Post 9 - Antiopodean Adventures 2 - Australia, East Coast, Queensland to Victoria

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A three and a half hour flight from Auckland and a two hour change of time zone delivers me early on Easter Monday morning into the capital of Queensland, the sunshine state of Australia, Brisbane.

Brissie as it is affectionately known is a city of only 1.6 million souls, though apparently growing by the rate of almost 1,000 per week, and from a couple of days here it is very easy to see why. The CBD (Central Business District which applies to all Australasian cities) is truly inspirational. with a seemingly endless supply of brand new quality modern office, retail and public infrastructure projects at every turn. This coast and river city boasts a cultural centre South Bank to rival London's, certainly in terms of physical size - only its own Eye being a slightly smaller version of our own. It has a brand new and enormous Modern Art gallery, a truly inspired state library building - featuring complimentary wi fi and so enabling up to the minute blog inputting(!), together with numerous museum, gallery and cinema complexes, a town beach (though no swimming allowed in the river - there being sharks apparently!), and two new pedestrian/cycle bridges connecting either side of the south bank with the CBD, all very well served with quality bars and restaurants of every conceivable style and trend. While London's South Bank develops at a snails pace, the Aussie's just get on with it and build, build, build ..It all makes for a very civilised and inspired visitor experience for sure.

What I don't do so well on is my choice of digs for my stay here.. budget restrictions now in full force mean hotels are now hostels, and I choose one that has an availability of private rooms. 'Somewhere to Stay' though turns out to be the most basic of hostels - making my recent stay in Auckland feel like a stay at The Ritz in comparison..! No breakfast service here, just fridges to store food purchased, so I'm still eating out for every meal, though with every cuisine and budget well catered for in the city this is no bad thing.

Within a day I have my bearings and a good idea of how I move on from here - northwards up the Sunshine Coast, travelling by Greyhound bus, with numerous stop offs to take in Fraser Island and the WhitSundays before Cairns and Port Douglas. While officially Autumn, there is no sign of that in the climate here - blissfully warm, with lots of sunshine and blue skies, and the promise of more to come as I head further North - so now pretty much into month seven of my extended summer...!

With a 6,000 km Greyhound bus pass in my pocket (which sets me back a rather crippling $905 Aussie Dollars, around £600 .. ouch, and delivers just a fraction of the total distance I originally planned to be travelling in fact on this vast continent) I head north from Brisbane on just a three hour journey up the coast to the very swish resort of Noosa, my first stopping off point - for Fraser Island.

Noosa itself oozes wealth - lot of expensive restaurants, bars and boutiques with expensive looking people swanning around in their summer Channel and Dior outfits ..Richard Branson has a pad here apparently. In stark contrast are the backpackers - young loud and scruffy, predominantly European and female, working their way around Oz in their gap years - as usual I don't really fit remotely into either mold, though I journey with the Backpackers on the Greyhound bus and not with the affluent in their BMW's, mores the pity.. I just get on with it as always anyway and plough my own little furrow... I'm actually staying a few miles to the south of Noosa, in a little place called The Hideaway at Peregian Beach, and very nice it is too. From there I book my 'Must Do' two day outing to Fraser Island - very much on the Essential Backbacker Itinerary.. Fraser is an enormous sand spit formed over tens of thousands of years - a long tongue of sand, complete with rain forests, dingoes and perched lakes, a tongue sticking out fromt he mouth of the East Coast of Oz.

