Balance of our trip

To follow the balance of our trip I invite you to become a fan of Indigo Journeys Facebook business page. You can see my pictures and comments on Kangaroo Island, Lord Howe Island and Wolgan Valley Resort from my recent trip. I am also using Indigo Journeys Business Page to provide updates on new products as well as great travel deals as they become available. Please follow the link below and join Indigo Journeys to get the latest information on travel to the South Pacific!
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Sydney to Melbourne Coastal Drive

Although this is a much less traveled and lesser known route then the Great Ocean Road drive between Melbourne and Adelaide it was no less scenic and offered wonderful coastal vistas, beautiful secluded beaches, great seaside towns with numerous cafes and shops, and all on a road "less traveled".

The drive starts just outside of Sydney where we opted to take the Grand Pacific Highway which winds its way thru the Royal National Park on down to Wollongong where you join the main drive on the Princes Highway. Our first stop was in the small coastal town of Mollymook where we spent two nights at Bannister's Point Lodge - a fantastic accommodation perched on a cliff edge where each room offered magnificent views of the ocean. The cozy open air bar/restaurant was the perfect place to relax after a day of driving. You are only about 30 minutes from Jervis Bay where you can enjoy whale watching cruises (in season) and dolphin cruising year round. This would make a great self drive two or three night stay from Sydney if your time does not allow you to do the full drive to Melbourne.

From Mollymook we headed further south to Lakes Entrance for our second two night stay at Waverley House Cottages. Six spectacular self contained cottages tucked into the hillside above the main town. The attention to detail and warm inviting decor at these wonderful cottages allows the visitor to truly make themselves at home!

Lakes Entrance is the gateway to the Gippsland Lake region - the largest inland waterway in the Southern Hemisphere. A virtual playground for boat enthusiasts, hikers/walkers, and wine lovers alike. The lovely seaside towns are filled with cafes and shops showcasing the many designs of the numerous local artists in the area. Again for those that do not have the time to do the full Sydney to Melbourne drive this region is only 3 hours south of Melbourne and would make a lovely addition to a stay in the city.

Following the South Gippsland Highway from Sale we spent our last night of the drive on Philip Island where we enjoyed the famous nightly Little Penguin Parade, followed by a wonderful dinner at Taylors Waterfront Restaurant on the island.

I would definitely consider the Sydney to Melbourne route if your plans "Down Under" include a self drive option.

Blue Mountains

We traveled to the Blue Mountains with Australian Wild Escapes a luxury small group operator that offers day trips and extended trips thruout Australia, New Zealand and now Fiji. Our guide Craig offered a wonderful commentary along the way and adapted our experience to fit our interests and abilities.

The Blue Mountains considered the "Grand Canyon" of Australia is one of those not to be missed scenic encounters. It is best experienced with an overnight stay as the mountains are best viewed at either sunrise or sunset.

Although our day did include some rain showers we managed to enjoy several of the best vistas in this vast national park. The area is rich with Aboriginal history as well. There are several hiking/walking trails ranging from scenic short walks to hikes that would challenge the most experienced walker!

Our overnight stay was enjoyed at Lilianfels, definitely the premier property in the area, located in the town of Katoomba. Wonderful ambiance, warm friendly staff and a not to be beat location definitely set this property apart.

The Blue Mountains offer something for everyone....fantastic scenery, wonderful accommodations, great hiking/walking, loads of wildlife, small friendly towns with lots of opportunities for some retail therapy, gourmet dining and some small boutique vineyards as well.

Cruise Like A Local Sydney Harbour

This is definitely one of my favorite experiences in Sydney! There is nothing quite like being picked up from the floating dock in Sydney harbour by what feels like your own private 52 foot yacht. Shawn the owner of Sea Sydney Cruises has developed a not to be missed opportunity in this wonderful city. Cruising on Sydney Harbour is something you just have to include in any itinerary to this city and experiencing it as only a local can is by far the best way! This 4 hour cruise showcases the best sites in a relaxed personal environment. I was very excited to hear that Shawn will be adding an evening option in the summer months - a sunset/dinner cruise from 6pm - 9pm. With a maximum of 10 guests on either the afternoon or evening cruise you won't lack for personal attention and will come away with an entirely different perspective on the magical city of Sydney.

Hamilton Island a Last Glimpse

We have left Hamilton Island behind but are sure to return. In fact we are already planning coming back and joining Sunsail Yacht Charters for their 5 day sailing school. Learning to sail has always been on our list of things we want to do and I know we have now found the perfect location!

A few more things to share about this wonderful destination in the Whitsundays. First a little history. Hamilton Island was purchased by Andrew Oatley in 2003 with a goal and vision of making this magical place a world class destination. He wanted to create a place that would showcase the best Australia has to offer. Since 2003 many upgrades have been made to the existing facilities on the island. Several new additions have also been made as well. The spectacular Hamilton Island Golf Course, designed by Robert Thomson has recently opened. Qualia a true world class luxury resort opened two years ago and the Hamilton Island Yacht Club and Luxury Yacht Club Villas are set to open by year end.

