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Brisbane After spending over a month lazing on beaches, swimming in the sea and interacting with Australia’s wildlife, I was actually ready for a city break by the time we arrived in Brisbane. The capital of Queensland, Brisbane is a delightful city – big enough to have all the comforts of city living, but small enough not to smother you. Part of Brisbane’s charm is definitely its multitude of riverside parks. Brisbane River winds its way through the city, so be sure to spend an afternoon strolling through the Botanic Gardens that run alongside the water.  A great way to see the city is the hop-on, hop-off City Sights bus tour that includes 19 of the city’s most interesting attractions. We caught the bus at the Post Office near the Queen Street Mall in the heart of Brisbane. Packed with stores, restaurants and cinemas, this is where you go to get your city fix. From the Post Office, the bus meanders around the city, past the ANZAC Memorial, the Italian Renaissance Former Treasury Building, Parliament Square and the impressive St. Stephen’s Cathedral.  One place worth hopping off is South Bank Parklands. Built for Expo ’88, the Parklands include an artificial swimming beach and Stanley Street Plaza, full of shops and cafes. The Queensland Cultural Center is also accessible from here. The Queensland Museum is jam packed with interesting displays that will amuse minds of all ages.  One section of the museum houses specimens of some of Australia’s most infamous creatures. The box jellyfish – Australia’s most deadly sea jelly - is on display here. Thankfully, it’s the first and only one I’ve seen since arriving here. Also on display here are Australia’s many spiders – study the Redback and Funnel Web – you’ll want to be able to identify these poisonous creatures. Butterflies, stuffed birds and even some smaller stuffed animal, like possums, complete this section. Even though they’re not alive, it’s fascinating to see some of Australia’s wildlife that you might not see, or want to see, in the wild. Also included in the museum is the history of Queensland, including a skeleton of the state’s own dinosaur, Muttaburrasaurus, and a look at the history of whaling.

Box Jellyfish

After exploring the museums, we head back to the CBD for a late afternoon drink at Friday’s – a posh restaurant set right on the river. We’re joined by my cousin from Canada, who is in Australia for the sole purpose of golfing. I don’t golf myself, but I spend a good hour picking his brain about the area’s golf courses in case I can include any golf recommendations in my articles. He’s golfing on the Gold Coast, one of Australia’s main tourist destinations, just an hour south of Brisbane. 

I learn that golfing on the Gold Coast is “perfect” - Danny raves about the quality of the courses and the unbelievably low prices. But one story sticks in my mind. The day before coming to Brisbane, Danny was having an early morning round of golf. He had a shot lined up perfectly, but was surprised to hear a dull thud after hitting the ball. Looking up, he was dismayed to find that his ball had hit one of the many kangaroos hopping through the course. Only in Australia! 
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Tasmanian Devil

Australia Zoo A perfect day trip from Brisbane is Steve Irwin’s Australia Zoo. And you don’t have to a fan of the zany, fearless Crocodile Hunter to enjoy a day out here – it’s bursting with all sorts of fascinating wildlife. Crikey! It’s hard to believe that the all-encompassing zoo started out as a tiny reptile park in the 1980’s. We arrive just in time for the live show – the huge stadium designed for showing off the zoo’s residents’ talents is packed with animal lovers, young and old. We watch breathlessly as one of the trainers handles a deadly snake. A huge crocodile taking meat from his trainer is also impressive, but it’s the Bengal Tigers who steal the show.  Their huge bodies, covered with orange and black stripes, emanate strength. But the three trainers inside the enclosure are fearless. They treat the huge tigers as if they’re nothing more than household cats, patting them on the head and urging them to romp and play for the audience.  The next portion of the show involves a huge, black eagle zooming over the audience’s heads, landing perfectly on the trainer’s arm. Cockatoos and lorikeets add color to the performance.