I'm picked up from Noosa in a four wheel drive and get aquainted with my latest little tour group - a nice mix of Brits and French and two South Americans, and we are soon driving at break neck speed along the beach for around 50 km's to reach Rainbow Beach and then across the small channel on a ferry to Fraser Island itself - from here it is beach driving all the way as there are no tarmac roads on the island. Our two day adventure takes in the main sights and a chance to swim in the very beautiful perched lakes on the island and for walks through the forests, with the night camping - all songs around the campfire with some of the islands many dingos observing from the other side of the fenced-in camping ground. The second day on the island includes a visit to the spectacular Lake Wabby - surrounded on three sides by eucalypt forest with the fourth side being an enormous sand dune - this is though backpacker heaven and the peace of this blissfull location is pretty much lost to the screaming and larking around of endless groups of 20 something lads and lasses throwing themselves down the sand dune into the lake itself .. I guess I'm just getting old..! We also get to visit the rusting remains of a shipwreck on the beach and have a final stop at Eli Creek before the long drive back to Noosa.

From Noosa it is the first of a series of much longer Greyhound bus journeys to proceed further up the Australian East Coast, firstly a marathon 16 hour journey to Airlie Beach, for the best access out to the rather special Whitsunday Islands, lying just off shore between the coast and the Great Barrier Reef. Further exploration here means a transfer from road to water, though this also being prime back-packer territory requires a little careful research to avoid being incarcerated on a tiny party yacht packed like a sardine with heavily drinking 20 somethings from Munich, Sweden and Slough - no thanks.. I come up trumps though with a last minute discounted berth on the lovely old tall ship, and former cargo boat, Pacific Sunrise. The boat has a reputation for the best quality cruises of the Whitsundays, with small passenger groups and the best food, and it doesn't disappoint.

The crew of Pacific Sunrise really make the trip - from Captain Wayne, to First Officer Eli, Dive instuctor Dan, together with Renee and Stacey in the galley they make the friendliest and most efficent team to look after our little group's every need and whim from embarking on Wednesday afternoon to reluctantly disembarking on Saturday morning. Despite being a varied group we bond quickly, aided no doubt by the unceasing mouthwatering delicacies which emerge from the tiny galley kitchen at every meal time, all of us recognising the special quality of this cruise and our hosts, and what follows is three days of glorious sailing around these very beautiful forested islands and a great deal of fun. I take advantage of the small group and having a dive instructor on board to take again (the first time being in Barbados many years ago) the introductory scuba diving lesson and two short dives, spotting all sorts of wonderful life under the waves and the most magnificent coral, despite the not particularily clear waters (it being the tail end of the wet season here). I also take a hand at sailing the boat with the top sails unfurled - no easy task.. and much to the merriment of my fellow travellers as the wake from the boat reveals just what a winding path we are now taking .. It all adds to the general merriment of the cruise anyway and I get the special captain's award at the end of the cruise for entertainment services rendered throughout I guess...!

Reluctantly back on dry land, I have a further night back in Airlie Beach and then it is a further 10 hours on the Greyhound bus north to Cairns so I decide to break the journey half way.. at Townsville. This is the stopping off point for Magnetic Island, though that isn't on my list so I make do with a quick tour of the Reef acquarium as a fore taste of visiting the Great Barrier Reef and its the following early morning bus which delivers me in to Cairns at lunchtime.. and to my best hostel experience of the trip so far by a long way - Travellers Oasis .. certainly helped by having a decent private room to myself complete with spacious terrace and hammock, it is really the friendliness of all the staff at this cosy little hostel on the edge of the centre of town which makes for such a nice experience. Cairns itself is rather a sprawling mass of a town without much charm - it is the major gateway though to the Great Barrier Reef which keeps it firmly awash with the travelling masses. I opt for a day trip out to the reef and to snorkel rather than to dive again, though not now in the best of conditions - strong winds and gusting rain make for a grey seascape and not the turquoise idyll portrayed on all the postcards. Once kitted out in the obligatory stinger suit to guard against the potentially lethal jelly fish, it is into the water with flippers and snorkel, and no amount of wind and rain on the surface can detract from the sheer wonder of this most incredible of sights - the scale of the reef is simply vast - the only living thing on earth visible from space in fact - a day trip though of course barely scrapes the surface - it does produce some pretty amazing sights though nonetheless - from an endless array of coral structures in stunning colours and shapes to an abundance of fish from the tiny cousins of Nemo to sea turtles and the common white tipped reef sharks, although these in particular eluded my three snorkels taken through the course of the day.

