Discovering the East Coast of Australia: A Mesmerising Month-Long Journey from Sydney to Cairns

SYDNEY - Days 1 - 3

I started my trip in Sydney by walking around the city enjoying various food and coffee shops - the coffee here was great - including sites of the beautiful opera house and harbour bridge, and the stunning botanical gardens making you feel as though you are in a rainforest with exotic birds and plants. On the second day I took the bus to Bondi beach and did the coastal walk to Coogee beach, ending it off with a BBQ. This walk was beautiful and one not to miss. On the last day I took the Greyhound overnight bus to Byron bay.

BYRON BAY - Days 4 - 6

Byron Bay was a relaxed surf town with great coffee shops and restaurants. But most importantly its beaches were great. Not to mention Chris Hemsworth lives here. One morning I took a yoga class at the hostel I was staying at, and one day took a surf lesson. Definitely don’t miss a sunrise walk to Cape Byron Lighthouse, a stunning morning watching dolphins and whales surf the waves - if you want to see whales make sure to go to Australia between April and November as this is their migration season. The best chance to see the whales is in the middle of this time frame - I got to see a mother humpback whale with her calf breaching the ocean as I was in my surf lesson.

SURFERS PARADISE - Days 7 - 8

The pace to party on the East Coast - Surfers Paradise. Here I took part in paddle boarding, chilled on the beach and of course, went on a night out which included a sports bar and a small karaoke club setting. There is much more to do here however if you are feeling more adventurous such as a filming location for the show H20 and the Versace Hotel where the ‘I’m a Celebrity get me out of here’ guests stay.

BRISBANE - Days 9 - 10

Here I took a city tour for the first day and then of course, my second day I visited Australia Zoo. A Steve Irwin landmark. It was a great day, the highlight was the show that gets put on in the Crocoseum, and I was lucky enough to see his son Robert Irwin lead the show. A fantastic day out for all animal lovers, and to see the efforts they are putting towards conservation is amazing.. If you have time, get a ticket that allows you to visit the animal wildlife hospital for the full experience.

NOOSA & K’GARI (Fraser Island) - Days 11 - 15

Arriving at Noosa I explored the town and chilled out before a few action packed days at the island originally named K’gari (more recently changed to Fraser Island). Whilst camping we all got friendly with many of the spiders, including a rather large Huntsman spider inhabiting the portaloo. We drove 4x4’s on the biggest sand island in the world, visited Lake McKenzie which is supposedly so clean you can drink from it - which I did. The next day we then went to Eli Creek, which was then followed by a walk to Indian Heads Lookout and Champagne pools. Heavily populated with dingos, be careful and remember they are wild animals so stay alert! The last day head back to Noosa and visit the Fairy Pools there if you wish before moving on.

AIRLIE BEACH & WHITSUNDAYS - Days 16 - 19

The first day at Airlie, relax and enjoy the town before heading off on a must-do activity - sailing around the Whitsunday Islands, made up of 74 islands. Snorkelling here was great, I saw my first ever sea turtle! Included in thai is visiting Whitehaven Beach which was incredible, such white sand and clear water, with stunning lookout points.

MAGNETIC ISLAND - Days 20 - 21

Magnetic island was one of my favourite destinations. If you're a wildlife lover you’ll enjoy all the major activities here, with an abundance of different species, plants and animals. The hostel I stayed at was right on the coast, with scenic views from my room, and koalas and kookaburras surrounding it. We hired a car and drove around the island, taking a hike up Forts Walk, with history, wildlife, and views in one. I got to see a mother koala with her cub in her pouch. We then went to visit some rock wallabies and fed rainbow lorikeets at a nearby hostel where they have a feeding time everyday for free. I also went to a butterfly forest near this area and saw hundreds resting in the forest.

MISSION BEACH - Days 22 - 23

Here I chilled out at a resort in Mission Beach which was very much needed! However, if you wanted some more adventure, some great skydiving or water rafting is near by which many of the people I was travelling with took part in and loved.

CAIRNS - Days 24 - 28

Cairns was one of the most action packed destinations for me, with each one being unforgettable. It started off with a snorkelling trip to the great barrier reef, one of the top placed on my bucket list to visit. Followed by a Daintree Rainforest Tour, including a saltwater crocodile river cruise which was definitely one to write home about. My last day in Cairns I spent on a trip to the Atherton TableLands, consisting of many waterfall destinations and even a platypus viewing point!