Wildlife of Queensland and New South Wales
Queensland
I’ll be honest and upfront here – this page does not do justice to the wildlife of Queensland. My time in Queensland consisted primarily of three months working in Brisbane and ended with two weeks of travelling up the coast, through Noosa, Airlie Beach, Magnetic Island, and to Cairns. I missed the popular destinations of the Great Barrier Reef, Fraser Island, the Whitsundays, and Daintree Forest. As well as Yorke Peninsula, in the far north – it’s not easily accessible, which may make it all the more worthwhile. As a result, I didn’t see as much as I would have liked.
That said, I had a weekend camping in North Stradbroke Island, just off Brisbane. And from the shore, I saw dolphins and humpback whales breaching out of the sea. I also had two days on Magnetic Island, off Townsville, with wild koalas and wallabies. And a day’s hitchhike from Mackay, between long distance bus journey’s, took me to Eungella National Park – and my first sighting of a platypus.
Queensland is a magnificent place in which you could spend a lifetime and still uncover hidden treasures. I will return one day, but until then, here are some of the highlights from my time in the Sunshine State.
North Stradbroke Island
The sand islands of Fraser Island and Moreton Island have bigger reputations, with tourist-designed packages. In contrast, North Stradbroke seemed very low-key. It was around a $30 ferry return ferry ride from Brisbane with camping, a stone’s throw from the beach, for less than $20 a night. To top that off, I saw dolphins on the ferry over. Then, after pitching my tent, I walked to the beach to see a pod of dolphins surfing the waves.
The island is on the migration route for humpbacks, between Antarctica and the tropics. A walk up a rise on the island allows an elevated view of the sea. In the right season, you’ll see whales breach the sea. Albeit from 200 metres away, it remains a mesmerising sight.
Magnetic Island
Further north in Queensland, off Townsville, is this picturesque island you could explore most of in a couple of days, or stay for a couple of weeks and take you time to discover all the different coves, relax in the sun, and walk the various trails.
Hidden coves, sandy beaches and far-reaching views typify Magnetic Island. For animals lovers, an array of Australia’s endemic species reside here, as do almost 200 bird species.
I had close encounters with koalas – although they sleep for most of the day, I did see one moving (slowly) during the day. You’ll hear them as they wake at dusk, making almighty amount of noise for such small creatures.
The one that got away
While there is much more to Queensland than I have shown here, and I want to go back to see it, my time here was special. I camped, bussed and hitchhiked through one of the world’s best-loved coastlines, and had first sightings of weird and wondrous wildlife.
My only fail, which still haunts me, was in Mission Beach. I spent two days searching for a cassowary with no luck. A guide book suggested a sighting was almost guarantee. But I spent one day hiking up and down a trail, then another cycling the same route, and all I saw of the large bird was its droppings. I did see an echidna for the first time, as a consolation.
New South Wales
Now, the decision to stay in NSW for less than a week was out of my hands, due to an expiring visa – a story for another page – and I regret not seeing more of the Premier State. I caught only a glimpse of the offerings of nature in New South Wales.
The Blue Mountains is a unique location, especially compared to other areas of Australia. After a short stay in Sydney, Byron Bay was to be my final destination. On my last night in the country, on a walk along the coast before sunset, I had a chance sighting of whale breaching the surf. I’ll admit, I only discovered the species by emailing the local authority.