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Sit back, relax, and enjoy the best of the Great Barrier Reef from Airlie Beach down to Brisbane.

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For those of you familiar with Australia and the route I have been taking since leaving Sydney, this next destination will come as a surprise. It actually happened just as fast in real life. One day I’m researching cheap ways to visit some islands on gumtree, and the next I’m booking a flight to Airlie Beach. I stumbled upon a sailing trip from Airlie down to Brisbane that cost $50 per day, all inclusive. With a rough timeframe of 2 weeks it would cost only double compared to just two day trips to different islands. Not only would I have food and accommodation, but also see more sites with less people around to ruin it. The experience of sailing for a longer time would also be priceless.

The town of Airlie Beach is a conglomeration of backpackers, tours, and yachties all waiting to head out to the Whitsundays. With this information in mind, you can imagine the layout of the town. There is very little besides accommodation, restaurants, bars, and travel agents with touts working the corners. It is nice to arrange your trip and then party, but there isn’t much else to do. The beach is mostly gravel, there are stingers in the water most of the year, and the lagoon is quaint. The two real attractions besides lounging in the sun, perhaps with a drink, are the beachside market and random camel rides along the beach. I guess you can’t expect more when the real highlights in the region lay just off shore.

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Noosa is a high-end version of Byron Bay with surfing, beaches, and nightlife. The main difference is that Hastings Street caters to an older clientele with fine dining restaurants compared to bars geared towards young surfers in Byron. A pleasant surprise nearby is Noosa National Park, which takes you along the shoreline through tropical rainforest to hidden surf breaks that reputedly get better each subsequent bay. The best way to reach the area is along a boardwalk linking the town with the park. If you are lucky you may even spot a koala sleeping in the trees.

Back in town, the beach runs parallel to the main drag and has fine sand to enjoy pleasant weather on. The area is also a prime spot for wedding pictures as I saw no less than three couples working on their portfolio. Other people getting dressed up that evening formed a stag party, which had a sailor theme and Popeye as the bachelor. As a point of reference, fancy dress in Australia does not mean ironed shirts and polished shoes, but rather costumes. The amusing part is that people won’t think twice about this tradition, but refuse to do the same for Halloween.

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Brisbane is one of the more enjoyable cities to walk around. Not only can you walk from one end to the other in an hour or less, but there is a mix of architecture as well. You have a harmonious blend of modern buildings straddled next to colonial and roman structures, with parks providing an aesthetic backdrop.

On my second day in Brisbane I completed a walking tour of the city, taking in the varied city landscapes. I started with Roma Street Parkland, which borders the main train station. It has a nice collection of flowers, a waterfall, lake, and grassy areas to soak up the sun. From there I ventured down into the northern sections of the CBD, and took a tour of City Hall and the Treasury Building. Although the Treasury Building may lack collectors, the premise still pulls in its fair share of taxes since a casino took over the lease.

From there I headed over the Victoria Bridge, and headed down the South Bank Parklands. Along the way I stopped at a Nepalese temple, took a stroll along the rainforest boardwalk, saw the Brisbane Wheel in action, and sunbathed at Streets Beach. Most of Australia is blessed with a coastal location and beaches, but Brisbane is shaped by the bending Brisbane River instead. So in true Australian fashion, if you can’t go to the beach, then bring the beach to you. The artificial beach and pools see a plethora of guests every day, and at night time too. Forget infinity pools, the setting is heaps more scenic.

I continued my journey across the Goodwill Bridge to the Botanic Gardens that also housed the Old Government House and the Parliament Building. The Old Government House was one of the best utilizations of space imagined. Downstairs featured information about the house’s history, upstairs was an art gallery, and a café served patrons in the courtyard. The property is probably one of the few self-supporting free museums. My favorite part was an artificial simulation that allowed you to take a tour of the grounds as they were. This allowed them to offer the experience at a fraction of the cost to renovate, and still be able to utilize the space efficiently.

On my way to the Parliament Building I passed several lizards, and a white ibis collecting leaves for their nest. Parliament was on recess when I visited so I continued my tour back down Albert Street and wandered randomly a bit before calling it quits for the day.

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Although pleasant weather is always preferable, being located in a large city does offer enough inside options to fill a day or two when the Gods are feeling sad. I was also lucky enough to find a stylish cheetah print umbrella left on a bench to make walking around in the rain more tolerable. Our first day in Brisbane consisted of spending the majority of the day in the Gallery of Modern Art and Queensland Art Gallery, followed by the QUT Art Museum and Institute of Modern Art.

