Travel Country to Coast

Spending some time in Brisbane in March I wanted to take the opportunity to go somewhere new. I tried two day trips from Brisbane, one to Moreton Island which was good but negatively impacted by weather, whereas my visit to North Stradbroke Island was exceptional despite less than ideal conditions. I booked with Hit The Road Tours and it was a very well organised day. The scenery was better than expected, as was the wildlife viewing. Although there was a bit of rain on the d

After picking up the caravan in January with a view to doing longer Aussie trips including the big lap, the next step was to spend a week away to get used to it and test things out. I chose the Northern Beaches of Sydney for the week in February as it's a comfortable 3 hour drive from home, and gave me a fantastic opportunity to catch up with Sydney friends, family, and colleagues. Living in Sydney for over 20 years, and in the Northern Beaches (Dee Why) for more than 10 of t

With a short trip to Adelaide planned for January I decided it was the ideal time for my first visit to the Yorke Penninsula. Knowing I only had a free week the drive across from NSW was done in two days, with overnight stays in Wagga Wagga NSW and Mildura VIC. In Wagga Wagga I'd booked the International Hotel and was initially disappointed to find out the onsite restaurant at the time was closed, however, on the opposite corner is the Farmers Home Hotel which was perfect for

For many Australians, and some visitors, it feels like doing 'the lap' is a rite of passage, one that as historically the primary domain of grey nomads. Since the pandemic though it appears a lot more young couples and young families are making the trip, some choosing to enjoy a nomadic lifestyle for many years. Although I'm realistically now closer to the grey nomads in age and appearance, at 53 I feel younger than many of the more sterotypical travellers. However, I am not

Completing the lap of Australia is one of my travel dreams. Having always lived in Australia I've been fortunate enough to see lots of beautiful parts of the country over time, but I'm now in the process of doing a series of adventures to complete the big driving lap around the coast, and a few major outback road trips. Trip 1 was completed in August 2025, driving from New South Wales to South Australia to see Lake Eyre, via the Flinders ranges. Trip 2 was completed in Octobe

After deciding that spring was the ideal time to tackle some of Australia's best known tourist destinations, the hard part was trying to pack a lot of amazing sights into a limited time frame. In the end I spent 2 weeks doing the core sightseeing journey from Tourquay to Adelaide and home, but was away from New South Wales (NSW) for 3 weeks. The extra time included driving from Goulburn to Tourquay and spending a few days there before the main road trip. I organised one excur

10 Highlights from Kangaroo Island, South Australia

In October I spent 2 days travelling the Great Ocean Road, driving around 240 kilometres starting in Touquay Victoria and finishing in Allansford, near Warrnambool. The trip was part of a 3 week journey from NSW, following the Victorian coast from Tourquay to Adelaide via the Great Ocean Road and Kangaroo Island. My first trip to the Great Ocean Road many years ago was a day tour from Melbourne on a big bus. I remember having a great but exhausting day, and if that's the only

I loved my visit in August, and I didn’t expect to visit Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre in 2025. In fact, it may not have been on my travel...

When I heard that Lake Eyre, which is normally dry, would have the most water in decades in 2025, it inspired a two week road trip from New South Wales (NSW) to outback South Australia (SA) in August. I’ve been into the outback before but not self-driving, and not outback SA. Coming from NSW, I was excited about driving across remote parts of NSW, Victoria, and SA, to explore the Flinders Ranges and Lake Eyre. Driving NSW to SA Day 1, we left Goulburn for a lunch stop in Temo

Through The Otis Foundation I was gifted a 4 night stay at The Odd Frog in Victoria in May 2025. If you have experienced breast cancer...

I had a wonderful time on the North and South Islands of New Zealand after being invited to spend time with friends. We arrived 30th Dec 2024, and left 11th Jan 2025. Auckland We spent the first week in the Auckland area. On the first evening we visited The Brit for dinner and drinks, followed by cocktails at Caretaker and Hotel So's Rooftop Bar. Later in the week we had a couple of lovely stops at Ponsonby Central as well, with one dinner followed by some games of pool nearb

Arriving 30th October, I spent the 1st week of November on the Sunshine Coast, staying at Ramada Marcoola Beach with Club Wyndham. We'd...

I had an amazing week in Cairns in October, staying at Trinity Links Resort with Club Wyndham. It was just before stinger season, the weather was fantastic, and the water temperatures were fabulous. The Pool at Trinity Links Resort Below are my recommendations for 5 trips and 5 great places to eat, based on my experiences. Flight to the Reef I'd been up to North Queensland several times but I'd never done a scenic flight to the reef. Having tried something similar in the Whit

Last weekend I had my second weekend in the wilderness with Unyoked and really enjoyed the time out. I can't believe it's almost exactly...

