Gold Coast

Our next two weeks would be spent around the Brisbane area. In our first week we were in an apartment at Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast (south of Brisbane). The second week would be spent at Kings Beach on the Sunshine Coast (north of Brisbane). Maggie and Neil had hired a car which gave us the ability to venture out into more remote areas.

During our first full day we were given the opportunity to see less touristy areas of Brisbane, as we meet Maggie’s old work colleague for lunch. We met at an old warehouse style building that has now been turned into a theatre house and restaurant, which gave fantastic views across the river at some very expensive looking houses.

The following day turned out to be our only day spent in Surfers Paradise. We took a drive to a nearby shopping centre to fill the fridge, kitchen cupboards, and even a little space in our wardrobes. After the one hour journey turned into a three hour trip out, we spent the rest of the afternoon basking on the white sand beauty visible from our apartment balcony. The beautiful beach stretched out in either direction, lined along the land by an army of high rise apartments.

Our day ended with a compulsory visit to the Hard Rock Cafe to enjoy a cocktail each, with the added surprise of two free cocktail glasses!

The next morning a trip to The Currumbin Animal Sanctuary turned into a full day event, as we discovered on arrival the place was much bigger than imagined (even hosting a small train to take you to the furthest points). We were able to learn a little about animal conservation whilst there, visiting the small on site clinic where injured or ill animals were taken. The clinic cared for both its own and for wild animals, always attempting to return wild animals to their natural habitat where possible.

We ticked most of the stereotypical Australian animals off our must see list during the visit, getting to see koalas, kangaroos and alligators (one of which we saw propel itself a hefty distance in the air in search of food!) We were also introduced to a Tree Kangaroo, a species that none of us has previously heard of and as the name suggests, was pretty much a kangaroo living in a tree!

Our next aim was to get out into the country, setting our sights on Tambourine Mountain (where I didn’t get to see a single person playing a tambourine…) A much greener, country place, so different from the coast only an hour away.

With some initial difficulty finding our intended location, we came as across a small group of shops and cafes. One shop in particular could not help but catch our eye, looking like it came from somewhere out in the country in southern USA. A wooden building with a porch out front, every inch of the place was scattered with trinkets, furniture, animal skins and many other unimaginable objects. The owner of the shop looking remarkably like an older version of Amy Winehouse, down to the black bees nest of hair on her head. And what else would such an eccentric woman drive, but a black hearse, with a coffin in the back and skeleton bones laid alongside!

While drinking tea, hiding from a sudden downpour, we searched for a wine tasting tour for the following day. This plan was eventually decided against due to the price, but we discovered a winery five minutes drive up the road offering a tasting session for $6! This was more than enough to win Neil and I over, Maggie being a good enough sport to be designated driver.

After the wine came lunch, eaten in the car at a waterfall site (the rain just kept on coming back). From here we went on to the Skywalk, a raised platform which led you through part of a rainforest. At some points you could look down on many, but never all of the trees. It was an amazing experience on your senses, eyes, ears and noses all exploring new surroundings. Of course, being a rainforest, water began to pour down halfway round our walk. For me this only added to the experience, though it did so a little too much for Neil who had failed to bring anything waterproof!

Running out of time that afternoon, we returned to Tambourine Mountain the following morning to visit some more excitingly different shops.

We visited a faerie shop which was mind blowing. It was small and packed with trinkets, yet somehow uncluttered, spread over four different rooms, each one given its own individual character. It was so good I was desperate to buy something even though there was nothing I wanted or needed! I eventually settled on a postcard as a keepsake.

Nearly missing it due to yet more rain, we also stopped at a cuckoo clock shop where I got to hear the amazing phrase ‘Put a smile on your dial’. This place was absolutely full of clocks. Small ones, big ones, cuckoo clocks, grandfather clocks, as well as many German products often found at Christmas German markets.

We ended our day on a more ‘normal’ level in Brisbane centre, enjoying some great tapas and a short wander before the rain chased us back to the apartment for a cosy night in.