Australia
I first visited Australia when I was backpacking around the world with a group of friends in 1997. We flew into Cairns, in the tropical north, and took a few months to gradually make our way down to Sydney. At the time, I was young and living in London, and I distinctly remember feeling a little less thrilled by Australia than I was by other places on our itinerary. Of course, I was wowed by seeing a Komodo dragon for the first time and dazzled by the sheer beauty of the Great Barrier Reef, but I wanted to explore cultures that were far removed from my own, so the towns seemed a bit too ordinary and familiar, especially in comparison to other exotic destinations we’d been exploring on our year off.
I visited again in 2000, with my husband. We flew into Melbourne and drove over to Sydney, where we stayed with friends from Fiji. We had fun, but as a newly married couple, we were more into each other than our surroundings, so again I didn’t leave with any lasting impressions of the country.
In 2004, George went on a training course in Brisbane. At that time, we had two children; Ruby was two and Lyla was a few months old, so we thought I should tag along with the kids and make a family break of it. While George was busy during the days, I set out with the children and explored the city. We took boats along the river, did a bit of shopping and relaxed on a manmade beach, which I’d remembered from my trip back in ’97. It was a very easy place to navigate with two young children and we enjoyed some very happy, sunny days. When George’s training ended we explored Noosa beach and the hinterland, which was beautiful. We met up with one of George’s friends from his school days and had lots of fun together, but I remember him saying that it wasn’t somewhere he could ever consider living because it was too slow paced compared to London. With two little ones, however, my perspective was beginning to change.
Fast forward to 2017, and here we are with six children in tow! My sister relocated to Australia from Dubai earlier this year and so we thought we’d venture over there to escape the sweltering Doha summer months. To be honest, apart from the prospect of seeing my sister, I wasn’t overly excited about going to Australia. So, I was very pleasantly surprised by how much we loved the place this time.
We flew into Melbourne and stayed a few nights there at the start of our adventure. On our first day in Australia, it was the twins’ sixth birthday. I was worried that we’d feel too jet lagged to celebrate properly, but thankfully we all woke up feeling refreshed and ready to enjoy the day! I’d packed all the birthday supplies and gifts in our luggage, so there was no last minute scramble trying to locate a store for candles etc. The children enjoyed a Moana themed breakfast in our apartment, complete with bunting and balloons, before we headed off to Werribee Open Range Zoo for a day out. We all loved it! I’m not a fan of zoos because I don’t like to see animals in cages, so the safari bus ride at this park suited us perfectly and we all delighted in seeing giraffes and zebras roaming freely.
After escaping the scorching temperatures in Doha, the cooler climes of Melbourne came as a bit of a relief and we enjoyed rugging up in our winter jackets. When we visited the beach in Torquay the next day we realised how much we needed them…that icy sea breeze was bone chilling!
The following day we explored the CBD and loved it. Linking the main streets are lots of little laneways and arcades, all bustling with al-fresco eateries, boutique shops and cosy bars. The city has so much character and made us feel that we wanted to do a lot more exploring!
Next came our big road trip to Sydney. The landscape was stunning and we loved soaking up all the rural, green views after being in the desert for so long! We packed our lunch and stopped at a roadside picnic table along the way to Wagga Wagga, a half way point where we stopped over for the night. The children delighted in getting passing trucks to honk their horns…such a simple pleasure, but it had us all beaming! Especially when the drivers gave the kids a big thumbs up as they hurtled past!
At this point, I have to say that we were already struck by how super friendly everyone in Australia seemed to be. It’s not something I’d ever particularly noticed on my previous visits to Australia, but we were happily overwhelmed by how welcoming and kind everyone was. It really makes a difference to your day and helps to put a spring in your step when you’re surrounded by amiable, helpful people who go out of their way to be pleasant. I also loved their sense of humour...so many people cracked me up with their astute, dry wit.
The next evening, we finally arrived in Stanwell Park, a small beachside suburb just south of Sydney, where my sister’s living. She’s in a stunning spot, with a balcony overlooking the ocean. It’s lovely to wake up in the morning, breathe fresh sea air and hear the roaring waves in the distance. We went for a wonderful coastline walk through the bush and visited Symbio Wildlife Park, where the children loved getting up close to the kangaroos and feeding them by hand. We also went supboarding in the local national park, at a beautiful spot where the waterfalls tumble into the mouth of the river, just as it meets the sea waves.