A further day trip from Cairns central takes me a little way northwards to explore the closest beach resorts to the city - a series of small beach side suburbs fringed with palm trees and some magnificent white sandy beaches which makes for a very pleasant day of strolling and brunching in beach side cafes. The warning signs for crocodiles in and out of the water and risk of jelly fish in the water are a little disconcerting and ensures a brisk pace is maintained throughout the day..!

There is much to explore in the hinterland around Cairns and I also have Port Douglas in my sights so decide to stay in North Queensland a few days longer and to hire a car for further exploration. A trusty Thrifty Getz - the same as I hired in NZ does the job nicely, and I'm soon driving out of the city and into the densely forested hills just inland and immediately into some spectacular scenery with wonderful coastal views and the region known as the Tablelands. Here is all lush green countryside, farms and small villages, with plenty of sights to make a rewarding tourist trail including numerous waterfalls (including that one where the Timotei shampoo television advert was filmed remember..?!), enormous fig trees including one called the Cathedral Fig, volcano crater lakes and small creeks home to the extremely elusive platypus. My stopover for the night is the aptly named On the Wallaby hostel in the small town of Yungaburra. The following day I drive northwards, back on to the coast road and as far as the paved road will take me - through increasingly dense wet tropical rainforest, to the Mossman Gorge and then over the Daintree river on the ferry and the last 60 km of paved road up to the spectacular Cape Tribulation, staying at the rather wonderfully located Cape Trib guest house for the night - all A framed wooden cabins set in the rainforest leading down to the restaurant and bar area and secluded beach.

The only downside to all this lush green rainforest environment is the rain that makes it so lush and green of course - it is unrelentingly tipping it down throughout my time here ! I start heading south again the following day, stopping off for a wilderness cruise on a small creek within the Cape Trib national park to spy some crocodiles in the wild which despite the rain don't disappoint in putting in a brief appearance. It is then a further drive south down to the rather quaint town of Port Douglas and then to my last stop over in Tropical North Queensland - the little resort of Turtle Cove which enjoys a wonderful location right on the beach and surrounded by more rainforest. The friendly owners here let me stay for the locals rate (about half the tourist rate) and I spend the rest of the day playing commando games around the pool.. (this is Anzac weekend, the remembrance time for all Australian and NZ armed forces) so the resort is getting all the boys staying here in the appropriate military mood..! The following day its a short drive down to Cairns airport to drop off the car and to take the 3 hour flight from Cairns down south to Melbourne, booked way back as part of my round the world ticket.

Melbourne is the Australian city I am most intrigued to visit, it having the reputation as being the most artsy, European cafe culture metropolis of Australasia, and it certainly is all of that and more. I've planned to spend around 10 days here in the city so to allow enough time to get to know it a little - this is also my opportunity to catch up with Lisa who I was travelling with in South America as she lives in Geelong, just to the south of Melbourne city.

I opt for a serviced appartment in South Yarra - an area just to the south of the CBD and a lot more affordable than the centre, though it wasn't easy to find anything remotely reasonable for under $100 a night. It's a real treat anyhow to have my own space again, complete with small kitchen, living area, seperate bedroom and bathroom, and I very quickly fall for the charms of this most vibrant of cities. I think it is the combination of the slightly edgy and grungy nature of this part of Melbourne together with the stark change in the climate (I've exchanged the sticky heat of the tropical far north with the decidedly chilly autumn days of the far south of Australia in the course of a 3 hour flight) - the effect anyway is to make my surroundings feel very familiar - all very London in fact. South Yarra boasts Chapel Street as its busiest artery - teaming with life all through the day with old trams running up and down the road, numerous interesting and quirky shops and boutiques and a generous sprinkling of trendy bars, restaurants and cafes.. in no time at all I feel very much at home here.

