Hello travelers! What follows is my totally unsolicited plug for one of the most beautiful places I've been lucky enough to visit. This trip happened in 2023, but I've been dreaming about it ever since. I would recommend Australia to anyone, but if you are an American that needs to get away from our country's daily disappointments for a bit and have stumbled upon this post, may I humbly suggest flying over 7 thousand miles away to a land full of red rocks, hot chooks, and bright blue seas?
The world's sixth largest country and the world's largest island, Australia is full of ancient landscapes, with much of its biodiversity found nowhere else in the world. It has the largest reef in the world, and the largest monolith, Uluru. It's got whale sharks, quokkas and stromatolites (earliest-known life forms on the planet), and the oldest continually surviving rainforest (older than the Amazon). Oh, and it's got more insects than you can shake a didgeridoo at! Over 60 thousand described and thousands more yet to be discovered and named. It's a wildlife-lover's dream!
If you are anything like me, planning a big trip like this can be fun but full of difficult choices. I read SO many travel books and blogs, did tons of research on the best sights to see (and things to eat). And when Covid pushed back our travel dates significantly, I ended up with about TWO YEARS to do said research in. After all this, and having now experienced all of the places I had been dreaming about for so long, I want to share my experiences. I hope they help you plan your very own trip down under someday!
Before we begin, a word of warning: during the planning stages of any Australia trip, folks are going to try to convince you that you should go to New Zealand instead, even those who have never visited either place! Now, I'm sure that New Zealand is an amazing and unique wonderland of glaciers, Hobbity-holes, and emerald forests. And if that's what you want, then by all means, pack your Bilbo Baggins and get over there! But I would wager that both countries are unique enough to defy comparison. Australia's landscape is totally it's own, and if you, like me, had a childhood of watching nature documentaries, Steve Irwin and, I'm a little ashamed to admit, Crocodile Dundee, then know what you have to do.
With three weeks to spare, it felt important to only commit to seeing a few places rather than trying to "see it all" in a country almost the size of the United States. So it was with a heavy heart that we wrote off many of Australia's iconic landmarks and chose to focus on Sydney and North Queensland. I'm really glad we did it this way, but of course in hindsight I might do a few things differently....
First off, Sydney! This is where a lot of international flights land first, and it's worth staying awhile. I wasn't prepared for how lovely and clean and friendly Sydney is! Maybe it was the 14+ hour flight, but stepping out of the airport into crisp antipodean Spring sunshine was magical. Ibises perused the parks and kookaburras cackled from high perches. The buildings exuded character and were shaded by pleasant leafy streets. Charming open-air cafes could be found around each corner serving up healthy brunchy food and English-style breakfasts.
We stayed at the Medusa hotel in the centrally-located and foodie-approved Darlinghurst neighborhood. The rooms are *lightly* Medusa-themed, and are very comfortable. This neighborhood was great for us as it was not too touristy, but walkable to all the touristy sights like the opera house, botanical garden, and harbor bridge. An extra bonus is that if you find yourself in the Darlinghurst area, you are not too far from Malabar South Indian Restaurant, and chickpea fritters that will breathe new spicy life into the most travel weary of souls.
We only had 3 days to take in Sydney, and in retrospect, we should have spent more. But we were able to see the greatest hits. The Sydney botanical garden was top of the list. It is a verdant oasis full of plant and avian life. You could spend the whole day there wandering its grounds. At the edge of the botanical garden you reach the waterfront, and eventually, the opera house. It's strange to see such an iconic building in person. From a distance Its pointed ridges look like the sails of a ship set against the sparkling blue water of Bennelong bay, and up close you discover that the entire building is covered in thousands of cream-colored tiles. Who knew? Not me!
From the opera house you can wander past the ferries (I wish we had had time to take one for a cruise or over to Manly beach or just out on the bay for another perspective of the city). Past the ferries you eventually come to the historic Rocks area.
The next day we got out of the city center and headed to the one and only Bondi beach! If you are like Mark and me, and you couldn't get enough of the Australian tv show Instant Hotel, then you might be interested to know that you can visit/creep around Babe and Bondi's Airbnb from season 1! If you aren't crazy like us, then you should just head over to the beach, and walk the Bondi to Coogee beach cliff walk. It takes you past the picturesque icebergs pool (you can swim here but you gotta pay up!), and down the winding coastal trails past noisy flocks of cockatiels, rocky outcrops, and banksia hedges brimming with rainbow lorikeets. I heard a lot of spooky stories about all the snakes and spiders that live in Australia, but no one prepared me for the BIRDS! Cockatiels, parrots, lorikeets, kookaburras - just hanging around every which where like some jubilant Jurassic Park.
