Dan's Adventure

The second half of my Australian adventure begins with the journey from Darwin to Cairns. I think flying is my best bet, there are flights daily and there are several budget airlines so getting a cheap flight shouldn’t be a problem, especially if I book a week or so in advance. From Cairns I will be travelling down the east coast to Sydney over about three weeks.

The Great Barrier Reef, the largest coral reef in the world, is sure to be one of the highlights of my visit to Australia. Many tour companies operate out of Cairns, offering daily cruises to the outer reef for snorkelling and diving. The Whitsundays, a collection of islands near Airlie Beach, are another access point for trips into the reef but going this route would be a lot more expensive. I’ll wait and see how flush I’m feeling when I get there!

Further down the coast is Magnetic Island, so named because it caused a magnetic effect on Captain Cook’s compass when he sailed passed. Magnetic Island is just offshore from Townsville from which ferries run regularly. Over two thirds of the island is National Park and has lots of opportunity for walking. It also sounds like an ideal place to relax for a day or two.

I’ve heard a lot about Fraser Island and would love to go on a 4×4 trip there. Trips can be booked from Hervey Bay and generally last for 3 days. Along with several others, you hire a 4×4 vehicle and camping equipment, buy food and drink to last the duration of the trip and set off to explore the island. From what I understand, most companies will provide you with an itinerary as where you can go is governed by the tides.

Just south of Hervey Bay is Brisbane. From here it would be great to spend some time in different surf locations all the way down to Sydney.

What I do when I reach Sydney will depend on how long I’ve got before my flight to New Zealand. If time permits, a trip to the Blue Mountains for some trekking, one of the street skates and the harbour bridge climb would be great ways to end my time in Australia.