Author Archives: Katrina Brintzenhoff

About Katrina Brintzenhoff

My name is Katrina Brintzenhoff, and I am a Junior studying Hospitality Management at the Pennsylvania State University, America. I have just completed a semester abroad at Bond Uni, in Gold Coast, Australia! Through my time abroad, and as I continue traveling Australia afterwards, I am excited to learn about its incredible landscape and all of it's natural beauty, wildlife, and culture.

The Great Ocean Road (Melbourne Day 2)

Our second day started with breakfast at the b&b, followed by a drive to a national park. This is the only location of the trip that I failed to take note of the name, but it was a great stop! We took a walk through the forest, which our guide said reminded him of the Blaire Witch Projects due to its eerie look with the dry and twisted trees, and paused at a spectacular lookout of the beach below.

East side of lookout

West side of lookout

Teddy’s Lookout

We Here we took a short walk through the woods in the town of Lorne, where we saw a few different birds. Our guide then gave us directions to take a short hike down the mountain, while he drove the car around to meet at the bottom. We hiked down a very steep track to the base of the mountain, at the river lookout. It was neat to see the Saint George River from above, then hike down and along it as well. We ate lunch in the nearby town of Marengo, enjoying delicious food at the General Store café.

Teddy’s Lookout

Beachwalk

One of my favorite stops of the day was a short beach walk we took near this area. We walked out on rock platforms, and using binoculars you could see a few seals on nearby rocks! It was a stunning beach, and a beautiful change of scenery from all the bushwalking.

Rocks platforms on the beach

Panoramic view of the beach

Maits Rest

The next stop, Maits Rest rainforest, was also a fantastic find. Part of the Great Otway National Park, this is a must-do. This national park was declared in 2004, and overall includes a variety of landscapes including beaches, forests, a significant koala population (obviously important) and the Cape Otway Lighthouse. We took a relatively short but awesome walk through through one of the only rainforests left standing in Southern Australia, on the wooden boardwalk track that carves through the ancient forest.

Tree in Maits Rest Rainforest

The 12 Apostles

It’s easy to see why the 12 Apostles are a popular tourist attraction, but was strange to enter such a busy area after bushwalking with only a few people for a day and a half straight. Rock cliffs in the area are made of soft limestone, which the Southern Ocean (combined with harsh weather conditions) gradually eroded to form caves and steeper cliffs. Those cliffs became arches, which eventually collapsed leaving rock stack formations.

Until 1922, the formation was called the Sow and Piglets, with Muttonbird Island as the Sow and the smaller rock stacks as the Piglets. However, the name was changed a number of years ago to increase tourism to the area, and the 12 Apostles was selected simply because it sounded more appealing. There were never actually 12 rock stacks, only nine, and in 2005, the 9^th stack collapsed leaving the currently standing 8 Apostles.

The 12 Apostles lookout (west)

One downside is that the soft limestone landscape makes it susceptible to further erosion and collapse. Studies are currently being conducted to make predictions of changes, but currently the rate of cliff erosion is 2cm per year. Existing headlands to cliff faces are expected to become new rock stacks in the future, and sinkholes more inland are becoming more of a problem. Although sinkholes evolve over time and do not collapse suddenly (unlike cliffs could), they still present infrastructure problems.

Loch Ard Gorge

This lookout gets its name because the Loch Ard boat ran aground here years back, near Muttonbird Island, while traveling from England to Melbourne. Two out of 54 passengers survived, including Tom Peace (age 15) and emigrant Eva Carmichael. Tom saved Eva after hearing her cries for help, and they were taken in by a random passerby (although several versions of why these people where in the undeveloped area at the time exist). Later the arch of the nearby island collapsed, leaving two unconnected pillars which are now named Tom and Eva respectively.

Loch Ard Gorge

Loch Ard B&B

For our evening accommodation, we stayed at an absolutely charming dairy farm bed and breakfast. The property was set just behind the Great Ocean Road, with the ranch-style house sitting atop of the hill. We could see kangaroos and cattle roaming through the hills, and were close enough to still see the sea spay coming up the cliff edges. The couple that owns the bed and breakfast are lovely, and estimated they’ve had over 4000 people stay there in the past 10 years. Overnight, we had massive thunderstorms come through, which made us feel quite in touch with nature (luckily from inside). They made us a homemade dinner and we had a fantastic night enjoying their (Australian) Southern hospitality!

On The Road Again (Melbourne Day 1)

Our first impression of Melbourne has been as expected, an art and food capital of Australia. After checking into our Airbnb, we went to Downstairs Bistro & Lounge for dinner, and enjoyed a lovely meal with great service. We spent the night repacking, and the next morning headed out with the Echidna Walkabout Tour to explore the Great Ocean Road!

The Great Ocean Road

The Great Ocean Road is a roughly 250 kilometer road built right along the cliff edge of Southern Australia (map below). This area has a temperate Mediterranean climate, with very windy coastlines and inlands of dry and hot weather. Rainfall varies depending on location, and all sorts of environments exist here, including wetlands, rainforests, dry forests, beaches, and more. The road was built by returned soldiers between 1919-1932, and is considered the largest war memorial in Australia, dedicated to those soldiers killed during WWI. It has been extremely useful for the timber industry, and now is a huge tourist attraction.

Great Ocean Road map (http://www.atn.com.au/topdestinations/victoria/great-ocean-road.html)

You Yangs

Our first official stop was at the You Yangs Regional Park, a granite range Southwest of Melbourne that is part of Parks Victoria. We spent the morning exploring, and didn’t see much during our first walk, but throughout the day saw countless kanagroos and wallabies, several koalas, and various birds. One of my favorites was spotting two red and blue parrots! Their colors are so vibrant and beautiful, especially to see in the wild.