One thing that is a little off-putting about living close to nature in Australia is the amount of critters around the place. Within our first twenty four hours in Stanwell Park we’d removed two Huntsmen and one Redback spider from the house! A couple of days later, my daughter, Mia, got bitten on the leg by a white-tailed spider. It seems to have become a bit of a family tradition…in 1997 I also got bitten on the leg by a white-tail! I just hope it stops there and doesn’t become a multi-generational rite of passage!
Stanwell Park is a one hour drive from Sydney, so when we ventured into the city one day we decided to stay the night. We arrived in Bondi and took a beach walk before exploring the streets. I loved finding vegan eateries around the place and, of course, the whole place is iconic, but to be totally honest I was a little underwhelmed. It reminded me too much of standard British seaside towns. I know people who live there and love it, and so I’m sure that once you get immersed into the community and create your own bubble it would feel completely different, but as a visitor I was keen to venture out and see what else Sydney had to offer.
Getting the ferry the next day from Rose Bay to Circular Quay was thrilling. We loved approaching the Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge from the water, and of course we had to get in all the tourist shots!
The CBD itself didn’t seem as vibrant and interesting as Melbourne, but nevertheless we enjoyed wandering the streets, and we loved tucking into delicious vegan fast food at Lord of the Fries. We don’t have anything like that in Doha, so the excitement never wore off!
Towards the end of the day, as we were wandering around Paddy’s market, Mia began limping and complaining of pain in her leg. Her spider bite had become infected so we had to go to a doctor, who prescribed antibiotics. History repeating once more! Later that night, we got the boat back to our car in Rose Bay, near Bondi, and decided to pick up some vegan pizza from the Gourmet Pizza and Soup Company in Bondi…it was so good! It was such a novelty for us and we savoured every mouthful!
Pretty soon it was time for our next long journey up to Byron Bay. We stopped over for the night at Port Macquarie, a half way point. We arrived late at night, but when we woke in the morning we were awe-struck by the fabulous coastal views. It’s a stunning town and seeing the sunlight shimmering on the water was invigorating. The temperature was also getting noticeably warmer and we’d changed into shorts for the first time!
It’s on these journeys that it really hits you how vast Australia is. Getting from one town to the other can involve mammoth treks. It’s so different to Europe, where a couple of hours in the car can lead you into a whole new country and culture, whereas the same distance in Australia simply leads you up the road! It first hit us when we were on the flight…the captain announced that we were flying over Western Australia, and we looked out of the window to see broad, barren landscape below, but it was still another five hours until we reached Melbourne!
We eventually reached Byron Bay the next evening, after enjoying a lovely picnic at Sapphire Beach along the way. We were thrilled with our accommodation. I’d booked what I thought was a three bedroom apartment, but it turned out to be a townhouse, complete with a garage, overlooking a lake.
Byron Bay wasn’t quite as grass roots hippy as I remembered it being…it seems to have evolved into a more moneyed, boho-chic kind of vibe. Of course, there are still lots of shops full of dream catchers and barefoot bongo players at sunset, and the general atmosphere is very laid back. There were a fair few other tourists, and for the first time we felt like we were on a summer holiday!
We loved exploring the Byron hinterland. The countryside is breathtakingly beautiful and really embues you with a zest for life. The dappled afternoon sunlight on the rolling hills is a photographers dream, and more than once I had to jump out of the car to capture the moment. We visited tea-tree lake, where the leaves from the surrounding tea-trees leave the water looking slightly orange, and followed stepping stones over the river on a walking track running alongside a huge waterfall. We visited smaller towns like Bangalow too, with their sweet boutique shops and timeless appeal. Of course, we also managed to fit in lots of beach time, where the kids always feel at home, and each time wild turkeys entertained us all with their picnic thieving antics!
Before long, it was time to head up to Brisbane. It’s a relatively short two hour journey between the two places, but it feels like a different world.
