World Trip: Australia - NSW & QLD Road Trip March 2012

Now to another State in Australia this time by overnight train from Melbourne to Sydney. Due to arrive in Sydney at 7.30am, got in at 12.30pm due to floods in around Victoria. Staying in Manly Vale with Sarah for a couple of nights, which was nice of her to put us up...Manly Vale is only half an hour walk from Manly Beach, great place for surfing.....

Manly Beach

We took the Manly Ferry into Sydney, what a great way to travel into the city sailing past the Opera House and Harbour Bridge, and the Queen Mary 2 docked in Sydney for the day, what a ship!!!!

Manly Ferry

What a big bridge!!!!

WOW Opera House and Queen Mary 2....

Did all the tourist things, Circular Quay, Opera House, QVB shopping centre, The Rocks, Darling Harbour and then the Aquarium to see some huge sharks and rays.

Sting Ray above us....

Now it's time to go on our Road Trip, Sydney to Cairns. Picked our camper van up, well car with bed and kitchen, and then headed straight to the famous Bondi Beach for our lunch and Watson's Bay.

Car with a bed, Cheeky Liam!!!!

Bondi Beach

After lunch at Bondi Beach we headed across to the Blue Mountains. Our first night in the van freedom camping. Next day we explored the Blue Mountains, amazing views.

Blue Mountains

We are heading up to the town of Grafton to see Kristy and family for a couple of days. On our way we stayed at the Great Lakes & Beaches, calling in to Pacific Palms, Seal Rocks and Forster.

Great Lakes & Beaches

Was great to see Kristy and meet Matthew, and to visit the town of Grafton again. We had a couple of days here visiting Mini Waters, Wooli Beach, and Port Macquarie. Catching up with Lee and Bruce, friends who live in Grafton from last time Andrea was here..

Kristy & Matthew and the bump....

Mini Waters Beach

Back to the road trip and head to Byron Bay. Had a walk along the beach up to the Light House and the most Eastern point of Australia. Nice little town, lots of backpackers here.

Most Eastern Point of Australia

Surfing in Byron........

Byron Bay Lighthouse

Now to the Sunshine State, Queensland.....First stop the famous Surfers Paradise. Not many surfers out today.....

Where's the sun!!!

Then to the City of Brisbane. Had a walk round the city, bit of window shopping and along the south bank river. Nice, pleasant city.....

Meet my new friends!!!

Brisbane

Driving further up the coast we called into beach town of Noosa Heads. Then onto Hervey Bay and Mons Beach where we saw a baby turtle leaving its nest to head into the ocean, WOW!!!!

How cute!!

We called into Town of 1770 just to have a look but ended up staying here for 4 days, the road in and out of Town 1770 was closed due to floods....Was not a bad town to be stuck in though..While here we booked our Great Barrier Reef trip to Lady Musgrave Island.

Town 1770

Great Barrier Reef

Lady Musgrave Island

After a fun day out on the Great Barrier Reef and finally being able to get out of Town of 1770, we carried on with our road trip further up the east coast...Calling into Rockhampton, Emu Park, Yeppon, Mackay and Airlie Beach. Airlie Beach is geared, again, towards Backpackers, great little town with a big lagoon here for sunbathing and swimming, you can also arrange a trip to the Witsunday Islands from here.

Stopped in Townsville and drove up to the mountain top with great views of the city, while here 2 Monitor Lizards were roaming about the car park...

Townsville

Monitor Lizard

Moving on again to Wallaman Falls the largest single drop fall in Australia, WOW!!!

Wallaman Falls

Yeah we made it to Cairns. Drove up to Port Douglas, loads of trips here to the Great Barrier Reef. Then went to the village of Kuranda...You could either get the Skyrail here or drive up the winding road, we opted for the cheapest way of driving there....Did a 2km walk around the rainforest's, jungle, then to the Barron Falls....

Port Douglas

Kuranda Jungle walk

Kuranda Jungle Walk

Town of Cairns, backpackers heaven.....

Cairns Lagoon

Just what I need a beer!!!

Cheers, we made it!!!!

Fun in the pool.......

Well that's the road trip ended... 4500 kilometers later we finally made it to Cairms... Freedom camping most of the way...What fun we had in our car with a bed and kitchen........