I met with Hamilton Islands Sales and Marketing Manager Tolita Dukes for a quick tour and update on three of the most booked resorts:

Qualia - a luxury resort that has managed to blend itself seamlessly into the surrounding landscape. Offering each guest something very special in a warm, relaxed completely indulgent environment. Both Leeward and Windward (with individual private plunge pools) accommodations offer spectacular views and rich wood interiors that invite the guest to sit back and take a break from our everdemanding day to day lives. The word Qualia derives from the Latin and means 'a collection of deep sensory experiences' and this one of a kind resort certainly delivers that and so much more.

The Beach Club - a small (57 rooms), intimate resort set right on Catseye Beach. Even though this resort is located right in the heart of the action it manages to make the guest feel like they are in a very private oasis. With a guests only infinity pool and award winning dining area the often sold out Beach Club is a place that guests return time and again to relax, recharge and rejuvenate.

Reef View Hotel - As part of Mr Oatley's goal and vision this resort received a $30million upgrade and it definitely has brought the rooms and facilities up to the four star plus level. This is a large high rise resort with oversized rooms that are expertly appointed. Each Coral Sea View Room has an amazing view over Catseye Beach and the sparkling waters of the Great Barrier Reef beyond. There is nothing like enjoying a glass of your favorite beverage from your large well outfitted balcony and watching the sun rise or set over the Whitsunday Islands.

Just a quick note on our visit to Whitehaven Beach as well. This top ranked beach is a quick boat ride from Hamilton Island. Located on an uninhabited island the pure white silica sand beach is over 5 miles long. The sand is so fine that it literally "squeeks" when you run your foot across it! You can visit Whitehaven using one of three boat tour operators on the island and it is a 1/2 day definitely well spent.

Reflecting back on our time on Hamilton Island I believe Mr. Oatley has definitely met and perhaps even exceeded his goal, but I would prefer you be your own judge when you include Hamilton Island in your next or first trip to Australia.

Hamilton Island

Our first full day on Hamilton Island was spent really getting to know the island and all the experiences there are on offer. We started the day with a hike on one of the many well marked trails located on the island. Keeping in mind that the Australians idea of a moderate hike would pretty much qualify as a challenging hike in the US we chose the Resort Lookout Trail a "moderate" hiking experience.

The trails are extremely well marked and well maintained and there are several to select from. Discovering the island by foot is a great way to experience the hidden coves, vistas and picnic spots throughout the vast native bushland. There are five major trails and they can be combined in several ways to create whatever length of hike you are looking for as well as whatever level of fitness you are comfortable with. The trails lead to spectacular views, hidden private beaches and abundant native bush and wildlife.

Resort Lookout Trail proved to stretch our hiking abilities just enough to know we had a workout. The Lookout itself is the second highest point on the island and drops off to sheer cliff faces, revealing an excellent panoramic view of the main resort area, marina village, airport and surrounding islands

The afternoon was spent poolside and beachside before enjoying another lovely dining experience in the Marina Village at Romano's the Italian restaurant on the island.

Today we are off to spend some time on the water with Fantasea Cruises as we visit Whitehaven Beach consistently voted one of the top 10 beaches in the world.

We Made It!

We arrived in Sydney as planned. The flight over on V Australia was as good as any 14 hour flight can be....the crew was very friendly and attentive and the service was excellent. The best part of V Australia's new planes and new service is the outstanding entertainment system....lots of options and very easy to use.

We had about a 4 hour layover in Sydney before boarding our Virgin Blue flight to Hamilton Island....this made for a very long first day! But arrival on Hamilton Island made it all worth it!

I have always felt there is something magical about landing on an island. Even if this is your 1st time or your 100th time there is just a feeling that is hard to describe as your plane approaches this spec of land surrounded by brilliant blue water. I know they have elaborate electronic communication systems now between the planes and the ground crew but the romantic in me still would like to believe that our arrival was akin to the old TV show Fantasy Island (several of you will probably not even remember that show) where one of the characters, Tatoo, would hear the plane engines and would run outside, point to the sky and yell "the plane, the plane" which would send everyone into a flurry of activity to prepare for the planes landing.

Our room at the Reef View Hotel has a spectacular view of Catseye Beach and some of the other islands in the Whitsundays. After taking that much anticipated shower and freshening up a bit we headed out to explore the area. Marina Village, just a short walk away is the hub of activity here on the island. Lots of shops, bars and restaurants featuring all types of cuisines.

We decided to stick close to our resort this first evening and chose a restaurant just across the way called Sails. We had a wonderful table, outside of course, and enjoyed a great bottle of wine along with our Seafood Feast - barramundi, Moreton Bay Bugs, giant prawns, crab legs, oysters, and salmon topped off with a delectable chocolate fondue with strawberries, ice cream and marshmallows for dipping. Note: the marshmallows in Australia are not like ours in the states....they are much creamier with a much smoother texture and not near as sugary?!

An early evening and 12 hours of sleep has us ready to do some further exploration of our surroundings. We are off to challenge ourselves (and to work off some of last nights dinner) by heading out on one of the many hiking trails here on the island....then some beach and pool time with a sunset kayak trip this evening.

Please enjoy the attached photos and our first impressions of Hamilton Island.