And speaking of cockatiels, if you are in the Sydney area you must take a trip to the Blue Mountains. We took the train to Katoomba station to see the area and do a couple of day hikes. From town you can get a shuttle over to the blue mountains visitor center for lookout views and hiking trails. The eucalyptus forest here is dense and majestic, and sulphur-crested cockatiels dominate the landscape with their gregarious antics and prehistoric calls that echo over the canyon. Along the trails there were lyrebirds and various interesting parrots munching quietly in the trees.
Katoomba town is bustling and cute, with lots of cafes and shops. Mountain Culture Brewery is perched at the top of a hill and brimming with interesting beers and outdoor seating with great views.
But the REAL gem here is Unique Patisserie, a bakery at first glance but with a somewhat unexpected Malaysian menu. Just ask! They have delicious and affordable dishes like Laksa and Randang. If you have more time maybe stay a couple nights in the Wentworth Falls or Blackheath areas, to really soak in the quiet and peaceful atmosphere of the region. That is a constant theme - take more time, don't rush! The Sydney area deserves it. With another few days to a week we would have stayed longer in the Blue Mountains, checked out some glow worm tunnels, as well as ventured south of Sydney to explore Royal and Booderee National Parks.
After our all-too brief 3 days in Sydney, it was time for our 3 hour "party flight" to Cairns. There were a lot of locals going on vacation up north it seemed! Maybe Cairns is their Hawaii? Upon arrival we picked up our rental car and, as it was our first time driving on the left side of the road, proceeded to scream all the way to downtown Cairns (a 20 minute drive). We went slow and it was OK. Turns out people are pretty nice and considerate drivers in this part of the world, and don't mind waiting while our American brains processes which lane we should be in.
And where were we going in downtown Cairns?? Rusty's Market! A tropical DREAM of a farmers market. Imagine: overflowing stands of veggies and tropical produce at amazing prices. Go an hour before closing time for the best deals, and bring some canvas bags with you. I looked like a passionfruit-burgler by the end of it with fruits falling out of my hands and pockets. They also have food trucks with smoothies, tropical ice cream, and Thai food. Oh and BY THE WAY. Macadamia nuts are grown in Australia and they are affordable there! If someone had told me this beforehand I would have slapped them in incredulity. I ate them by the fistful every day like some nut kingpin.
From tropical Cairns the highway climbs through the cool misty jungles of Kuranda and beyond where rainforest eventually gives way to eucalyptus trees, brushy vegetation, and red dirt. This is North Queensland's tropical savanna, part of the Savannah Way drive that eventually ends in Broome all the way in Western Australia. We only went a fraction of the way, about an hour and a half inland to the town of Dimbulah to get a little taste of the outback, and to eat all of our fruit riches in the privacy of The Ironbark House.
This off-the-grid home is set onto the side of a hill with a wildlife safari-like view over the surrounding savannah. Mornings and evenings were the most exciting, with many interesting birds coming to visit the trees and small water hole in the yard. Some were quite shy, so we would sit quietly until they started peeking from behind branches. The hosts provide birdwatching books, which helped identify the pale-headed rosellas which landed there in small flocks. You can even venture out with the hosts who act as guides for this sprawling ranch and reserve. Tours include a visit to an adorable resident colony of rock wallabies and a night time wildlife spotting adventure. We even saw a bowerbird nest!
From Dimbulah it's an easy day trip (but watch out for kangaroos!), to the former mining town of Chillagoe, which has some interesting hikes and caves and rock art to explore. This was the most classically looking "outback" landscape of the trip, and it was really beautiful. If we had had more time in the area I would have liked to check out more inland sights like the Talaroo and Innot hot springs.
From Dimbulah we drove across scenic forest and farmland of the Atherton tablelands to reach Mission beach. Mission Beach is a pretty area, and a great spot to stay for awhile if you have lots of time to just relax. If you are limited on time however, I wouldn't say it is a must-see. It is worth stopping by to do a hike through the uniquely beautiful Licuala palm forests. And if you have a hankering to spot the elusive and potentially dangerous cassowary, then it's worth a night or two stay at the Licuala Lodge. Their manicured grounds border protected land and are frequently visited by these prehistoric muppets, particularly in the morning over breakfast. We had four sightings in all during our stay! We saw them nowhere else our entire time in the area or further north in the Daintree rainforest.
We chose to visit Mission Beach in part because you can take a boat trip out to the great barrier reef here. Being farther south than Cairns and Port Douglas, it receives fewer tourists. With that said, we weren't blown away with the reef in this area, and saw much more fantastic snorkeling/diving spots further north (more on that to come). However, on our boat trip we met a pair of travel writers from the UK who have a great blog, Never Ending Voyage, that has helped plan many trips since! Check it out, it's humorous with tons of great info.
From Mission Beach we headed north to Babinda Boulders, where I highly recommend stopping for a quick swim, and then the world-heritage listed Daintree rainforest. At 180 million years old, the Daintree is the oldest continually-surviving rainforest on the planet. It is a remnant of what was once a vast forest covering all of Australia, and for that reason sustains a huge diversity of plants and animals. There are two general areas of the Daintree rainforest to visit - the area around Mossman Gorge and Daintree Village, and across the car ferry to the wilds of Cape Tribulation.