A “mob”of kangaroos

Koala in You Yangs Park

We spent a couple hours searching for wildlife and koala hunting (or more appropriately, blob hunting through the treetops. We enjoyed a picnic lunch at a cook-out area, next to a grassy field where a group of kangaroos were residing. They staying during the whole lunch, which our guide said was a first for him! Our guide also used water and leaves off a hand-picked branch of a Eucalyptus tree to make “Hillbilly tea.” By swinging the teapot around in a circle like a softball pitch, the leaves and particles are pushed to the bottom of the pot, giving the tea a clear pour. It was fun to watch and delicious to drink!

Lunch with the kangaroos

Serendip

After exploring a bit more, we headed to a neighboring park, Serendip. This park is used for wildlife research, captive management, and breeding of threatened species. Just as we entered, we came across three emu’s taking a stroll! We watched them for a while, then walked around the lake and through a dried-up lake. Southern Australia has been in severe drought, and the area we walked through used to have water up to shoulder-level just a year ago. In fact, the park system had resorted to putting some feed out for the emu’s earlier in the season since conditions were getting so harsh. However, luckily for the land, our arrival also brought rain, which made the community and animals in the area quite happy! We spotted wallabies, various birds, another koala, and even two possums at this park!

Little River

Our evening accommodation was in this tiny town, at a beautiful bed and breakfast called the Little River B&B. We had a fantastic suite-like room, and the property was uniquely decorated with old-fashioned trinkets. We took a walk down by the river that ran behind the property, and got a look at the old-fashioned homes that made up the small village. For dinner, the tour made reservations for us at the Little River Hotel, a restaurant right next to the b&b. Although it was a pretty basic pub-like restaurant, the staff was very accommodating and the food was fantastic.

After dinner, we settled in for the night and got ready for another full day ahead!

The Great Barrier Reef (Cairns Day 3)

Today I got to check off another major life bucket list item, visiting the iconic Great Barrier Reef!

Based on square meters, the Great Barrier Reef is the most diverse ecosystem in the world. The reef is located about an hour and a half off of the coastline, and is made up of coral cays, which are essentially semi circles of reef formations, with the more built up areas on the southern side. As the currents push water and sand south, it builds up into these formations. The reef has over 2,900 reef cays, and stretches over 1,400 miles of the Coral Sea. This area is so large that it is the only living thing on planet Earth that can be seen from outer space, and is the world’s largest single structure made by living organisms. It is categorized as one of the seven natural wonders of the world. Combined with the Whitsunday Islands, it generates $3 billion of tourism revenue per year.

Unfortunately, human activity on the reefs has drastically impacted the health of the ecosystem. The coast of downtown Cairns is essentially a contaminated mud flat where boats dock, leaving a not so attractive view. However, the reef protects the ocean closer to land, therefore providing a natural barrier, which makes the water relatively calm. Unfortunately the windy and rainy weather the past few days has made the visibility in the water not very good, but there is also a problem with coral bleaching. Tragically, over 50% of the reef has already been killed off, so it is extremely important to make sure products being used are environmentally friendly.

Snorkel Trip One

To explore the reef, we took a 60-person tour with Ocean Freedom. The crew was extremely knowledgeable, very friendly, and helpful. After our boat ride out, we docked and went for a half hour snorkel. Although visibility was low, we still were able to see a lot of wildlife! Our first friend was a barracuda over a meter long that likes to hang out around the back of boat (according to the staff). Although this wasn’t particularly my favorite sighting, it was still a story that I survived to tell! We also saw sea turtles, which are gorgeous and impressive creatures. One of our guides explained to us that most wildlife on the reef gets their name because it literally looks like what it’s named after. For example, brain coral looks like a brain, and boulder coral looks like a boulder. To follow this story, I saw a unique fish that was yellow with black dots, and was shaped sort of like a box. When I later looked it up, it was in fact called a “yellow box fish,” creative! I also saw a humphead wrasse fish, which is basically a large dark-colored fish with a bump-like structure on its head. I didn’t know what it was at the time, but it was massive, probably about three feet long!

Bumphead Parrotfish (picture from http://www.swissnomads.com/2014/09/best-dive-sites-lhaviyani-atoll-maldives/)

Bumphead Wrasse (picture from http://www.swissnomads.com/2014/09/best-dive-sites-lhaviyani-atoll-maldives/)

Parrotfish (picture from https://phishdoc.com/2015/09/14/parrotfish-i/)

One of my favorite fish was the parrotfish, which males are a rainbow of colors, and females are beige and brown. They are absolutely beautiful, but also contribute to a large portion of bioerosion on the reefs. They consume microscopic organisms that live on an in coral rock by using their beak-like teeth, and in the process destroy the coral. This natural devastation of the reef actually accounts for a large portion of the ecological loss. Parrotfish also do this cool thing at night where they spit out a large cocoon of balloon-like skin, which they swim inside of it and sleep there for the night. The properties of this sticky skin make it so that other sea creatures cannot sense its presence by its electrical impulses. If a predator were to attempt to break this casing, it would be repelled my the thickness and stickiness of it. Our tour guide said he was once on a dive where a friend picked up the bubble with the parrotfish asleep inside, and it didn’t even wake up!

My mom and I before snorkeling

My mom and I post snorkeling

Glass Bottom Boat

Next I took two back to back trips in the glass bottom boat, because you never know what you’re going to find in the big blue sea at any given moment! We saw countless sea cucumbers and blue starfish, and got briefed on many different types of coral and fish. After returning to the boat, we enjoyed a fabulous lunch, then headed to the second snorkeling location. This was just a short distance away, on the other side of the cay. Marine life there was about the same as the previous location, but it was great to see two different areas on the same trip.