Art museums still amaze me at how inefficient they are in terms of space. They are usually allocated prime real estate in key cities, and manage to fill only a fraction of the useable space. No one can argue the pricelessness of art and how it captures society at any given moment, but the vastness of some galleries is echo-inducing. Take a look at the pictures above for some of the art installations that caught my eye.

The third stop for the day was the QUT Art Museum, but was not inspirational and no larger than a small house. The Institute of Modern Art left a better impression, and didn’t leave me dumbfounded like many other modern art galleries. One of their noteworthy exhibits was a clock that counted minutes with 50 seconds. It was a strange phenomenon as it was the correct balance to not make you notice, but still feel something was off. Another interesting project replaced the covers of reading material with random covers so you never knew what controversial or inspiring magazine you were going to be gazing through.

The last art piece that caught me off guard was there indoor club. Upon entrance the bouncer explains the rules to you in order to gain entrance. 1. You must not wear any clothes. 2. You are not allowed to use any electronic devices inside the dance room. These seemed easy enough to follow so I went in and enjoyed several songs underneath the disco ball. I was the only one there at the time since my friend refused to join me, but it was apparently very popular when it first opened. I don’t see how you could reject the chance to dance naked in a museum. It sure makes the game “never have I ever” more challenging.

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Brisbane will always be one of my favorite Australian cities, with Sydney as the other. As is the case with most destinations, weather and your companions can make or break your time spent there. I was lucky enough to enjoy three separate occasions in Brisbane, and with three different groups. I first arrived in Queensland’s capital with AM on a rainy Saturday. We decided to take advantage of the subpar conditions by utilizing all the indoor museums the city had to offer. We then took a walking tour of the city on Sunday when the sun decided to show up again.

I decided to spend some time on nearby islands the remainder of the week as AM pursued her love interest in Noosa. I spent two days on North Stradbroke, and pursued my own romantic endeavors with a fellow traveler I met upon my return. We took a stroll along South Bank before heading to West End to grab a drink. The only seats left in the bar were almost on top of the stage, which made it difficult to hear over the band. Therefore, we decided to partake in my favorite hobby in cities; we explored the neighborhood until we found another spot we liked on a quiet weekday.

The next day I stopped by her apartment, and realized what a shared room/apartment actually meant. She lived with two other roommates, her apartment had another room of three, and the landlord had his own suite. It is still a better bargain for the bodies to price ratio compared to dorms, but the real winner was definitely the landlord. The apartment was in good condition, but the standout was the terrific views of the Brisbane skyline including the Wheel. It is just a shame that the large balcony wasn’t utilized better, or converted into indoor space. On Thursday I headed to Moreton Island, and then caught a connecting train to Noosa when I got back the next day.

My third trip was the culmination of a 17 day sailing trip from Airlie Beach down the southern Great Barrier Reef to Brisbane. AM returned to Noosa, while W and I met up with IT who departed the yacht early. We agreed to join her for a two day concert in Fortitude Valley that featured alternating bands at a dozen venues consisting of music halls, bars, and bier gardens. I didn’t eat properly all day so my pregame of a bottle of wine in 15 minutes carried me through the epic night. I was feeling the rock music like no other, was a dancing machine, and freestyle walked on benches and garbage cans in-between venues. On the way home W and I took silly pictures with a giant pink bunny outside the casino. Then we repeated the whole thing the second night!

I was waiting for a trip to Fraser Island so I spent a few more days in Brisbane with IT after W continued on her travels. The third day I tailgated on the riverbank while watching Rutgers home opener, and at night time I stopped by her Air BNB host’s apartment before going to the encore concert performance. He was a surfer in his forties and hosted two other young girls besides IT, which seemed odd since they appeared to be staying long term. The lineup focused on women bands, but did not hold up to the other groups we witnessed the other two nights.

I got to see IT one more time before I headed up to Fraser. We took a tour of the art museum before heading down to South Bank where we decided to sneak into the show Soap. We tried walking in both exits, but stood out as it was nearing the end of the show. As we walked around trying to watch the show over the fence, we decided to slide underneath the fence by the bathrooms. We slid our stuff underneath before we also squeezed beneath the gate, hoping that no one would be using the bathroom at the time. We then proceeded to take our seats, and watch the disappointing end of the performance. The best part was when IT started openly dissing the show while we were in line to leave. I felt bad for the people that paid as we were mocking it while having paid nothing. We then finished the evening with dessert before I walked her home and parted ways.

