Talkingthailand

The Indian Pacific train is one of the few true transcontinental trains in the world. It runs from Sydney to Perth, covering around 4,000 km from east to west. It takes 3 days. I boarded in Adelaide so the journey would take only 2 days. 2 days on a train? Only in Australia.

Nothing much happened.The first night was uncomfortable as there was a cold draught which kept waking me up. I had booked a Red Kangaroo seat, which was all I could afford, and I was expecting someone to sit next to me. But once the train started moving, the guard came over and told me she had seated the passenger somewhere else, so I had two seats to stretch out on, but they weren’t quite long enough. Still, it was better than not lying down at all.

The first stop was Cook, located halfway between Sydney and Perth- population 2 people, 26 chooks and 50 million flies. It was a ghost town in the middle of the desert. Apparently, this is the first place the train can stop because, around Maralinga, there is radioactive contamination, from when the British used to do nuclear tests in the 1950s. We had a short time to wander around and buy a postcard or two from the small shop.

On its journey, the train crosses the Nullarbor Plain. In Latin the name literally means no trees (nullus-no; arbor-tree.) The scenery is relentless but very dramatic. It is the worlds largest area of limestone bedrock, around 200,000 square kilometres. Huge is not the word.

The next stop was Kalgoorlie, which is famous for it’s gold. We had three hours here so, to pass some time, I booked myself on a trip around the town.

Kalgoorlie (Source:
http://www.ozroamer.com.au/experiencea-little-goldrush-fever/)

We went to the Super Pit, which is Australia’s largest open cut gold mine. It is massive- 3.5 km long, 1.5 km wide and 570 metres deep. So huge it can be seen from space. The pit produces 28 tonnes of gold each year.

Arriving in Perth, the scenery changes from dramatic, relentless, open desert, to lush greenery with rivers running through the hills. I arrived in Perth early in the morning, where my hosts, Angie and Bec, were waiting for me.

Perth is the most isolated city in Australia-the next country to the west is South Africa.

After chilling out and relaxing after my mammoth train journey, we drove to the beach so I could see the Indian Ocean. In the distance a huge storm was approaching. The clouds were so black, blacker than I had ever seen. We watched it for ages and the thunder and lightning eventually passed right over us. It was spectacular, made even more so by a tornado hitting the water. Then the rain came, and I have never seen anything like it. On the drive home we couldn’t see a foot in front of us.

The next day we took a trip to Freemantle. A lovely town with the cosmopolitan feel of a big city but with a more relaxed pace. We wandered round the markets and had a look at the shops, stopping off for a drink in one of the many cafes.

Afterwards we visited a memorial on a hilltop that overlooks the whole of Perth. The memorial is located on Monument Hill and was erected during the 1920s to commemorate the losses of the First World War. Interestingly, the Fallen Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Memorial is designed so that at dawn, 1914 is illuminated; and at sunset, 1919 is illuminated alluding to the lines in the “Ode of Remembrance”-

“At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them”.

25th April every year is ANZAC Day and on this day the shadows are perfectly aligned.

Bec and I took a trip to Rottnest Island. We caught the bus to Freemantle, and caught the ferry across to the island. We hired a bicycle each and made our way to the 9.2 inch battery site, which was used to defend Freemantle and Perth during the war. The guide told us how they used the guns, and then took us on a tour of the tunnels underground, which housed the engine room and artillery store. It was really interesting to imagine the men and women down there.

The beaches on Rottnest Island are stunning and the water is crystal clear. We cycled around enjoying amazing views from the lighthouse. There are also a few lakes on the island which, due to minerals present in the water, are a hundred times saltier than the sea.

We then made our way back to the harbour and had lunch, where we saw a friendly Quokka- a bit like a rat but it is the size of a cat. I am not joking. All in all a fabulous day out and, after a few beers, we took our tired selves home.

BOAT TRIP FROM HELL! I was invited to go on a ladies fishing trip by one of Angie’s friends, Cary, who is sadly no longer with us. He said it was on an awesome boat. He said it would be fun. The boat was far from awesome-it was a typical fishing boat, with none of the luxuries I had imagined. And it was far from fun, believe me.

