- Goodbye Sydney, Hello Cairns
- First Days in Cairns
- The Great Barrier Reef
- Daintree Rainforest and Cape Tribulation
- Kuranda and Mission Beach
- Dunk Island
- Magnetic Island
- Beautiful Maggie Isle
- Sailing to Whitsundays
- Emu Park & The Keppels
- Town of 1770 & Agnes Water
- Rainbow Beach and Fraser Island
- Noosa
- Brisbane
It was time for some action! Magnetic Island in one day. The Loka guides rented a few 4×4 cars. But everyone had to put on a onesie before we could get in. We reluctantly put them on and posed as giraffes in front of the cars. We were lucky to take them off before getting in. We sat in the back and drove into the scorching sun and wild nature—a caravan of 3 cars. Soon, we made a stop and went in search of wild koalas. Our guides knew some spots and found beautiful specimens, including babies, almost immediately.
There are only 800 koalas left in the wild on the entire island. The positive aspect is that the island is chlamydia-free, which contributes to the healthy development of this species. Many people think that koalas, often referred to as koala bears, belong to the bear or panda family. In fact, koalas are marsupials. A fun fact: “Koala” means “does not drink” in Dharuk, an extinct Aboriginal language. They obtain enough moisture from eucalyptus leaves and rarely or never drink water.
After the group made some purchases for lunch, including bananas to feed the wallabies, and stocked up on extra water for the next stop, we arrived at the Forts Walk not long after. This is the ideal spot for spotting koalas. People often create arrows made of branches on the ground, pointing toward the trees where the koalas are located. Koalas tend to stay in the same place for a while, so there is a good chance of encountering them there.
The Forts Walk is a hike up a mountain that takes you to the sites where various cannons and forts were built during World War II. This war was related to the Japanese and Pearl Harbor. Magnetic Island was primarily used as a defense base during that time.
After about thirty minutes of walking, we came across the first bunkers. Of course, we eagerly crawled into them, expecting to encounter a spider or snake. A large part of our group stayed behind, perhaps feeling a bit apprehensive. We mainly saw bats and a few spiders. We climbed on top of the forts when we reached the highest point. This required some athletic moves, but eventually, we made it. What a beautiful view! Once again, wow!
Once we descended, it was time, after all that sweating, to take a refreshing dip in Radical Bay. Of course, not without first taking a photo in our onesies. Sigh! As quickly as we put them on, we took them off just as quickly. In hindsight, they did make for some fun pictures. We put on our swimwear and jumped straight into the water. The water had a pleasant temperature, and here we enjoyed the necessary cooling off, the view, and especially sunbathing. CJ played some great music, and Dribs shared exciting stories about his 25 years as a tour guide worldwide. It was a heavenly paradise.
Wake up! It was time to move on to our next stop once again. We hopped into the Jeep with our swimwear still on and enjoyed the delightful breeze and sunshine. Before we arrived at Arthur Bay for a second swim, it was time to take in the beautiful view of the bay. We drove a bit further and took the sandy path toward the beach. A large rock on the beach immediately caught our attention. CJ, Jack & Gemma (two English travel companions), and I took on the challenge and began an exciting journey to the top. The final stretch proved to be a bit too much for us, so we decided not to take the risk of falling deep down and instead made our way back down.
Our next stop was the butterfly garden. If you were to walk around here without knowing that there are butterflies, you wouldn’t see much. But when you shake the trees, dozens of colorful butterflies flutter around. The warning to stay on the path became clear quickly. In this place, you can find many Golden Orb spiders that enjoy feasting on butterflies. Afterward, we returned to Bungalow Bay. Every day at 4:30 PM, colorful parrots are fed here. These birds fly towards you in large numbers and perch on your head, shoulders, and arms. It was fun to witness this spectacle from a distance. Inez wasn’t really fond of the birds getting too close.
We had to head to Geoffrey Bay to feed the wallabies quickly to avoid missing the sunset. These wallabies live among the rocks and are therefore called rock wallabies. When you spot one, you can gently approach it with a banana. It will then eat the banana from your hand. Inez wasn’t eager to do it, but she managed to do it after a few attempts. Not with complete conviction, as you can see in the photo, but she did it after all.
The clock was ticking as we drove quickly over the sandy, bumpy roads towards Westpoint. A large beach with a beautiful view and a stunning red sun on the horizon brought us peace. We sat down, enjoyed a drink, and each other’s company. A little further down the beach, we witnessed the spectacle of some locals throwing meat into the air. The beef was swiftly picked up by the eagles flying around.
Satisfied and completely relaxed, we ended the evening with a BBQ at Horseshoe Bay. We enjoyed some drinks and a delicious steak with salad. Afterward, we headed down to the bar at Bungalow Bay. We truly savored this day. It was a top adventure with a fantastic company.
For us, this island is, without a doubt, number one!
X Ely & Inez
I'm convinced that you should do what you love and go for what you want in life. I go through life with a no-nonsense mentality and a passion for travel, blogging, and the digital world. In 2018, I embarked on the journey of my life with my girlfriend, and since then I want to continue traveling and discovering the world.
Blij te horen en te zien dat alle inspanningen voor vertrek de moeite loonde en dat jullie reis een echt avontuur is.
Daddy
Zeker en vast! Love you! x