More Photos

There is now a train directly from the airport straight to the Gold Coast. It is neither fast or scenic, but it is cheap and convenient and took us to Nerang, a short distance from Royal Pines Resort in Ashmore which would be our home for 12 nights.

Tuesday our tour to Springbrook with Scenic Hinterland tours, our first stop was Tropical Fruit World. Although this is in the middle of nowhere, it is easy to spot the huge Avocado outside. We didn’t stop for long enough to take the train tour round the plantation, so we just had the fruit tasting, including the chocolate pudding fruit, it’s the colour and taste of chocolate, but the texture of fruit, very odd. We stopped for smoothies, chocolate pudding, mango and avocado and shared them between us, all very nice but also very filling so our lunch stop at the Homestead with meals as big as a Yowie was wasted on us. Yowie, in case you were wondering, is the Australian version of the Yeti or Bigfoot. We enjoyed watching the lorikeets. They are really no better than pigeons but at least they are colourful. You should see them if you have a plateful of jam. We knew better but a few of the Japanese tourists tried it and all of sudden half the Lorikeet population of Queensland descended on them and clawed their clothes to bits. We stopped at Best of All Lookout, which did what it said on the tin, as well as the Natural Arch and the Gloworm caves, no gloworms during the day, but picturesque all the same. In the rainforests of South Queensland there are strangler figs and ancient trees and some lovely walks.

Wednesday was Martin’s first surf lesson, which he enjoyed while we shopped for bits and pieces in the Mall.

On Thursday after surfing, we wandered round Surfers to the inland waterway and spotted the Whale boat. This was literally the last week of the Whale season June-Nov and luckily I had taken the precaution of seasick tablets. It doesn’t matter how many cruises I have been on, I still get seasick. It was well worth the £80 or so we paid though as we were lucky enough to see two adolescent male humpback whales playing and jumping out of water. The fascination of seeing a 4 ton whale jumping out of the ocean in its natural environment rather than in a Seaquarium is just indescribable.

On Friday 26th was the big wedding and the reason for our trip. Niall & Jodie got married in the hotel chapel, a beautiful setting with lakes and bridges and the golf course. The hotel was a wonderful venue for the reception as well as the wedding.

Carrara market is only open at weekends and this is huge, covering an area across the river and selling everything, fruit and veg, books, clothes, tourist tat and we bought a few bits and pieces.

Sunshine Coast is a very long trip on the other side of Brisbane, but very worthwhile. Our first stop was at Aussie World which for us was just a coffee stop, but would make a good day out on its own. As well as the Ettamogah Pub which is outside, Aussie World has a few mainly kiddie rides and there are all sorts of little touches that showcase Australian life and most of all the Aussie sense of humour. Moolalaba will be worth a future visit, it looks a lovely place. We then stopped in Noosa Heads for lunch.

Byron Bay is a hippy town, more traditional with wooden buildings, gorgeous beaches and a lighthouse. It is also the most easterly point in Australia. From the lighthouse there is a fantastic view of the two sandy bays below.

Sea World is very close to Surfers and the hotel courtesy bus goes straight there once a day. The Sea World in Queensland is in fact the original, older than the ones in Florida and San Diego. There is no Shamu at this Sea World, but there is a monorail, a cable car and a railway and a big wheel which I would highly recommend . Queensland does have a Dugong, a Polar Bear and plenty of Sharks.

Time to say thank you to the wonderful, friendly staff at Royal Pines who made us feel so welcome, and a brief stop in Brisbane before heading home