Snorkel Trip Two

Since there was more of a current in this area, we took the smaller boat out ahead of the cruise boat, then jumped into the water and followed the current back to the main boat. A staff member swam with us, teaching us about various ocean facts. She also led us to a sort of coral cave where there were often sharks. Lucky for us, they were hiding out there! You had to dive down a little and look under a ledge, but we did get to see a few incredible black-tipped sharks. About the only “big” thing we didn’t see was a manta ray. Small blue-spotted rays are very common in the sandier areas where we were, I just didn’t happen to see any. I also got to see my other favorite fish, nemo’s! Or, “clownfish,” if you want to be technical. They are definitely the other most adorable thing I’ve see in Cairns, in addition to the aforementioned baby crocodiles. Despite the cloudiness of the water and roughness of the waves, we were able to see quite a satisfying amount of ocean life!

Enjoying the Great Barrier Reef

Tour Advice

Overall, I would say that our tour was extremely successful! If you are looking for what tour to do here, I would recommend Ocean Freedom for several reasons. Their company is one of the few family-owned businesses left, and they truly do act like a family. All staff was very well educated, and everything on the boat was clean and organized. Their was plenty of food throughout the day and it was always good, and staff was quite accommodating. I didn’t bring along any sort of underwater camera, but if you have one, bring it! When the water is clear, the footage is great, especially with a mounted GoPro. However, if the water quality isn’t very clear, you’re honestly better just enjoying the trip and not bothering with trying to get decent photos. If you get seasick or motion sick easily, and find yourself here during rough weather, definitely take something prior to heading on the boat. Additionally, when the weather is more rough, snorkeling in the ocean is also a little more difficult that you may imagine. Pretty much anyone can do it (they even will personally take you out with a life guard ring and guide if you’re elderly etc), but you do need to be aware of strong currents and larger waves. It’s a little different than snorkeling in calm water, but far worth it! If you are nervous about trying it out, there’s a huge scale of beginner to advanced options, so definitely go for it!

Cairns

After docking at the marina, we walked to the lagoon pool and took a few photos in the beautiful infinity pool built right on the beach. Cairns has fun things like giant stinging jellyfish and plankton that don’t hurt you but make your skin tingle, so the lagoon is a great option for when these creatures are in season! We got back around dinnertime, still feeling somewhat like we were on a boat, and had a relaxed evening. Cairns still gives me a slightly weird feeling that I haven’t gotten anywhere else in Australia, I am 100% glad to have come and that I was able to do everything on my Cairns bucket list! However, I think if I come back for this sort of trip, I will try somewhere new, like farther up North (where snorkeling is supposedly even better), the Whitsunday Islands, or Fiji. Tomorrow we will head to the airport in preparation for Melbourne and the Great Ocean Road!

Cairns boardwalk

Terra Australis Incognita (Cairns Day 2)

Today we got to explore one of the oldest and most impressive parts of Australia, the Daintree Rainforest. Covering about 460 square miles, this national park layout is unique because is consisted of small irregularly shaped areas, rather than one large block of land. This rainforest is the largest continuous area of tropical rainforest on the Australian continent, with the rainforest extending all the way to the edge of the sea.

One unique story we were told tells the history of the Idiospermum australiense species, more commonly known as the idiot fruit. Essentially this tree was thought to have gone extinct many years ago, then was accidently rediscovered in 1970 by a farmer who was confused why his cows were dying from consuming this tree’s fruit. Named one of Australia’s most significant discoveries, this find identified that the Daintree Rainforest was far older than recorded, dating back 110 million years. Since evident of this species exists from that long ago, and it only grows in very specific and limited environments, this discovery was a huge mile marker for Australia.

Daintree River

Our day with Tropical Horizons tour group started with an hour and half drive to Port Douglas, following the edge of the ocean since only one main road links the two areas. Inland of the coastal area is very mountainous, so it makes sense that only main road runs along the edge. Despite what you might think, the road is very well kept and the drive is quite lovely with oceanfront views the entire way. After picking up the rest of the guests in Port Douglas, we drove through a residential area that was home to hundreds of wallabies and kangaroos, then headed to the first main stop at the Daintree River.

Here, we experienced the incredibly diverse ecosystem of the river. Within the first five minutes of our river cruise, we saw a saltwater crocodile and three baby crocodiles that were only 6-8 inches long! It was probably one of the cutest things I’ve seen on this trip. Although called saltwater crocodiles, majority of the species lives in freshwater. They get their name simply because they also have the ability to survive in saltwater. Later on we saw a larger crocodile, as well as a small snake in a tree, and a variety of birds. We learned about mangrove trees, which have vast root systems creating a swamp-like environment and wildlife haven among the water’s edge. Providing shelter and warmth, this creates the perfect living grounds for all sorts of flora and fauna. With only a little rain, our boat ride through the river was quite successful! We got off the boat upstream and on the other side of the river, where the bus picked us up again.

Baby crocodile (on center of lower half of branch)

Alexandra Lookout

Our next stop was Alexandra Lookout, also referred to as Walu Wugirriga by aboriginals. As you can see in the picture, it is absolutely stunning (sarcasm)! It was more than a little foggy due to the unfortunate weather, but you could still sort of make out the outline of the landscaping. With a clear view, this lookout offers views of the Daintree River mouth and it’s surrounding environment. We had just enough time to attempt a picture through the raindrops, then jump back on the bus.

