COOLANGATTA - QUEENSLAND

Located on the southern border of Queensland Coolangatta is my favourite part of Australias holiday capital the Gold Coast. Coolangatta is close enough to all of the Gold Coasts favourite tourist attractions but far enough away to still maintain a little bit of a country feel.

Coolangatta Beach and Greenmount beach form a continuous beautiful relatively safe northern facing surf beach where all members of the family can enjoy a day at the beach. The area is backed by some foreshore greenery with picnic tables and there is even a local market operating along the foreshore on the second Sunday of the month.

A walking track along the beach takes you east to a small rocky elevated headland which gives fine views of the coast as well as seats and picnic tables. Further along eastern side of the headland is Duranbah Beach which is famous for its surf. Behind the beach is the foreshore of Point Danger, which was named by Captain Cook. A lighthouse sits upon which the hill and nearby is a memorial to Captain Cook. There are picnic spots and a walk along the cliff-edge. There are magical views of the coastline here from Surfers Paradise to the north to Byron Bay in the south and Dolphins can even be sometimes seen out to sea. I love this part of Coolangatta and recommend that you take the time to walk to the area. It is especially nice in the mornings just after sunrise.

To the west of Coolangatta Beach is Kirra Point which is the district's most notable surfing area. The surf offers challenges for the expert, and smaller waves closer to shore are suitable for beginners who can hire a board for the day. Surfing is not my thing but I still enjoy watching surfers on the waves.

The town of Coolangatta is charming and it shares its shopping and business districts with its New South Wales border town, Tweed Heads. There is more than enough shopping attractions and restaurants in the area to satisfy the most ardent shopper.

All the Gold Coast theme parks lie to the north and are an easy day trip from Coolangatta. These parks include the water slide park Wet and Wild, Warner Brothers Movieworld, Theme park Dreamworld and the magical Sea World. More local and only a short drive to the north is Currumbin, made famous by the excellent Currumbin Sanctuary which claims to be the home of the world's largest captive collection of Australian native animals, including 1400 species of mammals, reptiles and birds. Noted for the rainbow lorikeets that descend twice daily at feeding time, it also features an array of wildlife including rare and endangered species, such as the southern cassowary, tree kangaroos, the Tasmanian devil and the bilby, as well as kangaroos, wallabies, snakes, freshwater crocodiles, koalas, emus, and waterbirds.

Also close by are the Olsen Bird gardens which are located in a subtropical rainforest valley. The gardens contain numerous exotic and indigenous birds, as well as deer and emus.

To the south of Coolangatta are the outstanding beaches of the New South Wales north coast. The towns of Kingscliff, Byron Bay, and Ballina all feature outstanding natural attractions.

I love this part of Australia and hope that one day you too will enjoy the outstanding attractions it has to offer.

Bruny Island - Tasmania

Like much of Tasmania the beauty of Bruny Island is really a secret to the rest of the world. Bruny Island is located off the coast of Tasmania and is accessible by ferry from Kettering around 40km from Hobart. The ferry ride itself features some beautiful scenery and is a very pleasant 25min cruise. The island itself is sparsely populated and is perfect for a quiet vacation away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Despite its quiet demeanor there is lots to do on the island. You can take a walk along the coastal track at Adventure Bay or the beach at Cloudy Bay. The lighthouse at Cape Bruny is the second oldest in Australia and tours can be arranged for small parties. The beaches are simply beautiful although I must admit the water temperature even in summer is cold and I couldn't face it without wearing a wetsuit.

If history interests you a visit to the Bligh Museum at Adventure Bay is a must. The museum was constructed in 1954 from 26,000 hand made bricks brought from the convict built kiln at Variety Bay, North Bruny. The museum houses artefacts and documents from the voyages of discovery of Cook, Bligh, Furneaux, Flinders, and D'Entrecasteaux (After whom Bruny was named).

Labillardiere State Reserve has a wide variety of southern Tasmanian native flora and fauna. Wildlife which can be seen on the island includes muttonbirds and fairy penguins. I love watching the fairy penguins come in and we spent a lovely evening watching both the muttonbirds and fairy penguins come ashore. As an added bonus the local ranger gave an informative speech and was most happy to answer all questions on these lovable characters.

