tell you too PRIOR to getting on the boat and you should hopefully be ok! We experienced three spots on the Opal Reef but the company also go to Tongue Reef and ?????? Reef. The whole day was magic! We swam with a turtle with five minutes of being at the first spot and even managed to go on a snorkel tour with a marine biologist. This was  my favourite company to go with as they were so organised and professional. I’ve a massive fear of sharks so was a bit nervous about going in and even considered not doing it but he marine biologist gave such an interesting talk on reef sharks that I was intrigued rather than scared and literally jumped right in! The boat only held 45 which meant you could really get to know the staff and each other and it just made for an easy day of happy memories. 

Silverconic, Port Douglas – A franchise out of a mass owned company Quicksilver who own several operating boats from Port Douglas. The boat held 85 and held a lot more customers. They also offered the opportunity to dive which seemed to take priority and meant the day didn’t run smoothly and snorkelers were ordered about a little bit more i.e. had to watch lunch before entering the water a second time. There didn’t seem to be much freedom and there wasn’t any marine talks with biologists just site information. The best thing about this tour was the reef it visits. It goes to Agincourt reef which is somewhere actually visited by David Attenborough and the wealth of life in coral and fish in this area makes it worth the hustle and bustle of the tour. I managed to swim two turtles and swim with two sharks and Maori wrasse on Agincourt and that’s why I loved the day. 

Overall; Wavelength were the best company and if they managed to go to Agincourt then don’t even hesitate but to book with them. However; research the reefs prior and understand what it is that you want to see and base your choice from this. It’s only one day and although it’ll blow your mind it’s only a mere dot on the reef because it is so vast and so big! You’d never be able to see it all so choose wisely! 

In between visits to the reef we drove to Palm Cove and Clifton Beach taking in all the sights gifted to you as a passenger on the Great Barrier Reef highway. If you’re coming this way try and do the drive twice as it’s spectacular; especially on a clear day! 

Our last major excursion in Australia was the Kuranda train and then we made our way to Cairns where we spent our last few days. I wasn’t too impressed with Cairns and I think it’s more of a gateway to the Daintree, the Great Barrier Reef and also to Kuranda. 

We opted for the scenic railway up and the sky rail down. We zigzagged up mountains ascending 1 metre every 50 until we reached the highest point where we jumped out and looked out to Barron falls. The journey was absolutely spectacular and gives you more of a taste of the dense rainforest that this part of Queensland is so famous for. This is only heightened on the Sky rail which takes you over the tops of the trees, the Barron river and over the rainforests amongst the birds and the Ulysses butterflies. The view spanned for miles from the coral sea to the burdening mountains. Absolutely breathtaking! And just like that; it was all over. Australia completed!  We sold the car pretty quickly and with a looming home deadline we didn’t waste anytime and booked our flight over to New Zealand ready to continue this pretty epic adventure we’ve embarked on. 

I think I’ve left a huge part of me in Australia and it’s certainly left it’s mark on me (no sunburn though) and it’ll always hold a special place in my heart. We’re visiting friends back in Melbourne before we come home but we’re planning a big trip in a few years just to tick off some places we’ve missed but I have to say…as travelling goes; I think we’ve smashed it! 

Australia; you’ve been the dream. Over and out!