Alexandra Lookout

Rainforest Lunch

For lunch, all we were expecting was “lunch in a rainforest setting,” which in Australia is an extremely vague description, considering detailed descriptions here are often to be taken loosely. However, we enjoyed an absolutely beautiful lunch at a restaurant that is tucked away in the middle of nowhere in the rainforest. This small property also houses a resort, and has a restaurant literally set in the rainforest. It is built next to the river, and you can look over the edge and down onto the river right next to the dining tables. The staff was very friendly, and it was a fantastic meal! To make it more quaint, this restaurant was established a long time ago, before Cairns tourism developed, and was a typical spot for locals to stop by and enjoy a meal.

Cape Tribulation

Our second to last stop took us to the beach, at a point that was named by James Cook after his ship ran into some trouble there. Although his voyage was delayed, it was not ended, and he therefore named the point something representative of its nature, Cape Tribulation. By this point in the day, it was starting to just about pour buckets, so if anyone didn’t know how the rainforest got it’s name by then, they learned quickly. After a short walk on the beach learning the history of the point, we walked through the forest to a lookout point. Again, it was a bit foggy and rainy, but at least it felt appropriate to have this weather when visiting the rainforest!

Cape Tribulation lookout

Going off of that story, in case you’re wondering, here’s how Australia got it’s name. A long time ago, people knew the mapping of the North and South America’s, as well as the large European and Russian landmasses, so they assumed that in order for the world to balance out (in regards to land verses water masses), there had to be another land mass countering South America. When James Cook set out on his voyage from England, they had the idea that this land mass was wider and skinnier than it is now, and therefore he was sure to run into it when heading South. Although he did end up reaching what is now Australia, he had many unexpected adventures along the way that lead to many new discoveries. In the process though, Australia was originally named “Terra Australis Incognita,” or more simply and appropriately put, “the great undiscovered land.”

Mossman Gorge

Our last main stop of the day was Mossman Gorge, where we first enjoyed tea at the visitor’s center, then a short presentation by an Kuku Yalanji aboriginal. We took a shuttle to the park entrance, then followed the rainforest track walk to Mossman Gorge, passing over a suspended bridge along the way. Mossman is also known for its sugar cane farming, as many areas around Cairns are as well. Due to the fitting environment, sugarcane grows extremely well in this area, contributing to make Australia the world’s fifth largest producer of the sweet stuff. While harvesting used to be gathered by hand, now it is all processed by machinery to avoid infection by toxic waste products of rats living in the area. This change in methods caused the time limit of transporting the cut cane from the field to the mill from two weeks to a mere 14 hours. For this reason, small train lines run all across the countryside, because it is faster than transporting it on the limited roads with such a large volume of cane. Recently though, a successful sugar mill was bought by another company with the intention of solely trading ownership, then completely shut down after two months. This was done through the eyes of the competitor as a means to regulate the price. However, this devastated the town, which prided itself on the sugar mill business, and impacted a lot of lives and related businesses. This is just one example of how politics happen all over the world.

Mossman Gorge

Another interesting story of the day was learning that the company Palmolive started in the Daintree regions. Essentially, palm tree oil was mixed with olive oil, which was used as a base to make soaps. Two inventors, William Colgate and B.J. Johnson, joined forced to create a company for which they could both benefit from the credit and sales of a product. Therefore, Palmolive is not a name, but rather simply an addition of the words palm and olive.

Overall, we had a fantastic day learning about and exploring the incredible world of the ancient Daintree Rainforest!

Anzac Day Adventures (Cairns Day 1)

My mom has officially joined me from across the pond, and our first big stop is Cairns! The evening of our arrival, we checked into our Airbnb, got a little advice from our host, and headed out to town. After a walk down the Esplanade and a lovely dinner at a café, we headed in for an early night.

Cairns

For location references, Cairns is essentially the main tourism point of Australia where people go to visit the Great Barrier Reef. I was expecting a smaller town with mostly tourism, however this is the first place in Australia I have traveled to that gives me a slightly odd feeling. Although a beautiful area filled with activities to do and places to see, the town and surrounding area is just not what I expected. The main attractions here include the Great Barrier Reef, Daintree Rainforest, and aboriginal culture. The towns themselves are very old fashioned, looking like the type of area that could easily (and realistically) get swept away overnight by a natural disaster. The streets aren’t designed the best, and the villages are very small, considering most attractions are on the water or in the forests. Although the weather is a bit off from what is normally expected of this time, it has been completely overcast with dark skies and rain. It has been quite an abrupt change from the beautiful beaches and clear skies of Gold Coast, but hopefully Cairns has some wonderful things in store for us!

Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef from plane

Anzac Day

As a perfectly-timed way to start our trip, our first day in Cairns is was also Anzac Day. Essentially, this is an Australian War Memorial holiday that commemorates the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (abbreviation: ANZAC) soldiers who landed on the Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey during the first World War. This day reminds Australians of those who served and died in war and on operational service with qualities of courage, mateship, and sacrifice. For celebratory purposes, the best way to describe it is like a combination of America’s Memorial Day and Thanksgiving. For Australia, this holiday is so important that it is known second to Christmas, and even has it’s own official website (https://anzacday.org.au/home). Although our tour that day left too early to see the Cairns Anzac Day Parade or join in on an early morning remembrance ceremony, we still got to spend the day learning about Australia’s natural and historic beauty!

