Chloe Griffin Portfolio

Tag: australia

  • Melbourne & The Great Ocean Road: Travelling Australia solo & on a budget

    Melbourne is the city everybody wants to move to. Young Irish people are moving there in droves, and my Instagram feed is overrun with pictures of people enjoying the amazing lifestyle it has to offer. Melbourne is also known as the starting or end point for the famous 240km Great Ocean Road, one of the most scenic road trips in the world.

    Overall, I’d say visiting the Great Barrier Reef was the highlight of my 4 weeks in Australia and the best ‘activity’ I did, but Melbourne was the coolest city for sure. Getting to spend time with my old friend (who moved from Ireland to Melbourne) after 2 years of not seeing each other, and getting all his local tips made this city stand out for me.. but even if you don’t have friends there, Melbourne just has great energy!

    One pro tip: Pack layers! Melbourne winter is still a lot milder than Northern Europe, but make sure to pack some layers. Australia is massive, and the difference in climate is pretty extreme, even though it’s all one country.

    With so much to do, it can be hard to narrow it down. Here’s what I recommend:

    Where to stay

    I didn’t research this at all, luckily I have friends in Melbourne who kindly hosted me! Melbourne is the start of the East Coast backpacking route, so there are plenty of hostels, and also has such a jam-pakced event calendar, there is plenty of accommodation for different tastes and budgets. As always, book far in advance and shop around to get the best deals.

    I stayed in the very trendy South Yarra, and Southbank, Fitzroy, and St Kilda seem to be the other in-demand neighborhoods. 

    Getting around Melbourne & transport

    Honestly, I found Australia a really easy country to get around. Melbourne was no exception. Public transport is easy to navigate and very reliable.

    Getting a myki card (public transport card) is easy and saves you some money. Buy one at the train station or convenience store when you arrive, and you can start tapping on and off straight away. There’s also a free tram zone in the city center where you can travel unlimited for free.

    Eat & Drink

    If you already saw my articles on Sydney, Airlie Beach, and Brisbane & Queensland, you’ll know I’m very cheap and mainly cooked at the hostel to save money. Melbourne was the end of my Australia trip so I loosened my purse strings a little and tried out my friend’s recommendations. Here are a few of the places we recommend:

    Lune Croissanterie

    Shop 16/161 Collins St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia

    This pastry shop, with two locations in Melbourne (CBD & Fitzroy), describes croissants as ‘a precise balance of science and craft’. It’s a very trendy spot and highly Instagrammable. I will admit, the pastries were DELICIOUS! The downside is the line is very long (although the Fitzroy location is usually quieter) and the price is a bit high.

    The menu changes and is different at each location, so check their website for the latest info. If you’re on a tightline and determined to get your croissant fix, you can also pre-order online.

    Hochi Mama

    35 Little Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia

    This was the food highlight of the trip! It’s a Vietnamese fusion place. You can order as a group and get several things to share, so we got a mix of vegetarian and meat options. We all LOVED the vegan duck, and thought it was actually better than regular-duck we’ve had in other places.

    Seven Seeds

    114 Berkeley St, Carlton VIC 3053, Australia

    This trendy brunch spot is a perfect stop on your way to the Queen Victoria Market. I had the Banoffee French Toast, which was $23 (around 14 euros). 

    Gacha Cafe

    Lower ground, Shop 14/300 Lonsdale St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia

    Sadly I only found out about this one once I’d already left Melbourne 🙁 That’s why you always need to do your research in advance, I guess! It’s an adorable Japanese dessert cafe with cherry blossom flavored mochi (so sad I missed it) and a lot of matcha.

    Source: Gacha Cafe’s Instagram

    Free sights to see in Melbourne

    Melbourne was the last city I visited on my Australia trip, and I felt I’d already seen a lot of what Australian cities have to offer. I was more laidback in Melbourne, I was mainly there to hang with friends and just walk around. We did still see a few sights:

    Shrine of Remembrance: We wandered into this very random building by accident. It’s apparently based on the Pantheon, and is a memorial to Australians who served in wars. I have to admit I’m not so interested in military history, so the exhibits didn’t capture my attention too much. However, there were nice views of the city from the top of the building, and this was all completely free.

    Victoria State Library: The state library is completely free to visit and bound to appeal to your dark academic vibes. They have many different events happening, and a lot of resources for tracing your family history, if that’s something you’re into.

    Street Art: Melbourne is the hotspot for street art in Australia. There are guided walking tours, and What’s On Melbourne also offers a self-guided walk to pass by all the most well-known works. We casually wandered around Hosier Lane and a few side streets to get a taste of it.

    Rent a boat in Central Melbourne

    If you want to see Melbourne city center from the water, On a Boat lets you ‘charter’ your own small, lurid, orange boat for 1 hour – and you can drive it yourself! It’s very easy, you won’t need a license or any training.

    You can bring your own food and drinks, and the cost is 99$ per hour. This one only really makes sense if you’re in a group. We were 5 people, so it was only $16.5 (less than 10 euros), which is actually pretty cheap for a boat tour. 

    Shopping in Melbourne

    Queen Victoria Market: This is the largest open-air market in the Southern Hemisphere and offers specialty food, gifts, clothing and accessories for all budgets. It sells literally everything!

    DFO South Wharf: DFO stands for ‘Direct Factory Outlet’, there are lots of these in Australia, and they’re good spots to get good deals on anything from clothing to housewares or electronics.

    Princess Highway: this is Australia’s most popular vintage-inspired brand, and I was a big fan! I got some good deals in the June sale. We actually initially went in there so my friend could check the selection of cute scrubs (he’s a doctor), so if you’re a healthcare worker in need of some Harry Potter or koala print wear, this is the place to go.

    Spellbox: In a very random turn of events, we stumbled into a Diagon Alley-like witch store right in the middle of the CBD. It has TWO outlets in Melbourne, to satisfy all your spellcasting, fortune telling, tarot and other witchy service needs. The store employs 20+ witches/psychics. I did not know this was such an industry, but apparently it is.

    I’ve always been intrigued by psychics, even though I’m too cynical to fully believe in them. I did a session, but honestly wasn’t too impressed by it… the predictions were extremely general. Apparantly one of the psychics working here is well-known for being really accurate, but you need to book online far in advance to see her.