The Galapagos Land Tortoise is bound to catch your eye – the huge reptiles drag their oversize shells awkwardly around their pen. Komodo Dragons are another sight you’ll want to make sure you see. Other animals you’ll come across at the Australia Zoo include cassowaries, dingoes, camels, koalas, otters, alligators and elephants. We spent a considerable amount of time watching the Tasmanian Devil running in a circle around his corral. He followed the exact same route, running as fast as he could, for at least ten minutes. It was priceless. 
A great way to end the day is a trip to the calming rainforest aviary. The aviary is home to a variety of gorgeous birds, including Doves, the Red Parrot and the rare Sacred Kingfisher.

Surfer's Paradise

With a name like Surfer’s Paradise, you’d expect the most popular town on Australia’s Gold Coast to be a little less commercialized. I’m not sure what your idea of paradise is, but mine is most certainly not the never-ending miles of skyscrapers ruining the view from the sandy beach. Given that, it’s still a nice place, just not the kind of area I like to stay in when there are rainforests to be explored and wild animals to photograph.

I did meet many people who loved Surfers; it really depends on what you are looking for in a holiday. Australia has so many things to offer – beautiful scenery, strange creatures and untouched islands and beaches. So arriving in Surfers was somewhat of a culture shock. I felt like I could have been anywhere in America. The main attractions here are Dreamworld, an amusement park, Wet ‘n’Wild, a typical water park, Movie World, Australia’s equivalent of Universal Studios, and Sea World. Surfer’s is also known for its pulsating nightlife; so if it’s a party you’re after, look no farther.

Surfer’s Esplanade is a cascade of boutiques, restaurants, bars and ice cream parlors. Right in the center of all the hustle and bustle lies the Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum. We entered hesitantly, not sure what to expect. Within minutes we were absorbed in the many eccentric and varied displays. Shrunken heads, the world’s tallest man as well as the history of Ripley himself will leave you enthralled from the moment you enter. And how could I forget to mention the mini golf courses? They are everywhere in Surfers Paradise. Not a bad way to spend a warm, lazy evening either. 

But as always, wherever I go, I find something I love about the place. For Surfers, it was the night tours to nearby David Fleay National Park that captured my heart. The night safari doesn’t start until well after the sun disappears behind the towering buildings, but it’s only a short thirty-minute drive to the park.
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Upon arrival, we’re led into a mini theater for the show that begins the evening. Three Aborigines, dressed in traditional attire and face paint, begin to sing. They sing in their native language and move their bodies in time to the eerie music. Everyone in the theater has their eyes glued on the trio, and it’s hard to tell if anyone is remembering to breathe. When they finish the first song, and everyone has clapped enthusiastically, one of the Aboriginal women addresses the small crowd. She explains that the song that they have just shared with us is, appropriately, a song of welcome to other tribes. The next song they perform is the Dance of Women, a tribute to Mother Earth. It’s catchy and uplifting and my toes tap instinctively. The Mosquito Dance has a completely different beat, and the actions are perfectly in tune with the mad swats one performs when surrounded by the irritating insects. The final song has no words, and we’re instructed to close our eyes while the only man in the group performs on the didgeridoo. Within his song, we identify the calls of the kookaburra and the hopping sounds of a kangaroo.

Surfers Paradise

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After the presentation, we’re invited down to chat with the performers. They paint our faces with white stripes to match their own and pose for photos with us. Soon, the music starts up again, but this time we’re invited to dance with the group as they perform the Emu Dance. We stamp around the small stage area, heads and arms moving to mimic the movements of the huge bird. It’s an incredible experience.

We say good-bye to the performers and take our seats again. The Ranger comes out with a small python, which she allows us to pet, if we’re up for it! I have managed to overcome my fear of snakes by now, so I have no problem running my fingers down its back. The next creature is a bird I have never seen before, or even heard of, for that matter. It’s called a Tawny Frog Mouth, and it looks exactly like an exotic owl. It’s not an owl, but it is one of the area’s most popular night birds. The Ranger explains to us that she hits them with her car all the time – that’s how abundant they are. 

After this, it’s time to begin our night safari. As we start down the wooden pathway, I see something dart into the bush. “Over there!” I exclaim, thinking its something rare that I don’t want to miss. 

