The wild side of Brisbane’s bay
By Shaun O’Dowd

The first thing that strikes you when hand-feeding a wild dolphin is the size of its teeth.

Long, large rows of them swivel towards your hand as you hold your little bait-fish under the water. My companion was unsettled. Standing in knee-deep water, she was sufficiently alarmed to fumble with her fish and drop it.

The dolphin carer standing with us gave her another fish and encouraged her to put her hand below water. My companion mustered her courage and did so. The dolphin swam gently forward and took the fish with the utmost care.

“It was as though she knew you were uncomfortable,” the dolphin carer said as we returned to the beach.

The dolphin we met was known as Shadow and was a member of a bottlenose dolphin pod that inhabits Brisbanes Moreton Bay. Shadow plays “aunt” to the younger dolphins that swim into the beach for nightly feeding at Tangalooma Wild Dolphin Resort on Moreton Island.

I’d also given a fish to Shadow and, even though I wasn’t allowed to touch her, I leaned right down and looked at her face. She stared back placidly and emitted contented buzzes and squeaks.

These animals are technically wild and Tangalooma ensures the guests only feed them a small percentage of their daily diet each night.

From this pristine island, it was hard to believe the bustle of Australia’s third largest city lay just below the horizon. Tangalooma prides itself on eco-activities that involve everything from eco-walks to pelican feeding.

Whale Watching
Only two days before, we’d embarked on another eco-adventure on Moreton Bay – a day trip with Moreton Bay Whale Watching. Boarding the fast-cat “Eye Spy” at Redcliffe jetty, we zipped across the bay and around the northern point of Moreton Island.

Now numbering in their thousands, Humpback whales were hunted to the verge of extinction during their annual winter and spring breeding pilgrimage to Queensland until whaling was abolished in the 1960s.

The tell-tale spout from a whale’s blow-hole signalled the whales were not far and soon we approached a pod of three or four.

Nothing prepares you for how big they are. There’s a moment of uncertainty when you realise what damage they could do to even the largest yacht if they got aggressive.

But they’re incredibly placid. As we watched, one rolled on its side and lazily slapped its fin. Then, completely unexpectedly, a 10m whale breached right out of the water and slammed down on its side.

The water thundered and churned in response for nearly half a minute.

Just when we thought it couldn’t get better, a pod of dolphins raced up to the cat and leapt alongside as they gave chase.

The next day, we continued our Moreton Bay adventure with a day sail aboard the retired Sydney to Hobart race winner, Solo, from Manly Harbour.

The crew hoisted the spinnaker and turned off the engine. It’s a placid experience lounging on the deck, absorbing the peace with the slight wash of waves.

Later, trooping ashore at Moreton Island for a sand tobogganing stint, we were led up through some steep sand dunes and came across “the desert”, a stunning wilderness of snowy-white sand.

Moreton Island is asserting itself as the world’s third largest sand island behind the other Queensland islands of Fraser and North Stradbroke.

We’d brought wooden boards with us and after a brief instruction talk by our guide, we struggled up a gigantic white dune and one-by-one, we lay down on our boards and launched ourselves over the edge.

Sand tobogganing is wild. The speed builds up at an incredible pace and the wind rushes against your face. Unfortunately, I let the front edge of my board down and was catapulted forward, face planting into the sand.

But with so many good experiences behind me, I couldn’t stay annoyed for long.

Brisbane – Every day a Sunny Day
By Dominique White

An insider’s view of where best to go and what to do in this city of sunny days!

One of the beauties about visiting Brisbane is that you can pretty much treat every day in this sub-tropical city like a leisurely Sunday! And in this city, Sunday does not mean the shops are closed and the streets empty.

On the contrary. Brisbane, seven days a week is full of vitality, colour, and plenty of options. Whether visitors are into shopping, art, dining out, soaking up the sun or simply enjoying the beautiful Brisbane River, our city has much to offer.

If art is your thing, there are a few places to check out. First port of call could be the Queensland Art Gallery at South Bank. Aside from the excellent exhibitions, including the permanent collection, the price-tag is also attractive: Free, unless there is a specially curated showing. Afterwards, be tempted by the ever-changing displays at the Queensland Museum right next door.

Also free and worth the time is a walk through the 16ha South Bank Parklands – next door to the Gallery – where there are plenty of places to enjoy a refreshing drink or go for a dip at the man-made beach.

For a mega-dose of art and culture, head to Fortitude valley or New Farm where there is a plethora of art galleries.

The best way to enjoy the day is to buy an off-peak saver ticket (at a newsagency), and get on and off the bus at your leisure: enjoy refreshments at near-by coffee shops, have lunch at one of the many restaurants, or browse in boutiques and bookshops before returning to the arts trail.

If you want to see a different side of the city, taking a high-speed City Cat is an excellent option. The cats cruise 19km from St Lucia to Hamilton on the Brisbane River, and, for just a few dollars per person off-peak, you can ride with the wind in your hair for as long as you like.

To find out some other impressions of the city, head down Albert Street from the Queen Street Mall and spot 32 pavement plaques which mark the Literary Trail. Read quotes by top authors writing about Brisbane.

A majestic spot in the heart of town is the City Botanic Gardens at Riverside. This is a serene oasis of 20ha in size, where you can laze on the grassy lawns with a good book, feed the ducks, or watch the world go by. If you feel like a snack, enjoy a leisurely lunch in the licensed cafe housed in the historic kiosk. Afterwards, if you have energy to burn, grab some rollerblades or hire a bike and get some exercise in the fresh air.

Brisbane is a green city by name and nature – almost 25 per cent of its area is bushland. In all, the city has 9,500ha of bush and 1,500 parks and public gardens – making Brisbane an easy city to find a shady place to sit and watch the world go by.

Something that costs little and yet entertains for hours, is a visit to the markets, and Brisbane is undoubtedly market-mad. On Friday nights, all day Saturday and Sunday, the South Bank Parklands Craft Markets in Stanley Street Plaza are certainly worth a browse. All goods are hand-made in Australia and you can usually browse to the sounds of nearby entertainment from the regular South Bank attractions.

