It’s been nearly three months since I got back from Australia and after having just wrapped up my trip to Colombia, it put things into perspective.
Colombia couldn’t have been more different from Australia, whether we’re talking about the price of travel, ethnic makeup (homogenous in Colombia, almost as diverse as the U.S. in Australia) or, perhaps most conspicuously, the size of the two countries.
The time I spent in Colombia has put my travel to Australia into perspective so clearly and profoundly that I invite you re-visit the land “Down Under” with me through my favorite Australia travel photos.
Super-cool Smith Street in even cooler Melbourne
I began my trip, you might recall, in Melbourne. You might also recall that my best friend’s brother, who has traveled almost extensively as I have, said Melbourne was his favorite city in the world. Interesting suburbs like Fitzroy (pictured above) and St. Kilda, a lively central business district and a generally cool vibe makes Melbourne one of my favorite ctiies, although I’m not quite ready to give it the top spot.
Gibson Steps at Australia’s Great Ocean Road
Another thing Melbourne has going for it is that it sits in close proximity to the Great Ocean Road, an aptly-named stretch of highway that spans one of the most breathtaking coastlines in the world. The most popular attraction to be found at the Great Ocean Road is the “12 Apostles,” a group of nine (confusing, right?) limestone karsts that jut dramatically out of the Southern Ocean.
The Sydney skyline, as seen from Watsons Bay
Once I’d finished down south I went to Sydney. Although I did like Sydney, which is without a doubt Australia’s most-known city, I found it to be lacking in personality when compared to Melbourne. While it’s true that Sydney’s beaches, its harbor and its dramatic skyline place into into a different echelon than Melbourne, I can’t help but think I prefer it slightly less.
Kata Tjuta (The Olgas) at sunset
After Sydney came what I now consider to be my favorite part of the trip: a week long trip to a spiritual center. In addition to Uluru, more commonly referred to as Ayer’s Rock, the dusty red center of Australia is home to another rock formation (Kata Tjuta, pictured above), a camel farm and an abject desolation that is nothing short of cleansing.
A kangaroo at Emerald Beach, near Coffs Harbour
Favorite status aside, the lack of humidity in desert-y central Australia made me eager to get back to the coast. My first stop was the town of Coffs Harbour. Although Coffs, as locals call it, has a questionable reputation, I enjoyed its laid-back energy, the fact that I took surf lessons there and, most notably, the fact that it’s one of the best places you can see kangaroos on the beach.
The Easternmost point of the Australian mainland, in Byron Bay
I found it interesting upon arriving in Byron Bay, the next point north of Coffs Harbour, that most Aussies prefer Byron to Coffs. To be sure, I enjoyed Coffs Harbour a lot — but I certainly don’t consider it to be one of my favorite places I’ve ever been. It’s beautiful (and, as you see above, where you can find the easternmost point of the Australian continent), but I just don’t think Byron Bay is all that.
One of the massive trees that defines Queensland, this one in the center of Brisbane
The city of Brisbane, capital of Queensland and just a few hours north of Byron Bay when you travel via bus, has an extremely bad reputation among Australians. In spite of this, I loved Brisbane, from its quaint South Bank district to the fact that, in spite of it being a relatively sterile city, the nature you find in Brisbane is decidedly tropical. Oh, and it’s also just an hour away from the Australia Zoo.
Magnetic Island, near Townsville
I would spend about two full weeks out of my trip traveling northward through Queensland, eventually ending up at my friend Mel’s beautiful home in the city of Townsville. Townsville has the very worst reputation out of everywhere I would visit in Australia. To be sure, it isn’t a particularly beautiful or interesting city. But I will always associate Townsville with Mel’s and her husband Dan’s warmth and hospitality, Magnetic Island and that it was here that I decided to continue traveling north and scuba dive the Great Barrier Reef.
Robert Schrader is a travel writer and photographer who’s been roaming the world independently since 2005, writing for publications such as “CNNGo” and “Shanghaiist” along the way. His blog, Leave Your Daily Hell, provides a mix of travel advice, destination guides and personal essays covering the more esoteric aspects of life as a traveler.