    Culture, music & events

    Melbourne is the hippest city in Australia, and there are non-stop cultural, music and sporting events. Of course this is different every week, so check What’s On to find out what’s happening when you’re in town. We went to see the musical Wicked in the Regent Theatre and it was a wonderful experience 🙂

    Lume Digital Art Gallery

    The Lume in Melbourne is the world’s largest digital art gallery. When I was there, they had an exhibit on the works of Leonardo Da Vinci, I absolutely recommend it if it’s still on when you visit.

    I thought I already knew a lot about Leonado Da Vinci, but seeing his inventions up close and seeing how they work was really interesting. He was the first person to discover many things that now seem like no-brainers in physics or engineering, but seeing it deconstructed makes you realize just how amazing that must have been at the time.

    The digital art show part was really interesting, and as a certified lazy gal, I will have to say I appreciated the very comfy giant pillows we could lie on while we watched it 🙂

    Puffing Billy

    Puffing Billy is a very aesthetic Victorian steam train in the Dandenong Ranges, mountains near Melbourne. It’s very popular with families, but we (3 adults) were not ashamed to say we wanted to ride that choo choo too.

    The vintage locomotive chugs through forests, hills, and farmland to bring you to a cute, Christmas-market-inspired town for a relaxed drink or two. If you go during the daytime, you’re allowed to sit on the edge and dangle your legs out the side in reckless abandon, which makes for a very vibe-sy Instagram post. 

    We went in the evening. It’s dark so the Puffing Billy projects very cool light shows and other special effects onto the forest as it moves. It was honestly kind of hypnotic. When we went past clearings, there were local kids waiting to wave at us and see the light show – it’s a really iconic Melbourne thing. We really enjoyed it and got a wholesome, whimsical ‘Christmas in July’ vibe 🙂

    A few tips:

    • Book online far in advance – it fills up quickly.
    • Double check the address. The train leaves from 1 of 2 stations, either Belgrave or Lakeside. Make sure you find out exactly which one you need to go to, since they’re quite far apart. We went to the wrong one but luckily still made it just in time.

    The Great Ocean Road

    So, anyone who’s done the Great Ocean Road will be horrified when I say this, but… I stayed in Melbourne for a week, and I did not do the Great Ocean Road. This was Week 4 of my 4-week Australia trip and I’d already done several very active and jam-packed day tours (North Stradbroke Island, the Great Barrier Reef, the Blue Mountains…). 

    I felt I’d seen a lot of beautiful nature on this trip and was happy to just relax and not have a schedule, since I planned to spend a lot of time just hanging with friends and eating good food.

    I did research doing the Great Ocean Road though, so I still have some tips for you. There are a few ways to do it:

    • Driving: This is the most popular way. Most people drive the Great Ocean Road over 2 or 3 days and hit up all the stops, not just the 12 Apostles. Visit Victoria shares a great 3-day route that lets you hit all the best sights.
    • Bus tour: If you don’t have access to a car, there are a few organized bus tours in Melbourne that will bring you to the most iconic spots. Great Ocean Road Tours has a list of all the options, including a 1-day jam-packed tour for $62 and a more relaxed 2-day option.

    So, what did I do instead? My friends have a car so we did a very relaxed drive to Brighton Beach and Philip Island (that place where you can see wild penguins). Read on for more info.

    Source: Tourism Australia

    Brighton Beach

    Brighton Beach is home to 96 very Instagrammable beach boxes – probably one of the most popular attractions in Melbourne. The boxes were built in the 1860s, so wealthy Victorian people could ‘modestly’ change into their bathing suits before going swimming.

    Now, they’re privately owned and the experience feels more like visiting an art gallery. Every box is painted with a different theme, and there are plenty of nice photos ops. 

    How to get to Brighton Beach from Melbourne:

    • Drive: We drove, it was around 11km.
    • Bus: You can reach Brighton Beach from central Melbourne (Flinders Street) using the Sandringham train line. If you’re starting out in Southland or St. Kilda, take the 600, 922 or 923 bus lines.

    After getting some cute snaps at the boxes, we drove on to Phillip Island.

    Phillip Island & Wild Penguins

    Phillip Island is around a 90-minute drive from Melbourne but feels like another world. It offers otherworldly coastal views which reminded us a little of Ireland.. Until we saw the wallabies and penguins 😉 We hit two of the main landmarks, the Nobbies and Pyramid Rock, then did the ‘must do’ attraction: see the wild penguins.

    Nobbies Center 

    We wound up here by coincidence. There’s a beautiful boardwalk route near the center where you cant see antarctic fur seals and all sorts of cute wildlife, as well as some very rugged coastal scenery and caves.

    The Nobbies Center had some general free exhibits on the island, and a whole section dedicated to Antarctica, Antarctic animals and how it is to actually live there. You can go into a ‘simulated’ room that is as cold as Antarctica (basically, stepping into a giant freezer) and sit on a giant iceberg. I never imagined I’d learn so much about Antarctica while in Melbourne, so this was a pretty unique experience.

    Pyramid Rock

    This is a short distance from the Nobbies and from the Penguin Parade, so we went for a nice scenic walk to kill time. If you have more time, you should do the full Pyramid Rock to Berry’s Beach walk, which takes about 2.5 hours (return).

    We’re standing on front of the pyramid in all my photos! So enjoy a nice sunset from the area instead.

    Wild Penguins/Penguin Parade

    The Penguin Parade is the must-do thing on Philip Island. Phillipp Island is one of few places in the world (outside of Antarctica) where you can see WILD penguins waddling in from their day’s work fishing in the ocean. The penguins you’ll see on Phillipp island are ‘fairy penguins’, the tiniest penguin in the world weighing around 1kg. AND THEY ARE ADORABLE!

    Every evening around sunset, the penguins pop up on the shore, do a panicked honk and look for a group of penguins or ‘raft’ they can make their journey inland with. Once they have enough lil buddies to feel safe, they start dramatically running uphill, tiny wings flapping behind them. They stop to honk at their neighbors before jumping into their burrows.

    Source: abc.net.au


    We were naive and believed watching wild animals walk around would be free, but oh no sir, it is not! We paid $32 per person (19 euros), which seemed quite steep. But by the end we were really happy we did it, it’s a unique experience in a very beautiful place, and we were just totally in awe watching such tiny penguins waddle on their epic quest uphill 🙂

    Where to go next

    And that’s the end! I stayed in Australia for 4 weeks total, and I think I made decent use of the time. I saw a lot, but also had a lot of time to relax. If you’re looking for more tips on travelling the East Coast on a budget, check out my other articles:

  • Sydney & the Blue Mountains: Travelling Australia solo & on a budget

    Sydney is probably the most iconic and well-known city in Australia.. But despite what most people think, it’s not actually the capital! Sydney and Melbourne were arguing over who should be the capital, so to solve the dispute, the government made Canberra (a small city halfway between Sydney and Melbourne) the administrative capital. Nonetheless, it is a very happening city with tons to do.