Wider explorations of the city follow of course, taking in the central CBD with its grand buildings and eclectic tram network - ranging from museum pieces to ultra modern, the city's own South Bank, complete with major art gallery, theatres and museums and its very new, sleek and extremely tall Eureka tower (the highest residential tower in the Southern Hemisphere no less). The city also take great pride in having the best sporting facilities in Australia and impressive cricket, AFL and tennis stadiums are all to be found just on the edge of the very centre of the city, with a new stadium opening while I was in town to boot. Add to this interesting mix the older inner city suburban areas of Fitzroy and Collingwood, at the heat of which is the very cool Brunswick Street and neighbouring Smith Street, then the beach areas to the south including the very lovely St Kilda. Throw in the very relaxed and friendly nature of the city's residents and you have one very cool, edgy metropolis and a place where it is very easy to spend a week or two.. or considerably longer I would hazard to guess..!

After a few days then of pounding the city streets it is off for a weekend away with Lisa to explore the Great Ocean Road which starts just along the south Australian coast to the west of Melbourne itself. Luckily the weather turns clear and we are treated to a day of bright blue skies and sunshine for this unmissable road trip. The coast line becomes increasingly dramatic as does the road, with ever tighter twisting bends around the ocean facing hillsides. We make for Port Fairy, at the far end of the Ocean Road for an overnight stay at the YHA there. This is a really charming little seaside town with a strong Irish influence .. to be sure, to be sure .. and a cracking little pub at its heart which delivers us a wholesome feast for our evening meal. Its then early to bed and to rise the following morning to take in as much of the local scenery as possible - including a lovely early morning walk around a small sheltered reserve on the beach, home to a family of wallabys who oblige with an appearance, and then on to an ancient volcano crater for my first glimpse of a koala, quietly munching on ecualyptus leaves .. so cute.. and a pair of not so cute strutting emus.. still quite a sight to behold and some major ticks on my list of sighting native Austalian mammals in the wild .. It's then on to see more of the wonders of the Great Ocean Road, including those Twelve Apostles which feature so much in Ozzies tourist board advertising.. these enormous slabs of limestone dramatically thrusting skywards from the ocean are certainly a sight to behold. We then take a drive inland towards the Grampian mountains - craggy outcrops of rock with surrounding forests and walks which makes for a great day out for Melbournians. It's here that I get up close and personal for the first time with a Roo .. (Kangaroo that is!), so adding another tick to my list of native Ozzie animals. We return to Geelong for supper with Renee for a mini South American reunion and the following morning I return to the big city .. Melbourne that is, for a further week in a different serviced appartment in South Yarra.

This further week in Melbourne is an opportunity for a return to city living once again - the first since being in Buenos Aires back in January. So it's catch up time on emails, finances, washing etc etc + a week's gym membership, and some serious cafe and street pounding to see the city as Melbournians see it. I rediscover South Yarra, Chapel Street in particular, make further trips into the CBD, and to what becomes my favourite city haunts of Brunswick Street and Smith Street, the surrounding areas of Fitzroy and Collingwood, together with St Kilda down on the bay for the sunnier and warmer days, with walks along the bay with stops for coffee and cake at the numerous and delicious cafes in the area. There is also time for walks along the river and to visit the South Bank area again, with its Eureka tower. I'm also escorted around the city by new city friend Glenn and visit Port Melbourne, the Docklands area and the Immigration Museum. I'm enjoying the city so much in fact that I stay as long as I can, changing my long onward bus journey to Adelaide for a one hour flight instead. It is to Adelaide I head to finally though for the start of my next major Australian adventure - a group travel trip up the middle from Adelaide to Alice Springs.

This, together with my onward journey up to Darwin in the Northern Territory and then the (very) long road trip from Darwin all the way around to Perth will be the subject of my next post..

Over and out for now.

LOL

Simon XX

ps don't forget to follow the arrow link at the top to see all the posted photos.. !

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