Wooroonuran

This morning we joined a tour through Wooroonuran National Park, one of the wet tropics world heritage areas, which contains some of the oldest surviving rainforests in the world. Just one of the many unique trees of this rainforest, the Blushwood tree, has been found to cure the breakdown of cancer tumors. This has been successful with animal testing, and human trials are in the process. This just goes to show what other undiscovered secrets might be hidden in this ancient paradise. Contrary to common belief, parts of the Australian rainforest are actually older than the Amazon, comparing the Amazon’s mid 50 million year old ecosystem to Australia’s 180 million year old landscape!

Lake Barrine

This freshwater lake was formed when a large volcano erupted over 17,000 years ago, leaving a crater that was formed then filled with rainwater. At 730 meters above sea level, there are no streams or springs that feed into the lake, but one small creek that flows out during the wet season. We also walked through the Lake Barrine Tea House Restaurant, and it looked like a lovely place to enjoy tea.

Lake Barrine

Yungaburra

Stopping through Yungaburra village, we learned it is a haven for wildlife, including the platypus, tree-kangaroo, wallabies, and many species of birds. We took a drive around Lake Tinaroo, and headed to the Curtain Fig National Park. With traditional aboriginal owners, this national park is part of their country, so naturally it is a place to be respected. The park protects endangered mabi forest and a large fig tree, in fact one of the largest recorded in the world. Technically known as the species ficus virens of the strangler fig, this tree’s aerial roots drop 15 meters to the forest floor forming a curtain-like appearance, hence the name curtain fig. Esentially they grow by germinating on top of another tree and trying to grow roots into the ground, then grow more, until the hosting tree is killed and it can grow independently. These trees are considered epiphytes, which feed from the ground, as opposed to parasitic plants, which feeds from the sap of host plant. This protected tree in specific has overtaken four other trees in its time.

Curtain Fig Tree

Millaa Millaa Falls

This was one of my favorite stops of the day, as I have recently discovered I am slightly obsessed with waterfalls. “Millaa millaa” is an aboriginal phrase meaning “plenty of water or waterfall.” This particular fall is known casually as the most photographed waterfall in Australia, with a suitable swimming pool at it’s base. Unlike most of the rock pools I’ve encountered, this one was quite flat, and although it was a bit too cold to try out, it looked like a lovely place to go for a swim.

Millaa Millaa Falls

Crawfords Lookout

Our next stop took us to Crawfords Lookout in Mamu Valley. It was still a little foggy, but we could still see the view of the North Johnstone River Gorge.

Crawfords Lookout

Josephine Falls

This tiered cascade waterfall is a natural beauty, and also danger. At 192 meters above sea level, it is impossible to see the top of the waterfall when standing below. It is also impossible to tell what rainfall activity is happening above, and essentially the basin at the top fills and fills with water until it hits a tipping point, then spills of the edge all at once, flash flooding the rock pools below. Although a fantastic swimming area at first glance, it can also become a nightmare in an instant. A great place to visit though!

Josephine Falls

Babinda Creek

Our second last stop of the day was the Boulders at Babinda Creek. As compared to above, this lake-like area is perfectly suitable for swimming. The creek is lined with huge boulders, which help to give it its name, but also have aboriginal significance. According to local legend, the boulders are guarded by the spirit of a beautiful girl named Oolana, and you can still hear her calls for her lost lover.

Babinda Creek

Mulgrave River

We ended the day with an hour-long crocodile cruise through the Mulgrave River, although the unfortunate weather made it not super successful. We learned above the lives of crocodiles, and explored an area with beautifully reflective waters. Overall, it was a lot of driving through the countryside, but a great day of sightseeing South of Cairns!

Mulgrave River reflections

Brisbane: A Meeting Point

Brisbane Airbnb

On Friday night, my mom’s flight got in at around midnight, and she met me at our Airbnb in Brisbane. If you aren’t familiar with Airbnb, it’s basically a website with profiles of places to stay, essentially rooms available for rent in someone’s home. Like an a hotel version of uber, we have heard and had great experiences with Airbnb so far. My mom and I will be staying at them all throughout our travels here, and our first in Brisbane was quite lovely!

Exploring Hamilton

While our stay in Brisbane was essentially a meeting point for my mom and I between Gold Coast and our next stop in Cairns, I thought it would be great to show her around the city! The next day we had a full day to explore Brisbane, before leaving on our flight to Cairns the following afternoon. The area we were staying in, Hamilton, is the wealthiest part of Brisbane, which is quite apparent from the beautiful homes in the area. We spent the morning walking around a little, and enjoyed breakfast at a lovely local and organic sourced café. After returning to our Airbnb around lunch to finalize all packing details, our Airbnb hosts kindly dropped us off at a nearby ferry wharf. We took the ferry through the Brisbane river, where a friendly local pretty much gave us a tour while on board.

Exploring Southbank

We walked around the Southbank area (see “B-R-I-S-B-A-N-E” post for more detail), and it was fantastic to see my mom so excited about everything being new and amazing here in Australia. We walked to the big Brisbane letters, through the beautiful landscaping and markets, and ended up at the pool. Although it was cooling off a bit, we swam and laid by the water for a little, then shared an acai bowl at Kiss The Berry. From there we walked through the botanic gardens, which is a beautiful area and amazing how much they pack into the relatively small area. We had dinner at a fantastic French restaurant, then made our way home. Between my mom’s jet lag of a 32-hour flight, and my exhaustion from finals week and moving out, we were ready for an early night.

Acai bowl afternoon snack

Bunyan tree in Southbank Botanic Gardens

Botanic Gardens of Southbank

Brisbane Markets

The next morning our Airbnb hosts invited us to join them for a trip to a market, and we happily joined! It was a great way to spend the morning, looking at crafts, produce, and as many food options as you can imagine. We enjoyed breakfast while at the markets, and soon headed out to finish packing. Soon after that we traveled to the airport, next stop, Cairns!