    Here’s what I recommend:

    Transport & getting around Sydney

    ✈️Getting from the airport to the city center: Sydney is an expensive city, and the airport train station is privately owned, so they can charge whatever they want. The taxis are also exorbitantly expensive. Luckily there’s a cheaper way! Avoid the airport train station. Just get an Opal card (works on all public transport) at one of the convenience stores in the airport, then take any bus that goes to Mascot station (420 bus and N20 are examples), which has normal public transport prices. Then, use public transport to connect to your hotel/hostel from there. Shoutout and thanks to throughourlens.au for writing about this method, it helped me save around $15.

    🚌 Public transport in Sydney: Make use of that Opal card. You can buy them at the airport, inconvenience stores across Sydney, or at train stations. You can also ‘tap on and tapp off most public transport in Sydney with your debit/credit card, but the fare is a little higher than if you used an Opal card. If you’re planning to use public transport more than once or twice, it’s worth getting the card.

    Where to Stay

    I stayed in Big Backpacker Hostel. It has probably the cheapest ‘single ensuite rooms’ in Sydney, at around 70-85 euros a night (this was in winter, so maybe not peak-season. Book in advance for better prices). It’s in a great location, just 2 minutes walk from the Central station, which is perfect for getting to the airport and all the main sights. It also has good laundry facilities.

    The one downside – the hostel itself was a little dingy and dusty. The kitchen was very messy and not big enough for the number of guests staying there.. But considering I only went to the hostel to sleep, and the price was low, I would still give it a good review.

    Cheap Eats in Sydney

    Uptown Korea:  

    Shop 1/614 George St, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia

    A Korean I met in Brisbane told me all about this hidden gem! The food was cheap and very tasty. It gives real Korean convenience store vibes – they also have extreme budget options like ramen noodles. Most items are under 10 euros, including teokbokki, bibimbap, and kimbap. It’s right in the middle of the CBD so very easy to get to!

    The Walrus:  

    Shop 1/276 Pitt St, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia

    I am a hoe for a good brunch and this place did not disappoint. I had an exquisite French toast and coffee for around 12 euros, which was surprisingly cheap for Sydney.

    The Tiny Giant

    This is an extremely cute and Instagrammable brunch spot. I had a luxurious red velvet latte, but the new travel buddy I came with had a latte with an Yves-Saint-Laurent logo printed onto the foam. You can request more or less any designer logo and they will whip it up for all your Instagram needs. The food was also pretty good, but I think the aesthetic is the main reason people check it out.

    Sightseeing

    Free walking tour – I always try to do a free walking tour on my first day in a new city, especially when it’s a big city. I think it’s a great way to see most of the sights without stress, plus you learn a lot while walking around, and usually get a few tips from other travelers.

    This time I went with im.free tours, and would really recommend them! We hit all the most popular sights, like the Harbour Bridge, the Rocks, Sydney Tower, Hyde Park, and of course the world-renowned Sydney Opera House.

    There are a few ways to visit the Opera House, the most popular being the classic guided tours. If you actually want to see a show at the Opera House, reserve this ASAP, they fill up far in advance. 

    The second iconic sight on this tour was The Harbour Bridge. Likewise, there are multiple ways to experience it:

    <$3- Walk or ferry: Being a cheapskate, I just took the stairs in Cumberland Street and then walked across the bridge (for free) and then took the ferry back for some more views (very cheap, covered by your public transport card). 

    $30 – Visit the Pylon Museum: This museum located in a tower on the bridge and has a viewpoint with great panoramic views of the city.

    $300+ – Climb up the bridge: If you’re more of a thrill seeker, there are several tour companies which organize climbs up the bridge. It takes around 3 hours and the price varies a lot depending on the time of day and how far in advance you book – if you’re determined to do it, book ASAP or you could end up paying as much as 400 dollars.

    Botanic Garden

    After the walking tour, I walked across the Harbour Bridge, took the ferry back, then checked out the Royal Botanic Garden. It is completely free to visit and very easy to get to! With 5,000 kinds of plants, it’s the oldest botanic garden in Australia.

    The garden itself has beautiful views of the Sydney Harbor and is very pleasant to hang out in. They have tons of exhibitions and events happening, so it’s definitely worth a visit.

    Free museums

    Sydney has a reputation for being an expensive city, the ‘San Francisco’ of Australia. While it’s true going out drinking and some tourist activities are quite pricey, there are some good budget options (and you can trust this determined cheapskate to find them). Sydney is home to around 30 free museums, including the famous White Rabbit Gallery.

    I always check the weather forecast and find out which day of my trip will be the rainiest or coldest. Then, I make that my ‘hit as many free indoor things’ as possible day. In Sydney, I went to the Australian Museum, the Art Gallery of New South Wales, and the Hyde Park Barracks.

    Australian Museum – this is the oldest museum in Australia and covers a broad range of natural history topics. It has tons of interesting exhibits and events, they were exhibiting the winners of the Australian National Geographic Photography contest when I was there.

    Art Gallery of New South Wales – This very colorful modern art gallery is definitely worth a visit, it has a mix of Aboriginal and international art work. 

    Hyde Park Barracks – This was a very interesting experience! It has a free audio tour which is actually very well-designed and worth doing, it really gives you some insight into the lives of the people who lived here over the years, from convicts who were given a life sentence of hard labour for petty crimes, to refugees during the Irish Famine, and Aboriginal people who were hunted off the land during Colonial times.

    The Rocks Walking Tour

    The Rocks was the first part of Australia to be settled by Europeans, and the most historic quarter in what’s otherwise a very modern city. Imfree.tours offers a free 90-minute guided The Rocks tour every evening, and while it isn’t a ‘haunted’ tour, it does have a lot of murders and intrigue.

    Our guide led us down winding laneways told us wild stories about the lives of people who settled here 200 years ago. Most of the residents were sailors or convicts who had been sent to Australia to do forced labor. After serving their full sentence, they were released into the Rocks where they struggled to make a (usually dishonest) living. There was a high risk of being murdered, robbed, kidnapped and forced into prostitution, shanghaied, or otherwise scammed beyond belief. 

