The Story Bridge Climb rewards climbers with amazing views of Brisbane. Photo / Tourism and Events Queensland
The Story Bridge Climb rewards climbers with amazing views of Brisbane. Photo / Tourism and Events Queensland
Scale a bridge, skipper a yacht, spear a crab - Queensland captivates Lee Mylne.
1. Story Bridge Adventure Climb
If you're over 10 years old, you can climb the most interesting of Brisbane's many bridges. (Even if you get mild vertigo jitters - as I do - you'll find it achievable). The Story Bridge Adventure Climb peaks at a viewing platform on top of the bridge, 145m above the road and 80m above the Brisbane River.
You'll be rewarded with magnificent 360-degree views of the city, river and Moreton Bay, with an interesting commentary from your guide. Dawn, day, night and twilight climbs are offered (my pick is twilight, when it's not too hot).
There are two ways to sail the Whitsunday Islands: take a day or overnight trip on board a skippered yacht, or go "bare-boating", which means you do the sailing yourself.
This is hugely popular, but a day trip is the cheaper (and possibly safer) option. If you're confident about your yachting abilities (most yacht charter companies want at least one person to have some experience), sailing is easy in these calm, uncrowded waters, where the channels are deep and hazard-free. The islands are close to each other and safe anchorages abound.
Book in advance for the best rates.
Port Drive, Port of Airlie, Airlie Beach
3. Kuku Yalanji Cultural Habitat Tours
Unleash your inner hunter-gatherer on a two-hour beach walk with Aboriginal brothers Linc and Brandon Walker. You'll learn to throw a spear, hunt and stalk, and respect coastal resources. If you're lucky, you may spear a crab (I did) and when enough has been foraged to make a meal, their mother will cook it for you to eat at their home across the street. It's an authentic and unforgettable experience. Take insect repellent, especially on the night tour, and wear shoes that you won't mind getting wet (bare feet are best).
Bougainvillea St, Cooya Beach
Unleash your inner hunter-gatherer with Kuku Yalanji Cultural Habitat Tours. Photo / Tourism and Events Queensland
4. Great Barrier Reef day trips
Diving or snorkelling with turtles, manta rays, the occasional reef shark and myriad small, colourful fish, along with intricate corals of varying hues, are the major attractions of the Great Barrier Reef. Make sure you bring an underwater camera. Cairns and Port Douglas are popular departure points - but you can also start from several towns along the coast north of Bundaberg. The reef is about 90 minutes away by high-speed catamaran from Cairns; from Townsville and the Whitsundays it takes two to three hours. The main gateways, north to south, are Port Douglas, Cairns, Townsville, the Whitsundays, Gladstone (for Heron Island) and Bundaberg (for Lady Elliot Island). Day trips are similar, offering snorkelling or diving, and include lunch - the main difference is the size of the vessel and bear in mind it's a big day out.
11 Leafwing Close, Mount Sheridan, Cairns
5. Whale-watching cruise
The MV Eye-Spy carries up to 320 passengers out into Moreton Bay between June and November for dramatic sightings of whales. When I went on a Brisbane whale-watching cruise, we gasped, laughed and frantically took photos as 17 humpback whales breached and displayed in the waters around the boat. It was unforgettable. There is excellent educational commentary about the whales - and if you don't see a whale, you can take another cruise for free.