On Saturdays and Sundays from 8am – 4pm the Brunswick Street Mall Markets are open. These markets feature more off-beat displays and are good if you are looking for a bargain in old records, revamped clothes and general trinkets.

Sunday is the day that the city comes alive, with the colourful, popular Riverside Markets – their craft, clothing, art and giftware terraced along the Brisbane River around the Riverside Centre and up to the Eagle Street Pier.

For a serious shop, you can’t go by the Queen Street Mall with its 500 specialty stores. Myer alone has 200 shops and the biggest inner-city retail complex in Australia. Or, for something quirky or arty, try chic boutiques in Milton and Paddington or hunt for that fashion item in factory outlets in Stones Corner at East Brisbane.

After art, shopping, gardens and markets, you’ll need something to revive you. Here, Brisbane has come of age with a modern metro cuisine.

Clusters of cafes have emerged in the city and surrounds, and among the most famous is Park Road, Milton, where people head for the miniature Eiffel Tower landmark and enjoy their coffee while being ‘seen’.

A trademark of Brisbane is al fresco dining all year round. Even in cooler months, residents and visitors enjoy meals in fresh air and cafe style. Cosmopolitan and multi-cultural communities have led the creation of an individual new style of dining.

Places to try include Asian and European restaurants at West End, cafes and delis at New Farm, all styles at Racecourse Road at Hamilton and around Brunswick Street in Fortitude Valley, bars and grills in Caxton Street, Petrie Terrace, and restaurants created in quaint Queenslanders in Toowong, Indooroopilly, Red Hill and Paddington.

After dark, there is always plenty of entertainment in Brisbane, and a seemingly endless choice of things to do. Aside from the 24-hour Casino, there are night-clubs, pubs and wine bars to socialise in and meet some friendly Brisbane locals!

Ask around for the places to go – an intimate sidewalk jazz bar, a blues club in a restored church – just follow the sound of music and people enjoying the balmy evenings.

For staged performances, the Performing Arts Complex hosts theatre, opera and musical productions. The Suncorp Theatre in the city is home to the Queensland Ballet and regularly hosts the Queensland Theatre Company. Also, the La Boite Theatre offers some local performance highlights. Or, the old-style Tivoli Theatre in Bowen Hills is a majestic venue.

Brisbane city is not only a great destination in its own right: It is an ideal stepping-off point for a range of day tours – into the surrounding hinterland of South East Queensland Country or the vibrant coastal regions of Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast. Just ask a local to suggest where to begin.

It’s a bird lover’s paradise at Lake Bindegolly
By Shaun O’Dowd

Lake Bindegolly is a spectacular national park that combines remoteness with easy accessibility. While the park is located in remote South West Queensland, it also lies right beside the sealed Adventure Way with every convenience located only 30km away in Thargomindah.

Lake Bindegolly National Park is a beautiful contrast of desert landscapes and water. Low red dunes sweep into sparse scrub and glistening lakes. The park is actually made up of three lakes – the saline lakes Bindegolly and Toomaroo, and a freshwater lake called Hutchinson.

The area is most famous for its prolific birdlife. More than 190 species of birds have been recorded in the park. All kinds of waterbirds feed and breed, including pelicans, black swans and several types of waders while parrots, galahs and honeyeaters also call the park home.

Up to 50 different bird species have been logged by observers at one time in and around the lakes system. At sunset, the park is delightful frenzy of activity as birds fly home to roost and busy themselves before the coming night.

The peaceful sight of the sun setting over the plains or glistening on the lake is also another reason why Bindegolly is well worth a visit. There is perhaps nothing quite as beautiful as watching the black swans fly to their roosts before the setting sun and listening to the sleepy calls of the waterfowl as they settle down for the night.

Other fauna you might spot in the park includes skinks, sand goannas, red and grey kangaroos, wedge-tailed eagles and whistling kites.

One of Bindegolly’s major claims to fame is that it is home to a rare tree, found only in one other spot. This is the Acacia Ammophila, a large gidgee-type tree that bursts into a bloom of yellow-coloured wattle-type flowers. Apart from Bindegolly, this tree can only be found at Adavale a little further north.

Evidence that Aboriginals once visited the park comes in the form of smoke-blackened rocks and flints lying around where they use to camp. It’s said that they used to hunt the black swans in the nesting season.

But now the place is a bird-watcher’s paradise and simply a beautiful place on the edge of Queensland’s channel country.

Lake Bindegolly is located 32km east of Thargomindah and 150km west of Cunnamulla right beside the sealed Adventure Way. The park is closed to vehicles but is easily accessed by foot. Camping can be found on the adjacent stock route and you will need to bring all supplies with you. Please do not burn the local timber (as quite often it turns out to be the rare Acacia Ammophila), bring a fuel stove.

Backpacking around Queensland
By Jane Hodges

Australia is one of the world’s best known backpacking destinations. Backpack travellers to Queensland can expect to be greeted by a relaxed lifestyle, friendly people, great weather and an abundance of natural attractions.

Queensland’s capital, Brisbane, would have to be one of the most user-friendly cities for backpackers. There are many backpacker hostels, loads of entertainment venues and easy access to the attractions of South East Queensland. Many travellers wind up spending an extended period living, working and touring in and around Queensland’s River City.

Backpacker zones

Generally backpacker accommodation is to be found in the city heart and the inner city suburbs of Fortitude Valley, New Farm, Woolloongabba, Roma Street and West End.

Where to eat

Good quality budget restaurants are to be found in the Valley’s China Town Mall and Brunswick Street Mall as well as on Boundary Street and Hargrave Road at West End.

Get out and about

A great introduction to Brisbane is a barbecue and trying your skills at abseiling down the cliffs at Kangaroo Point. It certainly guarantees a different way of seeing the city! A day trip to Brisbane Forest Park offers great bushwalking just 30 minutes from the city centre.