    There are several historic and themed pubs, and the Australian Heritage Hotel offers a weirdly popular ‘coat of arms’ pizza featuring the meat of the two animals on Australia’s coat of arms, the kangaroo and the emu. I did not try this.

    One of our last stops was Observatory Hill, where we took in some inspiring views of the city lights by night 🙂

    Bondi to Congee walk

    Bondi Beach is one of those iconic, must-see spots in Australia. I’ve been hearing about it all my life, so it was very surreal to actually go there and experience the real place. I did the classic Bondi to Congee walk, a very scenic 6km route along the coast. It passes lots of landmarks but the main appeal is the blue of the waves and seeing the expanse of the Pacific stretch out in front of you. 

    There are plenty of cafes and rest stops along the way, so you can easily spend a whole morning or afternoon here. I started at Bondi and walked south to Congee, but you could technically do it either way. Buses 333, 380 and 389 go from Circular Quay very regularly.

    Blue Mountains

    Doing a day trip to the Blue Mountains is a MUST while you are in Sydney. I am not a hiker at all (I don’t even like climbing stairs) but even I agree it’s absolutely the highlight of the trip. 

    The Blue Mountains look blue because there are so many eucalyptus forests there – the eucalyptus oil droplets, dust, and water vapor infuse together to create a trippy blue haze. There are about 250 kilometers worth of walking tracks in the Mountains, and 900 canyons, but most guided tours just bring you to a few points-of-note – my tour only hiked about 2 hours.

    You can also camp overnight, but be warned: there are lots of stories of unusual and unexplained phenomena in the mountains, dating back thousands of years 😉

    How to get from Sydney to the Blue Mountains

    You have plenty of options to get to the Blue Mountains from Sydney:

    Drive: The Blue Mountains are around a 2 to 2-and-a-half hour drive from central Sydney.

    Guided tour: I’m a passenger princess – I do love a good guided tour, so I can relax and enjoy the scenery while someone else drives and worries about the itinerary. I did Coast Warrior’s full day Blue Mountains tour, which was around 10.5 hours and cost about 65 euros. Other companies offer overnight and camping tours too, make sure to shop around to get the best price.

    Train: You can also go solo on the train for around $5. NSW TrainLink Intercity trains can get you from central Sydney to the Blue Mountains in around 2 hours. 

    Scenic World: This theme park located in the town of Katoomba gives you the chance to ride the steepest railway in the world or one of the cable cars for some very scenic views of the mountains. 

    Blue Mountains villages, Katoomba & Glenbrook

    Chances are, if you take a guided bus tour or take the train, you will start or end your Blue Mountains experience in Katoomba or Glenbrook. Our tour did a pitstop at Glenbrook, and it gave me real Twin Peaks vibes, but in a cozy way. The town itself is very small but well stocked with everything you may need to visit the Blue Mountains (supermarket, cafes, outdoor sport supply store, etc).

    Our guide recommended Dolly’s Donuts & Gelato, which has won some prestigious donut award. The donuts were $5-$10 and extremely filling, so I recommend grabbing one to give you some sugar for the hike 🙂

    Wentworth Falls

    Our first stop on the mountains was Wentworth Falls. We had some truly EPIC views of the mountains, and then walked the Wentworth Falls track. Coast Warriors tour is the only one that actually brings you down the very steepest track, to the bottom of the waterfall – but that part is optional, and not advised if you have any injuries.

    I lost track of which spots exactly we visited, but as usual, I was happy to follow the guide and just enjoy the Middle Earth-like scenery.

    Three Sisters

    The most photographed lookout in the Blue Mountains is the Three Sisters! It’s a really unusual rock formation. The aboriginal legend says that the local tribe was about to be invaded by their enemies, who planned to kidnap the women. A powerful elder transformed his three daughters into stone so the invaders couldn’t find them – but he actually ended up being killed, and so never returned to turn his daughters back into humans. Local folk tales always have such bizarre and depressing endings 🙁

    Whale watching

    From mid-May to early November every year, 45,000 humpback whales swim past Sydney on their annual winter migration from Antarctica to the warm, sub-tropical waters of the Great Barrier Reef. It’s crazy to think the whales travel up to 10,000km!

    I booked a 2-hour budget cruise with Fantasea Cruises Sydney, which cost around 40 euros. If that doesn’t float your boat, other operators longer or more ‘luxurious’ cruises. Most tours have a pretty high success rate and manage to see whales almost every day, but if you don’t see whales, most companies will offer you a free ticket to try it again another day.

    We did see a pod of whales, including a lil baby one! We also saw some dolphins as a bonus. Pro-tip, take seasickness medication before boarding. A few people on our boat were stuck in the bathroom throwing up while everyone else stood on the deck marveling at the glory and majesty of the whales.

    Shopping in Sydney

    As I mentioned in my Brisbane article, June is the end of the Financial Year in Australia, and there are some amazing sales happening in stores in June. I usually don’t like to shop when traveling. I feel I could shop online at home any time, but this si my only chance to go out and explore Sydney.. but I have to admit I spent a full day trekking around malls in Sydney and the deals were great!

    The Queen Victoria Building is the most iconic mall, it was built in the late 19th century and has real Grand Budapest vibes, with plenty of shops for different budgets. Pitt Street Mall and Westfield are also worth checking out, especially if you’re there during sale season like I was. 

    Source: sydney.com

    Where to go after Sydney

    I basically did the classic East Coast backping route backwards, so Sydney was my 2nd-last stop, and Melbourne/The Great Ocean Road was my last. If you’re doing the same thing, here’s how to go from Sydney to Melbourne:

    • Driving: NRMA shares a 2-day road trip with all the best stops between Sydney and Melbourne.
    • Train: I took the train to Melbourne, which cost around 48 euros ($80AUD) and took around 11 hours. Sometimes I forget just how massive a country Australia is! I got some nice scenic views and they serve decent-quality hot lunch and dinner onboard for about $10AUD (6 euros), but be warned, the trains are quite old, they don’t have Wifi or sockets to charge your phone, and your phone signal will be patchy! 

    Flying is the fastest option, but also the most expensive. As usual, I recommend looking far in advance and being flexible on dates if you want to get a good deal.

    Looking for more tips for traveling Australia on a budget? Read my other articles:

  • Airlie Beach, Whitsundays & the Great Barrier Reef: Travelling Australia aolo & on a budget

    I began my Australian month in Brisbane, stayed there for a week, then flew to Proserpine (Airlie Beach). Taking the bus is another option. If I was doing it again, I think I would have gone by bus, and stopped off in Noosa or the Sunshine coast for a few days, since I met so many people who raved about those places.