I had a week's break in Fiji in March, in between chemotherapy sessions, and it was a real relief to get away. The thought of coming back for more sessions was always in the back of my mind though, and I am really looking forward to travelling again when I am cancer free and able to celebrate the start of my next chapter. I've been to Fiji a few times and I have always been amazed by the beauty of the Fijian people, they are genuinely the nicest I've met anywhere. We stayed a

I had a short but desperately needed break in Queensland late December. It was originally meant to be a longer holiday under very...

I flew into South Africa early July to commence a month long series of safari adventures in South-Central Africa and East Africa. It was my second safari focused trip to Africa and I'd love to go again. I thought my first trip would be my 'once in a lifetime' safari trip and it did not disappoint! I explored a number of amazing camps in Southern Tanzania, and was very excited about the opportunity to go again. On both trips I travelled with friends from Argentina who are Afri

My trip to Broome and the Kimberley region in North-West Australia in May 2023, was booked during the COVID-19 pandemic, during one of the days when I was desperate to travel and looking through my wish list! The Kimberley region had devastating floods a few months before my tour dates, and some tours were put on hold a few weeks after we finished due to extreme weather. Fortunately the plans for my tour went smoothly including perfect weather, for which I am extremely gratef

Having stayed several times at the Margot Kimpton Hotel in Sydney it's become a favourite. The hotel is pet-friendly and decorated in...

My first trip to Bali was in February and the weather was great. Although we had some rain it was excellent overall and the people are lovely. My two favourite shots are below. Cliff Top Views captured during the Nusa Penida Island Tour that we booked through Club Wyndham. Sunset shot taken from where we stayed at the Wyndham Jivva Resort.

I spent a fantastic few days in the red centre in December celebrating my birthday. As expected it was hot, and we spent most of the days...

Visiting Club Wyndham Dinner Plain in Victoria in November was well worth the trip - it is a beautiful Alpine region and an enjoyable...

I've been fortunate enough to stay at the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth a couple of times. It is a beautiful hotel very conveniently located...

It was an absolute pleasure to visit K'gari (formally known as Fraser Island) and The Fraser Coast in September. K'gari is the name given...

I love everywhere I travel, as everywhere is beautiful for different reasons, but the breathtaking beauty of the Whitsundays is in a...

I had a beautiful day on the Harbour catching the ferry to Manly. It is one of my favourite thing to do with visitors from overseas....

On a clear day visiting Bondi is one of the most iconic things to do in Sydney, and it is definitely one of the must-see experiences for...

The concept behind Unyoked is that 'human nature needs nature' and I couldn't agree more. I loved my first weekend staying in an Unyoked...

Taronga Zoo is in one of the most spectacular locations in Sydney, and I have enjoying visiting many times over the years. The experience...

Visiting Phillip Island had been on my list for some time and it did not disappoint. The coastline is pristine and there are so many...

From a recent trip on the NSW coast

A guiding light

Sydney Harbour, one of the most beautiful city views in Australia.

Fabulous opportunity to stay at hotel in city for work :)

Narooma is an incredible place to go and easily see seals in the wild

It was such a joy to visit beautful Narooma, in the South Coast of NSW.

A stunning location on the NSW coast

The magnificent tree (which I think was planted in 1937) is in St David's Park in Hobart, which was the site of Hobart's first cemetary.

Enjoying a beautiful afternoon in Hobart Harbour

Pre-dusk

What a stunning view Travelling for work this week and I am still getting to know my new smartphone #Samsung #S21Ultra. I have been...

Ventured back to the d’Albora Marina Nelson Bay again for breakfast on the last day of our vacation. It's a beautiful part of the world...

This photo was taken just as night was falling on our last night in the Port Stephens at d’Albora Marina Nelson Bay. We had just finished...

Really enjoying our visit to the Port Stephens and Nelson Bay area. While the weather was beautiful we took the opportunity to visit the...

I tried quad biking today. Although I was unsure about handling some of the steep drops I had an amazing experience. Before this trip I...

Visting the beautiful Port Stephens area I got to the see the Young Endeavour as we headed out to search for dolphins.

These photos were taken around The Spit in Sydney, looking down on one of the marina's. Another favourite shot for the day - the view...

Some of the fabulous views from the balcony at the #Mantra Ettalong beach. I had a great view from the balcony over the pool and out to...

Whilst the ideal for natural locations and wildlife would be to remain completely undisturbed, this will not happen when so many...