The highlight of my visit to the island was a cruise upon the 'Albatross' a custom built eco cruiser. The scenery is absolutely spectacular, the crew friendly and informative and the wildlife amazing. This was an incredible adventure and I would recommend to anyone. The cruise for just about everything, from herbal sea sickness tablets to weatherproof clothing. Although I must advise that even though weather proof clothing is provided you should dress well as it was cold out on the ocean.

In short if you are down in Tasmania go to Bruny Island.

Walk amongst the Giants - Walpole WA

An amazing piece of engineering meets with nature at Walpole in Western Australia. Situated about 525km south east from Perth Walpole is home to The Valley of The Giants Treetop Walk. The Tree Top Walk, is a walkway that takes you above a forest of Tingle Trees which are up to 400 years old. The walkway is around 420 metres in length and takes visitors through the canopy of this magnificent forest. It rises to a height of 40 metres giving visitors a unique perspective on the shapes, sounds and movement of the forest. The engineering of the Tree Top Walk structure is also truly unique. Whilst most structures feature a suspension bridge design, the Walpole walk features a series of sixty metre light weight steel trusses built on steel pylons to form a secure ramp which is even wheelchair accessible.

Below the Tree Top Walk, lies a boardwalk which meanders though a grove of old giant tingle trees. Some of the trees here are up to 16 metres in circumference at the base. The 2 walks combine to form a memeorable experience which will live in your memory for years. If you have the opportunity to visit this part of Western Australia don't miss the Walk amongst the giants.

To the hills - Marysville Vic

Marysville is the gateway to Australia's largest cross country ski field Lake Mountain. Marysville itself is a beautiful scenic village surrounded by Yarra State Forest and Yarra Ranges National Park. A short trip from the town centre is Steavenson's Falls. A short walk offers visitors good views of the waterfall which is 84 metres high and is floodlit at night.

Marysville is a great area for bushwalking, with many tracks through the surrounding forests. Keppels Lookout, can be accessed via dirt road along Paradise Plains Road or from a walking track from the town centre. The lookout gives spectacular views of the surrounding area from an elevated platform.

If you like driving the popular tourist road Lady Talbot Drive can be accessed via Woods Point Road just a few hundred metres east of the town. Must see spots along this route include the Phantom Falls, Keppel Falls, Taggerty River crossing and The Beeches Rainforest Walk.

A further 20 kms drive east of Marysville is Lake Mountain which rises to a height of 1,432 metres and offers great bushwalks and fantastic views of the Victorian Alps. Of course during the snow season Cross Country skiing along maintained tracks is the major activity undertaken.

Marysville is only an hour and a half to two hours from Melbourne and is a great location for picnics, day trips or a weekend escape away from the hustle and bustle of Melbourne.

Passing Through Holbrook NSW

Holbrook is situated on the Hume Highway around 85km from Albury. It is one of the few towns that as yet hasn't been bypassed by the major highway that connects the cities of Sydney and Melbourne. Most people simply drive through it on their way to or from one of these major cities, but it really is worth a short break to visit some of the major sights of the town. The town was named after World War 1 submarine Commander Norman Holbrook, who torpedoed a Turkish battleship in 1914 in the Dardennelles. This in turn has led to the town's preoccupation with submarines despite the fact that it lies 100s of kilometres from the coast. There is a submarine museum, and you can even climb all over the remains of the submarine HMAS Otway, which lies in parkland on the main road. This is great for photo's and as part of your adventure you can even inspect a full-size torpedo. Holbrook is a great place for a short stop for people wishing to break the journey between Sydney and Melbourne.

Beautiful Corinna

Wow! What a surprise. Corinna is a small village locate upon the Pieman River about 50kms from Zeehan on Tasmania's West Coast. It is only accessable by a dirt road and you need to catch a barge across the river to get there from the Zeehan side. The first thing you see when you arrive is the dark black waters of the river. These waters reflect the majesty of the surrounding area making carrying a camera a must. The town itself is charming. No bitumen roads. Just a general store which doubles as the accomodation and cruise booking office. The cabins are beautiful and blend with the environment which surrounding them.

The cruise is just magical it winds down the river for over an hour and proceeds through to the Pieman heads on the West Coast. From there you can stroll along the beach before heading back to the boat for the return journey. Unspoilt bushland dotted with Huon Pines and myrtle make the cruise an unforgettable experience.

I would recommend a trip to Corinna even though it is a little off the beaten track. It is well worth it.