Don’t miss a trip down the Brisbane River on the City Cat. Have a swim in the middle of the city at Kodak Beach at South Bank Parklands. Keep an ear open for details of the regular suburban street festivals including New Farm, West End, Paddington and the Spring Hill Fair.

Take a tour of the famous XXXX Brewery at Milton – it’s free and you get to sample the liquid amber if you survive the tour!

Spend the day at Redcliffe 30 minutes north of the city – find a beautiful quiet calm water beach to lie on or hire a dinghy and go fishing. Catch the barge to Moreton Island for a few days camping, swimming and depending on the time of year check out either a game of footy or cricket match at the famous Gabba Ground at Woolloongabba.

Out on the town

Groovy bars and pubs to put on the agenda include The Tongue and Groove, Cru Bar, The GPO, the Empire Hotel, The Storey Bridge Hotel, The Victory Hotel and the Transcontinental Hotel opposite the Transit Centre in Roma Street. Gay venues include the Wickham Hotel on Wickham Street.

Check out Manly

Another popular place to stay for a while is the vibrant bayside suburb of Manly. Manly is a 30 minute train ride east of the city and offers access via ferry and barge to Moreton and Stradbroke Islands. The Moreton Bay Lodge is the local backpacker accommodation located in Manly Harbour Village. The village precinct is the heart of Manly and not surprisingly the emphasis is on the water. Some 2,000 boats operate out of the harbour.

Water-skiing, sailing, diving and game fishing are all possible or take a stroll along the waterside boardwalk or enjoy great bush-walking along the green belt hugging the coast. Restaurants and cafes all enjoy sea views and the local fish markets boast some of the freshest fish and chips anywhere. Backpackers also have access to day and extended camping trips to Moreton and Stradbroke Islands – great surfing, swimming and fishing.

Work

Casual work can be found fairly readily so long as you’re not fussy about what it is that earns you the dollars to allow you to see and experience the region’s best spots. Why not aim to get work as a leaner, a deck hand on a fishing trawler, or the ever reliable hospitality field, waiting tables, bar work or kitchen hand? The Sunshine Coast & Bundaberg regions offer seasonal fruit picking and farm work if you decide to extend your stay in those regions.

Break away

If you’ve got a few days try these getaways, all within a day’s drive of Brisbane:

- World Heritage listed Fraser Island – the world’s largest sand island
- Hervey Bay for Whale Watching between August and October
- The Sunshine Coast – Caloundra, Maroochydore, Mooloolaba & Bribie Island offer budget accommodation, national parks and fantastic surfing beaches
- Bundaberg for a budget introductory diving course and camping on Lady Musgrave Island – a dazzling coral cay
- The Bunya Mountains for bushwalking and total solitude
- The Gold Coast for great night life, surfing and & camping in National Parks
- The Southern Downs and Toowoomba for great National Parks, wineries and a taste of real Australian heritage
Further afield

Queensland’s regional and rural towns and cities offer the chance to extend your stay, see more of the state and work along the way. Here’s a few suggestions of great backpacker destinations throughout the state.

Cairns and surrounds

Many hostels and other forms of budget accommodation make it easy to experience the Great Barrier Reef and the region’s World Heritage rainforests. Ellis Beach Caravan Park north of Cairns offers one of the best coastal caravan parks you’ll ever find. Don’t miss the world heritage listed Daintree rainforest. Lizard Island is breathtakingly beautiful and renowned as one of the world’s best diving spots – and it’s not out of reach – camping is permitted.

Cooktown, about five hours drive north of Cairns, is well worth a couple of days. You can join an Aboriginal bush tucker tour, explore the nearby Trevethan waterfalls or soak up the local history. Seasonal work can be found on farms south of Cairns at Innisfail, Tully and Ingham.

Townsville and Magnetic Island

Great beaches, spectacular reef and rainforest and a relaxed pace are trademarks of the Townsville region. Townsville is a sunny harbour city and home to the world’s largest living reef aquarium. You can also try your luck at the Breakwater Casino or catch the water taxi to Magnetic Island. Magnetic offers a number of budget accommodation options. Hire a mini moke and explore the island or find a quiet sandy cove to have a swim. Diving at Kelso Reef is brilliant – you can also learn to dive in Townsville. Spend a few days in the pristine Paluma rainforest or exploring the old mining town of Charters Towers.

Airlie Beach and Whitsunday Islands in North Queensland are very popular destinations offering a variety of very good backpacker accommodation, cheap eateries and buzzing nightlife. Day trips or extended stays on the islands are reasonably inexpensive. Camping or budget cabins are available on Hook Island.

The most popular activities are diving and spending a few days crewing a sailing yacht around the islands. Sailing is one of the best ways of seeing the Whitsundays and the tariff includes accommodation, linen and meals.

Accommodation in Airlie is plentiful and of a great standard – suggested are Magnums, Koala Backpackers, and the award winning Beaches Backpackers. Airlie is action central with tandem skydiving, paraflying and bungy jumping among the adventure pursuits on offer. Most can be booked through your hostel.

Outback - The Matilda Highway is one of the best inland routes to experience Queensland’s vast landscape, its characters, outback pubs, history and also gain an understanding of life on the land. Features include The Stockman’s Hall of Fame at Longreach, Winton – the birthplace of Waltzing Matilda and Lark Quarry Environmental Park where you can see and learn about ancient dinosaur remains. Public transport is virtually non-existent so the best option is to either pool your money to buy a car or join an outback safari tour.

Drink the mango daiquiri, then down the Bowen Berocca

If Airlie Beach is the party animal of the Whitsundays, then Bowen must surely be the Berocca.

In the cocktail shaker of Queensland tourist destinations, Bowen is the mango daiquiri to Airlie’s martini.

With its yawningly wide streets and gracious heritage buildings, Bowen’s charm is captured in the canvas which still adorns its movie theatre streets.

The eight award-winning beaches positioned in delicate bays lend Bowen much of its understated charm.

