I decided to skip Surfers Paridise and Brisbane as travellers along route didn't have much good to say about these destinations. Instead I travelled further north for 5hours on the coach to Noosa, part of the Sunshine coast.

Noosa is a lovely and quiet destination, with the younger backpackers staying in Surfer Paradise. I was beginning to feel very tired from lots of early starts and travelling. Also, being in 4 destinations in 5days was starting to make my head spin so I decided to base myself in Noosa for 3nights and relax. The dolphin hostel was perfect for this.


I went for a walk along the Sunshine Beach, the best beach I've seen in Australia so far. It had beautiful golden sand, amazing water, blue skies and a national park at one end of the beach. Near the National park end there was an amazing stream that flowed out to sea. The different colours in the sand, mixed with the orange water (dyed from the vegetation up stream) meant the stream look red, orange, yellow and black. I got lost taking pictures for 20minutes or so. 


There were also small blue jellyfish washed up on shore as many were in the water. 


In the evening when for a walk with Kate, an American surfer, to Noosa point to get a great view over Noosa and the local hills.
 
 
On my third day I was feeling more refreshed so went to Australia Zoo, owned by the Steve
Irwin (aka 'the Crocodile Hunter') family. It was the best zoo I've been to, with a great animal presentations, including a tiger conversation presentation where the zoo keepers highlighed man has killed 96% of tigers in the last 100years! There advised was not to buy medicine made from animal parts or furniture made in Indonesia, as much is sourced from illegal deforestation. Tigers are one of my favourite animals so to see the zoo keepers playing with the 3 year old tiger was fantastic. 
 
 
 

 



Left Noosa feeling refreshed and feeling great. Next stop, Rainbow beach, for my Fraser
Island tour. p.s. check out this funny tree... lol