Cary picked me up at 5.30am and we drove an hour or so north, to Hillarys Boat Harbour, to meet the boat. We left the harbour at 6.45am and it took about an hour and a half to get out to open sea- about 40km. Well, it was OK when the boat was moving, and I was quite enjoying myself, bit like being on a roller coaster. But when it stopped the ocean’s swell caused the boat to pitch at 90 degree angles. And the north easterly winds were making it even more rough and choppy. Trevor, the skipper, had assured us that it would get calmer. He said it would get calm!

I felt rather queasy but I managed to cast off a few times. By 10am I had to move across the other side of the boat, where I sat and tried to think of anything else but how sick I was feeling. That didn’t work. On board there was a reporter, Steve, from the Fishing WA Magazine, who was doing an article about the trip. He was also feeling a bit green. And a woman, Jackie, who was feeling the same.

Steve suddenly got up from where he was laying and puked over the side. I couldn’t help myself any longer and followed suite, closely followed by Jackie. For four hours this went on, the three of us taking it in turns to throw up. It was awful! I thought it was going to be the longest day in the world and it was!

I felt better at 1.30pm and thought I might try a bit more fishing, but after being flung about and feeling sick again, decided that I would just hang on to the boat instead. Steve didn’t even take any pictures, which he was planning on doing if someone caught a fish.

On the way back to the harbour the sea was like a millpond. Typical. And even though we had felt absolutely awful, and I didn’t catch one little fish, we managed to laugh about it on the way back. You live and learn, and to this day I have never been on a fishing trip again.

My time in Australia was over. I was quite sad to be leaving because I had an amazing time. I had travelled to a lot of different places, and I had seen loads of cool stuff. I had two fantastic months. It’s a trip I will never forget-stored in my memory bank forever. That trip was to set the scene for my life as I know it now.

 

I arrived in Adelaide, to be greeted by Helen and Ernie at the bus station. Helen is my Mum’s cousin, who emigrated to Australia in the ‘60s. Ernie is her husband. It took about 30 minutes to get to their house, in Morphett Vale. I met Scott, their son and my 2nd or 3rd cousin (we’re still not exactly sure and we still have conversations about this!) I was so tired from the trip, all we did all day was sit in the living room chatting, drinking tea and eating cake. I finally retired to bed at 9.30pm- I really don’t know how I managed to stay awake until then, but I had a good nights’ sleep and felt so much better in the morning. The long journeys around Australia really take it out of you.

I was up early the next day to take a trip to the Barossa Valley wine region. I left at 9.30am and it took about an hour and a half to get there. On the way the tour bus stopped at the “Whispering Wall”, which is a horseshoe shaped dam. It’s known as the whispering wall because if you go to the far side and speak to the people on the other side, it sounds as if the people are standing next to you! You can hear them really clearly- apparently it’s to do with the shape of the dam.

We then drove to the first winery- The Chateau Yaldara. Founded in 1947 by a German winemaker called Hermann Thumm. The name Yaldara comes from the local aborigine word meaning “sparkling”. We had a tour around the factory to learn how the wine and port was made, and then, my favourite part, the tasting. It was lovely.

We had a lovely lunch, and afterwards I bought two bottles of McGuigans Black Label for $20, which was a bargain. But then I wondered how I was going to get them back to the UK. They never made it home- they got drunk that very same night.

Next stop was Grant Burge Winery, where we had a few more tasters.

The last winery was Langmeil where we got to have a tour of the vineyards. We learned how to tell a young vine from an old one: the really old ones, which were over 100 years old, have old and gnarled trunks; the young ones are small and slender.

After the wineries we drove to Menglers look-out point, where we could see all the vineyards in the area, and some strange looking sculptures made of stone. The sculptures are meant to reflect environment and atmosphere of the Barossa Valley. The surrounding area is beautiful with hundreds of vines sprawling into the distance. It is quite spectacular.

The next day we went on a tour to Hahndorf and Cleland Wildlife Park. Hahndorf is a little German town with quaint little shops, and cafes that are situated on an avenue of gorgeous trees. You could really spend all day in this charming little place.

Next was Cleland Wildlife Park, which is set in 35 hectares of bush-land, and it was the best wildlife park I had been to in Australia. The kangaroos, emus and potaroos roam around the park and you can feed them. It’s a lovely setting- nice and relaxed with animals all around you.