Rose Bay Resort, which offers absolute beachfront accommodation, is a gorgeous bud on the tip of the Whitsundays tree.

From the front yard of the four-and-a-half-star property, you can snorkel over delicious coral 50 metres off shore, or laze in a bath tub with a view of the ocean.

Around the corner at Horseshoe Bay, take the time to dine at the cafe where delights made from local produce await. There’s also the more upmarket 360 On The Hill, a gastronomical gem which serves panoramic views of Bowen’s sleepy hollow along with five-star dining.

And if that’s not enough to whet your appetite for Bowen, make sure you visit one of her many fruit or vegetable factories before you leave. You’ll never look at a capsicum the same way again.

The Whitsundays wears many faces; one of her least seen personas is her ecological side.

One of the best ways to sink your teeth into the ecological side of things is on a Whitsunday Crocodile Safari along the Proserpine River.

Here, in the murky depths, there are said to be 150 crocodiles in existence, and the tour has an almost 100 per cent strike rate of sighting one of these reptiles.

If you’re lucky on this trip, you’ll also see a mud skipping fish which walks on land. The trip includes an open-air wagon wetlands tour, nature walk, mud crab capture and display, barbecue lunch and bushman’s billy tea and damper.

For those more interested in the ecology of the Great Barrier Reef, take a Fantasea day tour out to Reefworld where you’ll snorkel and scuba dive in the world’s largest marine park. You’ll almost certainly stumble across Wally, a giant Maori wrasse fish so friendly you half expect him to do the haka.

Reefworld also offers tourists the chance to sleep on the Great Barrier Reef through ReefSleep in a kingsize bed or four bunks on the giant pontoon.

Back on the mainland and in search of another eco adventure, Salty Dog Sea Kayaking may have the answer with its variety of tours. A typical half-day tour may take you to the tiny national park island of White Rock and over to abandoned shacks on Cane Cocky’s beach before kayaking with the turtles back to Shute Harbour.

And after all that adventure, one of the best places to relax with a bird’s eye view of Airlie Beach, is Pinnacles Resort and Spa. The five-star resort offers uninterrupted 180 degree views of the Coral Sea and out towards the islands through its 29 Queensland tropical apartments.

Take a dip in the 20m wet edge pool or, better still, have a spa knowing you’ve sucked in all the essence of another wondrous Whitsunday day.

Just like a Bowen mango.

Airlie – A backpacking Mecca
By Shaun O’Dowd

Sailing to deserted tropical islands or diving on the Great Barrier Reef are only two fantastic activities among many available in the Whitsunday Islands on the North Queensland coast, Australia.

The Whitsundays, made up of 74 islands, is a holiday area geared to the budget traveller, with an energetic mix of land and water attractions and nightlife.

The mainland town of Airlie Beach is the perfect starting point, easily accessible by all major coach companies, two major airports at Proserpine and Hamilton Island and train to Proserpine.

Many backpacker accommodation houses offer free courtesy pick-up when your coach arrives in Airlie’s Shute Harbour Road.

This 400m stretch of street is the heart of the action, offering accommodation, cheap places to eat as well as top restaurants, cafes, nightclubs and tour booking agents.

There is also a post office, banks, plenty of public phones, medical services and many shops offering everything from T-shirts to artwork created by local residents.

A visit to the craft and produce market on the Airlie waterfront, behind Shute Harbour Road, is a must each Saturday morning.

Airlie Beach offers an action-packed range of activities, including bungy jumping, tandem sky-diving, parasailing, a wildlife park, rainforest tours, jet-skiing, joy flights and more.

Nearby Abel Point Marina and Shute Harbour, 10km away, are the jump-off points to the Whitsundays and the Great Barrier Reef and both ports are easily accessible by courtesy bus or regular coach services.

A top way to see the pristine islands and reefs is by overnight sailing cruises ranging from two to five nights.

As you sail among deserted islands, beaches and reefs, travellers can dive and snorkel among colourful fish and coral, bushwalk through tropical forest and sunbake on deserted beaches while the boat’s crew pampers you.

There are a wide range of one-day trips to the reef and the world famous island resorts – such as Hamilton, Daydream and Hook – with some cruises taking in more than one resort during the day.

Hook Island Resort, situated in a sandy cove overlooking mountainous Whitsunday Island, is particularly geared to the budget traveller.

Many cruises stop at Whitehaven Beach, a spectacular 5km stretch of pure white sand and crystal blue water.

Some cruises are aimed at certified divers while many places offer diving courses ranging from beginner to advanced.

While cruising during July to September, you might spot a Humpback whale as these gentle giants migrate to the Whitsundays from Antarctica to breed.

There are special cruises dedicated to whale watching during these months.

The Whitsundays is an area that offers energy and excitement where nature’s beauty abounds.

Great Barrier Reef – Dive Down Under

There’s no better place to scuba dive than Queensland’s dazzling World Heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef. Novice diver Jane Hodges took the plunge.

Swimming through a snug gap in an underwater coral cave was something I never thought I’d do. But holidays often bring pleasant surprises. There are few things that compare to my first dive on Queensland’s World Heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef. Words certainly do not suffice to convey the feeling.

Exhilaration and excitement come close, sensory overload almost nails it. But actually doing it is the only way you’ll ever know what it is to be amongst dazzling fish and coral, a true wonder of the world.

It is all new: listening to the rhythm of my breathing, the gurgle of bubbles as they rise to the surface, watching fish glide by, small iridescent ones darting in and out of crevices. Even my new wet suit skin and heavy weight belt, tank on my back, and mask firmly suctioned to my face take some getting used to. And having to wait until I surface to let out the ‘Wow!’ that’s dying to escape is sweet torture.

The Great Barrier Reef was world heritage listed in 1981 and is the largest structure on Earth made by living organisms. It extends more than 2,000km from just south of the Tropic of Capricorn off Queensland’s central coast, north to the coastal waters of Papua New Guinea. It has the world’s largest collection of coral reefs, some 3,400,400 types of coral, 1,500 species of fish and 4,000 types of mollusc. Most of the reef is around two million years old with the oldest sections dated at 18 million years old.

