Island Hopping in Australia:
Where
to Go?
Imagine a day in a beach, you
standing at the shore with the turquoise blue waters splashing
through your feet. The sun is up there smiling at you, and you hear
the birds singing with the whoosh of the wind. It’s a nice feeling,
isn’t it? Well, that’s what basically the islands in Australia are
capable of giving you.
The islands in Australia come in
considerable number. As far as I know, the islands can be
categorized into few sets according to their size, including
Queensland Islands, Kangaroo Island, Tasmania, Tiwi Islands, Phillip
Island and Gippsland, and some of the Islands located near the New
South Wales. Each category possesses a number of islands, each
worth visiting.
Now, are you planning to visit
Australia for a holiday vacation or getaway? What about island
hopping? Is the idea appeal to you? It should be. After all,
island hopping in Australia can be one of the most exciting
experiences you can ever have.
But the question is what specific
islands in Australia are worth exploring?
Well, here are the answers:
Kangaroo Island
Kangaroo, as you may know, is an
exclusive icon of Australia. It is even considered as a national
symbol of the country. I bet the reason for this is that Australia
has the greatest population of kangaroos, and most of them can be
found at an island named “Kangaroo”.
The Kangaroo Island is located south
of the Australian continent. It lies across the Backstairs Passage
noted for its narrow area, and from the Fleurieu Peninsula.
According to some reports, the island is so pristine that from the
beaches up to the wilderness, nothing is flawed or marred. I bet
this is one of the reasons that people from all walks of life prefer
to stay in the island longer than they can stay at the mainland.
There are a lot of things to do and
see at Kangaroo Island. As mentioned, kangaroos thrive, but more
than that, the island is also a great place to witness the other
wildlife in the wild. Also, tourists can enjoy a day diving,
fishing, cycling, strolling, driving, or even farming. All of these
activities, however, must stick on to the eco-friendly rules and
regulations maintained by the government. Walking close to the
island’s wildlife is permitted, but with certain limits.
Below is a list of what you can do at
the Kangaroo Island.
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Wildlife Exploration
– Cut off from the mainland by a
long stretch of sea, the Kangaroo Island does not only offer
kangaroos for visitors to see. The truth is that the island has
a wealth of faunas and floras that make it truly a wilderness
beyond compare. The island is but the home for wallabies,
goannas, echidnas, possums, dolphins, bandicoots, and platypus.
It is even here where a large colony of sea lions can be found.
Cute little penguins are even around to delight you on your
visit. The penguins usually approach the shore at the evening,
while during winter, whales of different sizes visit the island
for one purpose – to mate and breed. Much to that, the Kangaroo
Island is where a number of koalas and a multitude of colorful
birds thrive to survive.
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See and Stroll with
Sea Lions – As what many claims
have said, Kangaroo Island is one of the best places on earth to
see and walk with sea lions. I bet this is for the fact that
the island has the Seal Bay Conservation Park which is but the
home to about 600 species of sea lions. The best thing to know
about this park is that it gives you the chance to view the sea
lions even at close quarters.
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Taste the Local
Flavors – For those who wish to
taste the best of the local flavors, Kangaroo Island is a great
place to start while in Australia. At the island, you can enjoy
a wide selection of fine dining options, most highlight the
local flavors. There are fruits, sweets, wines and other
beverages, as well as a multi-cultural range of foods prepared
by the highly dedicated cooks and chefs. You can sit on the
beach at late afternoon and enjoy the sunset while tasting your
favorites.
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Enjoy a Comfortable
Accommodation – After a tiring
day, you can relax at one of the islands charming and
comfortable accommodation. You can choose from a range of bed
and breakfasts, hotels, cottages, beach houses, hostels, or
farmstay. Whatever your choice is, you’ll surely be pampered
with all the amenities and facilities available.
Kangaroo Island has been considered
as the third biggest islands in Australia, after Tasmania and
Melville Island. It is accessible by road from the city of Adelaide
or by ferry or boat from Cape Jervis on the peninsula of Fleurieu.