    So, why Airlie Beach? Airlie Beach is a real laidback backpacker spot and the gateway to the beautiful Whitsunday Islands. It’s famous as the place to go to see the Great Barrier Reef (Cairns is the other famous place for this). Several people told me if I’m short on time, Airlie Beach has more to see than Cairns.. So that’s where I went!

    In this guide, I cover:

    Where to stay

    If you want to stay in Airlie Beach, book your stay far in advance! I procrastinated and didn’t book my accommodation until around two weeks before. A friend recommended Nomads Hostel and Magnums resort, but they were full.

    I checked out Airbnb and decided to stay with some locals instead. I was a bit aprehensive about staying with strangers, but the hosts Annie and Kenny (and their adorable pets!) were wonderful and made it feel like visiting family! They cooked me a delicious roast on my last night, gave me all the best tips and offered to drive me around. The room was super comfortable and quiet, as it’s more in ‘the countryside’ – but you’re only 1 minute from a bus stop which brings you everywhere you need to go. Airlie is tiny so you’re never far from the action, even if you don’t stay directly in town. I was so happy I decided to stay with them and would gladly do it again 🙂 

    The Great Barrier Reef & Whitsundays

    Airlie Beach is one of the 2 main towns people visit to see the Great Barrier Reef.

    Seeing the Great Barrier Reef is on almost everyone’s bucket list, and for good reason. The reef is one of UNESCO’S seven natural wonders of the world and is actually the world’s largest reef system – it’s around the size of Italy, and can even be seen from space. Sadly the Great Barrier Reef is under threat from climate change and rising sea temperatures. It’s estimated it could completely disappear by 2050. 

    Tour operators make it sound like you help the reef by going there, since some of their profits go towards conservation efforts. The general advice is to book an eco-friendly tour, not leave any litter, (come on, this one was a no brainer!), use reef-safe zinc sunscreen when swimming there, and take care not to step on or damage the corals. Really take care not to do that. The corals are surprisingly brittle and sharp and will tear through your skin! They’re full of microbes that will give you nasty infections. So be careful out there.)

    Great Barrier Reef/Whitsundays 1 day tour

    I was on a budget, so I went on a one-day tour with Whitsunday Bullet for €120.96 all-in, including snorkeling gear and a wetsuit, lunch and snacks, plus a courtesy bus to and from your accommodation. The crowd was pretty young, lots of solo travelers, couples, and some families. I was really happy with it! Some other options include:

    Snorkelling in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park 

    Sadly I don’t have pictures, but needless to say it was an incredible experience! I saw the reefs and so many different colorful fish. The boat supplies all snorkeling gear and wetsuits. I am a bad swimmer but no need to worry, they offer free life jackets and even pool noodles to help you stay afloat. You can technically still snorkel, even if you can’t swim at all. The tour makes it very easy for you. 

    Source: Palm Bay Resort

    Whitehaven beach

    This glorious white sand beach was amazing, and we had perfect weather. I visited in June, which is winter in Australia, but it was around 27 degrees Celsius and sunny all day. Our tour operator provided free lunch here and also some stand-up paddle boards.

    Hill Inlet Lookout

    The last stop on our tour was a short hike (legit 10 minutes) up to this lookout – and the views were incredible.

    Stuff to do in Airlie Beach 

    Airlie Beach is a small town, and seems to be mostly populated by tourists and carefree, dreadlocked, nomadic backpackers strumming guitars on the beach on their greater quest for meaning. 

    Most people use Airlie as a ‘base’ for visiting the Whitsundays, so it really has a ‘just passing through’ vibe. I think arriving in town 1 or 2 days before your Whitsundays tour is enough. All the activities you’d expect to see at a beach town (surfing, stand up paddle boarding, segway tour) are on offer here. Here are the ones I looked into:

    Beach & lagoon – If you’re visiting other beaches in Australia (like Gold Coast, Bondi Beach, etc), the beach at Airlie is very small and underwhelming. There isn’t a LOT to do in this town aside from relax – which is just what I needed after a stressful few months at work. I spent 2 whole days migrating between ‘Airlie Beach’ and ‘the Lagoon’ reading books and snacking. It was a good time.

    Nightlife – Airlie is hopping with backpackers and other revelers. Magnums is the most well-known resort/bar, and the main street (there’s really one street, you can’t miss it ) has plenty of bars you can check out.

    Jet skiing – Jet skiing was on my bucket list since I was a child so I thought this was the perfect time to try it out! Jet skiing is a very fun and easy activity, you can learn the controls to operate one in 2 minutes. It’s almost impossible to fall off. There are several companies offering jet ski tours so it’s worth Googling and checking different providers. I did the ‘Jet Ski Safari’ (90 euros) and was pretty satisfied.

    Skydiving – Several people told me Airlie is THE place to go skydiving, since you get epic views of the Reef and islands. In a tandem skydive, you fly up with a group, and you get strapped to an experienced skydiver who jumps out of the plane with you and releases the parachute. So if you’re paralyzed with terror, you can trust them to do it. This does sound incredibly cool and I ALMOST booked it multiple times.. But in the end, I was too chicken. 

    This tour for 170 euros seems to be the most popular, but it’s worth shopping around. There are multiple tour companies on the main street in Airlie who will give you an overview of tours that still have space and possibly be able to get you a discount. As with most stuff in Airlie, book early as spots fill up fast.

    Scenic flight – If you want to get much the same views you would get skydiving, without actually jumping out of the plane, most of those tour companies offer a more relaxed scenic flight option too. I didn’t do this as the scenic flights were actually more expensive than the flight I’d taken from Brisbane to Airlie, where I actually got some reef views anyway. But if you’re not flying in, this could be worth it.

    Cheap Eats in Airlie Beach

    I was on a budget, so I tried to cook at my Airbnb and avoid going out for food. Airlie is a really touristic town, so the main street is lined with eateries, open at all times of day.

    Ramen in May – this one is not on the main street, so it’s a little tucked away. The ramen was tasty and cost less than 10 euros, so pretty affordable by tourist town standards.

    Whitsunday Fish Bar – I treated myself to some fish and chips on the beach, and found out this was the cheapest spot. 

    Mika Mexican Restaurant & Bar – I went for dinner and drinks with some people from my boat tour here. The food quality and prices were pretty standard, so I’d give it an okay review.

