I don’t know why, but as much as I love Sydney, years always seem to pass between my visits to this beautiful city. Sydney was actually the reason I wanted to move to Australia in the first place. In my early twenties, I had pictures of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge all over my bedroom walls, dreaming of the day I would finally see them for myself. As soon...
Wallabies and kangaroos on the beach at sunrise… even after 20 years in Australia and more kangaroo sightings than I could possibly count, this was still something I had always wanted to see. It took me years to finally make it to Cape Hillsborough. But was it actually worth the trip? We had a long weekend and, as usual for us, long weekend = exploring somewhere new...
Last Updated: September 2026 The Warrie Circuit is another hike that has been on our hiking wish list for years. Every time we’ve visited Springbrook National Park in the past, the trail was closed, either from heavy rain, storm damage, or ex-cyclone recovery. But persistence pays off, and after almost five years of waiting, we finally got to experience it for...
Last Update: September 2026 Carnarvon Gorge has been on our “one-day” list for way too long. You know those places that always sound amazing, but are just far enough away to make you say, “Maybe next year”? Well, this was that place but no longer. At about 9 hours’ drive from the Sunshine Coast/Brisbane, it’s not your average weekend getaway, but that’s also part of...
Last Updated: October 2026 Ever since exploring the stunning Binna Burra section of Lamington National Park, I’ve been itching to visit the park’s lush Green Mountains section. While both areas are part of the same national park, visiting them in one weekend is quite a trek so despite our best intentions, it took us a while to finally make it to O’Reilly’s. Life has...
Esk is a quaint little country town in the Somerset region, which is nestled between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast. Because it’s so close to both the Wivenhoe and Somerset dams, Esk is the perfect getaway for water sports enthusiasts. But even if water sports aren’t your thing, there are plenty of other amazing things to do in the area. Table of Contents 10 Best...
Last Updated: September 2026 During our stay in Ballina over Christmas, we drove an hour south to the picturesque town of Yamba, another delightful seaside town in northern New South Wales. Set right at the mouth of the Clarence River, Yamba is a little gem that is well worth visiting. Like Ballina and Byron Bay, Yamba is known for its beautiful beaches and great...
Last Updated: September 2026 The coastal town of Ballina is a short 30-minute drive from the famous Byron Bay. While the hipster town of Byron Bay attracts hordes of backpackers and tourists every year, Ballina is the perfect, quieter alternative. We don’t like crowds, traffic or sharing a beach with thousands of others, so Ballina was perfect for us. Basing...
Last updated September 2026 On our most recent trip to Cairns, we finally made it to Fitzroy Island. It’s one of those places that had been sitting on our list for ages. We’d been to Cairns a couple of times before, yet somehow kept finding other things to do instead. Queensland is ridiculously big, and no matter how many times we travel around our own state, there...
Last Updated: September 2026 With 17 beautiful beaches, crystal-clear water, snorkelling straight from shore and kilometres of walking trails, Great Keppel Island is one of Queensland’s most underrated island escapes. Just a short ferry ride from Yeppoon, this Southern Great Barrier Reef island is surprisingly easy to reach and still feels wonderfully undeveloped...