Blue Mountains
Today we're going into the mountains. Well, to check out the Blue Mountains, two hours west of Sydney. We're up in time to catch the train, which runs once an hour. A bit of bad luck: part of the track is out, so...
Category: Nature
Sydney from below and above
Up early: whale watching. To Circular Quay, the harbor where the boat departs. It was a slightly smaller boat than expected, so it's bound to be a rocky ride. And indeed, it is. Once out of the river, after a half-hour trip, it's off...
Byron Bay and Water Dragons
Taking it easy this morning. At brunch outside, the animals gathered again, ready for some crumbs. First, the morning roll call; what's on the street? We now know they're called Water Dragons, or Australian Water Dragons. (Watch this video…
Byron Bay Lighthouse
Slowly this morning, definitely an hour late, because yesterday we crossed the New South Wales border, and they do have Daylight Savings Time here. Had breakfast while the half-meter-long lizards stare at you, the kookaburra bird on the edge of...
Australia Zoo
On to Brisbane, a few hours' drive away. At the suggestion of Sarah, the owner of the cottage, we make a stop at the Australia Zoo, a major attraction in Southern Queensland, near Beerwah. And rightly so, it's a huge zoo, a...
Coastal walk at Noosa Head
We're staying in Sunshine Beach, near Noosa National Park. Today we walked the coastal trail there, about 10 km long, to Noosa Head. It's a beautiful coastal walk. Sometimes it climbs along steep cliffs to the cape...
K'gari Island
Today we're off to K'gari, "paradise," an island off the coast of Hervey Bay. Formerly called Fraser Island, it's the largest sand island in the world, over 100 km long. And there's sand! It's also a UNESCO World Heritage site. We got an early start...
To Hervey Bay via 1770
We left again today at 10 a.m. Although, on closer inspection (when we returned the key to reception), it was actually 9 a.m., as daylight saving time had started last night. But only in NSW/Sydney, as my phone and watch thought, and...
Walk to the fort and bay
This morning we first secured our next sleeping spot, at Airlie Beach. Then we took the bus to the hike on the other side of Magnetic Island. The path leads to an old WWII fort perched atop the cliffs. It's 27°C, the sun...
Snorkeling on the Reef
(Videos to follow, Wi-Fi is slow here on the island) Today we're going to the reef! The Greater Barrier Reef is right off the coast here. It's enormous, the size of France, or Japan, so big. Well, off the coast, between…