    Transport in Airlie Beach

    ✈️Getting from Proserpine Airport to Airlie Beach: This was one of the easiest airport connections I’ve ever done! Proserpine is a tiny and very relaxed airport. The first thing I saw when I landed was the information desk for ‘Heart of the Reef’ shuttle buses. The shuttles don’t have a set schedule and just work around the flights, so you won’t be left stranded. 

    Just tell the driver where you’re staying, and they literally plan the route so they can drop everyone off at their door. They also schedule a time to pick you up for your flight out of Airlie. It was around 25 euros return but honestly for a door-to-door service, this is really good value.


    🚌Buses within Airlie: You might not need to take public transporation while in Airlie. The town is very small, and most Reef tour companies offer complimentary bus services (they come and pick you up right outside your accommodation). I had absolutely 0 stress getting around Airlie. There are also public buses which connect most accommodations with the town. Just make sure you have cash, as the buses don’t take cards.

    Where to go next?

    After Airlie, I flew on to Sydney. Other people head elsewhere in Queensland (the Sunshine Coast, Magnetic Island, or Cairns are all good options).

    Get some more tips from the rest of the trip:

  • Brisbane & Queensland: Travelling Australia Solo & on a budget

    Brisbane was my first stop on my 4-week East Coast of Australia solo adventure. It’s a cool city and the perfect base for exploring sunny Queensland. ☀️

    Here’s what I recommend in Brisbane:

    Where to stay in Brisbane

    Selina Brisbane

    For my first 4 nights, I booked a private ensuite room in Selina Brisbane, so I could sleep off my jet lag in comfort. My room was €85.98 per night – booking far ahead is usually the best way to get a good deal.

    I was really happy with Selina! It’s perfectly located, the airport train stops just 2 minutes away at the Roma Street station and it is also close to the CBD and many attractions. Australian-style brunch is available every morning for A$15 (€9.18) and there are family dinners twice a week for A$10 (€6.12).

    The kitchen is pretty decent and has an oven, which is rare in hostels. I was able to cook here without any issues. There’s also a coworking space if you need to do some work during your stay.

    There was a social hour in the hostel bar every evening with free cocktails for guests which was an amazing perk. As you would expect in a busy backpacker spot, people pass through, and the crowd can vary a lot from day to day. 

    One day I was the youngest person there (at 27). The next day I was the oldest and surrounded by young, wild and free backpackers who regaled me with tales of running away from drunk farmers on fruit picking farms in the outback. So many people there came to Australia on a working holiday visa for a year, and they are required to complete 88 days of regional work (often farm work) to be allowed to stay in the country. The hostel bar is definitely the place to go if you want to meet people from all walks of life and hear a few crazy stories!

    Bunk Brisbane

    For the rest of my stay, I moved to a cheaper option, Bunk Brisbane. I stayed in a 4-bed female ensuit dorm for €40 a night.

    The best thing about this hostel is that it is very well-equipped for large numbers of backpackers. The kitchen is industrial size with literally hundreds of pots, pans, cutlery, and everything else – meaning you never have to wait for someone else to finish with something, as you do in other hostels. There are plenty of washing machines available to do your laundry.

    The rooms are less fancy and it’s overall a good lower-budget option. I didn’t socialize much here, because I felt a bit old (I’m 27, most guests were 18-21), but I guess the crowd could vary a lot from time to time.

    The one thing to note – Bunk is located in the Fortitude Valley area, which is notably scuzzier than the other neighborhoods. The positive things first – it’s right next to Chinatown which means there are good and cheap eats nearby, and it doesn’t take long to walk to the river or the CBD. It’s also well connected to other neighborhoods thanks to the Fortitude Valley train station.

    However! It’s a rowdy area. It has a higher crime rate than other neighborhoods in Brisbane. Strip clubs, headshops, casinos, sleazy saloons and other dens of vice and sin abound here. The African preacher standing at the corner in a striking outfit screaming into a microphone about how the Lord will not forsake the sinner who turns to him only added to the vibe. This tireless preacher didn’t seem to get through to any of the laaads on tour, they kept on catcalling and gyrating like there was no tomorrow.

    I don’t want to scare you off the neighborhood, it does have its charms! But I thought it’s good to share my experience so you know what to expect.

    Transport & getting around Brisbane

    🚂 Public transport in Brisbane – public transport in Australia was great! Go to any train station and ask the information desk people about getting a Go Card. The fares are cheaper when you use a Go Card, but it’s also possible to just tap your debit/credit card on most public transport. When you leave Brisbane, remember to return your Go Card to the train station, and they will return whatever money you have on the card, plus your 10$ deposit. I took the Airtrain to the airport then handed the card back there, to get maximum value out of it.

    ✈️Getting from Brisbane Airport to the city center is pretty straight forward. The Airtrain runs every 15 minutes (30 minutes in off-peak times). It’s best to pre-book your ticket, but I bought mine when I got there and had no issues. You can also pay with your GoCard, if you have one. The price was around 13 euros one-way.

    Cheap Eats in Brisbane

    I was on a budget on this trip, so I tried to cook at the hostel and grab cheap eats as much as possible. Australian malls are amazing and often have pretty cheap food options. However I did check out a few places:

    Felons – Felons seems to be the most well-known bar in Brisbane. I went to check it out with some other solo girls from the hostel. It’s right on the waterfront at Howard’s Wharves, directly underneath the Story Bridge, so it offers great views of the bay and the CBD skyscrapers. It’s a bustling spot with plenty of locals and tourists there at any time of day. I tried a SMALL glass of mandarin peel fruity Australian wine for A$17 (€10.40). That price seemed steep, but going out drinking in Australia is pretty pricey. Either have a dry month or prepare to spend 🙁

    State Library cafe – I visited the State Library, queensland Museum and ACOMA Modern Art museum on the same day. They’re located right next to each other on the South Bank. I had lunch in the State Library cafe as it was the cheapest option and I was pretty happy with my quiche for €5.53.

    Miso Hungry – I tried out this chain and it was pretty tasty. The regular chili chicken meal was only around €7 which I thought was decent value. 🙂

    Peach Cafe – this very cute spot is a little out of the center but worth the visit. I had the Mr Potatohead Breakfast Burger and it did not disappoint this little potato head. I also tried their famous peach-matcha milk for A$6 (€3.70) and it was delicious! The desserts looked great and were about 3x bigger than expected.

    Supermarkets – I just searched for supermarkets near the hostel and grabbed supplies on my way home. Aldi, Coles and Woolworths seem to be the cheapest options. There are convenience stores like 7/11 scattered around which of course cost a little more. Also random fun fact, but Coles supermarkets have pick’n’mix MOCHI? Don’t miss it if you’re a mochi hoe like me.