Learning to dive is just one option on board the Coral Princess, a magnificent 35m cruiser which plies the azure Coral Sea between the mainland ports of Cairns and Townsville.

The three night cruise for a select 52 passengers departs from either port – the itinerary taking in resort and uninhabited tropical islands, largely undeveloped coastline, rainforest walks, glass bottom boat coral viewing, and snorkelling on pristine Great Barrier Reef sites exclusive to the Coral Princess.

There is also reef fishing from the back deck, sunbaking or watching the world go by, cool cocktail in hand, from the comfortable vantage of the upper deck spa.

The emphasis is on service, safety and luxury, with a friendly crew including a dive master, marine biologist, chef and cruise director aboard to ensure your every wish is granted.

There are two lounges equipped with books and videos and regular talks and slide shows on the ecology of the reef and islands visited.

The food is fresh and abundant and features local exotic fruits and vegetables as well as fresh seafood. The chef will even transform the whopper that didn’t get away into sushi or the best fish and chips you’ve ever eaten!

You can even do business afloat. Coral Princess specialises in designing tailored cruise itineraries for conferences of up to 52 delegates. Sessions are accommodated theatre style with video, slide projection and white board facilities on hand. Truthfully though, it’s hard to think of work when there’s a wonderland waiting to be discovered below.

Great Barrier Reef Dive Sites

The Great Barrier Reef stretches along the entire Queensland coastline covering several regions and the state’s warm sub-tropical climate means you can dive and snorkel all year round. You could dive on the world’s largest marine park every day for the rest of your life and still not see it all, so a few recommendations will be helpful!

Diving in the Tropical North Queensland Region

Stretching from Cairns to Cape York at the northern tip of mainland Australia, the northern region of the Reef offers a fantastic range of diving holidays in the cleanest waters of the world with visibility often exceeding 100m. There’s spectacular marine life, isolated atolls, amazing drop offs, exciting shark feeding stations and intact shipwrecks.

Many of the most exotic dive sites are close to Cairns. Popular reefs include Thetford Reef which has sand cays, walls and coral gardens and small caves in 20-30m of water, and Norman Reef, the site of a large fully-roofed pontoon that serves as a base for visits to nearby smaller reefs.

North of Cairns, Lizard Island and the Cod Hole are dive sites of international repute. Divers journey from around the world to dive with the friendly giant potato cod.

Shipwreck buffs must include a dive on the RMS Quetta wreck which sunk in the Torres Strait in 1890 and lies on her side in good condition off the tip of Cape York.

Diving in the Townsville Region

The section of the Great Barrier Reef covering Mission Beach, Townsville and Bowen offers some great diving experiences along the outer edge of the Reef. This is a region where the serious diver should look to make use of the many excellent charter boats and take extended trips.

Most of the reefs in this region boast terrific photograph opportunities. Bowl Reef No. 1 has many large and varied Gorgonian fans, caves, drop-offs, fish feeding and good night diving. John Brewer Reef is good for shallow reef diving and some shark feeding. When your time is limited Kelso Reef is a great day trip option.

The coral reefs off the coast of Bowen are littered with shipwrecks including the famous Gothenburg which sank with great loss of life and a cargo of gold in 1854.

Diving in the Whitsunday Region

The most popular scuba diving locations around the Whitsunday Islands are located at the northern end of Hook Island which is sheltered from the southerly weather. There are many day trips and extended cruises departing from Shute Harbour at Airlie Beach and the island resorts.

Bait Reef and its famous Stepping Stones in the north-east of the region is the closest reef to the mainland. This reef is famous for its diversity of great dive experiences and locations. Another popular dive site is Black Reef, a fantasyland for scuba diving exploration.
To maximise your dive or snorkel time you can stay overnight on ReefSleep a pontoon permanently moored at Hardy Reef.

Diving in the Mackay Region

The most popular dive site of the Mackay Region is Credlin Reef which has at least ten excellent sites along the permanently moored giant pontoon for both beginner and advanced divers.

Located 150km offshore south-east of Mackay, is a vast intricate reef system extending south for 200km and known as Pompey Complex. Here strong currents have scored great coral rivers as deep as 80m between the reef, flowing up to 12 knots and creating giant whirlpools and undersea currents.

Diving in the Capricorn Coast Region

For ideal diving in this region make your base Great Keppel Island, situated in the heart of the Capricorn Reef which has nine great diving sites.

Nearby North West Island is the largest coral cay on the Great Barrier Reef, covering an area of 91 hectares. Other dive sites include Man and Wife Islands, Bald Rock, Halfway Island, Barren Island, Parkers Bommie sea gardens and Child Rock.

Diving in the Gladstone Region

Make Gladstone your departure point for coral cay Heron Island, which also offers a stylish resort and the Swan Reefs. Located at the southern end of the Great Barrier Reef, about 200km offshore, magnificent reef is just a few steps from the beach at Heron and a vast patchwork maze of coral gardens and lagoons provide spectacular dive sites to explore.

Diving in the Bundaberg Region

There are many first class diving adventures waiting for you in the Bundaberg Region include Evans Rock which is about 22km from Burnett Heads. This small reef is like an oasis in the sand. For something completely different, explore a World War II bomber which came down in 1943 in 27m of water and seven nautical miles from Bargara.

Lady Elliot Island, which lies 85km northeast of Bundaberg is an unspoilt coral cay which is actually part of the Reef. It is central to ten dive sites including Lighthouse Hommie, Coral Gardens, Moiri and Shark Pool. The visibility is excellent and ranges from 80-25m. You can also explore the many shipwrecks in the waters off the island. Another dazzling coral cay, Lady Musgrave Island, is an easy day trip from Bundaberg.

Diving in the Fraser Coast Region

There’s interesting diving to be enjoyed in the sandy straits between the mainland of the Fraser Coast Region and Fraser Island. The water is alive with dugongs, turtles and porpoises. Explore sunken wrecks teeming with marine life at Roy Rufus, the largest artificial reef in the world.

