Highlights of the East Coast of Australia

By Honor Cessford, The Australian National University

In the three-month summer break from university, my friends and I travelled down the east coast of Australia. In this blog, I will highlight my favourite memories from my favourite destinations!

Byron Bay

Byron Bay was definitely my favourite stop during my east coast trip. It has everything! The beaches are beautiful, and the surf is amazing at The Pass — even for beginners!

Byron also has a great nightlife, with delicious food on offer and live music at The Piano Bar. Another favourite of mine was Lovers Lane. Byron is also home to much wildlife, and even a hike to the lighthouse for those into exercise! My friends and I woke up at 4am to get to the lighthouse for sunrise, which although took a lot of motivation, was definitely worth the early rise. My favourite memory here was hiring a car and driving to nearby waterfalls where we could swim, have a picnic, and even cliff jump! I also loved kayaking with dolphins, where our tour guide even pointed out Zac Efron’s house! The hostel we stayed in was lovely and clean, and we met some amazing friends – I would recommend Aquarius Backpackers Resort and YHA Byron Bay.

Airlie Beach / Whitsunday Islands

Airlie Beach is a relatively quiet beach resort, but there are many lovely restaurants and bars, and a gorgeous lagoon to swim and sunbathe around. From Airlie Beach, we took a boat trip to the Whitsunday Islands. The view from the island was one of the most memorable experiences of my life. Cameras really could not do this justice—the beautiful white sand contrasted with the aquamarine sea was amazing! Our tour guide explained to us that, while not the whitest sand in the world, the sand has the highest silica content, which is what gives the beach its utopian glow! We even saw stingrays here, making the view well worth the hike in the midday sun! Fun fact: this is where Pirates of the Caribbean was filmed! The Whitsunday Islands are definitely a must-do if in Australia!!

Great Barrier Reef

Of course, when I was in Australia, I had to scuba dive on the Great Barrier Reef. Although I felt queasy on the boat trip out to the reef, it was definitely worth it!! The water was so warm, very different from the temperature of the North Sea I’m used to off the Tynemouth coast! The coral reef was beautiful, and the array of sea creatures was super cool—we even saw a shark! Unfortunately, it was stinger season, so we had to wear stinger suits in the sea to be cautious, but although this took away from the photos, it didn’t impact the experience! On a more somber note, the impacts of climate change were evident on the reef, with much of it already lifeless. More needs to be done to combat climate change before it is too late.

Noosa Heads

Noosa Heads was another favourite of mine. The highlight of this destination was the coastal walk, the beautiful sandy beaches, and the fairy pools. The fairy pools are natural tidal rock pools that you can swim in without being hit by the waves, and they are super beautiful to look at if swimming isn’t for you! However, be sure to check the tide times – the water was a little rough when we visited! The pools are a 45-minute walk from the main beach and are inaccessible at high tide. We finished the day by eating pizzas on the beach and watching the sunset—one of my favourite days.