Author Archives: Carrie

I hadn’t thought of Airlie Beach as any more than a gateway to the Whitsunday Islands, but it turned out to be a really nice town with lots of palm trees. It’s a shame you couldn’t go in the sea … Continue reading →

Agnes Water was my last opportunity (northbound) to go surfing, but the weather was so miserable I couldn’t find the motivation to leave Beachside Backpackers. The rain stopped just long enough for me to hire a bike from the hostel and … Continue reading →

I only spent one night in Hervey Bay, on Monday, April 30, because it’s best known for its whale-watching opportunities but this wasn’t the right season for them. I checked into Next Backpackers and the staff said at the moment, … Continue reading →

On Thursday, April 26, I went to Rainbow Beach and checked into Dingo’s, where I spent the night both before and after going to Fraser Island. There were only a few shops so the town didn’t take long to look around. … Continue reading →

I booked three nights in Noosa because everyone had been raving about it. On Monday, April 23, I checked into the YHA hostel Halse Lodge, which was close to the beach. The kitchen was too small for the number of … Continue reading →

I had a fantastic time in Brisbane, partly because I got to cross some things off my wish list such as cuddling a koala and going to an Aussie rules football match, and partly because I got to see some … Continue reading →

On Sunday, April 15, I headed to Surfers Paradise, at the heart of the Gold Coast, for a couple of nights. The problem with giving a place a name such as Surfers Paradise is that it creates unrealistically high expectations. I … Continue reading →

I’ve just spent five nights at the Holiday Village Backpackers in Byron Bay, a town full of hippies and surfers. The hostel was directly opposite the famous party bar Cheeky Monkeys, which meant it wasn’t far to stumble to bed … Continue reading →

I spent three nights over the Easter weekend at Spot X in Arrawarra (my favourite place name after Woolloomooloo in Sydney). Arrawarra was such a tiny place, it didn’t appear in my guidebook, but it was a half-hour bus journey north of Coffs … Continue reading →

On Thursday, April 5, I spent 10 hours travelling by Greyhound bus from Sydney to Coffs Harbour. There wasn’t anything particularly interesting to see out of the window, apart from a couple of small groups of kangaroos. The Aussitel hostel’s minibus … Continue reading →