Author - Cindy Collins

How to Spend a Weekend in Stanthorpe and the Granite Belt?

When you think of Queensland, the first things that comes to mind might be beaches, rainforest, swimming with turtles and warm, sunny weather. But there is so much more to the state and Stanthorpe is a great place to visit for a very different Queensland experience. Stanthorpe is part of the Granite Belt region, and it is all about local wines, local produce...

Springbrook National Park: The Top 10 Things to Do

Inland from the Gold Coast in Queensland, you will find one of the most magical national parks in the state, Springbrook National Park. Springbrook National Park is part of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Gondwana Rainforests of Australia. It’s home to magnificent waterfalls, lush rainforest, epic viewpoints, and some iconic Australian wildlife. Springbrook National...

Hiking the Coomera Circuit, Lamington National Park

We recently hiked the Coomera Circuit in the Lamington National Park and boy was it worth it! It had been a long time since we did a long and strenuous hike. I seem to recall our last long hike was the multi-day Salkantay Trek in Peru, way back in September 2019! I can’t believe it’s been that long, but I suppose breaking a leg and being locked down within a 5...

Bribie Island, The Perfect Escape for Nature Lovers

Bribie Island is one of the many islands in the Moreton Bay region and it’s one of the easiest ones to explore. Located approximately one hour’s drive from Brisbane, it’s another perfect day trip or weekend destination for us Brisbanites. Yes, I know, there are so many of those; no wonder we barely spend a weekend at home these days! Bribie Island is home to great...

A Perfect Day on Coochiemudlo Island

So far, the best part about living in Brisbane has been the incredible variety of things to do in and around the city. With hinterland hikes, islands getaways, gorgeous beaches and stunning national parks, there’s no way to be bored! A couple of weeks ago, we hopped on a ferry to check out the small island of Coochiemudlo. Coochiemudlo, or Coochie as the locals like...

A Quick Guide to Tamborine Mountain

The first time I visited Tamborine Mountain, I was just 20 years old and traveling around Australia on a Contiki tour. I will always remember my trip to Tamborine Mountain. The road to it from Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast was so windy. We’d had a big night out the previous day, with barely any sleep and way too much booze. My stomach was not coping at all with...

10 Best Things to Do in The Hunter Valley

Just a two-hour drive from Sydney, the Hunter Valley is a popular weekend getaway for Sydneysiders. It’s also very popular with wine lovers from all over the country and from around the world. The Hunter Valley’s main drawcard is, of course, its vast array of wineries and their exquisite wines; but the valley offers much more than just wine tasting. So, even if you...

Our Top 5 Wineries in the Hunter Valley

Well, we’ve finally made it to the Hunter Valley! As wine lovers, we’ve been slowly making our way through the Australian wine regions and we’d had the Hunter Valley high on our list for a while, waiting to be ticked off. On our way up to Queensland, we finally got a chance to check it out and we were certainly not disappointed. As we’d hoped, the wine is fabulous...

8 Things to Do in Kangaroo Valley

Who wouldn’t love rolling green hills, spectacular views all around, captivating wilderness, sparkling rivers and a land shared between humans and a huge amount of wildlife? If that doesn’t sound good to you, then don’t bother visiting Kangaroo Valley. But if it sounds like it ticks all the boxes for your next dream getaway, then make your way there and you won’t...

A Quick Guide to Kiama, New South Wales

Just 120 kilometres south of Sydney, the small and picturesque coastal town of Kiama is famous for its blowhole, green grassy cliffs, spectacular beaches and ocean rock pools. Because of its location, Kiama is a perfect weekend getaway for Sydney-siders, but it’s also very popular with Victorians holidaymakers. For us, it was another stopover on our road trip from...