Jay's Travel Memories | Australia

Australia

My little trip around the world continues...

Brisbane - Bribie Island - Fraser Island - Proserpine - Whitsundays - Great Barrier Reef - Cairns - Sydney - Heathcote - Melbourne

After 3 years of "I want to go!" well I have finally been ! It was a long way and a very long trip.

The weather someday could be 18/20 degrees to up to 42 degrees on same day, it wasn't always easy. The threat of the bushfires and smoke was challenging but I have been extremely lucky these 3 weeks being safe and not too affected (see pictures below). Rising temperatures combine with low humidity, dried up vegetation and everything becomes extremely flammable. While on my roadtrip I realized most area when getting out of the city is either desert, woods and lands.

Happy and so grateful to have seen great nature such as the Great Barrier Reef for instance. As the world goes and many things are being devastated due to climate change, I feel I have experienced and witness so many once in a life time things on this trip. Although disappointing I did not met with Mr Hemsworth in person :D

See below some videos !

- Incredible total change of scenery, diversity and magic of the moment from north to south east Australia, from nature to city, beach to land, up in the sky to down to earth.. A true world heritage -

The Great Barrier Reef - One of the 7 Natural World Wonders...

In and Out, top to bottom from the sky via Helicopter and from the sea via scuba diving ! I went for a helicopter flight over the majestic Great Barrier Reef to appreciate the largest living structure on the planet, beauty of the stunning maze of reefs weaved together to form the GBR and the little iconic Heart Reef. It can be seen from outer space !
Because I didn’t have enough of one of the seven natural wonders of the world I scuba dive in it too🤪. Last time I dive was around 5 years ago .. my ears suffered a bit this time. Quite sensible 😕 I only went down to 5.2 meters only for today.

Full of life with beautiful marine animals and plants, one of the most unforgettable marine destinations in the world.

Note:
Thirty percent of the coral perished in 2016, another 20 percent in 2017. The effect is akin to a forest after a devastating fire. Much of the marine ecosystem along the reef's north coast has become barren and skeletal with little hope of recovery.

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Whitehaven beach in Whitsundays Island

Breathtaking, dream beach... snow white and fine sandy beach set in translucent turquoise sea (no filter!)

A boat cruise with (ThunderCat) to an incredible beautiful paradise place. I loved it !

No hotels, or beach chairs, quite desert place, nature preserved.

One can only be breathless in the face of so much beauty. Virgin of all human presence, this immaculate fine sand beach will remain imprinted in my memories. The crystal azure clear sea, the horizon view, the calm which reigns there. Happy to just admire and hope the place will be preserved as is as long as possible.

Although like many places in Australia, frustrating not to swim there without thinking twice, since it is necessary to take precautions and to be fully equipped against unwanted little ones in the sea.

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SkyDive Experience! AirlieBeach in Whitsundays

I have been thinking of doing it for a while. Now it's done. 15000 Feet (5 km) craziness.. and ~300kmh speed !

An incredible feeling and satisfaction while being in the air and free falling. I loved it and would do it again!

I am more scared of amusement parks with their up & down ride than this, now I know. Nothing compare to this experience! Must watch !

Blog Post

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Wild Life in Aussie

I have been told for years, so many insects or animals can harm you to death. Well, I am still alive and haven't been in any danger on my 3 weeks trip. Glad to write this back to you!

See what nature gets us ! Koalas always sleeping & Kangaroos to be fed, black wallaby, echidna, penguins, and Dingoes in the north east part mainly, emu and as well good looking birds.

Not to mention, the amount of jellyfish in the sea and warnings on crocodiles and snakes while hiking in either rain forest or other land area...

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From Melbourne to Great Ocean Road

Seeing here one of the world's most inspiring coastlines, an Australian National Heritage listed road.

A road delivering a fabulous panorama. Popular but so incredible, it’s with joy that I witness the spectacle of natural erosion to see the famous limestone rocks of the 12 Apostles before crowds arrive.

I loved the best overview of the 12 Apostles from helicopter ride! as well as Razorback and other many viewpoints.

The Great Ocean Road is a road between surfing, koalas in their natural habitat in Kennet River, along the Grey River Road, just in the middle of town and spectacular landscapes.

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Rain forests, Lakes & Creeks around, nice beaches !

So much different landscapes, weather and scene.

Best was Lake McKenzie and Elie creek in Fraser Island,

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Jet Tour fly over Fraser Island and drive on the beach !

Getting there is not so easy, as you need a permit and be well equipped to drive on the sand and water and take a ferry. It's a real adventure, it's wild, the flora and fauna are incredible. It is the largest sand island in the world where Rainforests grow on sand dunes.

Blowing mind characteristics: towering pines, rainforest trees, giant ferns, eucalypt forests with their characteristic pendulous leaves, lemon-scented swamp vegetation and dwarfed heathland shrubs covered in a profusion of flowers. The only place on Earth where the rainforest grows on sand dunes over 200 meters high. Also home to half of the world's perched freshwater dune lakes, creating a reservoir of rainwater.

K’gari was the original name of Fraser Island and it means paradise in aboriginal.

Also, home to the last purebred dingoes in Eastern Australia.

The landscape of Fraser Island is superb with the ever-changing sand dunes, incredible beaches for swimming and thrilling 4x4 tracks.

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The best place to chill @Marina Shores, in Whitsundays, Queensland

Great Penthouse with magnificent view of the sea, spacious 5*. Superb location!

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AirlieBeach in Whitsundays

Top highlight of my trip. So relaxed tropical atmosphere and proximity to the Whitsunday Islands and Great Barrier Reef. So much adventure awaits here with a variety of experiences to calm or exhilarate the soul. I had to extend and shuffle further plans a bit :)

A good area from my Queensland road trip!

Water sport activities were quite expensive though, i.e jetski and others. They are many hikes around, but need to be well equipped and take warning signs on hazard, crocodiles and other things seriously (quite discouraging :/ ) .

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City trips!

Brisbane

In terms of transportation, all cities are very well accessible and rarely I needed the car. Tickets though for the city was a little bit costly in Brisbane. Car is great to drive further like to Noosa and all the east coast on Queensland. Using scooters to move around the city was great as the heat was quite heavy but even that as well is quite expensive.

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Melbourne

Love the free tram in the city this is such a nice idea! So cool to move around, clearly no need of a car at all. Boat trips, bus trips, walking trips ...

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Sydney

Sunny and smoke-free hopefully got their on 25th Dec and not impacted by the bushfire situation around until we left. Pretty cool and welcoming.

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Queensland and few lookouts

Beach are more for surfing in most areas and there are great lookouts to stop by while driving around discovering the coast and stopping whenever I want. Isn't that the idea of a road trip ? right!