The photos above are pictures of Brisbane’s skyline I accumulated on my many trips walking around the city.

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Indiana recently declared an emergency over a HIV outbreak. They have instituted short term needle exchange as most of the new cases originated from drug users. I’m not sure if Australia also has a needle exchange program, but you will find needle deposit containers in most public restrooms. Assuming people are responsible this does help curb accidental infection among cleaning and garbage handling employees. What I’m not sure is if the problem is so bad that these are actually needed everywhere, or if they are a precaution that aims to help even one person avoid getting HIV. I’m interested to hear some input from locals.

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Moreton Island is another excellent getaway for Brisbanites looking to escape the city for a long weekend. Ferries usually run once in the morning, and again in the afternoon so an extra day may be required to really enjoy the island. You can take your 4WD across and cruise around the island on the beaches outside of high tide, or camp 20 meters from where the ship comes ashore at Tangalooma. There are basic facilities such as drop toilets, and fresh water for drinking and washing the salt water off.

The two main attractions are snorkeling along the Tangalooma Wrecks formed by sunken ships, and dolphin feeding down at the resort. I was unlucky with the weather as the wind was blowing from the south when I needed an east/west breeze for calm snorkeling conditions. The wind was blowing so hard that the current was moving south, but the choppy surface was actually heading north. Without fins or a partner I decided not to take any chances despite the wrecks being only 20-30 meters away. Two other snorkelers after their return said visibility was subpar so I feel it was the correct decision. Similar to North Stradbroke Island, when there is a will there is a way. This time it would take a bit longer than 30 minutes though, and be detailed in a future post.

Each night Tangalooma Resort hosts a dolphin feeding on their pier with guests allowed to participate one night out of their stay. Non-guests can still watch the feeding from the benches attached to the pier with huge spotlights overtop illuminating the interaction area. It was amusing watching the giddiness from the disproportionately Asian audience and participants. I am also not sure what some of the people were thinking when they came down for the feeding. Some were wearing tight jeans that couldn’t be rolled up, and I even saw one gentleman drop his phone in the water. Despite a long spiel in the beginning about how to protect the dolphins and instructions not to touch them during the feeding a few still did. The crowd was too amazed by the dolphins swimming around to pay attention to background information. If you are camping and still want to feed the dolphins you might be able to sneak in after everyone goes through the gates as the focus then turns to the feeding so you can quietly join the back of the line.

I have been to two other dolphin feedings in WA, and this one seemed to be the least beneficial to the dolphins. I believe they only feed the same five dolphins, but the amount of fish they ate seemed a lot more than the 10% other places recommended in order to keep them still feeding naturally. The fish seemed to be endless as long as there were more guests, and this was a lot despite being winter!

On my walk back to the campground a small animal crossed my path and ran into the woods. I could only see its eyes glowing, but I guess it was a possum. It is still a bit nerve wrecking when your torch is dying and you can’t see what is around you except from the glow of the resort behind you. That is how I met my camp neighbors. They had set up a fire by the time I got back, and I introduced myself. They were two guys from Hong Kong, and cooking chicken on the fire in addition to using it for light and heat.  Several large servings of goon later and I was ready for bed. The next morning it started raining so I packed up and took the early ferry back to Brisbane.

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North Stradbroke Island is an excellent weekend getaway for Brisbanites. It is a short ferry ride from the suburb of Cleveland, and then a ride on the bus that meets each ferry from Dunwich to Point Lookout. From there you can enjoy a scenic coastal walk, beaches, and spot wildlife. Along the coastal walk there are a couple vantage points where you can glimpse stingrays and turtles, and massive manta rays during the summer.

From the cliffs you could see stingrays gliding through the water in their pursuit of food. Depending on the waves you could either make them out clearly, or simply point to a moving dark spot. Finding a turtle was a little easier since locals informed me that one called a small inlet home. If you waited for 20 minutes you were sure to see him as he would surface for a few minutes before diving for five, and then repeating.

I was originally planning on swimming with manta rays, but decided to still go snorkeling despite being winter. The sea was a little rough so I was hesitant to go in by myself, but you will find a solution if you are persistent enough. Two locals arrived 30 minutes later to go snorkeling, and planned to circle the headland to the turtle’s cove. They were better prepared though as they had wetsuits and flippers. I joined them for a bit, but decided to turn back after spotting and tracking a turtle for a few minutes. I didn’t want to risk getting into trouble with only cliffs along the journey. On my way back I also got to get up close and personal with another local, a kangaroo.

