We've met some friendly and welcoming Australians who've been so generous in showing us their beautiful country. We met Jenny and Gary on the ship coming to Australia and discovered they lived close to where we are staying in Broadbeach. They have welcomed us with open arms, taken us to their favorite places and introduced us to their friends. Only because of their willingness to show us Australia have we seen so many amazing places.

One of our favorite day trips with Jenny and Gary was the drive to Byron Bay . We stopped at several beaches on the way and marveled at the miles of golden sand that gave the Gold Coast its name. Burleigh beach and the rain forest by the sea was our first stop. From Burleigh Beach you can look back up the coast and see all the skyscrapers that cluster around the Gold Coast centering on Surfer's Paradise and extending to the north and south. Next we stopped at Currumbin or Elephant Rock where we climbed a viewing platform to see the expanse of ocean and beach below. Dozens of surfers were lined up in the water on their boards waiting for the wave to carry them to the beach. Then we stopped at Rainbow Beach, the border to New South Wales where we had coffee and admired the beach views.

Byron Bay, our destination, is a coastal town in the southeastern Australian state of New South Wales. It’s a popular holiday destination, known for its beaches, surfing and scuba diving sites. Cape Byron State Conservation Park is on a headland with a lighthouse. We walked around the lighthouse, enjoying the views from the lookout . Between June and November, humpback whales can be spotted from headland viewpoints such as the Captain Cook Lookout. This time of year we didn't see whales, but we did spot a hang glider flying like a bird from the cliffs. We drove through the cute town of Byron Bay and stopped for some photos at the beach outside of town. 

Another day, Jenny and Gary took us in another direction to Tamborine Mountain. About an hour's drive up the mountain, the air was cooler and the surroundings more rural with lots of trees and vegetation. We stopped at a local farmer's market, sipped coffee, and ambled around the booths selling all manner of things, new and very old. We did purchase some fresh eggs from a farmer that proved to be very, very good. We wandered a bit along "Gallery Walk" along Long Road, a street devoted to art galleries, cafes and souvenir shops. Then we stopped at a gorgeous local winery and restaurant for lunch, dining al fresco on the patio. You can see a picture of us under a huge tree at our luncheon stop . Of course we tasted the wine! 

 After another stop at a local craft brewery, we went to the Rainforest Skywalk where Cory and I walked across the treetop bridge to view the rainforest. The Skywalk takes about 45 minutes and is a combination of forest floor trails, 300 meters of high tech steel bridges through the highest points of the upper canopy and a 40 meter cantilevered bridge that takes you right into the tops of the trees in the rainforest. It's really a beautiful walk showing different perspectives of the rainforest. Such a different environment from our beach home on the Gold Coast! Our last stop was at the Glow Worm Cave to see the glow worms. These are amazing little worms that only live in Australia and glow with a very bright light similar to our American fireflies. We couldn't take any pictures of the cave, but the link above shows what it looks like. It was really interesting to see these bright little worms all over the walls and ceiling of the cave. 

We've seen so many wonderful sights in Australia. This is one of our favorite countries we've seen over our three years of travel. The warm people and welcoming attitudes have contributed to our admiration for Australia. Enjoy the pics!