The many wrecks of Fraser Island include the Panama (1864), the Sterling Castle (1836) and the Marloo which lies 400m off shore in 12m of water and which is abundant with marine life.

Diving in the Sunshine Coast Region

Abundant marine life and shipwrecks attract divers to the reefs offshore from Mooloolaba and Noosa Heads. Wolf Rock off Double Island Point is a power packed dive with many turtles, leopard rays, barramundi and giant manta rays.

Diving in the Brisbane Region

Moreton Bay is the Brisbane region’s offshore playground complete with unique diving experiences. Flinders Reef has 10 magnificent acres of beautiful coral gardens and majestic drop offs. There are more varieties of coral in this spot than in any other part of the Great Barrier Reef. Off Moreton Island lies Curtin Artificial Reef, one of the largest artificial reefs in the southern hemisphere. It comprises a number of sunken craft and offers interesting diving.

The waters around Stradbroke Island are littered with shipwrecks including the Cambus Wallace (1894), the Prosperity (1902), the Lorna Doone (1888), the Sovereign (1847), the Countess of Derby (1853), and a mysterious 16th century Spanish galleon in the brackish waters of the eighteen mile swamp.

Diving in the Gold Coast Region

Enjoy great ocean diving by charter boats to reefs about 6km offshore. Dive the 10m hole off Broadbeach or explore the wreck of the Scottish Prince which went down in 1887 with a load of whiskey and lies just north of Sea World.

Gold Coast has it all
By Tony Walsh

A combination of golden beaches, a green mountain hinterland and the most varied theme attractions in Australia, make Queensland’s Gold Coast the nation’s most popular holiday playground.

Sixty-five kilometres south east of Brisbane is a tourist mecca – the Gold Coast. The region’s 42km coastline stretches from Southport to Coolangatta and basks in more than 300 days of sunshine each year.

Each year, more than four million visitors flock to the Gold Coast for their holidays, making the Gold Coast the most popular tourism region in the state.

This can be attributed to the depth and variety of the tourism products to experience and enjoy. The Gold Coast is a combination of nature’s best and a range of theme attractions and events.
Beaches

Surfing beaches with such alluring names as Palm Beach, Rainbow Bay, Mermaid Beach and Surfers Paradise offer soft golden sand, rolling waves and the perfect setting for a walk along the shoreline at sunset. The clean, uncrowded beaches may be the main thing visitors are looking for in a holiday and the Gold Coast has them all in abundance. Enjoy and relax.
Theme Parks

Nestled behind the sand dunes at the northern end of the Gold Coast is Sea World; the nation’s most comprehensive marine zoological park. It gives visitors a unique entertainment and educational window to the underwater world, as well as the best daily exhibition of stunt water skiing on a lake that occupies almost one-third of the 24.6 hectare park. The new Shark Bay, which opened in April 2004, gives visitors the chance to view tiger sharks (as well as others) from the underwater viewing chamber. For an additional cost, visitors can scuba dive with the sharks.

Other attractions at Sea World include the seal and dolphin presentations that keep both children and adults on the edge of their seats as these beautiful marine creatures go through a series of complicated and entertaining jumps, flips and rolls. Australia’s only polar bears are housed at Sea World where they delight visitors with their energetic and playful behaviour. Large underwater viewing chambers make it easy for guests to see the four bears in the naturalistic and stimulating environment. Sea World also has a water park and a series of exciting rides such as the Corkscrew Roller Coaster and Bermuda Triangle.

There are two other major theme attractions on the Gold Coast: Warner Bros. Movie World and Dreamworld. The entry price covers all rides and attractions within each complex.

At Warner Bros. Movieworld, guests can watch real movies being made and enjoy a variety of stunt shows. Rides such as the Scooby Doo Spooky Coaster, the Lethal Weapon and the Wild West Falls Adventure Ride, make it a day to remember.

Enter through the impressive gates of Dreamworld and a day of excitement awaits you at every turn. See movies in the IMAX cinema, cuddle koalas, see rare gold and white bengal tigers on Tiger Island, ride the rapids in a hollowed-out log, or climb aboard the thrilling Tower of Terror or the Giant Drop.
Dining

The Gold Coast has more restaurants per square kilometre than anywhere else in Australia.
A mix of cultures and influences has turned the Gold Coast into a culinary masterpiece, and with over 500 restaurants to choose from, the delights of dining out is now an integral part of the holiday scene.
Shopping

For the avid shopper, the Gold Coast is an experience of a lifetime perfectly supplied with an amazing array of shopping resorts, innovative boutiques and shopping villages. Cruise boats meander north from the centre of Surfers Paradise along sheltered waterways to Sanctuary Cove. Here the waterfront marine village has shops selling the best of Australian designer labels and creative handicrafts.

Water taxis depart from the wharf at the river-end of Cavill Ave in Surfers Paradise and travel through the residential canal estates to Queensland’s largest shopping centre, Pacific Fair. This centre is laid out in a village style, devoid of cars. There is also the Robina Town Centre; an extravaganza of department stores and scores of speciality shops.
Evening entertainment

Across the road from Pacific Fair is the exciting Hotel Conrad and Jupiters Casino. Open 24 hours a day with first class dining and entertainment facilities, the casino is a very pleasant venue to win or lose and offers the opportunity to try the gambling game peculiar to Australia – Two Up. The complex, which never closes, comprises nine bars, six restaurants, a live international stage show, nightclub, and an English pub.

