I know there are white sand beaches all all along the Australian East Coast, and, in a country that already prides itself on its beaches, the competition is fierce. Even so, the Whitsunday Islands takes the prize for the most paradisiacal beach setting in the whole country. The Lonely Planet describes them as like emeralds scattered on aquamarine velvet – that goes part of the way to describing the beauty – you also need to throw in the sheer brightness of the whiter-than-white sand, the warm crystal clear waters and the range of corals all around
Taking time for at least a day trip so you can get in amongst the islands and sun yourself on the perfect beaches is a great experience, and one not to be missed on your East Coast adventure. But, and I regret not doing this, TOP TIP – a multi-day trip to enjoy them outside of the standard day trip would be truly magical
White sand beaches, practically no traffic, 90% natural bushland and a chilled out vibe. Very little not to like about Great Keppel Island and, whilst its not quite in the usual top lists for Queensland, its nevertheless a beautiful place to spend a couple of days
Gorgeous beach, fantastic reputation as a hippy / chill out area and some epic surfing. Only problem is that the tourist wave has hit it hard and the commercialised backwash has taken something away from what it used to be. Its a staple visit on the way up the East Coast and worth the half day / full day visit, especially if keen for lash / partying, but its a distant highlight compared to the stunning experiences of Fraser Island and the Sunshine Coast to the north
Sydney’s Harbour is blessed with stunning natural beauty that helps make it one of the most iconic city settings in the world and simply a must-visit for most people’s trip to Australia
5 high level tips:
- Focus on the Harbourside area – a controversial point, but I’d say the waterfront attractions of Sydney far exceed the experiences to be found in the rest of the city. So, focus on the Harbourside area with its world-class attractions of the Opera House, Harbour Bridge and beautiful gardens
- Walk the whole way from from Darling Harbour to Mrs Macquarie’s Chair – whilst it looks a long way on the map, this is only 7km / 4.5miles, is very flat and will take you less than 2 hours whilst giving time to stop for photos etc. It takes in Darling Harbour, The Rocks area, a walk under the Harbour Bridge, The Opera House, the Royal Botanical Garden and shows you a variety of views across the Harbour from central city to a feeling of almost entirely left it
- Views from the water and Taronga Zoo – regular ferries leave from one side of the harbour to the other and are a great and simple way to get those water views, but also consider the 12 minute ferry trip to Taronga Zoo which gives you that boat trip, plus amazing views from the other side and a zoo that has a superb record for animal welfare
- The Beaches – one of the highlights of Sydney as a whole is its beaches. Bondi is the obvious one – it is stunning and has the wonderful Bondi to Coogee Clifftop Walk, but can get very busy and touristy. Instead, consider the 20min ferry from Circular Quay (right in the middle of the Harbourside area) to Manly, for Sydney’s best beaches and less touristy
- Sydney vs Melbourne – if it’s a first visit to Australia, it’s hard to see anyone choosing Melbourne over Sydney simply because of the Sydney Harbourside wow factor, but you’ll find many agreeing that Melbourne is actually a more pleasant city to spend time in with its street cafe culture, buzzing sports events and generally more chilled out vibe. If on a super short time frame and want to check out both, I’d suggest 1 day in Sydney focused on the Harbourside area, and 2 days to absorb Melbourne more (and see here for tips on a trip to Melbourne – A couple of days in Melbourne)
Sure, you can learn to surf in plenty of places around Australia, and Wollongong isn’t particularly special for it, but there’s something nice and easy about the long shallow waters that stretch out far enough for you to give the waves a good go without getting crucified by the big ones. Great fun for all levels and Pines Surfing Academy is the one you want
The Great Ocean Road is one of Australia’s most famous driving routes, with its dramatic coastline, rainforests with koalas housed in the trees, pretty seaside towns, and the eye catching 12 Apostles. As it’s only a 3 hour drive from Melbourne, part of which is taken up by the gorgeous drive along the coastline itself, this makes it the premier day trip from Melbourne and a must if staying in Victoria
Visiting is relatively straightforward as the drive along the coast is simple, as is viewing the 12 Apostles (although it can get very busy), but just one tip – watch out for the horseflies – like just about everything in Australia, they bite!
