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Ramblings of a retiree in France
Road trippin’ Down Under Part I
You didn’t honestly think I’d finished writing about our #adventuredownunder did you? Here’s the start of plenty more thoughts on that fabulous vacation. At the same time, my thoughts (and prayers) go out to all those affected by the terrible fires currently sweeping NSW and Queensland, many of which are close to some of the wonderful places we visited.
On two of our previous trips to Australia, we’ve greatly enjoyed the drives between the major towns, particulary those along the Great Ocean Road (Melbourne to Adelaide and vice versa), plus Melbourne to Sydney. Though I have to admit, Sydney to Adelaide was rather less interesting but the scenery was still spectacular.
This time we drove from Sydney, via the Blue Mountains, to Port Douglas. A pretty long drive which was broken down into manageable bite-sized chunks either side of two weeks in Brisbane. If at all possible, I keep the drives to around 4-5 hours max. for my beloved. Otherwise, it becomes too taxing. I also like to schedule frequent stops for coffee and comfort breaks (and taking photos).
A road trip from Sydney to Brisbane (900kms) is one of the classic east coast driving routes in Australia. In my opinion, the best sights are to be found along its exceptional coastline, which is as long as it is stunning, but there are countless detours well worth making inland.
Sydney is a fantastic place to start our east coast Australian adventure as it’s jam-packed full of iconic attractions which we’ve visited on previous trips in 2010 and in 2016. This time we stayed near our distributor in the wonderfully named Woolloomooloo – don’t you just love that name? – before heading for three days in the Blue Mountains, a World Heritage site and a breathtaking, and unmissable natural attraction.
After a delightful and relaxing stay, it was time to start the long journey north to Brisbane. The city of Newcastle is just a two-hour drive away, and it’s one of Australia’s most under-visited cities, ideal for a quick coffee stop and a quick look around its endless beaches, with that beautiful white sand which contrasts so starkly with the blue sea – a very familiar sight in Australia.
Two hours up the road is the Myall Lakes National Park, with its spectacular freshwater lakes, surrounded by walking trails and beautiful vistas. Not unnaturally, the area is also a haven for local wildlife. It too has beaches, with huge sand dunes and dramatic lighthouses perched on rising cliffs – time for lunch.
Two-hours further north and we reach the destination for our first overnight stop in the charming town of Port Macquarrie. It’s laid back and in beautiful surroundings, and we could easily have spent a few days exploring the long beaches, looking out for whales passing by on their way out to sea, or visiting the Koala Hospital to learn more about these lovable Aussie animals, their lifestyles and habits, but also about the dangers they face from modern life and their ever-shrinking habitats.
Our next short pit-stop was in Coffs Harbour, home to the Big Banana, an enormous replica of a yellow banana that started the craze of ‘Big Things’ along the east coast. The town is surrounded by national parks and marine reserves, making it a great base to explore and enjoy the great Australian outdoors. We settled for lunch.
Our destination for the next few days was Byron Bay, one of the most famous – and popular – destinations along the east coast of Australia and the last major destination before we crossed the state border from New South Wales into Queensland. The town is known for its laid back vibes, surfing culture and classic Aussie lifestyle. Set around the beautiful sands and sea of a wide bay, this is a great place to soak up the sun and hit the waves. Watch the sunset over Byron Bay’s famous lighthouse, explore its rugged coastline and nearby towns of historic interest.
Over an hour’s drive from Byron Bay, Queensland’s Gold Coast is famous for its glitzy high rise buildings that tower above its sweeping beaches. This area is classic Australia, cities built by golden sands and perpetually shrouded in sunlight.The Gold Coast is an incredibly popular vacation destination, particularly for Australians, though the area can feel a wee bit touristy.
After covering over 900 kms (563 miles) of road, we at last arrived in Brisbane, the state capital of the Sunshine State of Queensland. Here the wide Brisbane River cuts through the city and along its banks are boardwalks, plenty of bars and restaurants, Southbank and the Brisbane Lagoon – a public, outdoor swimming pool and artificial beach. I really don’t need to say anymore about Brisbane which was the subject of a number of earlier posts. Here they are again if you missed them first time around.
Great article and pictures , it seems you are a citizen of planet earth with no borders or barriers to die for.
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The clock’s ticking and there’s still plenty on my bucket list!
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Was it just me who found the word Woollomooloo funny? 😂😂😂 Anyway, refreshing post. Loved it!
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Thank you!
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I have a wildfire app on my phone and was surprised to see the New South Wales images. Prayers for all those affected.
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Indeed!
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I want to go to the Byron Bay !
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It’s a lovely part of NSW
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A really good travelogue – in prose and photography The atmospheric Byron Bay shot with its pastel tones and silhouettes is worthy of a big print.
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Funny you should mention it but my sister now has one on her wall! Thanks for your kind encouragement Derrick.
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Lovely photos Sheree. Of course it would take many more posts to cover half of what you did and saw while you were here. Keep up those prayers please, it is tough right now. My brother and sister in law who live 2 hours south of the Qld border are packed and ready to evacuate any minute but not sure where to go cause the Pacific hwy is closed in that area. Maybe down to the river. It has been a very anxious night. Also, my Mum lives in Coffs just down from the Big Banana and she has been surrounded by smoke for weeks. Sad times here in Aus, but we will get through it, again. We always do although this time it is by far so much worse. Catastrophic is is called. Lyn
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Thanks for the update Lyn. I was going to drop you a line to see how you were.
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This just looks stunning. So different to Yorkshire
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Definitely but I’m sure they’d love some Yorkshire rain to douse the fires.
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Wow, Sheree! I love seeing and reading about your travels! Makes me feel like I was there with you! Lovely pics! 💜🤗
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Thanks Renee
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The news of the fires is very worrying. It’s hard to imagine the scale of the devastation.
I have relatives in Australia but I don’t know whether they’ve been to the Myall Lakes National Park, I’ll have to say them – it looks so, so beautiful there! Gorgeous photos. Love that giant banana, that’s definitely a memorable marketing tactic for the area!
I’m not at all jealous of your travels.. not one bit 😉
Caz xx
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Australia is very fond of giant structures to advertise an area’s charms. Aside from the banana, we’ve seen a giant mango, bull, sheep, lobster and crab! I think there’s a pineapple too but I’ve not seen it.
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Reblogged this on Trending Trends.
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Thanks
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Another beautiful tour Sheree, I just love the way to describe everything! Makes me want to visit there.😃😺🌞
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It really is fabulous! I hope you get to visit soon.
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Would be nice but doubt it will happen.😕
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You never know!
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True enough.🙂
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Australia is on my Bucket List!!! Thank you for sharing! Seems you had a blast
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We did!
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Lovely read, thank you for sharing your experiences in Australia!
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My pleasure
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