There are dinner cruises on the Nerang River, a theme theatre restaurant called Draculas (which features a Gothic comedy), dinner shows and nightclubs in Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach that all provide a reason to go out and party in the evening on the Gold Coast.
Nature’s best

If a change from the bright lights of shopping or the casino is desired, then tourists can hire a car or take an organised coach trip to the ‘green behind the gold’ in the mountains and valleys of the Gold Coast hinterland. Seek out the soft illumination of the glow worms at the Natural Arch or unpack a picnic beside a towering waterfall at Springbrook. Sunlover Holidays has gathered the best local tour operators to offer a range of informative and eco-tourism based tours to unlock this special part of the region. Towering waterfalls, crystal clear mountain streams, perhaps a picnic in a World Heritage Listed Rainforest – the choice is endless and is sure to please.
Other attractions

Located in South Tweed Heads, the Minjungbal Aboriginal Cultural Centre offers the opportunity to learn about local Aboriginal customs via detailed exhibits and video presentations. The Centre houses a display showing all aspects of Aboriginal lifestyle in the north coast of NSW. There are conducted tours which include a dance display and bush tucker talk. The centre also includes an Aboriginal trail which encompasses a walk along the adjoining mangrove area.

If the surf is flat there are plenty of other water-based adventure activities to indulge in. Cable Ski World at Runaway Bay offers the chance to go water skiing without the boat, while a cruise to South Stradbroke Island Resort, Couran Cove, or to Sanctuary Cove allows visitors to take in the beauty of the Southport Broadwater.

Back on land but with your feet not completely planted on the ground, why not try a motorcycle tour by Harley Davidson, or a Quad Challenge which takes in a wild mountain bike ride, a power boat ride, a helicopter flight and a choice of bungee-jump, para-sailing or jet-ski.
Arts

The Gold Coast Arts Centre on Bundall Road in Surfers Paradise is the largest regional arts and entertainment complex in Australia. The art gallery is open Monday – Friday 10am to 5pm, and weekends 11am to 5pm. The complex also includes a theatre that hosts a number of major productions each year. There is also a cinema, restaurant, and function/community rooms.

Sanctuary Cove’s waterfront Marine Shopping Village has a number of world-renowned artists in residence. Visitors can browse through galleries or take a more interactive role at the Jabiou Gallery of fine Arts which offers visitors a unique chance to work with some of the artists.

The Marina Mirage shopping complex on the Spit at Southport merges the arts and shopping into one experience. Dress and fashion boutiques are alongside world-renowned art galleries. These include the large Schubert Gallery which deals in a broad variety of all Australian talent.

A 30-minute drive from the Gold Coast will find you at Tamborine Mountain; a rainforest oasis nestled high on the range. It has attracted a community of interesting artists and their work captures the beauty of the area. Their artwork features an interesting blend of colour, texture and shape, and includes ceramics, designer silks, sculpture, painting and leather work. Visitors are invited to enter this community through the Gallery Walk located on Long Road, Eagle Heights. There is also a popular community market that is held from morning to afternoon on the second Sunday of each month.
Markets

The Gold Coast is renowned for quality markets staged regularly throughout the region. Markets are held as follows:

Surfers Paradise beachfront – every Friday evening
Broadbeach – first and third Sunday
Burleigh – last Sunday
Coolangatta – every second Sunday
Tamborine Mountain – second Sunday
Canungra country market – first Sunday
Paradise Point Art and Craft Market – fourth Sunday

The original and biggest market on the Gold Coast is held each weekend at Carrara.
Accommodation

Accommodation on the Gold Coast ranges from backpacker hostels and camping reserves to self-contained apartments and five-star international hotels. If golf is to be the main recreational activity, then stay right on the course at one of the fully integrated golf resorts such as the Royal Pines or Sanctuary Cove.

As the marketing slogan of the Gold Coast proudly boasts – this is the Coast with Most!

Matilda History Begins with Tiny Outback Waterhole

Way out in Queensland’s Outback lies a peaceful waterhole surrounded by pretty coolibah trees, a perfect spot for a dip or a rest in the shade.

As you peer at the wide, blue sky above, its hard to believe that this is the place that inspired Banjo Paterson’s immortal ballad, Waltzing Matilda.

This is the Combo Waterhole. It lies just south-east of the tiny settlement of Kynuna, on the sealed Matilda Highway in the North West Outback.

Legend has it that the billabong inspired Banjo Paterson to write his famous poem while visiting nearby Dagworth Station.

It’s believed Banjo took his cue when Dagworth owner Bob MacPherson told him of the suicide of a shearer who was involved in the great strikes of the 1890s, which led to the burning of the Dagworth shearing shed.

Banjo heard several other stories of this nature and he soon penned the words to what became Australia’s unofficial national anthem.

Legend has it that Christina MacPherson of Dagworth adpated a Scottish tune, Cragielea, for the music to the ballad.

The Combo Waterhole is easy to find. Drive on the Matilda Highway south-east out of Kynuna for about 13km.

The turn-off is well marked and a short drive leads to a car park. The waterhole is a 40 minute return walk. Remember to take a hat and some water with you.

Depending on the time of the year, you might find a few good places to take a swim as the Diamantina River meanders through the area.

Stone pitch-work found along the walk was actually built more than a century ago by Chinese labour.

The Combo Waterhole is a day access place only and has limited facilities.

Those who want to find out more can head 145km south-west along the Matilda Highway to Winton where the Waltzing Matilda Centre is situated.

Here, Banjo Paterson’s story is spelled out in full detail with a sound and light show and interactive displays. Also on the premises is a regional art gallery and the Qantilda Museum with its vast collection of pioneering memorabilia.

Winton also claims fame as the place where Waltzing Matilda was first performed.

Christina and Banjo apparently travelled to Winton where the ballad was sung by Herbert, later Sir Herbert, Ramsay who was accompanied by piano at the North Gregory Hotel.

It’s hard to believe a pretty little town and a picturesque waterhole way out west could have inspired such an amazing episode in Australian history.

Brumbies, Bush Ballads and Blue Heelers
By Suzy Young

Beyond the broken bloodwoods, o’er the timbered rise,
And past the range and river the ghost of Koombit lies;
And when the bush winds whisper it seems as though one hears
The echoing of hoofbeats and the songs of vanished years.

From The Kroombit Boys by Lex McLennan.

