Australia’s Sunshine Coast and Top End

I have just returned from a fabulous trip to Australia's Sunshine Coast including Fraser Island and the Northern Territory. We left on the 14th May flying with Qantas in premium economy ( a must if you are not having a stopover!) We flew via Singapore and Sydney, finally arriving in Brisbane late on the 15th for our transfer to Mooloolaba. Most people have heard of the Gold coast, but few know the Sunshine Coast. It is a more laid back destination with a lot of the resorts not allowing buildings to be more than 3 storeys high. It was great to have our first couple of days here just to chill out and relax - there are beautiful beaches and plenty of activities like shark diving to keep you occupied. We stayed at the Mantra Resort which is a suite complex consisting of 1, 2 and 3 bed apartments (all privately owned) and each is equipped with a fully functioning kitchen - plus tv, stereo etc.

From Mooloolaba we travelled by train to Maryborough West, for our coach transfer to Hervey Bay and Catamaran to Fraser Island - the world's largest sand island. We stayed at King Fisher Resort which is beautifully built into the landscape. There are various room types ranging from standard rooms to villas and houses. We had a full day ranger guided tour of the Island which took in the Maheno Ship Wreck, The Pinnacles and Lake McKenzie amongst others. Unfortunately, although Fraser is renowned for them we did not see any Dingoes.

From Fraser we took the catamaran, coach, and train back down to Brisbane for an overnight stop before continuing on with a flight to Darwin. Darwin is a city full of character - it is not a big city and is easy to get around. Be warned though it can be extremely hot in the summer - we were there in winter with temperatures of 30 degrees but little humidity - perfect! We stayed at the Sky City Resort and Casino, located just out of town, but the only hotel right on the beach and therefore perfectly located for spectacular sunsets. They have a starbeque here which anyone can go to and at AUD26.95 it is very reasonable.

The next part of the trip was an APT tour of Kakadu and Katherine - 3 days and 2 nights - I would recommend doing it this way as day trips from Darwin are just too much as the distances are so vast. We visited Ubir Rock, went crocodile spotting on the South Alligator River, and took a cruise through Katherine Gorge. The camp sites were basic but adequate and our guide Craig made our stay a memorable one.

Another night in Darwin was followed by one of the thrills of the trip - taking the Ghan from Darwin to Alice Springs. Travelling not just in any carriage - we stayed in the Prince of Wales carriage - this had been specially arranged for our group - and can be booked by anyone. It was a fabulous way to get to our final destination, built in 1919 to accommodate a visit from Edward, Prince of Wales, it was luxury beyond compare. The journey took us via Katherine again, where this time we got to see the Gorge from the air in a helicopter. It certainly gave us a different perspective.

Our last two nights were in Alice Springs where we crammed in the most. Staying at Voyages Alice Springs, a well located hotel with easy access to the town. Our first afternoon was spent quad biking, an experience I was apprehensive about as I don't drive, but once I got going there was no stopping me !! We followed this up with an evening outback; a bush bbq dinner where we learnt about life on a remote cattle station, Aboriginal culture and enjoyed a talk on the stars which can be so clearly seen in this area.

A very early start today for our hot air balloon experience - something I have always wanted to do. We were taken out to a suitable spot where the balloons were inflated and we cruised off over the MacDonnell Ranges. Absolutely fantastic and something I would thoroughly recommend doing. We finished off back at the hotel with a champagne breakfast.

Our last adventure was taking a camel to breakfast. An hour journey on a camel finishing back at the farm for a hearty breakfast and tour of the museum.

All in all a fantastic trip.