On August 15th, Adam and I embarked on a trip up the northern coast. Our first stop, Tamworth, was unfortunately necessary because of Adam's work. We were there for less than 24 hours .... but on the bright side we had just enough time to eat dinner at the Safari Club (which is amazing). Because we had to stop in Tamworth, our trip to Brisbane went inland through a mountain range (as opposed to along the coast).
Here are some snapshots of the drive:
This picture was taken north of Tamworth. We drove on a two lane highway like this basically the entire way.
Just south of Tenterfield.
This is one of the larger towns we passed through. It is Tenterfield, NSW and is the last city/stop before we cross into Queensland.
Also in Tenterfield (as we are leaving the city)
We made it to Queensland! Of course the first thing we see (even before the welcome to Queensland sign) is the first pub!
More of the drive .... (somewhere in Queensland)
Near Goomburra, QLD
Slightly south of Clintonvale, QLD
In Main Range National Park
Mountains outside the park:
We finally made it to Brisbane! Our first stop was Mount Coot-Tha Reserve. This park had fantastic views of Brisbane.
After Mount Coot-Tha Reserve, me met up with Adam and Sammie (my Adam's friend from high school and his soon to be wife). They graciously let us stay at their place and were our awesome tour guides of the city.
The first full day there, Adam and I met up with some of Adam's friends from high school for brunch. They were very nice and it was fun for Adam to catch up with everyone.
After brunch, Adam and I took the City Cat (water transportation) to South Bank. South Bank is this really cool area of Brisbane that offers restaurants, a beachy area along the river, and other entertainment.
Here are some pictures from the City Cat:
The next morning, we went on a run along the river. They have this great running/bike path that is nicely paved, long, and has plenty of drinking fountains. Unfortunately during the run, I fell (must run in the family), and skinned both knees fairly decently. I had some great looking legs for weeks afterward!
Another great thing about Brisbane is they have public bikes. Basically you create an account online (which only costs $2 per person) and you can ride a bike anywhere in the city free for the first half hour. They have an app that you can download that lists where all the bike racks are (there are TONS) and how many bikes they have available at that rack. As long as you "re-rent" the bike every half hour (which is really easy with the amount of bike racks) you ride for free all you want. The only downside to riding for free is the dorky advertising for Snapple on the bike and helmet. We looked cool. (Unfortunately I do not have a picture of us - but I did find one online of the bike itself). On the bike route, we followed the bike trail we ran earlier all the way through the city. Adam P. picked us up from there and we went to Dim Sum (called Yum Cha here). It was delicious and I think Adam is still having dreams about the mango dessert.
And here is a picture of the running/bike trail itself:
That evening was Sammie's birthday so we were able to celebrate with her and her friends. All in all, it was a great trip to Brisbane! Thank you Adam and Sammie!
On our way out of Brisbane, we stopped at Lone Pine Koala sanctuary. This was a really cool little zoo in Brisbane. While there, Adam and I were able to feed and pet the kangaroos, hold a koala, watch a sheep dog in action, see how they shear a sheep, and see other indigenous animals to Australia. Here are some amazing pics and videos from the experience:
This koala was in kindergarten - as you can see he has a lot of energy which is not typical of a koala!
Wombat
Inside the kangaroo sanctuary:
Adam feeding the kangaroo
My turn!
Emu
Feeding another kangaroo:
Crocodile
Bird heaven!
Here is one of the dogs that helped herd the sheep. This one is a border collie.
The dog (Rex) is standing on top of the sheep!
Shearing a sheep
Holding a koala for the first time! Definitely one of the coolest things I have ever done!
Cassowary-AKA creepy bird, with massive razor like Talons.
Inside the reptile house:
I thought this sign was really cool. It is outside Lone Pine.
After our amazing visit to Lone pine, we continued on our journey to Toowoomba. For those of you who don't know ... this is where Adam lived while he was here the first time.
Our first stop of course was Toowoomba Grammar School. Unfortunately, I was not able to get very good pics of the school. It was in the middle of the school day so it was a little creepy for me to get out and walk around!
The main rugby field:
Toowoomba is known as the "Garden City." Here is one of the many gardens - Queens Park.
Next, we drove to Picnic Point. There were beautiful views of the valley below Toowoomba.
"Puppy"
The flat mountain in the background is called Table Top. Adam and I climbed it the next day.
This is where Adam's brother proposed to his wife ♥
This was where Adam's family lived while in Toowoomba.