We spent half a day hiking through Mossman Gorge. The trees there are huge and ancient and the water flows in crystal clear rivers and streams. You can swim there but must take care not to go in where the rivers look to fast-moving. This area is owned by its indigenous owners, who are stewards of the land.
Just south of the car ferry to Cape tribulation you can hop on a crocodile-spotting boat trip. Daintree River Cruises is an eco-friendly company whose tour guides were a wealth of info. We saw several crocs during our tour!
Onto the car ferry and over the river you find yourself in Cape Tribulation, an untouched wilderness where the sounds of insects and birds are thick in the air. We stayed at a lovely eco-retreat complete with an outdoor shower and tub. There are funny doves that live in the area called wompoo fruit doves. Despite their bright yellow and purple feathers they are very hard to see, but we could hear their distinctive "woompoo" calls emanating from the forest.
Cape Tribulation has a sleepy quality to it, in the best way possible. There are tons of wild beaches with beautiful blue-green water, river-swimming holes, and an abundance of tropical fruit! Visiting the Daintree Fan Palm Farm was a highlight. Set amidst a towering fan palm forest, this market sells a huge variety of organic and tropical produce, as well as healthy food items. The owners are super friendly and during our visit there were oodles of free-range baby ducks and chickens running around. The Daintree Ice Cream Company is also absolutely worth a visit. Not only can you sample a variety of unusual tropical ice cream flavors, but you can also walk around their farm and take in the impressive fruit trees.
The further north you go along the east coast, the closer the great barrier reef is to the shore, so Cape Tribulation makes a great jumping off point to visit it, especially if you aren't fond of long boat rides and crowded tours! We joined an Ocean Safari tour for a morning speedboat ride out to McKay Caye. I was clinging on for dear life during the boat ride, but the upside is that it only takes half an hour to get to the reef. The water surrounding Mckay Caye is shallow, crystal clear, and like something out of a coral reef screensaver! If you can, go on the morning tour, as the winds seemed to pick up in the afternoon which would make for a rockier boat trip.
I can't speak to the trips leaving from Port Douglas or Cairns because we didn't spend too much time in either place, but I highly recommend Cairns for a stop or two at Rusty's Market, and to check out Doongal Aboriginal Art Gallery downtown, which is a wonderful place to shop for local art.
North of Cape Tribulation is a 4W drive stretch of dirt road called the Bloomfield Track that takes you up the Cape York peninsula. Having zero 4WD skills we opted not to venture further, but tours are available and are probably really fun. You can also journey up to the small town of Laura via paved roads further inland. Being short on time we didn't do this, but in retrospect we probably should have! Especially to see the over 40 thousand year old Quinkan rock art sites in the area. Jarramali Rock Art Tours looked particularly fantastic. If you email the company they may even be able to take you on a one-day rock art tour leaving from Laura town.
Heading back south from Cape Tribulation, we zagged a bit east back to the Atherton tablelands for our final few days. Lured by this amazing-looking Airbnb, we decided to base ourselves in the town of Kuranda. Kuranda is a cute and quiet town. While there we took a side trip to visit Mount Hypipamee Crater. This duckweed-covered lake at the bottom of a vast crater is somehow way more impressive than it sounds. It would be easy to combine it with a day of waterfall-sightseeing in the tablelands!
The the most amazing thing we did, and the highlight of our visit to the tablelands, was in the town of Yungaburra. If you love paranormal stories like me, you may recognize the town of Yungaburra from an episode of Spooked podcast!
While we didn't see any ghosts in Yungaburra, but we saw a couple things that may be almost as elusive: a platypus and a tree kangaroo! Having read up on these shy critters, I knew the odds of seeing either were low, but on the Peterson Creek Trail we saw both within 20 minutes of each other. From a viewing bridge above the creek we spotted the small monotreme pop to the water's surface, swim around a bit, and dive back down. And deeper along the trail a rare Lumholtz's tree kangaroo zipped up and down branches as we watched on in quiet glee.
The same day we had lunch in the Yungaburra town pub and got unexpectedly caught up in a college pub crawl. There we were, a middle-aged couple just trying to see some cute animals and eat a burger, suddenly surrounded by drunken teenagers. Terrifying to say the least. BUT, one thing I was constantly surprised by on the entire trip, was the relative lack of American tourists. We were sort of an anomaly! And a little bit popular?
Even our flight back to the US was mainly composed of Australians visiting the US, not Americans coming home. Which is too bad, because Australia exceeded my expectations in every way and I was sad to leave without knowing more about the landscape, animals, and people of this unique place. I hope to come back someday. There are a million more things to do and see. So many more macadamias to eat. So go! Get lost in this beautiful place. And let me know how it was! And what cool critters you saw :)