The following day my family took me to Belair National Park for the day. It’s only 13 km from Adelaide’s city centre, and was declared South Australia’s first national park in 1891. We drove through the park and came to a large clearing with green grass, BBQ and swings. We unpacked the cars and sat round and chatted, while the kids played football and messed about. We had a picnic lunch at 11.15 am. We didn’t realise it was so early but we were all starving. We had a great day, in the glorious sunshine, enjoying the games and food. At 3.30 pm we packed up and we were just about to leave when someone suddenly said “Is that a Koala in the tree?” Sure enough it was a cute little koala asleep in the tree above us. We never noticed all day, even when we went for ice creams directly below him.

After a fun filled time in Adelaide with my family, it was time for me to go to Perth-my final destination before I left Australia for good. I said goodbye to Helen, Ernie, and Scott, thanking them for letting me stay and for all the laughs we had. I got on the Indian Pacific train and cried my heart out. I had such an amazing time in Adelaide and didn’t want to leave. Just when I thought I had finished crying a new thought, about one of the many things that I had done in Australia, would cross my mind and set me off again. I finally pulled myself together and spent the next 36 hours on one of the great train journeys in the world.

Next Time: Fishing off Australia’s West Coast 🙂 🙂

The bus journey from Sydney to Melbourne took ten and a half hours. Everyone knows Australia is big, but it’s not until you start travelling around that you realise how big it actually is.

Having checked into a pleasant hotel, about 10-15 minutes from the city, I went for my usual wander to get my bearings. I fancied going to the Queen Victoria market but, after trekking what seemed liked forever, upon arrival I found it was closed. Never mind, I carried on walking and came across the Old Melbourne Gaol. This place was really interesting because it had stories of the men and women that were hanged there, and information about the crimes that they had committed. There was also quite a lot of information about Ned Kelly, who was an infamous bushranger, regarded as a cold blooded killer by some and a hero by others. If you get to thinking that these people were actually incarcerated there all those years ago, plus the fact that it is supposed to be haunted, it makes it rather creepy. And to make it even creepier, there were death masks in some of the cells which were made just after the people had been hanged.

The following day I took a trip to Phillip Island. It’s about 150 km south of Melbourne. On the way we stopped at a Flora and Fauna park, where you can feed the kangaroos, and see the some of the indigenous animals that live in Australia, like dingoes. Next stop-Woolamai Beach. The waves are huge in this area. Then, onto the Nobbies and Seal Rocks- an ecotourism destination. They had telescopes there for viewing the seals. I tried to see the seals through the telescope before realising that I was looking at the wrong rocks. Amateur! I managed to see the seals from a boardwalk that you can walk around. One of the things I love about Australia is that the tourist authorities have really taken the time and made the effort to make their natural wonders more accessible to tourists. Hence the boardwalks that allow you to view things easily, without making too much of a nuisance of yourself.

Afterwards, I visited the Penguin Parade. A group of people had assembled at the beach, on the viewing platform, so I joined them and waited. Waited for the little fairy penguins to come ashore. The penguins started to show up just after 6.00pm on their way to their burrows for the night. It really was a privilege to share this and something that you wouldn’t normally get to see. It was fantastic. It was really interesting how they knew which part of the beach to exit the water. They would wait until there were several of them before waddling up the beach to their beds! Some of them got scared when they realised that they were the only one to land on the beach and would waddle back into the waves until more penguins arrived. Others got knocked off their feet by the waves. When they were sure that there was safety in numbers they waddled up towards us (through their own territory I might add- we were the intruders!) Just minding their own business, making their way to their burrows for the night. It was one of those moments in life that you feel in awe of the nature around you.

Another day, another day trip. This time I was going to visit my old neighbours from Northampton, Ian and Carolyn, who had emigrated to Geelong a few years earlier. I left the hotel at 11am and made my way to Flinders Street station. When I finally found the ticket office, the guy told me that the train to Geelong left from Spencer Street station, which was back in the direction I had just come from (in fact one street away from my hotel!) Luckily I just made it after sprinting down the platform in my flip-flops, yelling to the guard that I needed to get on the train. I made it but not before he literally dragged me onto the moving train! Running in flip-flops is not a good idea. My foot really hurt and I thought I had broken something! In fact a couple of weeks later I went to the hospital only to find out that I had chipped a small bone in my foot.  Anyway, an hour later I was in Geelong and Carolyn picked me up from the station. We went to lunch by the sea and spent the afternoon catching up. It was lovely seeing them again.