Japanese Gardens
The next morning, we set out to go running. We ran around Prince Henry Drive. This was a route Adam was not able to complete in high school without stopping... but kicked ass this time around! It was a hilly route but it had great views.
After the run, we headed off to the Bunya Mountains. To get there, we had to travel along several single lane dirt roads. It was interesting!
Once there, we went to Bunya Mountain National Park and completed a trail. On the way to the trail, we passed many wallabies .... I even saw a joey!
Here are some pictures from the trail:
We ended the night by stopping at the liquor store for some beverages. FYI, this Budweiser is the SALE price!!
The final stop in Toowoomba was Table Top. It was the first of two mountains we climbed that day!
It is hard to tell in the picture, but the climb was straight up. The end was composed of loose rocks that you navigated up.
Here is the view from the top! It was flat at the top (hence "Table Top") with panoramic views of the valley. It was all tall grass. Thankfully, I did not see any snakes!
Return trip! Again, it does not look that steep but it really was!
Altogether, it was great to visit Toowoomba and see where Adam spent two years of his life. Toowoomba was a beautiful small city. Surprisingly, it was also the coldest I have ever been since I have been to Australia! It often went down to the single digits (30s in Fahrenheit) after the sun went down. It was also extremely windy which added to the cold temperatures.
After we left Table Top, we headed East towards Noosa. On the way, we stopped in Kilcoy, QLD which is home of the Yowie (Australia's version of Big Foot).
Next, we went to Beerburram Forest Reserve to see the Glass House Mountains. They were absolutely beautiful and unique looking. This is where we climbed the second mountain of the day. We mistakenly read the sign that said the walk was less than 1 km and stupidly thought, "Oh, this should be a quick, easy walk." Boy were we wrong! It was less than 1 km straight up hill. I think what made it hard was the fact that it was a paved slope as opposed to steps. Steps would have been easier! The views at the top were breathtaking and totally worth it.
You can see the smoke in this photo. There were a lot of bush fires in Queensland. In many of the photos, you will see smoke in the background. Some of the fires are controlled and others were not. I joked around that Queensland smelt like a campfire the entire time we were there (there was always a fire somewhere nearby!)
Steve Irwin Drive! This is near the Australian Zoo (His families zoo)
This is Tibrogargan Mountain. We opted out of climbing this one :)
We finally made it to Noosa around 5:30 as the sun was setting. Between needing to kill some time and making a wrong turn, we stumbled upon this amazing view in the Tewantin Forest. It is the sun setting over the Glass Mountains. BEAUTIFUL! I also liked to refer to this as dinosaur country because that is exactly what it reminded me of! (Don't mind the fifty million pictures :)
The next few nights we stayed with Eliza and Corey (and their cute schnauzer, Louie) . They escorted us around Noosa and the Sunshine Coast. Thank you for the kind hospitality!
The first full day in the Sunshine coast, Adam and I explored all the beaches down the coast.
The first one is Sunshine Beach:
I think this is the lookout in Coolum Beach Park (Point Perry).
The water was beautiful!
Mooloolaba Beach
Caloundra Beach
You can see the Glass House Mountains in the background of this picture!
After our tour of the beaches on the Sunshine Coast, we headed inland to Montville. It was a cute little town in the mountains. It had a lot of little shops, restaurants, and wineries.
View from a lookout on the way up:
One of the signs in Montville (for my family dog, Misty)
View from lunch ... I can get use to this!
After we left Montville, we saw an echidna crossing sign! (Unfortunately we did not see an echidna)
Our next stop was the Big Pineapple! It claims to be the worlds largest pineapple. It was located on a pineapple farm.
To continue our tour of odd things ... we stopped at the Buderim Ginger Factory. We took a tour of the factory and sampled dishes made with ginger. I'm not the biggest fan of ginger (Adam is!), but I thought the food was delicious!
The next morning, we headed towards the heart of Noosa and the main beach off Hastings Street.
Our final stop in Noosa was Noosa Conservation Reserve.
Notice the fires in the background! It slowly gets larger! Adam went to a Bucks (Bachelor) Party that night on the beach, not too far from this fire.
Of course, the trip would not be complete without also passing by the giant seashell.
Overall, it was a wonderful trip. It was great to see where Adam lived and meet several of his high school friends. Seeing Brisbane, Toowoomba, the Glass Mountains, and the Sunshine Coast were great bonuses! Now for a long and slow 12-13 hour drive down the coast to Sydney!