Crossing by ferry can take for about 45 minutes.
Tasmania and Its Islands
Known by many as the “Apple Isle”
(due to its shape), Tasmania provides one of the best island
experiences of your life. It is known by many as the island of
rugged mountains and long and uninhabited beaches. It is also the
home of rolling hills, open moors, swift rivers, and a forest that
is so temperate. All of these natural wonders are featured by
Tasmania with much pride.
The Island of Tasmania is located 90
minutes away from the city of Sydney. It is surrounded by a number
of small islands, including Flinders, Maria and Bruny, each feature
natural formations that are beyond compare.
For instance, the Flinders Island is
noted specifically for its location and shape. It actually rises
from the waters of the Bass Strait and stands like a huge creature
of the sea. The Maria Island, on the other hand, is considered as
the home to some of Australia’s century-old ruins, craggy cliffs,
and broad bays, while the Bruny Island is the home to the first
apple tree of Tasmania, which was planted in 1788 by a person named,
Captain William Bligh.
Tiwi Islands
Located north of Darwin, Tiwi Islands
are said to be the sanctuary to some of Australia’s indigenous
culture. It is basically here where the most unique beliefs and
traditions of Australia are practiced, giving the visitors the
chance to experience a culture that is so special for many Aussies.
The Tiwi Islands are composed of two
main lands: Melville and Bathurst. Melville, in the first place,
has been considered as the second largest island in the Australian
continent, after Tasmania. It sits across the Clarence Strait and
is the capital of the country’s Northern Territory. The island is
much well-known for its cascading and towering waterfalls and lush
rainforest.
On the other hand, the Bathurst
Island is noted specifically for its smaller size, compared to its
twin sister, Melville. It is located 80 kilometers away from Darwin
which is but a big part of the Australia’s Northern Territory.
Well, what makes this island unique from that of Melville is that it
is here where visitors of every age and gender can experience the
real life of Tiwi. This is also the center for Tiwi’s culture and
art.
Both Melville and Bathurst are noted
for their unique batik clothing, silk screened clothing, as well as
for painted conch shells, pottery, woven bangles, carvings, and some
decorated burial poles known by Tiwians as “pukumani”. It is
further interesting to know that Bathurst and Melville are currently
controlled by the Tiwi Land Council, which requires visitors permit
for touring purposes.
Note that in Bathurst and Melville,
no accommodation is available. So if you are planning to go with a
permit in your hands, it would be best to consider camping as your
way to spend the night.
Queensland Islands
Of the Australian islands, it is the
Queensland Islands which span along a sultry coastline from the
northern islands at Torres Strait to the sand islands in the
southern portion of the country. The islands come in great number
though, but all of them are beautifully set at the middle of cays
and island dots at the Great Barrier Reef.
Two of the most well-known parts of
the Queensland Islands are Fraser and Heron Island. The former
holds the title of being the fourth biggest island in Australia and
the largest sand island in the whole world. On the other hand, the
Heron Island is noted as one of the resort islands that lie on the
area of the Tropic of Capricorn. Well, for more information about
these islands, read on.
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Fraser Island
– Named after a shipwreck victim and survivor, the Fraser Island
is peopled by Aborigines. Just like Heron, it is the home to
the most beautiful Australian beaches, making it perfect for
those who want to experience an ultimate sand, sun and surf.
Also, Fraser Island has all the wonderful lakes in the world, as
well as the green rainforests thrived by all the interesting
wildlife available. Of the many islands of Australia, Fraser is
considered throughout the continent as one of the country’s
finest.
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Heron Island
– Nestled off the northern part of the
Queensland Coast, the Heron Island is one of the resort island
destinations in Australia. As a resort island, it’s not
surprising to know that Heron has long stretches of white sand
beaches coupled with turquoise blue waters with colorful reefs.
The island is pretty small in size, only spanning about one
kilometer in length and 18 hectares in area. Perhaps what’s
nice to know about this place is that half of its total area is
considered as resort, while the other half is recognized as a
national park.