“That was just a rat,” the Ranger explains, and shines her torch up in the trees to look for something a little more interesting. I resolve to keep my mouth shut the rest of the way and let the Ranger do the guiding. 
We see several lizards sitting on boulders before we come to the animal enclosure. Inside, the night animals are active in their glassed in homes. We see Gliders; tiny, furry marsupials that dwell in trees, the extraordinary platypus swimming around his home and the rare Mahogany Gliders. I want to pick one up and put it in my pocket – they are so cute and cuddly, and they are definitely small enough to fit in my pocket with no one noticing. 
We head back outside and make our way around the rest of the park. We see a mob of kangaroos and huge emus. Dingoes relax in their enclosure, ignoring our prying lights. When we get to the wallaby enclosure, I finally learn the difference between wallabies and kangaroos. The Ranger explains that a kangaroo’s tail sits halfway off the ground – he rests the bottom half of his tail on the ground while the rest stands straight up. Wallabies’ tails sit much lower down; three quarters of their tails trail along on the ground with only about one quarter standing up off the ground. It’s a small difference, but it’s there. 

The Ranger periodically shines her light in the treetops looking for the rare gliders, but we don’t see any in the wild. We enter the koala enclosure where we’re permitted to pet the cuddly animals - if we can get close enough. As we continue our walk, a tall blue-necked stork pecks at the water, hundreds of black and white ibis fly above us and huge, but harmless golden orb spiders hang from their webs. A wombat waddles around near his hole, and two crocodiles hide in their river. The rainforest is a whole other place after dark, and I’m grateful for this glimpse into its nightlife. 
 

Nimbin Valley

Nimbin As we make our farther south towards our final destination of Sydney, we decide to take an inland detour to a place by the name of Nimbin. I’d heard so much about this unique town that I felt I couldn’t pass by without stopping for a look. The history of Nimbin starts in the early 1970’s, when a group of hippies came for the Aquarius Festival and, basically, just never left. The alternative lifestyle is flourished around here, and your chances of being offered a certain smokable plant are quite high. But there’s more to Nimbin than its reputation, although, in general, its reputation is substantiated.  Nimbin is set high in the hills and the views en route are spectacular. The road winds around the green covered hills and you’ll never get tired of gawking at the valleys, trees and fields on the way. Mt. Warning can also be spotted from the road – this is the mountain named by Captain Cook to warn of all the islands to come as you travel farther north by ship.

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Nimbin is actually tiny; it has a population of only 1300, one main street, an outdoor theater and a small river. But within that river lives one very special creature – the platypus. Often elusive, the platypus is one of Australia’s most unique animals. An egg laying mammal with a bill resembling a duck’s, the male platypus has a poisonous spur on its underside.

The best time to spot the platypus is either at dusk or dawn. An hour before the sun set, we made our way to the bridge running over the river and staked out our places. We strained our eyes at every splash and saw ducks, fish and even turtles, but no platypus. Right before we were ready to give up, I saw an elongated shape near the surface, just for a second, and then it disappeared. I kept my eyes fixed on the same spot and sure enough, the platypus came back up. It was a quick glimpse, but it was enough. It was a platypus in the wild.

The following is a list of articles that Dawnelle has written for the magazine:

Australia’s East Coast Islands ~ Island Hopping
Travels in Australia - More From The East Coast Of Australia
Travels Down Under ~ The East Coast Of Australia
Turtle Hatchlings - Wet, Sloppy Seal Kisses and Feeding Dolphins 
Islands ~ From The Caribbean To The Mediterranean
Cancun ~ The Daylife
Western Canada Part One ~ Walk With Dinosaurs
Western Canada Part Two ~ More Adventures In Western Canada
Istanbul - History Comes to Life
Teaching English In Turkey - Falling In Love With Turkey
Charmed, I’m Sure! ~ In Morocco 
The Country Of Eternal Spring - Guatemala
Pure Life - Traveling Through Costa Rica
I Dream Of The Sea ~ Diving In Roatan
Britain - Beyond London
Scotland - Castles, Monsters and Fairy Whispers
Luck Of The Irish ~ The Emerald Isle
Island Hopping In Greece - Mediterranean Summer
When In Rome…..Eat Ice Cream ~ Italian Adventures

To contact Dawnelle Click Here
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