Jouncing along the rugged forest tracks ‘over the timbered rise’ of Kroombit Tops National Park, near Biloela in Central Queensland, I not only heard those ‘echoing hoofbeats’, but saw a beautiful fat bay brumby streaking along through the trees and across the road right in front of us.

And while I know that feral animals are technically pests, this wild creature was a reminder of those glory days when the bush was truly wild and this particular piece of country was one of the wildest bits, with its thick forests, deep gorges and magnificent escarpments.

The spirit and strength of Australian bush tradition celebrated in McLennan’s poem have certainly not vanished out here; indeed they are being kept alive by folks like Alan Sandilands who runs Kroombit Park and who is our guide out here ‘beyond the broken bloodwoods’.

Alan is a bushie and a cattleman, but in difficult times has decided to use his 10,000 acres and his bush skills for more than simply grazing his Brahman cross heifers. He and his wife Carol have set up the Kroombit Park for a variety of travellers from Aussies on a caravan holiday to busloads of overseas tourists eager for a taste of the real Australian country.

This place is the real thing, not a sanitised simulacrum of the bush. We arrived in the pitch dark, after following another vehicle for the last 18km along a winding, dipping, gravel road out of Biloela, in a nightmarish pall of dust. The light of a glowing campfire and two enormous, friendly dogs greeted us along with a welcoming handshake from Alan and dinner simmering in a couple of big cast-iron camp ovens.

We collapsed gratefully at one of the giant tables made of massive logs with huge slabs of timber as tops, and the big dogs retired to the perimeter to watch us eat. We’d only been in ‘the bush’ for a few minutes but ate like stockmen who’ve been mustering cattle all day. Roast lamb, boiled potatoes, and three veg, with lots of gravy, were followed by hot chocolate pudding and endless cups of billy tea with that special smoky flavour, as we listened to the story of Kroombit and plans for the next day’s trek into the wilderness.

Alan is a typical taciturn country bloke, but his love of the land shines through his quiet voice and dignified demeanor. The area was first named and leased by the famous Archer brothers, who came from Norway and opened up much of the surrounding country, and later was owned by the appropriately named Rideout family. The eldest, Billy, a well-known horseman, settled the Lochenbar Station at a time when the legends were born about ‘the Kroombit boys’, who could ride horses that no one else could attempt and who were reputed to be able to smoke a quiet cigar as they rode the unruly beasts.

Eventually, the land came to the Sandilands, including the spectacular gorge country of Kroombit Tops, with its dramatic sandstone escarpment and amazing variety of landform. These two most rugged portions later reverted to national Park, but Alan has a special lease to be able to take visitors in to experience their special beauty.

Through wide open grazing land with huge grey gum trees, thick vine forest, old fossicking country and finally the Tops themselves, the day tour takes two and a half hours of sometimes breathholding 4WD journey just to get to the Tops .

Miners once honeycombed this country with diggings and Alan showed us a creek bed which looks at first as if it was created by rushing water, but which was, amazingly, dug out by Chinese miners and carefully lined with rock to serve as a sluiceway for extracting gold. The drystone walls are as neat as you’d find in a suburban garden, but quite startling in this remote creekbed.

We visited the eerie spot where a B24 Liberator Bomber crashed into the mountainside one wet, stormy night in 1945, in country so rugged that the wreckage wasn’t found for nearly 50 years. Alan remembers the discovery and feels that the young airmen who perished there deserve a memorial.

Later we were treated to a visit to a prehistoric-looking patch of thick rainforest where very little light penetrates into an atmosphere of lush green stillness where massive tree ferns are reflected in big still black pools of water thick with fallen palm fronds and the air is vibrant with startling bird calls.

But the real piece de resistance are the Kroombit Falls, even in the dry weather. Hidden behind a locked gate followed by the steepest gravel track I’ve seen, and a 100 metre scramble through thickets of lantana, the falls come as a stunning surprise.

A tumble of massive sandstone boulders erupts from the bush and then drops 100 metres into even wilder country. We sat for a long time at the top of the falls trying to take it all in, then scrambled through lantana scrub and over more rocks to the almost hidden Little Falls, further up the creek, where the creek flowed deep and dark through a steep-sided chasm of sandstone. The only way to actually see these falls is to plunge in and swim another 50m up the chasm and around a bend in the gorge. We were just as happy to explore the caves and rock pools, admiring tiny wildflowers, elkhorn ferns, orchids and tiny, tenacious fig trees that cling the rock faces of the gorge.

As Alan showed us ‘his’ Kroombit, and told us its history, we sensed his deep pride in this magnificent spot. He feels responsible, along with the National Parks, for protecting it from irresponsible use and exploitation. On the two and a half hour drive home in the deepening dusk, we stopped for a stunning sunset that lit the sky like celestial wildfire and then faded until it resembles an ancient Chinese painting.

By the time we’d opened and shut the 22 gates between the Tops and the campfire that was already cooking our dinner, we felt we’d met ‘the ghost of Kroombit’ and heard that ‘bush wind whisper’. Instead of ‘the songs of vanished years’ we heard country music on a guitar around the fire along with the happy chatter of the latest mob of travellers who’d arrived by bus for their taste of bush living. They’d been exploring the countryside on horseback.

Sixty horses are on hand for trail rides, and besides camping and caravan sites, there is accomodation for up to 160 visitors, ranging from bunkhouses to a couple of very comfortable cabins for up to four people each, with verandahs and ensuites. A swimming pool has been added for the lazy summer days, but the day long tour to Kroombit Tops or the more adventurous camp-out under the stars is really why you are here.

Kroombit Park has now added EcoCertification to its offerings, but like most country people, the Sandilands have always observed the time-honoured practices of avoiding waste, using the produce of the land and natural materials as often as possible, conserving water, using reusable containers instead of disposables, and the myriad other commonsense bush ways that have been around for years.

They are also equipped for parties of children and have wheelchair access, so you don’t have to be as rugged as the ‘Kroombit Boys’ those, ‘Kings of the rope and saddle, lean princes of the reins’ to enjoy this genuine outback experience.