Melbourne To Cairns In 30 Days - Part Two
THE JOURNEY, PART TWO
Surfers Paradise
Despite its name, this town is a long way from my idea of paradise. Perhaps it is decent for surfing, and I have met people who said they had an awesome time here, but it seemed to me like a party town on steroids and the literal shadow cast over the beach by the high-rise buildings is not exactly pretty. I only spent less than 24 hours there so maybe I missed all the good bits, but first impressions do make their mark! I'll leave it up to you to visit and decide whether it's the best fun you've ever had or hell on earth…
Fraser Island
A driving tour on this incredible island is an absolute must-do on the east coast. It is the world's largest sand island, so think of it as one massive sand dune! Despite all the sand, quite a bit of the island is forest and home to lots of animals, including the dingo, which you are pretty likely to spot during a visit.
I started from Rainbow Beach for my two-night trip, which involved being split into groups to drive 4x4's, in convoy, all around the island. What made it so awesome was that everyone got a turn at driving, so it was far more hands-on (and hands definitely were on the steering wheel at all times driving through the sand!) than most tours. Accommodation was a large camp near the beach, fully enclosed by a dingo fence, and my nights there were very much goon-and-campfire kind of nights! One of the best places is Lake McKenzie, the water forming an incredible gradient from crystal clear to deep blue, although unfortunately, it was raining when I visited so my photos aren't quite as impressive as others. Whatever the time of year though, make sure you don't miss out on this fantastic experience.
1770 and Agnes Water
Pretty much the only reason for coming here is the Scooteroo tour, an afternoon of motorbiking, kangaroo-spotting and watching the sun set over the sea. Before they let you loose on the roads, they give everyone a quick practise at riding a motorbike around a little circuit they've got set up on the grass. Once they're satisfied, you all don helmets and leather jackets and off you go. Even if they won't let you ride your own bike, like me (apparently being able to turn corners is important, who knew?!), you can be what they call a 'koala' and hop on the back with one of the leaders. I actually thought this was more fun anyway as it meant I got to go faster and get a better look at the kangaroos without having to focus on the driving.
The Whitsundays
The Whitsundays, 74 islands of paradise dotted through the coral sea. These islands are very popular for sailing trips from Airlie Beach and even in autumn when I visited, they were still pretty spectacular. I spent two nights sailing on a catamaran, the Tongarra, weaving around some of the islands, snorkelling and only occasionally hiding from the rain. One of my favourite bits was being able to sleep out on deck under canopies put up by the two-man crew. The sea was the first thing I saw and heard each morning and I just wish I could wake up like that every day.
Possibly one of the most famous beaches in Australia, Whitehaven Beach is found on Whitsunday Island and is truly stunning. It was raining when I visited, but the blue and white swirls of sand and sea were still amazing to see, even with the stormy skies. I would definitely recommend this to anyone travelling the east coast, it was so much fun!
Cairns
After almost a month of travelling, I finally arrived in Cairns! Despite being autumn, Cairns still had a distinctly tropical feeling, as you might expect from the far north of Queensland. The impression I got here was of a pretty major party town, lots of backpackers drinking all night and then sunbathing by the lagoon nursing a hangover. Gilligan's, a hostel well-known for its party atmosphere, seemed to be the place to be and although I chose not to stay there, I did pay it a visit. Now, don't get me wrong, I enjoy a night out but I'm not so much the short-skirt-and-stilettos-flashing-my-knickers-on-the-pavement kind of girl so I'm not sure I fully appreciated the crazy party vibe as much as other people!
Scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef however, was one of the highlights of my entire trip. It was my first time diving and while I was actually pretty scared, swimming around among the corals and fish was just incredible. If I'd had more time here I would have definitely been keen to give it another go though and perhaps do a PADI course. Actually seeing the natural beauty of the reef though makes it feel so much more real to hear of the damage caused by coral bleaching and climate change. It's so important to take care of this beautiful structure before it's too late.
A trip up to the Daintree Rainforest and Cape Tribulation, known as the point where the rainforest meets the ocean, is also a must-do when visiting Cairns. The rainforest is an amazing place, full of strange-looking plants and animals, including crocodiles and cassowaries, that look like they haven't changed in millions of years. I remember thinking while walking along a board-walk trail near the hostel that I wouldn't be surprised if a dinosaur came strolling (do dinosaurs stroll?) around the corner! Apparently also in the forests here are little ants, which when you lick them taste like lemon sherbet, however, I didn't trust myself to pick the right ones so maybe next time…
While I saw and did a lot during my month in Australia, I certainly left feeling like I wasn't finished with the country, which I reckon is a good thing. There is still so much more that I want to see, so I will definitely be returning one day. There are still places on the east coast that I would love to visit, such as the Blue Mountains but I think next on my list would have to be Western Australia...