We stayed in a centrally located apartment where we could walk to everything that the city centre had to offer. Again, I was struck by what a manageable little city it was. Unfortunately, the manmade beach on the river was closed for construction, which was a shame because I was looking forward to taking the children there. We did, however, enjoy a very pleasurable walk along the river, mooching around the market along the way and taking in the sounds of Brisbane’s voice ensembles, who all seemed to have various gatherings that day.
The main street was bustling with shoppers and buskers and had a lively, happy energy. The children loved it. Meanwhile, we were reveling in all the sumptuous vegan food the city had to offer, from mouth watering Thai and Vietnamese feasts to delicious burgers.
We paid a visit to Lone Pine Koala sanctuary because it’s one of the few places that allows you to hold a koala. Unfortunately, they’d sold out of the Cuddle-A-Koala tickets by the time we’d reached the store inside the sanctuary, so we were gutted, but nevertheless we enjoyed seeing more of our favourite furry creatures!
We also spent a morning at Eumundi Markets, a couple of hours north of Brisbane, which was the best market we visited in Australia…all outdoors with so many interesting stalls we didn’t even get around to seeing them all!
We combined the visit with an afternoon at Noosa Beach, which was just as beautiful as I remembered. The children had so much fun body surfing in the waves and the evening sun bathed the sand in a glorious orange glow. Driving through the town that evening reminded me of being in some of the coastal towns in Southern California, it had that same, upmarket holiday vibe. On the way back, we stopped at Moo Free Burgers in North Lakes for our second scrumptious meal there, and we all eventually fell into our beds feeling delightfully full, salty, sandy, sun-kissed and happy. That, to me, is the essence of Australia.
When we eventually returned to Byron Bay, it was Lyla’s 14th birthday and we spent the perfect day at Brunswick Heads, sup boarding where the river meets the sea. With perfect timing, a friendly dolphin came along to say hello towards the end of the afternoon. We were over the moon at sharing the water with this magnificent creature just a few feet away. There’s nothing more magical than watching gorgeous dolphins enjoying their freedom in the wild, just where they should be.
We ended the day with a wonderful feast at Guzman Y Gomez, which quickly became the kids’ favourite Mexican eatery in Aus!
Yet again, we seemed to have struck gold with our accommodation, which was a beautiful apartment with a mezzanine level and a glimpse of the sea, within easy walking distance of the town.
The next day, we visited Brunswick Heads market, which was another superb day out. Right on the banks of the beautiful river, with stunning views of the sea beyond, we delighted in browsing though all the interesting and unique stalls, snacking on delicious food and listening to the various musicians entertaining us all. Afterwards, we walked along the rock pier and, once again, saw dolphins playing at the mouth of the river. As we ambled back, a huge monitor lizard crossed our path, and it really made me reflect on the vast array of stunning natural beauty that Australia has to offer.
On another delightful day we visited Byron market, which was busier than the others but still very enjoyable, and that afternoon the kids were lucky enough to spend time in a recording studio in Mullumbimby, where they sang some tracks for a forthcoming album for A Soundlife, an amazing charity which brings music and yoga to people in need. They loved every minute of it and watching them sing was pure joy.
Saying goodbye to Byron Shire was hard…there’s a magical, inspiring, creative energy there that draws you in and we relished every moment.
We stopped in Port Macquarie again on our way back to Sydney, and after another long journey we arrived in Manly. We liked Manly…it has a couple of very nice beaches and a pedestrianised centre with all the shops you need, but it’s within a short drive or boat trip over to the city. It was already quite busy in August though, so I expect that summer time would be heaving.
It was interesting driving through all the northern suburbs, each with their own beautiful stretch of beach. They didn’t feel as if they were part of a city at all, more like villages in their own right.
One day, we visited The Rocks, an historic area next to Sydney Harbour Bridge which reminded me a little of Covent Garden in London. We wanted to peruse the market there, but it all became a little intense…the crowds were heaving and most of the time we were at a standstill, waiting for the masses to move along.
I also quickly learned not to compare London and Sydney…they are too different. Sydney is a city that’s very much shaped, and constrained, by its geography, with a focus on outdoor living and beaches. However, London, I feel, has a much more diverse range of cosmopolitan, inner city areas with their own identities and entertainment options. Both have lots to offer in their own ways.