Shark Bay is huge – the UNESCO World Heritage listed site is 1500km / 930miles long and is a pristine Australian paradise of turquoise lagoons, white sand beaches, towering cliffs and very little development. This gives it that wonderful Australian wilderness vibe and also the opportunity to see some of the wildlife including the Kangaroos, Eagles, Bilbies (Rabbit-Bandicoots) and, the highlight for most people’s trip, the dolphins that come for morning feeding in the beach of Monkey Mia. A must-stop if driving the West Coast
Top tip – remember not to put any sunscreen on your legs as it irritates the dolphins eyes. You won’t need the sunscreen anyway as its early in the morning
When in Broome, it’s all about the sunset from Cable Beach. Beautiful white sand, perfectly west-facing beach and water often at bath temperature – utterly gorgeous. Take one of the touristy camel rides; or just sit back with a bottle of something and watch the wonderful change in colours
Tip – head to north of the rocks for the best views
Melbourne is consistently voted one of the most liveable cities in the world based on its arts scene, access to outstanding restaurants, outdoor lifestyle and, well, lack of many of the usual frustrations other large cities have. But more than anything, it’s the vibe of the place that makes it stand out, especially in comparison with its natural rival Sydney. Whilst Sydney has the big ticket world famous items like the Harbour Bridge and Opera House, Melbourne is more about the street cafes, chilled out lifestyle and sports scene. So, to get the most out this wonderful city, its best to focus on these things for a couple of days
Its years since I lived in Melbourne, ,which also means there are fewer photos to share! But my 5 biggest tips for 2 days:
- #1 Sports – see if you can combine your visit with one of the major sporting events taking place as Melbourne really comes to life when these are in town. Best ones are the Australian Tennis Open (January), the Melbourne Cup horse racing (March), Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix (usually March) and the Australian Rules Football at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) throughout the year. Even if not a sports fan its a must
- #2 Cafe culture – Melbourne is often called the most European of Australia’s cities and a large part of this comes from the street cafe culture. The best places are always changing, but I’d suggest heading into Fitzroy as it has the added benefit of bring next to the UNESCO World Heritage listed Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens nearby. Another option is Richmond, which can tie in nicely with a the end of a walk along the Yarra River and visiting the MCG
- #3 Walk along the Yarra River – the city centre of Melbourne is actually quite beautiful and nothing brings it to life more than the walk along the river. Start at Crowne Casino on the South Bank with the skyscrapers surrounding you and then walk east past the magnificent Flinders Street Station, Federation Square and onto the lovely gardens of Queen Victoria Gardens and Kings Domain. From there walk over the Swan Street Bridge through Melbourne Park and finish at the MCG
- #4 Chill out in St Kilda – whilst Melbourne may not have the wow beaches of Sydney, St Kilda is far cooler. Give yourself an afternoon to chill by the beach and enjoy the neighbourhood
- #5 Be prepared for extreme temperatures – Melbourne is often highlighted as a city that can have 4 seasons in a day. Famous for its 40 Celsius / 104 Fahrenheit days of blistering heat, it can also be grey and rainy shortly after and, one the first day I arrived, it snowed
- Extra tip – give yourself a day trip to the Great Ocean Road, one of Australia’s most famous driving routes, with its gorgeous coastline, rainforests with koalas housed in the trees, pretty seaside towns, and the eye catching 12 Apostles. Only a 3 hours drive from Melbourne, part of which is taken up by the gorgeous drive along the coastline itself
New Zealand’s South Island has some of the most rugged natural beauty of anywhere in the world with world famous sites such as the fjords of Milford Sound, the Frans Joseph and Fox glaciers, and the adrenaline sports of Queenstown, yet is also super accessible by road and very compact to get around. The combination of these factors makes it one of the most appealing places for a roadtrip and I’ve listed below a great 10 day itinerary to get the best of the island
