BellaOnline Forums Travel and Culture Australia I miss Australia

Hi Elle ~
For the immediate future, we'll be living in the south-west, in Hoppers Crossing. But in the new year, we haven't decided yet. Our long-term goal is to buy our own bush block and build a house. But not just any house, you can be sure of that! <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />
I'd love to see more pics of flowers, trees, any aspect of VIC that you can post. I CAN'T WAIT TO GET THERE!!
My Passport came yesterday and I've sent it to be stamped with my brand-new Visa! Won't be long now.....
Cheers!
Stella [color:"brown"] [/color]

Here are some pics of the Black Wattle and red Bottlebrush:

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Hi Australia ladies -

I too miss Australia...I am from the States and studied in Australia during my junior year of college - I lived in Brisbane off Margaret St. and absolutely loved everything about the city - especially getting to ride a ferry to and from school - UQ - each day (I do miss the City Cat!).

I am hoping one day to go back and live there at least for a little while - I really do miss it and the wonderful people that I met there.

I also miss the kangaroos... <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Brisbane is a great city - the River City. The ride on the City Cat Ferries up and down the river is no doubt the cheapest and most pleasant ways to see the Brisbane River. Not a bad way to travel to Uni.

Right now the weather is perfect. The weather is warm, but not too hot. Great beach weather. There are still some Jacarandas in bloom - and there are carpets of purple flowers underneath.

What did you like about the Brisbane lifestyle? Sydney is well known overseas, but when travelling, I found many people in the U.S. and Canada had never heard of Brisbane and Queensland?

Do you think that is changing?

Wow, what did I love about the Brisbane lifestyle?? What didn't I love??

The thing I loved most about Australia in general is how wonderful all of the people were. In my first week traveling in Melbourne, I got sick and needed to go to the doctor and four people stopped me on the street and asked the lost American if I needed help! I even had someone sit next to me on the tram and tell me exactly where to get off, how much money to put on my card, etc. Everyone was so laid back and so kind by nature.

In terms of Brisbane, I loved the different neighborhoods - I lived in the city, about four blocks from the CBD, but I loved St. Lucia, Chinatown, etc. I loved the shopping, the restaurants, and I also loved how NON-touristy it was.

I think you're right. Not many pepole know of it, and those that have heard of it probably wouldn't stop there amidst their travels.

I also loved how close it was to so many things: the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Great Barrier Reef, etc. I wouldn't trade my time there for anything (or anywhere!) else...

I don't know if the knowledge of Brisbane is changing, but I know my university and others had large programs at UQ, so maybe it is slowly gaining some international recognition.

Where in Brisbane are you? Have you always lived there?

I live on the Sunshine Coast, but have also lived in Brisbane, other parts of Queensland and overseas.

I love to travel anywhere and everywhere, both overseas and in Australia, but it takes a bit to beat the Queensland weather, and laid back lifestyle.

Did you know the Sunshine Coast Uni has kangaroos on the grounds? Tourists expect to see kangaroos everywhere they go, which is not the case at all, so seeing the kangaroos so much at home there is pretty cool.

Great to hear you are spreading the word about Australia in the Northern Hemisphere. Uni student exchange programs are pretty popular and of course, tourism is booming.

I LOVE the Sunshine Coast!! I went to Noosa three times and wanted to go back a fourth - what a beautiful place. We went to the Noosa Nature Park (I can't remember what it was really called) and hiked in that area. One of my favorite places in all of Australia was on that hike - It was called Hell's Gates - an overlook down on some cliffs and the ocean rising up on the shore...I absolutely loved it and can still feel the wind and visualize being there!

I definitely do my part in spreading the word in the Northern Hemisphere - I tell everyone I can about how wonderful Australia is and how positive my experience was there!

What I may miss more than anything else is the Southern Cross - I loved seeing the stars in the Southern Hemisphere so much!!

Sounds like you need to come back and visit soon!

If you want to truly experience the night sky with the Southern Cross and the Milky Way, next time you come, head out to the bush. When there is no interference from street and house lights, the night sky is just amazing.

Rural areas are good for viewing, but the absolute best experience if you get the chance, is looking up in the still night of the outback - no traffic noise, no lights - just you and the night sky. It's something you will always remember.

That makes 3 of us in Queensland - and all within a couple of hours of each other!

I'm in Brisbane - I know that the Bus Travel Editor is also on the Sunshine Coast (are you still?)

We really should get together sometime! I'm happy to take a trip up to Noosa for the day!

Yes, I am finally back in my SoulHome, the great Oz-Land! It's the Autumn equinox today, a nice semi-cloudy day, with + 21 C temps. Makes me want to go out and plant something!
Thanks for the nice pics of my fave flowers, everyone! And thank you again for sending me your kind thoughts while I was endeavouring to move back here. My husband and I are in absolute bliss to be together again after a two-year separation.
This is also the day that a cyclone is hitting the north Queensland's coastline. I hope everyone is well, having been evacuated before it hit.
The Commonwealth Games are in full swing, with so many Australians winning Gold that I suggested they be renamed the "Australian Games"! Hurray for Australia..and Canada, too!
Blessings to all
NaturalSelf