    Kangaroo Cliffs Walk

    The hostel I was staying in, Selina Brisbane, was ideally located for doing the Kangaroo Cliffs walk I’d heard about. If you only have one day to see the sights in Brisbane, this is the thing to do. Mustdobrisbane.com explains how you can do the full walk and see as many sights as possible.

    I wasn’t following the route exactly and was just ambling along. I walked for a few hours (stopping lots of times) and managed to see the following:

    • William Jolly Bridge
    • South Bank area, parklands with some lush tropical plants, lots of museums and events happening here
    • Kangaroo cliffs – I went up to the little gazebo about halfway around the cliffs and had a great view over the bay! You can also do rock climbing on the cliffs if you are so inclined (sorry for the cliff pun).
    • Good views of the Central Business District and those very slick skyscrapers
    • Story Bridge – I crossed the iconic bridge and had some great views. Make sure you get on the side with better views, there’s traffic on this bridge so you can’t easily cross once you’re on it.

    Botanic Gardens

    You can easily head on to the City Botanic Gardens if you’re following the Kangaroo Cliffs Walk!

    Note there are 2 botanic gardens in Brisbane, the City Botanic Gardens, which is really central and easy to get to, and the Mount Coot-tha Botanic Gardens ones which are a little further out and accessible by train from the center. If you go there, make sure you hike Mount Coot-tha too as it offers great views of the city.

    I only had time to visit the city gardens, and I’d definitely recommend lazing around there for an afternoon. Local volunteers offer free guided walks of the gardens every day at 11am and 1pm (more information here). In typical laidback Australian fashion, you don’t need to prebook the tour at all, it’s fine to just rock up. There’s no set tour, each guide just shows you their favorite places. So if you’re really into botanic gardens, it’s probably worth visiting more than once, so you learn new stuff from another guide.

    Our guide showed us the bayhan tree which reinforces itself by growing extended roots all the time, the ‘drunk Parrot’ tree (so-called because parrots like snacking on its very alcoholic fruit, then they pass out drunk on the lawn), the pride of Bolivia (my favorite – it looks like something from a fantasy novel), some tall ass trees Aboriginal men were expected to climb as part of a ritual to prove they have become a man, and many more.

    If you want to see the colorful water lilies in bloom, come before midday as they close up for the day then.

    South Bank & Museums

    South Bank seems to be the most happening area in Brisbane. It’s home to some beautiful parklands and a great place for a walk at any time of day. Here you can also find the city’s only manmade beach ‘Streets Beach’ and plenty of eateries.

    The South Bank’s Cultural Precinct boasts several free museums and is definitely worth visiting. The Queensland Art Gallery and the Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA), the State Library of Queensland, the Queensland Museum, and the Queensland Performing Arts Centre are all located right next to each other so you can easily visit them all in one day!

    • The Queensland museum (general natural history). This is free to visit, but the Queensland Museum has several paid add-on exhibits, which seem very child-friendly and aimed at families. The free part of the museum has a good overview of the fossils, flora and fauna you can find in that part of Australia, and it has an amazing gift shop. I never saw so many koala, bee or wombat related gift ideas in my life 🙂
    • QAGOMA is an interesting spot with a lot of art from Australian, including Aboriginal artists. I don’t know much about Australian art and the manageable size of the museum made for a good intro. 

    Overall I would say the museums are very modern, family-friendly and well laid-out. There isn’t a TON of stuff in any of them, they’re a lot more manageable than oldschool museums I’ve been to. They’re totally free, so I highly recommend making the rainiest/coldest day of your trip a ‘museum day’ 🙂

    Shopping & other nice spots in Brisbane City

    Vintage shopping in the West End – I visited a few cool secondhand shops in this neighborhood and got some new-to-me clothes at great prices. Mustdobrisbane.com has a good overview of a ‘crawl’ you can do to hit as many of them as possible. My favorites were Lifeline Vintage Revival (108 Boundary Street) and Serendipity Op Shop (Russell Street) – the owners are really friendly and you’ll also meet their cute dogs 🙂

    West End Markets – sadly I missed these as they’re only on Saturday mornings, and I was in Stradbroke Island at that time. Everyone recommends them, so try to check them out if you can. More info here.

    Source – TripAdvisor

    Queen Street Mall – this well-known mall has tons of interesting shops. Australian malls have massive sales in June because that’s the end of their financial year.. I was really pleasantly surprised by the deals I found!

    North Stradbroke Island (Minjerribah)

    North Stradbroke Island is stunningly beautiful and you should absolutely visit it if you are in Brisbane. Fun fact, it’s the 2nd largest sand island in the world (its neighbor Fraser Island is the largest – fun fact: the top 5 are all in Australia). It’s also a significant place for indigenous people for various reasons.

    The island is very serene with a population of just over 2,000 people. Cutest fact – there are twice as many koalas on this island as people!

    How to get there

    Option #1: Guided Tour

    I took a small-group guided tour with Hit the Road tours, which I booked on the GetYourGuide platform. The trip left central Brisbane at 08:30am and brought us back by 6:30pm. Bus, ferry, a guide to show you around, and some snacks are included. It was around 80e which I thought was totally worth the money as I didn’t want to stress about catching buses and ferries. Most people on this tour were solo or young couples and very friendly. I had great chats all day and enjoyed the day a lot more than I would have alone.

    Option #2: Bus/Train and ferry

    If you do want to go solo, the easiest option is to rent a car. If that isn’t an option, you can catch the bus or train from central Brisbane to Cleveland, a nearby port town. You can see the full ferry schedule here. There is a public bus on the island which hits some of the tourist spots. Tickets are A$5 per adult, or A$10 for a day pass (more information here). GoCards (the public transport card you use everywhere else in Brisbane) aren’t accepted so remember to bring cash.

    Take note that the last ferry is at 6:25pm, so you should aim to be back at the ferry well before that unless you want to get stranded on the island overnight 🙂

    The Brown Lake (Bummiera)

    Our first stop was The Brown Lake (Bummiera). The lake is surrounded by tea trees, their leaves and oil soak into the water which gives it its distinctive brown hue.. and also makes it antiseptic. Indigineous people used to belive this lake was sacred and could heal illnesses.. and it sometimes actually could do that, the tea tree oil is antiseptic and helps disinfect any wounds or scars!

    I hate to sound like a white woman who buys healing crystals from Amazon, but I could see why the Aboriginal people considered this place holy. It was so peaceful, and tranquil.