Brisbane market

‘Til I See You Again

This last week has been filled with bittersweet goodbyes and checking off the last of items on my study abroad bucket list. Additionally, it was also finals week for Bond, at the end of which was move out.

A Last Weekend in Paradise

Last weekend all of my study abroad friends and I got together at one of our apartments, and had a goodbye dinner. People would be starting to leave throughout the next week, so we all decided to have one last cookout by the pool to wrap up the semester. The following day we went to Burleigh beach, and I finally got to explore the other side of Burleigh Heads National Park. A short walk around the edge of the park will take you to a beautiful lagoon area on the other side.

Southside of Burleigh Heads National Park

In the evening we all enjoyed Surfer’s Paradise one last time for our semester abroad. We attempted to stay out and watch the sunrise on the beach, although most people couldn’t quite make it and we headed in early. I also had quite the adventure losing my FitBit (again) that night, and over an hour later found it innocently lying unharmed on the ground. For someone who is addicted to their FitBit (and already had it replaced once), it was a not so good moment that ended well. However, it was a lovely way to spend our last full weekend in Gold Coast. It definitely proved how amazing my semester has been here, with the friends I’ve made, places I’ve been, and things that I’ve gotten to do.

Finals Week

The earlier part of last week was spent mostly in the library becoming an expert on all things class-related. Although I only missed one class (to make a flight) this semester, and did stay on top of all my academics, I still had quite the game of catch up to play before exams. After my Wednesday and Thursday 8am exams, to say I felt home free was an understatement. However, on Thursday it dawned on me that finishing my last exam (in my terms) meant that I am officially a senior. How this crazy thing happened, I’m not quite sure. Regardless, it also meant that the studious part of my travels had concluded and it was time to enjoy the rest!

Springbrook

After my Thursday exam, one of my local Australian friends was kind enough to drive a couple of my friends and I to Twin Falls in Springbrook National Park. This had been one of my bucket list items since the very beginning of the semester, and during the last week I was still determined to get there!

The circuit we walked lead down the Currumbin mountains to the base of Twin Falls, around and behind another waterfall, back up the mountain, then along the top ridge to the starting point. When we reached the top of the mountain, the first lookout had a view of the other side of cliff so that you could see Twin Falls from across the mountain gap. It was a great little circuit through the rainforest, and took about an hour, definitely recommend it! Unfortunately it was a little cold when we visited, but I’d imagine the best part would be swimming in the rock pools at the base of Twin Falls!

Twin Falls

Walking behind the second waterfall

Top ridge lookout

Panorama of top ridge lookout

View of Twin Falls from across the mountain valley

Later that evening, I did one last run around Lake Orr, the lake surrounding my apartment complex and campus.

Lake Orr

Burleigh Heads

On my last day in Gold Coast, a few of my friends and I made the trip down to Burleigh, which had become somewhat of a tradition. We spent the better portion of the day on the beach, enjoying the beautiful weather. Saying goodbye to my friends was sad, but I was also exited for the travels ahead. While I do have to wave farewell to Gold Coast, luckily I still have two weeks of traveling in Australia before heading back to the states!

North side of Burleigh Heads

Enjoying an acai bowl on the beach

See Ya Later

As I finished packing up my apartment after returning from the beach, I couldn’t believe that it really was my last day of study abroad in Gold Coast. When originally coming, I was under the impression that because it is so far and I got to live here for a decent period of time, that I more than likely would not be back again. In reality, I know now that thinking like that was completely naive, and I will most definitely back again someday.

Despite all the incredible places I got to visit, interesting people I met, and amazing memories I’ve created, there are still so many items I didn’t get to do. I did a LOT while studying abroad, so that just goes to show how many places there are to explore and things there are to do over here. When saying goodbye here, to friends or someone you just met, a lot of people use the phrase ‘see you later,’ even if they are a complete stranger that most likely will never see you again. However, I like to think with the mentality that you might someday see them again, even if it’s 25 years from now. With that being said, it’s not goodbye, it’s ‘til I see you again, Gold Coast.

A Long & Winding Road (New Zealand Day 6)

This morning we took a local’s advice (front desk receptionist at Woodlyn Park), and embarked on an adventure to find a few natural attractions in the area. She warned us to make sure we had a full tank of gas (we didn’t), and we set off!

Mangapõhue Natural Bridge

Following one long road the entire time, our first stop was at Mangapõhue natural bridge. Just a five minute walk down through the bush, you stumble upon a huge rock formation, with water flowing underneath it creating a cave as well as a huge rock arch above you. In contrast to what we originally thought, we ended up viewing this natural bridge from underneath, instead of overtop. We explored the countryside for a little, then returned back to the road to continue to our next stop.

Suspended bridge walking to the natural bridge

Natural bridge from north side

Natural bridge from south side

Marokopa Falls

A few miles later we pulled off the road at Marokopa Falls, allegedly the biggest waterfall in New Zealand. After another five minute speed walk through the bush, we found ourselves near the base of this huge and absolutely beautiful waterfall. It was a little too wet/muddy to try and risk hiking down to the bottom of the falls, but we still had a breathtaking view from where we were. Definitely a fantastic find!

Marokopa Falls

Marokopa

Our final destination took a few more miles of driving along the long and winding Te Anga road, but we made it there successfully (aka with plenty of gas)! Referred to something like Coffee Coast by the hotel receptionist (could not find this name anywhere), we arrived in the tiny town of Maropkopa, where we followed a short trail down to the black sand beach. As you can imagine, we lost phone service around the natural bridge area, and although I forgot to take a picture, at the trail entrance there was a sign posted that read, “in case of emergency, dial 911 from the nearest house or public facility.” So that gives an idea of how isolated we were. There was a huge inlet that clearly would completely flood during high tide, but was only about half full at the time we were there. We took a few pictures and moments to take in the incredibly peaceful scenery, then got back in the car for the trek back. I also took a small flat black rock along, to represent the black beach and surviving the trek out to the coast!