On this visit, we also went to Newtown, where we stayed with friends back in 2000, and we felt really endeared towards this inner city suburb. It has such a unique identity, with lots of quirky shops lining the main streets. I absolutely loved all the old, terraced, workman cottages, some of which have been beautifully restored, with their pretty, ornate railings and balconies. Best of all, though, was the sheer choice of vegan restuarants…we were in heaven! Newtown really does seem to be the progressive hub of the city. We had a mouth-wateringly good meal at Bliss and Chips…I sigh now just thinking about it…when will I ever get to go there again?!
Finally, we made the last mammoth leg back to Melbourne, via Wagga Wagga for the night. We felt under pressure to cram in everything that we didn’t manage to do when we first arrived, so we made sure that we visited the museum, went for a tram ride, visited the house where Kath and Kim was filmed (my daughters and I are huge Kath and Kim fans!) and toured some of the inner city suburbs. We particularly loved Fitzroy, which, luckily, was within walking distance of our apartment. It’s full of character and was named, by us, as the vegan capital of Australia! One of our stand-out meals was a glorious vegan feast at the Cornish Arms Hotel, in nearby Brunswick, and we got into the habit of getting our delicious evening ice-cream from Boys and Girls on the high street.
Our last meal in Australia, before heading to the airport, was a fantastic spread at Loving Hut in Richmond. We stuffed ourselves silly because we knew that before long all these amazing vegan feasts would be a distant memory. We had a huge container of leftovers which we optimistically carried on board the flight all the way back to Qatar. It languished in our fridge for a few days, obviously inedible at that stage, but no-one could bring themselves to throw it out for a while because it was sitting there as loving reminder of our good times…
So all in all, I loved Australia. We all did. I do get the feeling that it isn’t as on–the-pulse as the UK and Europe, but it makes up for it in so many other ways. It’s so much friendlier and feels a lot safer, which is a big deal when you’re travelling with your family. The weather is superb, especially for winter…we saw rain just once, on our last day, and we agreed it was only because Australia was sad to see us go! The rest of the time was blue skies and sunshine, even in the colder places. It’s vastness is also a draw card in many ways…it doesn’t feel as cramped as Europe does and the openness is almost liberating. Plus, in this ever crazy world we live in, it’s quite nice to feel a little detached.
We were also very impressed with how progressive Australia has become with it’s choice of vegan food options. We didn’t have a problem anywhere, and in some places we were overwhelmed with choice! Even one of the standard motorway restaurants, Olivers, prides itself on offering organic food with mainly vegan options, and it sells educational books and DVDs, like Earthlings, too. It became our go-to stop for toilet breaks and snacks!
One thing that did shock us about Australia was the cost of everything…it’s expensive! At first I’d balk at the food prices compared to what we pay here in Qatar, but I had to learn to stop doing that. Even Bundaberg Ginger Beer, a firm favourite of mine that’s made in Australia, is three times more expensive in Australia than it is in Doha! And I couldn’t bring myself to pay the equivalent of nine riyals for a small bottle of water when they cost just one riyal here! Clothes, restaurants, supermarkets…the prices all seemed to be considerably higher than where we live now.
Another thing that surprised us was the five o’clock culture…on a couple of occasions we headed to the mall at the end of an afternoon, expecting to pick up a few things and have a cheapish meal in a food court, only to realise that we had just half an hour because the shops closed at 5pm. Here in Qatar, the malls stay open until late at night, which we appreciate. I can see how the early closing hours are conducive to family life, so most people are home enjoying each others company in the evening, but it’s also hugely convenient to have shops open at all hours!
Cafes seem to be the same. More than once we arrived just before 3pm, only to be told the kitchens were closing. It seems you have to get used to shifting everything to an earlier part of the day over there.
In general though, I can’t wait to visit again. We especially loved Melbourne, and only wish that it was in Brisbane’s location so that it was warmer! Byron Shire in particular stole a little piece of my heart, and I daydream about owning a rural property there, whiling away the hours soaking up the beautiful scenery. It's like food for the soul.
I’m so sorry to everyone we didn’t get to meet up with. We had grand plans to reunite with so many family and friends, but in the end it was a rush to fit everything in. It’s a great reason to go back though, so, hopefully, I'll be updating this post sometime in the not too distant future!