The last day in Melbourne was spent shopping, wandering around-I had to check out in the morning-and drinking beer. My plan was to go to the aquarium but sometimes plans go by the wayside. Instead I had lunch and continued to drink my way through the afternoon. I think I had forgotten about the long bus trip to Adelaide ahead of me!

Next Time: Wine tasting in the Barossa Valley, SA 🙂 🙂

Two quick stops. Coffs Harbour, which apparently has the most liveable climate in Australia, with temperatures being 18-26 Celsius in the summer, and 8-20 Celsius in the winter. And Port Macquarie, where, in 1821, the town was founded as a penal settlement for convicts. The surrounding area has thick bush, ideal for any escapees to hide, but, sadly for them, the local aborigines were happy to return any convicts to the settlement in return for tobacco and blankets.

I arrived in Sydney at midday and got a taxi to the hotel. I had a wander to get my bearings-I always find that if you walk around, with or without a map, it’s the best way to get to know your way around quickly.

I walked to Darling Harbour, which is one of my most favourite places in the world. It is a great place for people watching as you chill out in one of the many bars or restaurants.

When the sun goes down the office lights come on and they create reflections of different colours in the water. It really is a sight to see, especially when you can see the sun’s reflection in the buildings.

After a leisurely breakfast I walked to Circular Quay where you can see the Sydney Harbour Bridge across the water, and get up close and personal with the Sydney Opera House. The Opera House is impressive although, when you get up close to it, it doesn’t look as white as it does from a distance.

I stood for a while and watched a guy playing the steel drums while another random guy was dancing round in front of him. It was quite amusing as the random guy wasn’t dancing in time with the music. Not that I am any John Travolta but it was quite amusing nonetheless!

The following day I took a trip to Manly. It takes about 30 minutes to get there by ferry from Circular Quay. I got off the boat and wandered through the town to the beach. I had barely got settled on the beach, when the sun disappeared and it got really chilly. So I packed up my things and went in search of a bar.

Bondi Beach was the next destination I wanted to visit, so I took a double decker train (Yes, train) from the city and arrived at Bondi Junction some eleven minutes later. It was only a short trip to the beach and first impressions are that it is a lovely arc shaped beach, nestled in a beautiful cove.

However, in my opinion, it is completely over-rated and, from the way it is portrayed on TV and in images, it is actually not that big. It is certainly not the most beautiful stretch of sand I have come across. I stayed there for a couple of hours but the sun disappeared again, making it quite chilly. The sand was being blasted by the wind and this, in turn, meant that I was continuously blasted with sand. It wasn’t very pleasant so I wandered round the shops before heading back to Sydney.

It was my birthday so I went on a trip to the Blue Mountains. The tour bus drove through a couple of little villages, Leura and Blackheath, to reach a lookout point. This is a great spot to view the “three sisters”, a natural rock formation in the Jamison Valley.

The story behind the three sisters, named Meehni, Wimlah, and Gunnedoo, goes something like this- the sisters fell in love with three men of the Nepean tribe but this was forbidden, so the three men decided to take the sisters by force. This resulted in battle, with the sister’s Katoomba tribe on the losing side. The leader feared that this daughters would be carried away by the enemy, so he turned them into stone to protect them, but he was killed before he could reverse his spell.

Afterwards we drove to the Blue Mountains resort and travelled down to the valley on the scenic railway. This is no ordinary railway. It is the steepest one in the world and it plunges deep into the valley floor. It was a little like being on a roller coaster, although it didn’t go as fast! At the bottom there is a board walk where you can walk through the many different species of trees, and learn about the old mining businesses that used to be there.

The Blue Mountains are spectacular. Their name comes from the blue haze that can be seen from a distance. This happens when incoming ultraviolet radiation gets scattered by particles in the atmosphere, which creates a blue colour to any distant objects. The mountain area covers around 10,000 square kilometres and was declared a World Heritage Area by UNESCO in 2000.

