Ranking my trips in Australia 

By Nicole Dann, Australia National University, Australia

I’ve officially met the halfway mark of my year abroad and have been feeling very reflective of my time so far. While I’ve loved my college lifestyle in Canberra, I’ve got to say some of my favourite moments have to be the times I’ve left the ACT. So with that said, I am going to go through and reflect on my various expeditions through the year, providing hope to future students that you are not only limited to your chosen university.

Sydney 

To start us of, arguably the true Australian capital, were my first trips to Sydney. I flew into here when I first arrived in Australia and visited again in my mid-semester break. These were two very different experiences of the city. Jetlagged and frazzled, my first experience of the city included ticking off the tourist attractions and fighting off extreme fatigue. Joined by two fellow Mancs in one stuffy bedroom, it was exciting and overwhelming all at once. 

My next trip to Sydney was a couple months into my year abroad and instead of spending a small fortune on accommodation, myself and the three other Poms at my college were lucky enough to house hop between friends we had met at our college. This meant that we got to experience all the different sides and suburbs of Sydney – both north and south of the bridge. With the luxury of insider knowledge, we ticked off many more activities including a sunrise Bondi walk, a day out at Manly and a night out in New Town. Staying at our friend’s family homes meant that we were able to see a completely different side of the huge city and definitely made our experience memorable. Argubaly one of the best trips of the year so far.

Byron Bay

After a few days in Sydney, the other Poms and I flew to Byron Bay where we stayed for another 5 nights or so. As a must-see surfer spot in Australia, we knew that this was one of the first places we wanted to visit. We absolutely loved it here, but I have to admit the stereotypes are spot on. Byron Bay is an absolute hotspot for seasoned travellers who carry around with them incense sticks, guitars and the goal of ‘breaking away from the capitalist system’. With that said, I thought they were great company. Must dos while here is the lighthouse walk (best for sunset), bodyboarding (or surfing if you are a pro) and a night out (or two) at the piano bar. Overall, for our first Australian adventure, Byron Bay was a flying success – just be prepared for the gap yar conversations. 

Mandemar aka between Sydney and Canberra

Our next little getaway was in late September where a group of us were invited to a friend’s farmhouse in the Aussie countryside. One thing to know about Australia, owning a farm here is pretty much the equivalent of owning a holiday home in Mallorca so us Poms felt honoured for the invite. This weekend consisted of cooking snags on the barbie, driving around in a yute and a fair bit of drinking. Although not as impressive as Sydney or Byron Bay, this has to be up there with one of my favourite trips of the year. Just goes to show that the people can really make the place. 

Kosciuszko National Park

I was hesitant to include my Inward Bound experience as I hardly class an ultramarathon as an enjoyable trip away (see previous blog for reference). However, I did technically spend a day and a night in the Snowy Mountains so here it is. I will leave out the gory details that are scarred in my memory and instead focus on the place itself. The Kosciuszko National Park is absolutely beautiful and if you are a keen hiker, it is a must visit. Our end point was a spot along the Blowering Reservoir and it was breath-taking. If I wasn’t in so much agony, I would have maybe appreciated the views a bit more but instead I beelined to the first car heading back to college and passed out…overall experience 2/10. 

Seven Mile Beach

For one weekend in October, myself and another hundred international kids at ANU found ourselves at a surf camp that we forgot we booked 4 months prior. Back story: during everyone’s first week at Canberra, the university hosted a welcome meeting for all arriving international students. Here, we were shown how to detect a rip current, what to do if you encounter a snake and finally, the opportunity of a surf camp. Acutely aware that we were about to spend a year in the only Australian city not close to the water, I think we all had the same genius idea of securing at least one trip to the beach. Before we knew it, we were put in coaches to a place just south of Wollongong called Gerroa where we would spend 2 days learning the basics of surfing along one of Australia’s longest beaches (10 points if you can guess the distance). What can only be described as a kids camp for 20 year olds, this surf trip for sure had its highs and lows. Highs included successfully standing up on a surfboard, experiencing one of Australia’s most famous beaches and partying as a group at the only pub in the region. Lows were damp wetsuits, relentless chants and the 7am wakeup the morning after the pub night out. On balance, it was a great weekend away and definitely worthwhile if you want to feel like a true Aussie on the waves (see photos for proof). Shakkas / 10. 

Melbourne and the Great Ocean Road

To mark the official start of summer, my parents flew to Australia where we spent the next 10 days exploring different cities and locations along the southern coast. Starting off in Canberra, we ticked off Melbourne, the Great Ocean Road, Adelaide and Kangaroo Island. It would take far too long to break down each location so instead I’ll provide a general overview. The trip itself was incredible and I feel very grateful that I got to experience this part of Australia. If you can, I would highly recommend hiring a car and making the trip along the Great Ocean Road. The views were absolutely breath-taking and the little towns along the way were all quirky and unique in their own way. Heads up, if you, like my parents, presumed that the whole of Australia is hot and tropical then you would be wrong. The south is a lot cooler climate which meant that the hot days were slightly outnumbered by overcast or rainy days. Us Brits know how to handle a bit of rain but might be worth replacing that bikini with a jumper for your next trip. 

East Coast

Finally, we are at my most recent excursion which was Cairns to Airlie Beach with my 3 other British friends. While this was only one small portion of the east coast, this 2-week adventure was full of bucket list moments. To name a few, we snorkelled the Great Barrier Reef on Fitzroy Island, swam in one of the world’s oldest rainforests, spotted koala bears on Magnetic Island and spent 2 nights sailing through the Whitsundays. It was a trip to remember. Luckily it ended as it did as we closely missed Cyclone Jasper which then tore through the coast.

I think it goes without saying that an East Coast trip is a must-do while on your year abroad in Australia, but I’ll offer a few tips and tricks regardless. First off, Greyhound and Jetstar will be your best friends but if you are in a group, it is a great idea to consider hiring a van to travel and live in. We met a group travelling and, it may be a bit cosy at times, but the flexibility and cost saving is definitely worthwhile – as well all know, Australia is not cheap. Another thing, beware that in the summer months, much of the Queensland coastline isn’t safe to swim in without stinger suits. With that said, there are plenty of beaches that are equipped with stinger nets which are safe to swim in but something to be aware of before you go. Finally, and this is an important one, do not book a Whitsundays sailing trip if you are prone to seasickness. As two of my friends will tell you, nausea tablets only work so much. One night you could probably get away with, but our two nights might have been a bit ambitious for some. But if you, like me, are not the type to get sea sick then a Whitsundays boat tour is a must – I promise it’s worth the money. 10/10.