Black sand beach

Panoramic view of Marokopa Coast

After arriving back to the tiny town of Waitomo, we grabbed lunch, filled up on gas, and headed towards Auckland to drop our car off by 5pm. We checked into our hostel, took a short walk around the city, joined a friend for dinner, and got to bed early in preparation for our early morning flight. Overall, New Zealand provided so many incredible experiences, and I have come to the conclusion that one week is not NEARLY enough to explore just part of only the North Island. With that being said, I guess I will have to come back someday. Until that day, Kia Ora, New Zealand!

Scenic New Zealand countryside

Hobbiton Movie Set (New Zealand Day 5)

Today we visited the Hobbiton movie set just outside Matamata, used in the filming of The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. Covering 12 acres, this beautiful landscape includes Hobbit Holes, the Mill, Lake, Shire, Green Dragon Inn and more.

Hobbiton Set Building

This property is owned by the Alexander family, and remains a fully functional working farm, producing sheep’s wool and cattle meat/hides. In 1998, Peter Jackson, director of the movies, approached the Alexander’s requesting to use the land for filming, and after the contracts were signed, he embarked on a journey of detailing sets, starting with site construction in 1999. To build the small town, the New Zealand Army was actually asked to assist in building roads, transporting equipment, and filling in a large swamp area to transform it into a field. Although they were not paid, they were reimbursed by being offered fighting roles in the movies. Most of these men were so enthusiastic about the filming that Jackson had to request them to tone it down so it was not too violent for a family movie, and three men were hospitalized for fighting a bit too intensely!

Hobbit hole

Details Details Details

The level of detail that Jackson included into his set is incredible, and can be seen on the property:

Jackson did not think the sheep that came with the farm fit the time era they for shooting for, so he had the native sheep removed and imported sheep for filming.
The wooden beams of the hobbit holes were distressed using a chainsaw, soaked in vinegar and dried to make them look the appropriate ago. A mixture of glue, wood chips, and cement was also used to splatter on wood, giving it the appearance that it is naturally covered in lichens.
The orchard, which was originally comprised of plum trees in the book series, was not aesthetically appealing to Jackson, so he planted pear and apple trees instead. When it came time for filming, all the fruit and leaves were stripped off the trees, and artificial plums were attached to make the scene look comparable.
There is even a tree on top of the hill that is completely artificial. It is made of a steel trunk and branch frame, painted with weatherproof material to make it look and stay looking realistic. Additionally, individual leaves were attached all over the tree, and later all individually painted a different color.
There are also three hobbit holes built into the background hill of the valley, with the intention being solely just in case the camera accidentally paned and caught a glimpse of the background. All the work of altering the background landscape from its natural empty fields was shown for a grand total of three seconds throughout the film series.

Fake tree mentioned above

On Set

Our tour began by bus, traveling though the filming grounds, where our guides pointed out different sections. The first main section was a large fenced-in field, which use to house over 250 species of animals used throughout filming. A section to the right was used to store tech equipment, and now is used as the farm’s maintenance department. There was a field used solely for all hair and makeup, next to a small hill that was acted as the communication hub of the property.

Following the winding road, you end up in Hobbiton, where majority of the filming took place. We walked through town, learning that all of the hobbit holes were only used for external filming, while all inside scenes for filmed in the “Hobbit Mansion,” an indoor set in Wellington containing over 130 separate rooms. On property, there are multiple sizes of hobbit holes, some on a 30% scale to make characters look large, up to a 90% scale to make other characters appear small.

Stereotypical tourist photo at a hobbit hole

We walked though the pathways, garden, over the bridge of the lake, and into the Green Dragon Inn. This property serve four unique drinks, three alcoholic and one non-alcoholic, and can be found nowhere else in the world since they were created specifically for the movie set tours. The Green Dragon Inn is internationally and externally decorated and fully functional, even offering an area for private functions. The entire landscape of Hobbiton is extremely beautiful, encompassing the natural wonders of New Zealand, and enhancing them with movie set magic.

Iconic movie set sign

Lake and surrounding area

Woodlyn Park & Waitomo

After our tour of Hobbiton, we drove back to the Waitomo area, for our stay at Woodlyn Park. This theme hotel has a ship, plane, and hobbit hole themed rooms. We stayed in the “Waitanic” Ship Motel. Although it’s in the middle of nowhere and only a few rooms available, this iconic hotel has been recognized on TV and in media, and is well known for its unique appearance! We drove into the tiny town of Waitomo, a small village with not much more than a café, visitor’s center, hotel, restaurant, and bar. Waitomo is well known for its underground glowworm cave systems, where a lot of tourism happens, so the above ground areas are quite isolated. However, there are countless areas for nature-lovers and adventurers to explore. Essentially, Waitomo is more of an underground city!

Hobbiton themed rooms

Plane themed rooms

Ship themed rooms

Following a late lunch, we drove to the Ruakuri Bush Reserve, known for being one of the top ten short bushwalks in New Zealand. Upon arrival we definitely could understand why, as we had a fantastic time exploring the natural wonders of caves, waterfalls, a river, and many outlook points. Although just a roughly 45 minute excursion including many photos, it was amazing how many things to explore were packed into this short walking loop.