On the way back we stopped off at the Olympic Park, which was a purpose built village where the Sydney Olympic Games were held in 2002. It was very impressive. Later that evening I went out to celebrate my birthday. I had dinner and found a nice bar, where I met some guys from Melbourne who helped me celebrate. I left around midnight feeling a little tipsy but happy that I had had another great day in Oz.

Next time: A tour around Melbourne 🙂 🙂

En route to Sydney my next destination was Byron Bay. I arrived late afternoon, laden down with my (getting heavier by the minute) rucksack, and checked in at First Sun Caravan Park, where I had booked a cabin for the next three nights. The cabin was small with a double bed, sofa, TV and fridge but it was very cosy. I dumped my bags in the room and went out to the tourist information centre where I booked myself on a half day horse-riding trip and an early morning climb to the top of Mount Warning to watch the sunrise. With a couple of activities to look forward to I went to buy breakfast stuff and a couple of beers and spent a lovely evening chilling out and watching TV with a cool Castlemaine XXXX.

The next day I had a free day, so I walked to Cape Byron Lighthouse. It was about 3km away and is the most easterly point on mainland Australia. It was tough going as it was mostly uphill and it was the hottest day by far. But it was worth the effort because I walked through a scenic coastal rainforest and when I arrived the views were spectacular. I spotted a turtle in the sea and then along came a pod of 15-20 dolphins hunting and playing in the surf. They looked small from my vantage point but you could still see them blowing air from their blowholes. A few other people noticed this amazing sight and we all watched transfixed for over an hour. It is truly a wonderful sight and one that makes you feel very happy.

Everyone seemed so relaxed here and there was hardly anyone on the beach so it is easy to find a spot for yourself. The beaches are fantastic – long beautiful golden sands that stretch for miles, with the crystal clear blue water lapping at its edges.

After spending another evening chilling out I was up early for horse-riding. I was picked up at a local bar by the people who worked at “Seahorses” and we drove to Lennox Heads where we unloaded the horses. The girls saddled them and we were then allocated the horses, depending on our riding ability. I was given a brown horse called Buttons. We gently rode along seven mile beach, walking, trotting, and cantering for a while. I love horses but don’t ride that often so when I do I just love it. Especially when you ride in a setting such as that one- a long, sprawling beach with only the smell of the sea, and the wind in your hair.

We got back to where our vehicle was parked and changed into our swimming gear. The horses were de-saddled and we led them towards the sea. My horse, Buttons, apparently didn’t like water so I had another horse called Kira. I tried to get on Kira, with the help of one of the girls’ thighs, but every time I tried her leg gave way! Too many cakes?! No! She just had a weak thigh! Eventually I managed to climb onto Kira but it was all I could do to stay on. It is really hard to stay on a horse with no saddle. My thighs got a really good workout! Kira was led into the water with me sliding around on top. We didn’t go into the water that deep but we both loved it- me with a massive smile on my face and Kira pawing at the water with her hooves to keep cool. Afterwards we had a lovely BBQ. It was such a great day- doing something you love in great surroundings and with good people (and animals). It was one of those days that makes you feel glad to be alive.

I got back to Byron Bay to prepare for my very early morning start to Mount Warning. I got up at 1.20am and waited in the car park, as instructed, until 2.30am. No one came to pick me up. The security guard said that if they arrived he would come and get me from my cabin. I went back and stayed awake until 3.15am just in case they arrived late. But still no one came so I went back to bed. You cannot imagine how disappointed I felt. I was really looking forward to hiking to the top of Mount Warning to watch the sunrise.

The next day I went to the tourist office to find out what had happened. I explained that I was never picked up despite me booking the trip. The travel agent rang the guy in charge of the trip and he told me that there was a mix up with the booking. He promised that if I ever went back to Byron Bay I could get the trip for free. I wonder whether he will remember saying that after nine years!

I had a lovely few days in Byron Bay. I totally recommend it to anyone who is thinking of going there. I spent my remaining hours there in a little café sheltering from the rain. When it finally stopped I walked to the beach to watch the surfers until it was time to get the coach to Coffs Harbour.

