Sunday 17 May 2015

Aussie Holiday!!

We have just got back from our trip to Australia, and I thought you might like to see a few (!) photos of our travels.

Lots of flying

Evie and Isla enjoyed the flights. It was very exciting for them to be at the airport. Evie pointed out the planes and vehicles and Isla was looking forward to being on the plane. It was good to be on a night flight (we left at 9 pm both going and coming back) as we all felt like a snooze. We got lots of freebies on the planes, with packs for the children. Emirates gave them monster cuddly toys with their blankets and a little backpack. Isla liked watching Doc McStuffins and Dora Explorer and Scooby Doo on the plane. Evie watched some CBeebies. They both had a nice long sleep on the flight to Dubai on the way home and Andrew and I even managed to watch some films! At Dubai airport we found a play area with things to climb on, and at Heathrow we visited the softplay for some evening climbing about.







Some places we visited

Newcastle for lunch:


Shoal Bay near Port Stephens/Nelson Bay for our first paddle in the lovely warm sea:


Camping at Harrington Big4 caravan park in Crowdy Bay National Park. We swam in the pool (chilly!) and Evie was tempted by the waterpark with giant tipping bucket. The jumping pillow was great fun and Isla made a little friend whilst playing here.




At Port Macquarie, we visited the koala hospital. Some of the koalas suffer from wet bottom and conjunctivitis there.


At Nambucca Heads. Beautiful big beach for running about. The caravan park had a tropical feel with the plants there. We saw large numbers of fruit bats flying over in the evening.



Dorrigo National Park in torrential rain. The rainforest was stunning, but we got attacked by leeches much to Isla's surprise!


Passed through Coff's Harbour. It was the wettest place in Australia that day! We saw banana and blueberry plantations by the highway.

Stayed just North of Coffs Harbour. The day after the storm, the sea brought lots of foam up which Isla liked playing with:

At the top of New South Wales, we stayed between Ballina and Lennox Heads where the weather turned warm and dry for us.


Passed by Byron Bay on a busy Sunday where everyone was visiting the beach after the rainy weather:


We stayed at Dicky Beach at the bottom of the Sunshine Coast. We visited Steve Irwin's Australia Zoo nearby, played in the creek and tried to catch crabs on the beach.







A controlled planned fire in the bush up the coast from Dicky Beach where life guards patrol daily.

At Maroochydore Cotton Tree Caravan Park by the Maroochy River. Sandflies bit me lots here and we had a possum climb over the roof in the night!




Noosa Heads, where the Noosa river meets the sea. Beautiful green water and a busy place.

At Noosa Main Beach where the sea was perfect for swimming. 


We took the ferry across to Noosa North Shore where we camped in the bush near a quiet beach that stretched for miles:





At Mooloolaba. The beach here was great for playing in the sand and swimming. Ice cream shops were also close at hand.








The Glass house mountains and rainforest at Maleny, in the hinterland.



At Tin Can Bay.



At Boreen Point near Noosa. We camped by the lake where we could paddle and kayak:






Bribie Island, a quick run on the beach before going to the airport:


Creatures we saw

A sulphur-crested cockatoo came for lunch at Umina beach caravan park on our first day! A kookaburra joined him and was very cheeky trying to eat our food until I had to nudge him away.

We saw lots of pelicans. These ones were at beautiful shoal bay:


A kookaburra:

At Coff's Harbour, we visited the Dolphin Marine Magic Park where we were kissed by sealions and dolphins! We also watched the animals perform tricks. Isla fed a dolphin and also some penguins. We played ball with the dolphins after their show and also touched their smooth tummies.




During the rain at our caravan park, rainbow lorrikeets came to shelter under our awning and take their chances at grabbing some toast:


A blue-faced honey eater:

 A kangaroo took an interest in Evie and Isla and, much to our surprise, jumped over to our camper van for a look:


Brush turkeys were everywhere and were one of Isla's favourites.

At Australia zoo, we got to stroke a koala! Apparently they don't really feel if you stroke their back as they don't have much feeling there so as to avoid 'numb bum' from sitting still all day.


Ibis were walking about everywhere too:

Well of course we found a fair few crabs on our travels. Here is a ghost crab:

At Tin Can Bay we saw huge troops of Soldier Crabs on the sand flats when the tide was out. They were very quick at hiding in the sand when we went to catch them. Isla excitidely caught a huge one in her hand!



The balls of sand made by the Soldier crabs while feeding:

At Tin Can Bay a large number of rainbow lorikeets congregated by the play park and made a huge screeching sound.

At Tin Can Bay we went to visit the Australian Humpback dolphins. They are a group of 4 wild dolphins that come to the boat ramp every morning to be fed some fish. We stood in the water while they waited and Isla got to feed the young dolphin called Squirt when a kind couple gave her a fish. Andrew got pecked by a pelican!



At Noosa National Park, we saw wild dolphins swimming along the coast to Tea Tree Bay. They were playing near some surfers and one jumped right up out of the water.

At Mooloolaba Aquarium. We touched starfish and sea cucumbers. There were sea apple cucumbers, common black sea cucumbers and burnt sausage sea cucumbers!






Mooloolaba was the best beach for shell collecting:

Andrew and Isla caught a moon crab at Mooloolaba:




Travelling in our camper van






4 comments:

  1. Excellent collection of photos from what appears to have been a memorable holiday for everyone.
    What a great place to live!!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Fantastic collection of photos capturing what appears to have been a great holiday for everyone.
    Looks like you have found a marvellous place to live!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Loved looking at your journey.

    ReplyDelete