Kings Park and Botanic Gardens | Perth
This park sticks in my mind for one reason: the view is one of a kind.
Perched to the side of Perth’s sprawling CBD skyline, it’s one of the world’s biggest inner city parks and the Botanic Garden is pretty spectacular! Boasting over 3,000 species of flora and fauna, free daily-guided walks and loads of space, it’s a great place for plant fanatics, fitness freaks and peace seekers. There’s also a couple of cafés, a shaded play area for kids and plenty of quiet, shady corners where you can lose yourself in a book.
One of my favourite things to do is float through the treetops of the Eucalyptus trees, suspended high above the vibrant canopy below. Feeling adventurous? Head up there after dark and jump the barrier to the canopy walk – you get the view to yourself and the view over the city at night is magical!
One of my favourite things to do is float through the treetops of the Eucalyptus trees, suspended high above the vibrant canopy below. Feeling adventurous? Head up there after dark and jump the barrier to the canopy walk – you get the view to yourself and the view over the city at night is magical!
Look out for: The giant Boab Tree. This guy travelled 3,200 kms from the Kimberley region in 2008. Weighing over 36 tonnes, reaching 14 metres high and spreading its branches to eight metres wide, it was no easy job and cost in the region of $125,000.
Cable Beach | Broome
This huge sweep of sand has space for everyone and it never feels crowded. The daytimes are filled with families piling onto body boards or sheltering under umbrellas, with the odd surfer popping up now and then. Zanders café at the top is expensive but good, their aioli is out of this world and their caramel milkshakes are the perfect way to cool off when it gets too hot (which it will!)
Fact: you haven’t lived until you’ve seen a sunset on this beach. Everyone in Broome’s sleepy town seems to congregate here from about five each day so get there early to get a parking space. Take a towel for a sunset dip and watch the magic happen right before your eyes – just watch out for the camels!
Litchfield National Park | Darwin
In comparison to Kakadu National Park (aptly nicknamed Kadadon’t by many), Litchfield is like the over achieving perfect little sister. Unless you have a 4WD, Kakadu just isn’t worth the effort or the money in my opinion. We visited Litchfield for two days and despite not being able to access all of the major stops, it was a great mini adventure!
First off, it’s free, so perfect for any budget travellers. Secondly, there’s water everywhere and you can swim in it if the season permits (and as long as there aren’t any crocs about!) My favourite spot was Buley Rockhole that’s made up of deep, clear pools of water where you can snooze the afternoon away in the shade or jump off the rocky ledges into the plunge pools.
Note: the campground fees are dependent on which site you stay on and they use an honesty box system so have change ready before you go.
Lighthouse Trail | Byron Bay
Now this is a walk.
I completed it twice during my five-day break in Byron and I was hideously hungover each time. As you stroll along the white sand of Wategos Beach and watch as the pod of dolphins sweep around the bay, your clouded head will start to clear. Carrying on further up the hill, there is a left turn. Take it. As you trundle down to Cape Byron you’ll see its rugged point jutting out into the water, and if you’ve got some patience and you’re feeling lucky, you might even catch a glimpse of a humpback whale. Watching two humpback whales cruise around Australia’s most Easterly point was a serious ‘pinch-me’ moment that made me feel lucky to be in this beautiful part of the world.
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I completed it twice during my five-day break in Byron and I was hideously hungover each time. As you stroll along the white sand of Wategos Beach and watch as the pod of dolphins sweep around the bay, your clouded head will start to clear. Carrying on further up the hill, there is a left turn. Take it. As you trundle down to Cape Byron you’ll see its rugged point jutting out into the water, and if you’ve got some patience and you’re feeling lucky, you might even catch a glimpse of a humpback whale. Watching two humpback whales cruise around Australia’s most Easterly point was a serious ‘pinch-me’ moment that made me feel lucky to be in this beautiful part of the world.
Lord Nelson Brewery | The Rocks, Sydney
Sydney’s area of cobbled streets, cosy cafés and old school pubs that boast award winning ales, incredible pork pies and a good dose of European history.
The Lord Nelson Brewery Hotel sits happily in The Rocks, a historically charming part of Sydney and the first place of European settlement in Australia. Its predecessor, the Fortune of War, which was shut down and demolished during the plague outbreak and reopened while The Lord Nelson stood strong, disputes its claim to fame as Sydney’s oldest pub.
The microbrewery has been running for 30 years and now produces some seriously great ales, two of which are available in every good bottle-o: Three Sheets and Old Admiral. Willy Smith, their own cider, also didn’t fail to impress; crisp, dry and cold – is everything you want from a cider and the best that I’ve had outside of the West Country.
The microbrewery has been running for 30 years and now produces some seriously great ales, two of which are available in every good bottle-o: Three Sheets and Old Admiral. Willy Smith, their own cider, also didn’t fail to impress; crisp, dry and cold – is everything you want from a cider and the best that I’ve had outside of the West Country.
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Kalbarri National Park | WA
An unexpected gem in northern WA. Picture soaring sea cliffs, picture-perfect natural sandstone creations and an abundance of natural beauty at every turn. Visiting this National Park was one of those spontaneous travel decisions that actually paid off!
The highlight was the coastline; reaching up to 100m above sea level, the rugged mainland hung above the bright turquoise sea that was home to migrating humpback whales. I sat and watched them as the afternoon rolled on, mesmerised by their colossal size and taking in the nature that surrounded me in Kalbarri.
A walk to ‘Mushroom Rock’ is highly recommended too. Sit on top of a giant rock as the waves crash against the sandstone cliffs, spraying white foam high into the air and the tide gently filters into the clear rock pools below you. The beaches in the National Park are unspoilt; stop off for a surf at Jurien Bay or head down to an abandoned cove to watch the sunset over the Indian Ocean.
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