Standing in front of a cave that lead way back behind the greenery

Looking over a deep rock hole

Walking through a cave tunnel to a lookout point

On the way back we pulled into a parking lot to read a sign, saw the words lookout trail, and decided to jog the short trail before the sun set. Through a short trail in the forest, up a bunch of steps, and a around a large field, we followed a skinny trail across the hill’s edge to a lookout with a 360 degree view around the local Waitomo area. From the lookout you could see the village as well as surrounding mountains and landscapes. It was definitely a great way to sight see Waitomo!

Town of Waitomo from lookout point

Kia Ora (New Zealand Day 4)

This morning we visited a local farm in Rotorua, and spent some time looking at the hand-knit items made of alpaca, sheep, and possum yarn. New Zealand is well known for these high quality products. Following our gift shop stop, we headed to the Redwood Forests.

Driving through New Zealand

Whakarewarewa Forest

As you may have guessed, Redwood trees are not native to Australia, but were introduced from California. In 1899, 170 species of trees from all over the world were originally planted in the Whakarewarewa Forest, making it the first exotic forest in New Zealand. The intention was to see which species would grow successfully as timber trees in the central North Island. While many did not survive, 15 acres of the Californian Redwoods thrived due to the rich soils. Redwood’s lifespan is 600 years, and they can grow as tall as 360 feet. In this reserve, the tallest stand at around 236 feet and 66.5 inches in diameter.

Steps throughout the Redwood Forest

Redwoods of the forest

Today, the Whakarewarewa Forest spans for 13993 acres, joining Lake Tikitapu (Blue) and Rotokakahi (Green), and the Whakarewarewa Thermal Reserve. Thoughout this area, the redwoods do a great job in providing shade for New Zealand’s natural flora. In addition to mountain biking, orienteering & explorer trails, and horseback riding, there are six walking/hiking paths leading through the forest. The shortest trail is a half hour loop that is wheel chair accessible, with the longest trail being 8 hours long and requiring a decent fitness level. We hiked the hour and a half option, which looped up stairs and through boardwalk observation trails, to a rock lookout point, then back down around to the visitor’s center. The beginning of the trail was thick with redwoods, leading up the mountain through other species of trees, with numerous fun photo-ops along the way!

Lookout point of the trail

A fallen tree over the walking path

Kerosene Creek

Rotorua is a major geothermal area, bubbling with geothermal activity, geysers, mud pools, and hot thermal springs all throughout the area. In fact, the town has been nicknamed “Sulphur City” due to the hydrogen sulphide emissions that gives the area a wonderful rotten eggs smell. Not too sure if I could live there with the constant smell, but it does make for a bunch of really cool places to visit.

So, our next stop was Kerosene Creek, a place we found online prior to traveling, and also was told to visit by multiple people. This location is a bit tricky to find, given that Google Maps has the road name wrong, but we were determined to check it out. This creek is naturally hot since it runs out of and through a thermal valley. With rock structures throughout the creek, there are natural hot tubs built into the land. The main swimming area encompasses a large pool, with a waterfall, small cliff overhang, and dam. We spent about an hour relaxing in the water, then made our way back to the hostel.

Kerosene Creek

Waterfall at Kerosene Creek

Maori Village

This evening we joined a local tribe to learn about the culture of New Zealand. We enjoyed words of welcome, introducing 15 different nations that were present for the evening, and inviting all these nations to come together forming a family tribe for the evening. Next we walked down to a river, where the Maori warriors were introduced by rowing through the channel on an authentic hand-carved canoe, performing traditional chants and motions. During a short lesson on canoe making, we saw a replica of a canoe that was designed and created specifically for the movie Piano.

Maori warriors canoeing

After learning about how Maori meals (typically consisting mainly of lamb and potatoes) are slow-cooked in an underground fire for several hours, we saw a cultural performance hosted by the Maori people, which included dancing and singing, both of which were beautifully done. The chief of the tribe also introduced information on different dances, cultural traditions, weapons, and facial tattoos that are used in their culture. Most importantly, he explained a few terms that are used in their native language. Kia Ora is a very well known phrase in New Zealand, meaning hello, welcome, thank you, or often just a general greeting exchanged between people. We also enjoyed the aforementioned meal, with additional sides and desserts.

Maori dancers during their cultural performance

The Kiwi Bird

Following dinner, we took a guided night tour through Rainbow Springs, a wildlife and nature reserve. In addition to seeing many iconic animals of New Zealand, we got to see the country’s national bird, the Kiwi, up close and personal. Many plant and animal species currently existing in New Zealand were not native, but rather introduced from other countries of the world. In fact, birds were the only animals that originally inhabited New Zealand. This is easy to believe because most of the attractions of New Zealand involved the landscape, and there are not rodent or mammals pests running around the ground (like how America has squirrels/rabbits/rodents).

The kiwi is one of these native birds, however due to its odd features, it has had some difficulty surviving and is protected nationally. Kiwi’s are flightless birds, because originally they had no predators. Kiwi’s are about the size of a chicken, but do in fact have tiny wings despite being flightless, about the size of your pinky nail. They have hair that looks and feels similar to human hair, two strong legs and feet with three toes, and a long beak used for digging for insects in the dirt. In addition to whiskers for sensing the area, they have nostrils at the end of their beak, giving them excellent smelling capabilities, and two ears, giving them excellent hearing. These birds are also nocturnal, burrowing in the ground and sleeping up to 18 hours a day, then becoming active at night. Odd but very interesting creatures!

The Maori cultural experience was a fantastic way to learn about the heritage of New Zealand, and also enjoy a quality performance, meal, and park visit. I would highly recommend this experience to other travelers!