The land of Oz is a great place for adrenalin junkies. But what if jumping off cliffs and planes and diving into the waves are not your scene? What if you are a couch potato, whose idea of the lunge is to lean forward to take the TV remote from the table? As the Aussies like to say, no worries. There is still plenty you can do in Queensland, Australia.
If you enjoy the great outdoors (and i mean enjoy it by strolling around), picture-perfect Noosa, a pretty seaside resort is an ideal location to enjoy sun, sand and scenery.
It’s also the place if you enjoy close encounters with flora and fauna. Almost every little town has something interesting and unique to offer tourists. Take your pick: eat, play, shop, cruise or laze around.
Here are a few of my favourite experiences in Queensland.
Everglades, Noosa
Noosa has beautiful, clean beaches and ancient rainforests that were once sacred to the aboriginal inhabitants.
Deep within the Noosa Biosphere is the Noosa Everglades, a pristine waterway and wetland that supports magnificently diverse flora and fauna. Serenaded by birdsong, cruise through the tranquil and mysterious waters to explore the different moods of the greenish river that changes colour as the sun sets.
If you are in search of adventure, try kayaking. The names of the places sound musical — Lake Cootharaba, Kinaba and Fig Tree Lake — as the guide tells you stories of pioneer loggers and their trails. Each bend in the river unfolds picturesque waterscapes: pods of pelicans; miles of lilac water lilies in bloom; brooding rainforests; wild birds diving, flying and swimming; and the most picturesque of all, the silent river, known as the river of mirrors that captures the sky and the trees with picture-perfect reflections. However, the guide warns us not to put our hands or feet in the water. Although no crocs have been spotted here, he says with a laugh that this is croc country after all!
Australia Zoo, Beerwah
Cuddle a koala, feed kangaroos and even pet a wombat! Australia Zoo lets you do all that and more. This is the zoo made famous by Steve Irwin, the crocodile hunter. This place on Sunshine coast was founded by wildlife enthusiast Steve Irwin’s parents, Bob and Lyn. Steve passed away in 2006, after putting the Zoo on the global map. But Steve’s passion for wildlife and conservation continues to live on, thanks to dedicated volunteers and conservationists working at the zoo and the nearby wildlife hospital — one of the largest of its kind.
The Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital cares for injured, ill and orphaned animals. Cuddling a koala injured in a dog attack, one of the volunteers takes us through the facilities at the hospital, and introduces us to some of the patients, such as a traumatised sea turtle caught in a net, koalas suffering from fever, echidnas and iguanas hit by cars… all requiring specialised care. The 12-year-old hospital has treated more than 63,000 sick and injured animals.
Inside the zoo, meet Australia’s native animals and birds. The zoo allows you to take photos while you hug a koala or pat an echidna, which manages to look cute despite its prickly exterior. And, of course, kangaroos and wallabies. Nervousness gives away to enthusiasm as the kangaroos take food from my hand and eat it daintily, even as we frantically take selfies. Remarkable table manners!
The crocoseum has pride of place here, where a Wildlife Warriors Show takes place every day. Great birds of prey, slithering snakes and a massive crocodile dazzle with shows of strength and intelligence. With over 1,200 animals, this is the place to go wild over animals.
Maleny Botanic Gardens
Put on your walking shoes and get your cameras ready. Maleny Botanic Gardens, situated amidst a thick rainforest and rolling hills, is the creation of a man who wanted to turn cattle grazing ground into a little Eden. Covering 14 acres, the garden, situated on 110 acres, has a magnificent collection of roses, orchids, rare cycads and azaleas, flowering hedges, waterfalls and cute bridges, making it a photographer’s delight.
When South African Frank Shipp decided to settle in Australia, he wanted a vast piece of land to create a large garden. It was in Maleny that he found his garden in 2005.
This garden of flowers also has an aviary and a magnificent tree house, which, alas, is not for visitors. But Frank shows us around the opulent tree house with a magnificent gaming console and a home theatre!
Frank’s favourite place is a cosy nook with a few wooden benches under huge trees, which overlooks the valley, while fluffy clouds loiter around the mountains in the horizon.
SkyPoint Observation Deck, Gold Coast
One of the tallest residential buildings in the world, the SkyPoint Observation Deck offers spectacular 360-degree views of the Gold Coast. Opened in October 2005, the observation deck is in the Q1 Spire, which is 322.5 metres high.
There is a steep climb of 1,331 steps for those who want to conquer Q1. For others, there are elevators that take you from the ground to the observation point at Level 77 in just 42.7 seconds.
No matter where you stand, it is hard to not be charmed by the panoramic views: golden sand, surf, azure water, clear blue skies, tall buildings and touches of green. You can also sit back and sip on a drink, munch on snacks and watch a movie that tells you the history of the Gold Coast.
Sea World
Unleash the child in you. This is a theme park where you get to play with dolphins and a lot more. On Sundays, the place is packed with people on a picnic, kids in tow. For this is where popular characters that children enjoy watching on Nickelodeon come alive. Young fans fall over each other to shake hands with the Ninja Turtles and pose with them while some of them shyly go up to say hello to Dora or strike a pose with SpongeBob.
Then there are the rides — from sedate ones that are meant for children, to the really wicked ones that are guaranteed to have you screaming from start to finish.
But my choice would be the dolphin show Affinity. The dolphins do acrobatics and bond with spectators with their winsome acts.
We also get the opportunity to get up and close with a matriarch. As we pat her back, she responds with squeaks and noises (was she trying to say something?). We throw her some fish to eat before she says bye with her flippers and swims away. Feed stingrays, penguins, polar bears and seals and watch them in action.
In the meantime, eat some popcorn, suck on popsicles and wolf down burgers. Top it off with a helicopter ride that gives you a bird’s-eye view of the picturesque Gold Coast.
(The writer was in Queensland as part of the Australian Tourism Exchange Programme 2016)
Published - June 24, 2016 04:48 pm IST
