Photo credit Australia.com
When was the last time you daydreamed about taking a trip to Australia? As luck would have it, I’ve got a (pitifully unused) US passport, I totally dig shrimp on the ‘barbee, and I’d be ready at the drop of an Outback hat for a visit to the land Down Under. But aside from my keen desire to experience seeing koalas and kangaroos in their natural habitat… I honestly had little notion of what a trip to Australia, specifically Queensland, could potentially entail.
So to enter this exciting #5DaysInQueensland blogger contest, I had to do a little research. The marketing strategy being, of course, that my resulting tantalizing list of things to do in Queensland will whet your appetite, too.
So how did I do…? Would you like to come along on a trip like this?
What I Would Do in Five Days in Queensland
While I’d need a little professional help sorting out the most optimal order, here’s what I came up with. Let’s see what you think of my “five days in Queensland” plan.
Day 1: Snorkel the Great Barrier Reef
Photo credit Australia.com
Shame on me, I did have to quickly reference a map. But after that, I figured this one out fairly quickly, all by myself. Legendary. Breathtaking. And a once in a lifetime experience. Queensland is home to the Great Barrier Reef.
Now I’m not going to talk any smack here, about how I’d go scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef. I know myself well enough, and although a water lover and mid-level outdoor adventurer… diving falls too closely in the “claustrophobia inducing” category for my comfort. I’ll take snorkeling, please.
Oh, to swim with a sea turtle! That’s something a mountain girl like me would get a real kick out of.
Day 2: 4WD Safari through Daintree Rainforest
Photo credit Adventure North Australia
“Where the barrier reef meets the rain forest.” When I conjure images of Australia in my head, I think of the vast, red dusted outback. They have a tropical rain forest? Who knew…?! Intriguing.
Near as I can tell, a number of tour companies in this area offer 1/2, full, or even 2 day guided tours exploring the Daintree Rainforest area in 4 wheeled drive vehicles. Which are needed to cross numerous streams along the way. Oh, heck ya!
Learning a bit of the ‘Bama Way (rich Aboriginal culture) and taking in the Wujal Wujal Falls would be a lovely addition to this day, as well. If you trek long and far enough up towards Cooktown and need to conclude your round trip journey in 1 day, air flights are available to bring you back to your starting point in a scenic and timely fashion.
Day 3: Seaplane Tour of Whitsunday Islands
Photo credit Tourism Whitsunday
Whitsunday Islands sounds like a rather large area with endless, almost-hard-to-imagine white sandy beaches, and weather described as “beautiful one day, perfect the next”. This is definitely going on my Must-Do Top 5 Queensland List. And from a sea plane (or even helicopter) – what a fantastic way to take it all in!
I’m also going to have to ask for some quality, sit on the beach and do absolutely nothing time at some point during this day. I have a sneaking suspicion it may be my favorite.
Day 4: Whale Watching Off the Gold Coast
Photo credit Sea World Whale Watch
Be still my beating heart. Few things take my breath away, and make my spirit soar in awe and appreciation, quite like seeing majestic marine life in the ocean.
From June to September, whales are a common sight off the Queensland coast. There are numerous, lovely tour boats with “100% whale sighting guarantees” running whale watching tours off the Gold Coast. Yes, let’s do that… shall we?
Day 5 – Meet a Koala
Photo credit Australia.com
Water, water everywhere… did you notice that about my first 4 days? I can’t help myself, in my real life I’m land locked. The allure of the sea is much too strong to let it pass me by.
But today, on Day 5, at long last, I meet my first koala. Where will I find them? In the “lush hinterland” of Noosa, a natural paradise. Here, the tourism site states you can “see koalas and exotic birdlife in the trees near your accommodation”. Are you kidding me? I’ve seen deer frolicking here and there, throughout my entire Midwestern/Western life. But the thought of seeing a real live koala, in a not-zoo, just hanging out munching leaves in a tree… completely blows my mind. Where do I sign up for this, again?
And just outside of Noosa, you can also find villages with open-air markets, art galleries, gourmet restaurants and friendly pubs. Sounds to me like the perfect ending to a perfect Queensland trip!
Aaaaaand…. Back to Reality I Go!
With a full time job, a modest income, two young children and the general chaos of our existence… my travel dreams are far from realized, at this point in my life. But for me, planning and dreaming of amazing travel destinations is half the fun. So for that reason, I thoroughly enjoyed this little trip down fantasy lane, of “What I would do in five days in Queensland”!
Maybe someday.
You can follow the Twitter hashtag #5DaysInQueensland to read other blogger’s dream trip ideas for Queensland. Or better yet – join me in this fun contest, and write your own post… What would YOU do in five days in Queensland?
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