There are a lot more islands in
Queensland. The islands, including Fraser and Heron, are all
grouped into three types: vegetated sand islands, continental
islands, and coral islands, which common people typically called
“cays”.
Philip Island
Celebrated for its fairy penguins,
Philip Island is considered throughout Australia as one popular home
for wildlife. It is the home of koalas, birds of different species,
Australian fur seals, and some of the most stunning coastal cliffs
and diving portals. What’s more known of Philip Island is its
Penguin Parade, the most common reason that people from near and far
away places visit and return year after year.
The Penguin Parade in Philip Island
typically happens at dusk when cute little penguins approaches to
return to shore. What’s interesting to know about the parade is
that little penguins come as if they are riding on the surf. They
come one after another until the beach is filled with these little
birds. They attract the tourists more for the reason that they come
in groups and they trot as if they joining a victorious march. Now,
imagine that scene. Isn’t it awesome? Yes, it is.
Philip Island can now be reached by
ferry. It is located two hours away from the city of Melbourne,
crossing The Narrows from the place of San Remo to Newhaven. The
island can easily be reached that every visitor can take a tour to
some of its great wonders and return before the night falls.
Islands near the New South Wales
To complete the set of the worth
visiting islands in Australia, there are the Lord Howe and Norfolk
Island located on an area close to the New South Wales. These
islands are considered for long years as two of the most
sub-tropical vacation destinations in Australia and the world.
Lord Howe Island
Lying about 500 kilometers away from
the eastern part of Port Macquarie, which is located at the north
coast of New South Wales, the Lord Howe Island can be reached by
plane from the city of Sydney or Brisbane.
According to several claims, the Lord
Howe Island is the home to the most stunning natural rainforests of
Australia. It also boasts a line of white sand beaches with the
crystal clear blue waters. At these beaches lie the southernmost
coral reefs, and far on its rainforests, a variety of animals and
birds can be found, some of them are considered endangered and rare.
It is due to such collection of
endangered and rare species, as well as its unparalleled natural
wonders that Lord Howe Island was celebrated as a World Heritage
destination in 1982.
All of the natural wonders in Lord
Howe Island can be explored easily by foot or bicycle, which is
available for rent on some of the rental stalls in the islands. If
you’re wondering about rental motorcycles and cars, these are
available at limited numbers, however.
Norfolk Island
Populated by the children of Fletcher
Christian, as well as by the Bounty mutineers of the 18th
century, Norfolk Island in Australia boasts a unique blend of
English, Tahitian, and American whaler. English, however, is
considered as the official language of the people.
The Island spans for about 3,455
hectares for which the third of its total area is considered as
national reserves and parklands. Also, from the mountains down to
the seas, Norfolk Island boasts a number of lagoons and ocean reefs
highlighting over 100 varieties of corals thrived by sea creatures.
Norfolk Island is also deemed
throughout Australia and the Pacific as a perfect destination for
the bushwalkers. Pines and a lush palm forest stand tall on most of
the island’s mountains, some lead visitors to the stunning views of
the ocean. These floras are what also provide every visitor in
Norfolk Island a close encounter to about 40 varieties of animals
and plants that can only be found in the island.
Lying between New Zealand and
Australia, the Norfolk Island can now be reached for about three
hours from the city of Sydney by plane. If you’re coming from
Brisbane, you can reach the island for a matter of two hours. This
is made possible with the availability of about two airlines that
are currently serving the island and its nearby cities. The
airlines are Norfolk Jet and Air New Zealand.
Both the Lord Howe and Norfolk
Islands are now considered throughout the world as two of the most
well-known natural centers in the whole continent of Australia.
With all the natural and man-made
bounties available at the islands of Australia, island hopping in
Australia can no doubt be a great way to experience everything about
the country, even the most unique and most preserved culture and
history. Hopping to these islands can even give you the best
experience you’ve never imagined before, the experience that will
keep you saying “I’m blessed and I’m free”.
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