The Right Australian Getaway For You

If you are thinking of incorporating some well needed relaxation into your visit to Australia, then you should stay a while on one of its many islands.

Australia is blessed with thousands of km of beautiful coastline and over 8000 islands. Not every island is worth a visit but there are certainly enough to cater for all tastes, no matter how strange they might be.

There are islands that offer fantastic walking trails, others that give the classic tropical island getaway, as well as those that offer value for money or are suitable for families.

The Whitsundays are probably the most famous of the Australian Island Getaways. They are however well and truly on the tourist trail and are very expensive. Still worth the visit though! This article will instead focus on two islands that are very popular with the locals and are not as well trodden by the tourist.

Queensland's Magnetic Island

This island is in Queensland 12km off the coast of Townsville. It offers sublime beaches at a much more reasonable price than most of Queensland's other island getaways. This is especially true if you compare it to the cost of a holiday in the Whitsundays.

This is the perfect place for lounging on the beach, swimming, snorkeling and perhaps a little bit of walking. It has its own National Park with Mount Cook protruding from its centre so there are plenty of pretty bays and small walks to enjoy. It would also be a good option if you have kids as there are plenty of activities that they can enjoy.

If you fancy some water sports action then there is plenty to choose from on Magnetic Island. Sailing around the secluded bays is a popular choice, as is sea kayaking. It is also an excellent place to learn to dive as it is relatively inexpensive compared to many areas and the marine life is excellent. For those wanting to stay dry, then why not have a go at horse-riding at Horseshoe Bay.

The island itself is small enough to drive round in half a day but large enough for their to be a few different settlements, bays, shops and amenities. The accommodation is reasonable and of good standard too.

Getting around the island is easy. There's a small bus service, you can hire bikes as well as cars. The petrol on the island is a bit pricey though. You can also hire "mokes" These are like small minis and are a great way to get around the island.

The beaches here are worth exploring. Florence Bay is very pretty and Horseshoe Bay has the longest beach. It is also a good place from which to hire kayaks. Spend a day at Balding Bay. It has a lovely beach and is a great place to snorkel. There are BBQ facilities here too so bring your own food.

Hinchinbrook Island

If you like your holiday to be a bit more adventurous and less about lazing around in the sun, then perhaps Hinchinbrook Island is the one for you. The big attraction here is the 32km Thorsborne Trail. This is a moderately demanding hiking track which takes in beaches, mangroves and waterfalls.

You can hike the track in just two days but it's much better to take your time and stop off along the way providing you don't mind camping. The track runs from north to south but its better to finish in the north. It means at the end of the trek you can check in to the only accommodation on the island - Wilderness Lodge. It has a pool and a bar which you will need when you have finished the walk!

The entire walk is stunning but the highlights are probably Zoe Falls and the stretch between Ramsay Bay and Nina Bay which follows the coastline and takes you through rainforests.
You can just come here for a day trip and stay at the Wildnerness lodge. If you fancy the walk, then make sure you book well in advance. This gets booked up and numbers onto the island are restricted.

You really want to be here in Winter which is between June and October. Outside of these months, it is the wet season so expect to see a lot of rain. Avoid February and March when the rain is at its peak and the ferries stop running from the mainland.

For more Australian island getaways, you can visit the Real Australia Travel Website (see below) where you will find 15 islands to choose from. It also gives details on where to stay on Magnetic Island.

Article Source: TravelFreeGuides.com

About the Author

Jennifer Schellington has nearly half a decade of experience in traveling Australia and has recently had a baby. Her website, www.realaustraliatravel.com offers practical information for planning your visit to Australia as well as what to do and where to go. Click here for more details on Australian Island Getaways

by: Jennifer Schellington

Total views: 6 Word Count: 825 Date: Sun, 16 Aug 2009 Time: 2:21 AM - 1 comments

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