Samantha Mealey is a Global Ambassador at Clemson University who went abroad to Bond University in Spring 2024. In this blog, Samantha shares her top places to visit in Australia.
Whitsundays
Whitsundays Islands were picture perfect. It was some of the clearest and bluest water I have ever seen in my life. My friends and I flew in and out of Hamilton Island and took the ferry to Airlie Beach which is where our Airbnb was. There is also an airport in Airlie that you can fly into, but we wanted to see Hamilton. This was definitely a nicer, more expensive place, but it was worth it! We were able to rent a dinghy boat for a discounted price, and we took it all around the surrounding smaller islands to snorkel and swim. Once we were back in Airlie, we explored the cute downtown area. Definitely make sure to book excursions and trips if you’re looking to go for a sunset cruise or a boat ride to the beautiful Whitehaven beach as they book up quickly!
My friends and I rented a dinghy boat at Hamilton Island, and we beached it at a nearby island to snorkel and swim!Byron Bay
When I was picturing Australia, I was seeing a classic surf town, and I found it in Byron Bay. My friends and I loved it so much we went twice. It’s only about an hour or so away, and you can rent a car or take a bus. Be careful if you choose to uber because you may get stranded as there are rules about crossing territories. When you’re in Byron, they have a ton of nice hostel options along with Airbnbs if you are traveling in groups. There are a bunch of beaches, but there are also grass hills that people would sit on to watch the surfers ride the waves. My favorite beaches were the Pass, and Whites Beach which was a little further out. It felt like we found a hidden gem with our own private beach because there were huge rocks surrounding it. After being done at the beach, hitting the Great Northern Hotel for a night out has to be on the itinerary. It is nicknamed the “Piano Bar” because there are two pianos placed in the middle of the bar that two musicians play. They take song requests all night, and everyone sings along! If you’re living on the Gold Coast, Byron Bay is definitely a must!
This was our walk down to Whites beach. We had to walk down SO many stairs to get there, but once we were down it was really relaxing. This picture kind of shows how it was surrounded and enclosed by all of the rocks to make it feel like our private beach.
On one of our mornings in Byron, we decided to wake up to see the sunrise at the famous lighthouse there.
Adelaide
If you’re looking for a weekend getaway for amazing food and wine, plan a trip to Adelaide in Southern Australia. Barossa Valley is known for its gorgeous wineries. We were able to do a wine tasting and explore the valleys and flowers all around. The buildings against the floral backdrops of the winery were absolutely stunning! Besides the fantastic wine, my friend and I were on the lookout for all things cheese and bread, and we sure did find it. Every restaurant we went to we made sure to order some kind of cheese dish, and Adelaide did not disappoint! On top of this, we had the best Italian food since being in Australia. We had been traveling multiple weekends on end, so watching the sunsets in Adelaide was a perfect way to wind down.
This is me in front of the pretty flowers at one of the wineries in Barossa Valley!
The winery had a lot of cool buildings and architecture, and I liked the rustic design of this door.Sydney
I won’t lie, I didn’t know much about Australia before I decided to study abroad besides the fact that I knew I wanted to go. The extent of my knowledge was basically that it was full of surfers, kangaroos, and it was home to the Sydney Opera House. And let me tell you, the pictures do not do it justice. Seeing it in person was absolutely surreal. We made our way to the Opera House at least three times a day. Besides the Opera House, my friends and I walked the Coogee to Bondi walk which was about 6 kilometers. There were so many gorgeous views of beaches and inlets along the way.
This is one of my favorite pictures of the Opera House that I took. My friends and I were sitting by the water looking at the bridge and the Opera House while we waited for the fireworks for Australia Day!
On our walk from Coogee to Bondi, this was one of my favorite places that we stopped. This inlet was super pretty and it felt quieter than the others.
Beaches of Gold Coast
Staying locally on the Gold Coast, there are so many great beaches to explore. We would wake up for sunrise (occasionally) and walk to Miami beach. It is super quiet, and there are a bunch of people walking their dogs, so if you are ever missing yours, stroll down to Miami to get your fix. They also put on weekly events called Miami Marketta which have a bunch of food vendors of all different cuisines. Burleigh Heads beach is definitely busier, but I loved this beach. The downtown area had so much to do, and the beach itself is amazing. Tweed Heads beach is further away, but worth the ride. There is a jetty to walk on with a bunch of rocks to sit on while watching all of the surfers catch the waves. It was so cool to see them do all kinds of tricks! There is also a lookout point that has an amazing view of the ocean and rocks, along with historical plaques to learn from. Back at our home base of Broad Beach, my friends and I went to the farmer’s markets that were held on the lawn in front of the beach a lot. It was a huge market with everything from fresh produce, coffee, desserts, clothes, jewelry and so much more. I got some cool trinkets for friends and family back home, and pretty earrings made by a local designer. Going to the markets is a great way to spend a Sunday morning, especially since you are just steps away from the beach!
While we were at Tweed Heads, I walked along the path to this lookout. It was a perfect place to look out into the water and across the jetty. I was also able to learn more about Australia’s Naval and Military history through the different plaques that were on the lookout.
My friends and I woke up for sunrise for one of our friend’s birthdays. We walked to Miami beach, and sat while the sun rose. A couple of us even jumped in for a morning swim!
Honorable mentions:
While I only listed a few places in Australia that I traveled to, there are so many other amazing locations that I wish I had gotten to go to before leaving. I know people who loved Uluru (the Outback), Perth, Melbourne, the Sunshine Coast, and many others. There is so much to see and do, so get exploring!
We went to the Skydeck Observation tower for dinner and drinks for one of our friend’s birthdays. This view of Gold Coast was unreal. We pointed out different places that we recognized, and it was such a fun night!