Next Time: Bondi Beach and the Blue Mountains 🙂 🙂

I was always a fan of Steve Irwin’s Crocodile Hunter shows. So when I was in Brisbane I had to make the trip out to Australia Zoo. The zoo is located about an hour north of Brisbane, in Beerwah near the Glasshouse mountains.

The zoo is 100 acres and there is a lot to see. I fed elephants, saw lizards, dingoes, alligators, camels and crocodiles. Agro has his home there. Being an avid fan of Steve Irwin’s, I knew Agro was a huge, fearsome, black saltwater crocodile who always featured in Steve’s wildlife shows.

Afterwards I went to see the “Crocoseum”, which cost AUD$90m to construct. A large, enclosed viewing area where you can watch birds flying, tigers playing, and snakes and crocodiles being fed.

Then to the kids zoo and, being a kid at heart, I fed the goats and sheep. I also picked up some “roo” food and wandered through “Kangaroo Heaven” where you can feed the kangaroos by hand. They are very tame and a couple of the females had joeys in their pouches, which were very cute.

Then to the “Tiger Temple” which was, back then, the zoo’s newest enclosure. There I watched the trainers play with these huge cats. They were just like domestic cats, although not so little, pouncing and leaping in the water trying to grab a black bin liner on a stick. That game, however, didn’t last long as they burst the bin liner within minutes with their sharp claws. Along with dolphins, tigers are my favourite animals, so this was the best part of the day. I stood and watched them for ages.

On the way to the zoo the bus driver had explained that Steve was the only person allowed to ride a motorbike in the park so, if we saw anyone on a motorbike, it could only be him. I noticed that a few people were watching the park attendants trying to catch a small snake which was lurking in the undergrowth. Small but seemingly venomous. All of a sudden a motorbike came round the corner, and riding on it was Steve and Terri Irwin! They didn’t stop but they waved at a few people and went on their way. I have always loved him and think he was brilliant at what he did, mad but brilliant, and, for me, this was one of the highlights of my trip.

Back at Annie’s I got myself a bottle of wine to celebrate my last night in Brisbane. My intention (as always) was not to drink the whole bottle but as the night went on, more people came to join me. Rupert and Gloria, who looked after Annie’s, were so friendly and made everyone feel at home and at ease; Hugo and Annie, who were from Belgium, were going home after 8 months there; Christine, from New Zealand, was waiting for her daughter to arrive; Toni, from Cairns and in Brisbane because her husband was in hospital there; and a couple from Melbourne, who originated in Ireland and lived up North somewhere. We all sat around and had a few drinks and chatted. Gloria even made some pasta for us all. It was such a lovely night, hence to say I drank all my wine and went to bed, happy as the cat who’d got the cream. It’s so nice meeting friendly people like that. It really does enrich your life. And the next day I was off to Byron Bay for the next leg of my Australian odyssey.

Next Time: Dolphins and Horses in Byron Bay 🙂 🙂

Travelling to the other side of the world has its downside. The journey time is just so long. When I first went to Australia the flight from the UK was 19 hours including a layover in Singapore, another 7 to Brisbane and a 4 hour train ride to Bundaberg. But it’s definitely worth it.

Once there I always try and stay awake until normal bed time. That way I can get my body clock back into sync quicker. So that first trip I went to bed at 9.30pm and I didn’t wake up until 12pm midday the following day! I can safely say my body was back in sync!

That was my very first trip to Australia and I was visiting my Mum’s cousin, Gill, and her husband, Norm. Gill emigrated to Australia in the early 70s as part of the “10 pound pom scheme” and has lived in Bundaberg ever since.

When I finally got up I was disappointed to learn that Norm had already been out to catch dinner. Only because I wanted to go with him. But I got to watch as he sliced in half three crabs. You cannot get fresher than straight from the river, cooked and served. And, together with prawn cocktail and wine, they went down a treat.