The island was relatively dead when I visited, and I got a dorm room to myself. If you plan on camping across the street from the hostel, then remember they do not have a singles rate. It would have been nice knowing that ahead of time so I could have taken just a day bag. There are also limited options for groceries so plan ahead.

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When you first approach the Gold Coast the series of skyscrapers catches you off-guard. Depending on your angle it would appear that the skyline formed the edge of a massive city, but a ride along the coast quickly depicts another story. There is a wall that separates the ocean from the numerous man-made canals that is only one block deep. It seems as if people either live in the apartment buildings overlooking the ocean, or have a house in a lagoon with a private dock.

AM and I were on a mission to find a quality night out after Byron Bay disappointed since there are just two things to do on the Gold Coast; surfing and partying. Before our night of debauchery began, we visited S whom we met at a winery in the Granite Belt. She was celebrating her son’s fifth birthday, and we got to know her extended family over drinks and a barbeque.

We actually tagged along with her sister for an album launching performance and party in Surfers Paradise later in the evening. Although the band didn’t play my genre of music it was still interesting to witness. You could also see the transition in the crowds from the live band to the normal club clientele once the DJ took over. Upon leaving, it was a drunkard’s paradise as everyone was on the same page. Cops walked around in groups of four for self-protection should any disturbances arise. If I ever find myself back there again I have to go for a proper night out to soak in the atmosphere, but it is not very high on my to-do-list.

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Springbrook National Park is just east of Lamington, but requires extensive driving as inroads to the numerous sections of both parks are offshoots from the main highway. Knowing that we had to be on the Gold Coast for the weekend we decided to visit the Natural Bridge, and bypass the Springbrook Plateau section filled with waterfalls and stunning lookouts.

The Natural Bridge was formed when a stream broke through the roof of a cave, and formed a new bearing. The most picturesque aspect to the miniature waterfall was a weather-beaten log angled roughly 45 degrees. The surface was so well worn from the water that it became shiny, and appeared to be slippery. It actually took on the color of the surrounding rock too.

Inside the cave you could also see glow worms starting to light up as the sun dropped behind the valley walls. It was nowhere near as brilliant as Abbey Caves in New Zealand, but there were a few clusters scattered throughout the cave. Along the path to and from the Natural Bridge took you past several odd plants. My favorite reminded me of frogs’ feet.

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Lamington National Park is a bird watcher’s heaven. Three of the more common birds that are present even in the parking lot are the King Parrot, Brush Turkey, and Regent Bowerbird. The on-site accommodation periodically provides bird seed to guests, which is when things go a little crazy. The turkeys flock to any food that finds its way to the ground, while the King Parrots eat out of guests’ hands. They are so overzealous that they will fly to you if you just hold your empty hand out like you have food to feed them. That is how AM and I got them to sit on our heads, and shoulders like pirates.

Another interesting local bird is the Regent Bowerbird. Besides being stunning to look at with their bright yellow feathers, they also have a strange mating ritual. They collect all things blue, and intermingle their collection with straw to form a bachelor pad. They then try to entice female bowerbirds to join them as they sing and dance around their love shack.

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Lamington National Park marks the southwestern edge of the Gold Coast Hinterland, and offers some unique short hikes through the subtropical rainforest. The most popular is the Tree Top Canopy Walk that takes you on a stroll along a series of suspension bridges high above the forest floor. Reaching the Green Mountains section of the park was a journey until itself. The steep, often one lane, road made sharp turns with nothing between you and the cliff edge; except small trees that were able to cling to the rocks, but would never support the weight of a falling two ton car. The views over the surrounding plains were as breathtaking as the drive, but in a more subdued way.

As AM and I started the walk we ran into the most animated bird enthusiast. She was overjoyed that she not only saw a rare species of bird, but performing a mating dance no less. With a little goading we were able to convince her to mimic what she saw as she hopped around making bird calls. It was hard not to catch her excitement, and we were disappointed when we didn’t locate the bird.

One of the more dominant features throughout the park were strangler figs that would climb up and encircle trees, and then slowly smother the host until it died. Older strangler figs would then have a hollow core as the host tree rotted away over the years. The best example was located just shy of the canopy walk, and it was possible to climb up the center of a tree for a change.

The climb up to the canopy walkway mimicked climbing the inside of the strangler fig since hikers were encircled by a steel cage going up the ladder. From there you reached a lookout before starting your walk across the wood suspension bridges. The canopy was rather quiet so the walk sounds cooler in theory, than in reality.

