Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef

There's only one way to really see the Great Barrier reef - learn to snorkel. We did and it was great!

It was incredible like looking down into a colourful new world. The fish swam all around, tiny shoals of darting fish only a few centimetres long up up to fish as big as us.

Took some photographs through the window of the semi-submersible boat but the results aren't very good.

The boat docked at the pontoon so we could spend the day exploring the reef.

View of Cairns skyline from a boat taking us out to the Great Barrier Reef.

Cairns is a hot and tropical city, very enjoyable to walk around. While we were there it was 35c during the day and 27c at night.

Went 'walkabout' in the tropical rainforest in the Tablelands mountain area. Not only do you have to watch out for lots of creepy crawlies but also trees that sting.

Very hot day 35c but a perfect place to cool off.

Scenery changed to tea and coffee plantations

Drove through miles and miles of sugar cane to Cairns.

Clairville QLD. A long walk for a swim.

Still travelling north and the scenery is starting to change.

Termite nest

Netball is a highly popular sport in Australia. This picture was taken on Saturday afternoon. At least 20 teams were playing. The standard wasn't too good, Mattishall Ladies (sorry Tigers) could have beaten most of them.

Hope you're still winning!

Visited a lovely old town called Maryborough where the author of Mary Poppins came from. L.P. Travis wrote Mary Poppins in the house in the background.

Every picture tells a story.

Queensland, Sunshine coast

Rainbow beach showing the colourful sands on the cliffs.

Sunset at Rainbow beach - gateway to Fraser Island.

Had a great hike through the rainforest of the national park to the lake. On the way back I nearly stepped on this goanna blocking the path.

Cooloola National Park QLD

Queensland has been hit by heavy storms and some of the villages around Gympie QLD have been cut off. We didn't realise until we tried to find our way to Rainbow bay on the Sunshine coast.

Flooding didn't look too bad until we attempted it.

Travelling north up the Sunshine coast.

I'm sure Brisbane is a lovely city with many gardens etc to explore but while we were there it drizzled, then rained and then chucked it down. Although the temperatures were in the 80's.

Saw these Australian pelicans on the river very close to Brisbane city centre. QLD

New South Wales

Took Millie to a wildlife sanctuary to see the kangaroos.

Cute koala!

Beach at Ballina on the Gold coast NSW. Had a sunny day but you can see the storm clouds brewing.

Beware if you have a bottle brush tree in your garden, these rainbow lorikeets love feeding on them.

We are travelling north from Sydney to Cairns. We are travelling on the inland route as many part of the coast have experienced bad weather with roads and bridges washed away.

Ballina beach NSW and a sunny day.

These rainbow lorikeets are resting on a baclony near where we were staying. In the trees around there are numerous parrot species. Last night we watched hundreds of fruit bat with one metre wing spans swooping overhead.

Managed to spot and photograph these three kangeroos. The one at the back had a baby in it's pouch. (Probably need to blow the photo up) As soon as they spotted us they were off.

Spent a day tramping at Woolombi Gorge. NSW