Bundaberg, sits on Queensland’s east coast, some 15 km inland from the Coral Sea. Bundy, as it is locally called, apparently gets its name from the Kabi aboriginal word- bunda, which means important man and the German suffix- berg, meaning mountain. Bundy is famous for brewing its own rum- Bundy Rum- and is a major exporter of sugar cane which is grown in the fields around the city

One week in and I had done quite a bit with my relatives. We drove from Bundy to the town of 1770. Originally known as Round Hill, the town of 1770 is where Captain James Cook and the crew of HM Bark Endeavour made their second landing in May 1770. 1770 is a small village with the population standing at just 76. However, even though small, it’s natural beauty is stunning with pristine beaches and huge waves where people come to surf and enjoy the water activities. There is also a marina where you can take trips to Lady Musgrave Island on the Great Barrier Reef.

From there we travelled to Agnes Water, about 8 km to the south of 1770. This place gets its name from pastoral holding which was leased out in 1883. The holding was named after a schooner, called Agnes, which was lost at sea. The town was very remote until the mid-90s, and it was not developed until the road was completed. Activities in Agnes Water include biking, camping and surfing.

Fraser Island was the next destination on our list and what a treat that was. The island was listed as a World Heritage site in 1992. We chose a tour which took us to several parts of the island, but we only saw a little of what this beautiful place has to offer. There is a large diversity of habitats- rainforests, eucalyptus woods, mangrove forests, sand dunes and coastal areas. It also hosts a wide range of fauna, from dingoes, whales, and birds, to the occasional salt water crocodile.

It is the biggest sand island in the world. 80% is covered in plants and trees due to the mycorrhizal fungi which occurs naturally and is present in the sand. There are plenty of interesting things to see: There is a stretch of beach which houses the remains of SS Maheno, an ocean liner which was used as a hospital ship during World War l. In 1935 a cyclone caused the Maheno to drift and disappear, taking with her eight men. She was found beached off the coast of Fraser Island where she rests, mostly disintegrated and covered with rust, in the sands of 75 mile beach.

75 mile beach is also home to The Pinnacles, cliff faces of cement-like red, brown and yellow coloured sand. These three-coloured cliffs are formed by the sand being stained by minerals filtering through over thousands of years.

Eli Creek is the largest freshwater creek on Fraser Island, with millions of litres of water flowing through and into the ocean. There is a boardwalk which allows you to walk alongside the creek and enter the water. It is cold and very clear. I tentatively got in and started wading towards the beach and the ocean. On either side of the creek the sandy bottom drops a little, and as I waded through the water I lost my balance and ended up getting completely wet, still fully clothed. I knew I should have wore swimwear!

Lake Garawongera is a perched lake which means that the lake itself sits on a layer of compact sand and vegetable matter 100 metres above sea level. We were told that this freshwater lake has properties in it that will clean jewellery, so I put it to the test by submerging my hands in order for the water to clean the rings on my fingers. It seemed to work.

Saying my farewells to my family and saving myself AUD$62, by bumming my way to Brisbane with one of Gill’s colleagues, I was onward bound and planned to spend a few days in the capital of Queensland. Arriving around midday, I checked into a swanky backpackers place called The Yellow Submarine. Yellow it was, swanky it was not. I checked in, dumped by bags and went bravely to the communal area. Only to shirk away in horror when I realised that there seemed to be no solo travellers. They had all made friends before I got there! Had I been a little braver I would probably have found that there were nice, friendly people there who wanted to chat and have a good time. But this was the first time I had ever been travelling so I felt a little intimidated. Instead I spent hours walking round the city through botanical gardens, mooching through the shopping areas and museums and sitting awhile on the man-made beach in South Bank Parklands. You name it I walked passed it or into it that day, wondering what I was going to do about the accommodation.

I got back at 5.30pm, had something to eat, and enquired about a B&B up the road, which was just a couple of dollars more than I was paying, but (the best thing) I wouldn’t have to sleep on a bunk bed in, what can only be described as, a cell. I ended up paying for a twin room and had to pay for the other person that might arrive because I really did not want to share. I just like my privacy is all. In fact I am glad I made the move to Annie’s Shandon Inn. It was so much more homely and comforting. I even got to have dinner with the owners.

Having been on my own for just over a week I was determined to fit in and have a good time. It’s just that I didn’t feel much like staying in hostels. However, this made me miss home for the first time but I was still intent on making the most of my time here.

Next time: A Trip to Steve Irwin’s Australia Zoo  🙂