    And as an added bonus… I spotted my first wild koala in the forest near the lake! These are a bit hard to find as they’re gray and fuzzy, so they’re well camouflaged high up in trees. These layabouts live the lazy girl’s ideal life and sleep around 20 hours a day, meaning you’ll have to look up high and really peel your eyes to see one.

    Point Lookout (Moolomba)

    Our next stop was Point Lookout, where we followed the walkway. I’m not a hiker at all (I don’t even like climbing stairs) but even I found it an easy walk, so don’t be put off by this even if you’re not very active. It took around one hour walking at a leisurely pace and stopping multiple times, so extremely easy as far as scenic walks go.

    We had amazing views of the Coral Sea. Even from the cliffs, we could clearly see turtles, dolphins and even whales! We also saw a lot of indigenous plants that I had never seen in my life, and some wild kangaroos. These ones see tourists all the time and didn’t seem to mind people stopping to awe and squeal at them, but apparently outback kangaroos have significantly more attitude and will attack you if you come onto their territory. They’re over 2 metres tall and jacked, so maybe don’t go on to their territory!?

    Cylinder Beach, Amity Point & Capembah Creek

    Our third stop was Cylinder Beach. We grabbed some tasty prawn and avocado wraps from The Prawn Shack for A$15 (9e) and ate them on the beach. Cylinder Beach is one of the island’s most iconic surf beaches and is very protected from prevailing winds, meaning you can surf even on colder, windier days. We saw around 20 dolphins in the distance, which was amazing!

    Capembah Creek is a quick stop on your tour, the area is quite small and can be covered quickly. It’s still worth a walk around as the views are stunning!

    At Amity Point we saw a very regal cluster of pelicans and watched the sunset over Moreton Bay. The wide open sky was so beautiful and the clouds tinged violet. It was so calming and the perfect place to end the day as it’s a short distance from the ferry.

    I had a wonderful time on the island and highly recommend it! As you can tell by my meager follower count, I am no influencer and definitely not being paid by GetYourGuide, but I do recommend doing a guided tour as it lets you hit a lot of places in a relatively short time. They also have tours to Moreton Island which I heard pretty mixed reviews about. But if I had more time to kill in Brisbane, I would for sure have checked them out.

    Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary & Australia Zoo

    When I told people I was going to Brisbane, several people recommended I go to Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary and Australia Zoo (yes, the one from the Crocodile Hunter TV show, it’s a real place!).

    I wasn’t that interested in going because I’m not usually a fan of zoos. I know they’re important for conservation and all, but they just never interested me that much. I only went to Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary because patting a koala was the main attraction for me, and it has the added benefit of being easy to reach from Brisbane (just get a Go-Card at any station and take the 430 or 445 bus).

    Koalas only live on the east coast of Australia, so this is the only place in the world you can see them in the wild. Conservationists estimate there are only between 95,000 and 238,000 of them left 🙁 Their habitat is being destroyed, they have high rates of chlamydia and sickness, and they’re just little guys in a big scary world (they get killed by other animals, hit by cars, etc).

    I did the ‘koala encounter’, which is where you meet a koala chilling on its tree and are allowed to pat it and take photos. You need to pre-book your koala encounter a few days in advance.This encounter costs $35 (21.45e) but the koala handlers kindly offer to take pictures for free, using your phone. If you want a professional photo, you would need to prebook that. 

    I can confirm, they are as FUZZY as they look.

    Koalas are precious divas who sleep 20 hours a day and animal protection laws say they can only legally ‘work’ 30 minutes a day (their work here is being patted). A bell rings every 30 minutes telling the koalas to go off-shift, and if the next koala is NOT feeling like dealing with people today, another one comes out. It’s an ideal job in most respects.

    The other option is to book a ‘koala hold’, where they let you hold the koala. This costs slightly more.. If you really want to hold one, be warned, they’re heavier than I thought at around 15kg (33 pounds) but they are very DENSE and bottom heavy. You interlock your fingers and the koala sits on your hands. One girl I met in the hostel said it was doable but it did strain her wrists to support such a “thicc booty”, so something to note.

    The second biggest attraction for me was being able to handfeed kangaroos and wallabies. You can buy a baggie of kangaroo food for $2 (1.23 euros) and then stroll around the plain rustling it until your kangaroo food baggy brings those pouchy boys to the yard. Wait for them to approach you and do not go in for a pat unless you buy them dinner first.

    They vary massively in size, the pretty-faced wallaby is ADORABLE and onyl around a meter tall (3.3 feet), but the Red Kangaroos are a lot more intimidating at over 2 meters tall (6’6 feet), and they are jacked like thugs who got into bodybuilding to seek vengeance once they get out of prison. No lie, they are very beefy animals. Luckily I managed to attract only the cutest, goofiest looking ones 🙂

    You can see a wide range of Australian and international wildlife at this park, including dingoes, wombats, Tasmanian Devils and more.

    So is it worth the visit? It seems a little pricey, but I think the experience is fairly unique. Since it’s at least an hour from the city center, it’s worth going for a few hours and booking an animal encounter. There are cafes with nice views and a ‘blogger’ area at the park where you can chill out and make a day of it 🙂

    Gold Coast

    Gold Coast is a smaller city down the road from Brisbane, famous for its beautiful beaches and ‘Miami’ vibe. It’s a popular day trip option and very easy to get to.

    Getting there – regular buses and trains run from Central Brisbane to Gold Coast. I opted for the train (schedule here), because it goes every 30 minutes, and that meant I didn’t need to commit to a time in advance. The round trip cost was around 20 euros. You can pay using your normal Brisbane public transport card. If you book in advance, Greyhound buses will be the cheapest option.

    What to do in Gold Coast – Many other backpackers warned me there isn’t much to do in Gold Coast, so I did this on my last day, when I was anyway kind of tired and lazy. It became well-known in the 1960s when ‘surfer culture’ took off, and it’s become kind of a trashy, plastic tourist spot since then.

    So I just visited the famous Surfer’s beach and walked about 8km along the beaches, which was beautiful. I spent most of the day reading on the beach, then checked out the local thrift stores before heading back to Brisbane. Not a bad day at all! But if you’re short on time in Brisbane, and planning to visit other beaches in Australia, you can probably give this a miss.

    Where to go next

    I was flying on to Airlie Beach for the next part of my adventure.. but if I was doing it again, I would have done a night or two in Sunshine Coast, then got the bus up to Airlie.