The park also features a series of waterfalls. We visited only one, but it was a very tranquil spot perfect for a lunch. You had to scramble over boulders and on slippery rocks, but the effort was fully rewarded once you gained the elevation to see the subtle water flowing through the lush forest. I actually had to figuratively push AM to join me, but she agreed it was worth doing.

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The drive to Stanthorpe and the surrounding Granite Belt catches you off guard as you climb to nearly a kilometer elevation. I remember leveling off at 600 meters and driving on flat, if not descending roads, but 20 minutes later the new GPS elevation read 900 meters. How we covered the additional climb I’m not sure.

The main reason to visit the area is to taste wine in the Granite Belt region. Most would not expect any wine to be grown in tropical Queensland, but the elevation makes it possible. Local vineyards have also gotten creative with the varieties they plant that best utilize the hot and dry environment. Unlike most wine regions that specialize in a few varieties, the Granite Belt has an eccentric mix to make blends with. They affectionately name these Strange Birds.

AM and I only got to sample a few vineyards out of more than 50. My overall conclusion is that I prefer regions that really specialize in a few varieties as they tend to be more consistent, and better overall. That is not to say there are no hidden gems among the numerous vineyards as I found a couple at the last winery we visited. Strangely enough, we actually became friends with the host and met up again on the Gold Coast.  

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After AM and I left Lismore we decided to stop and have lunch at a nearby park that ran along a scenic river. This was the only reason we realized that hidden at the bottom of the bridge were the concrete platypuses. What we also didn’t expect to find was a foolish dog. He followed us up to the bridge, and never left the road. He almost got hit twice, and it was a challenge to herd him into a fenced in area. We thought he was the construction worker’s dog, but somehow found his way there from elsewhere.

The next stop we made on our way to Stanthorpe was to admire a mountain range that came out of nowhere. The rolling hills quickly erupted into a wall of mountains that was as short as it was dramatic. An hour later, and we arrived at the Queensland border. The most striking aspect were signs declaring rabbits illegal with a maximum fine up to $44,000! That is very steep for anyone, but I guess they are causing heaps of trouble for farmers.

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Lismore is just off the main thoroughfare if you are heading up the coast from Sydney to Brisbane. For those willing to go the extra mile, you will potentially be rewarded with glimpses of two iconic Australian animals. Koalas can sometimes be found at Robinson’s Lookout, but none were spotted when we visited. Platypuses are found along the Tucki Tucki Creek either in the early morning, or at dusk.

AM and I visited the creek in the evening, and were not really sure what to look for. After speaking to a few locals we learned that they prefer to hang out in deep, still sections of the stream. We quickly found a hidden path near a platypus sign that led down to a calm portion of the creek. There we waited, and waited, and waited to see some sign of life in the water. Another local informed us that she regularly saw platypuses where we were sitting, and spectators should be looking for constant bubbles. I would be lying if I said we didn’t get excited by the ripples caused by water bugs all too often. It wasn’t until we could barely see that we spotted the movement of a platypus. Their bubbles were unmistakable once you knew what you were looking for. Their underwater search for food meant their duck bill was constantly shuffling through the mud, which formed a cauldron of boiling water at the surface.

Having caught a glimpse of a platypus and a new found knowledge of how to spot them, we decided to spend the night in town and try one last time in the early morning. We returned weary-eyed and before sunrise to catch the strange mammal in action. We weren’t having much luck at our previous spot so we alternated between small catchments to increase our odds. As the sun rose, and the clock approached 9 we decided to call it quits as it becomes increasingly rare to observe platypuses as the sun ascends. On the way out of the park we stopped at our range of pools in a last ditch effort. Luckily, we saw the telltale bubbles on the opposite shoreline in the last pond we visited.

After half a minute we saw our first glimpse of a platypus. He would float at the surface catching his breath before descending again in search for food. They are truly odd creatures with a duck bill, webbed feet, waterproof fur, and a flat, broad beaver tale. Our platypus sighting ended just as fast as it started as what seemed like a routine dive led to a disappearance instead. Our guess is he returned to his burrow along the water’s edge.

The town itself is a pleasant restocking town as all the shops you need are in close proximity. We spent the second half of the morning perusing the art-deco architecture, and played several rounds of billiards the night before to pass time. On the road out of town there is a scenic bridge with concrete platypuses hidden down below.

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Watch one of the world's strangest creatures search for food...the platypus.