Australian Wildlife

If you look really hard in England you can see an abundance of wildlife. But it's very different  compared to what lurks around every corner in Australia, and that's one of the reasons I decided to travel to the othe side of the world. Here's what I've encountered so far:

Taken in the wild - near Cairns

Kangaroos and wallabies
Roos are everywhere, but unfortuntely I've seen more dead ones at the side of the road than live ones. These happy, hoppy creatures can be found all around Australia, and are pretty harmless other than the damage they might do to you car if you don't drive sensibly. They are most active around dusk and evening time, though are sometimes seen jumping over fields and fences throughout the day.



Koalas

Taken at Australia Zoo

Sadly I haven't yet seen these cute, cuddly, furry babies in the wild yet - though they too are spread throughout the country and seemingly pretty common. Having now seen them at Australia zoo, I can see how difficult they might be to spot from your car when you're driving at speed down the motorway. They are nocturnal, and most active at night - but still don't make a huge amount of movement outside of the eucalyptus trees.

Taken in Byron Bay

Snakes
So far we have only come across two snakes, both being the highly venomous eastern brown snake. One was spotted in tropical north Queensland, and the other was scarily close to the main tourist beach in Byron Bay, NSW. This is pretty common throughout Australia but also very dangerous. Australia is home to many of the worlds deadliest snakes. Awesome to see in the wild, but remember to always be careful and know your snake bite first aid procedures.


Crocs
Maybe I'm crazy, but I'm disappointed that during my time in the north of the country I never came across a crocodile. Heading up the coast, crocs lurk in the waters from Rockhampton upwards, and warning signs can be seen at every beach, creek and lake that they frequent (which is most of them!). They prefer the warmer water, and so will be more active during summer. Swimming with crocs is no joke. They know their territory and if you enter it, you are dead. They can swim and strike a lot quicker than you can get away. These modern day dinosaurs are nonetheless awesome creatures and I would have loved to see one (from a distance) in their natural habitat.

Saltwater croc - taken at Australia Zoo

Our friend in Hervey Bay

Possums
Back to cuteness now, possums are pretty friendly and can get used to being around humans as Joe and I experienced at a Hervey Bay caravan park that had a possum living in the kitchen. About the size of a cat, but a lot fatter, these marsupials are active at night. They are pretty common and a lot easier to find than koalas.



Spiders
Australia is home to a number of the most dangerous spiders on the planet. So far the only dangerous ones I have knowingly come across are the small but deadly redback spiders. I've seen the pretty impressive orb spider pictured below. We've had a run in with a huntsman which is harmless but fricking huge. We thought it was our resident mouse running across a plastic bag, but when we turned the light on to find this beasty, Joe attacked him with my knitting book. He was left dead, crumpled and missing limbs - but the scariest part is when we noticed his decapitated body had disappeared by morning...

Orb Spider - taken in the rainforest in northern Queensland

Bat tree - Hervey Bay

Bats 
The flying fox is a large fruit bat with a red-orange body and a wingspan of up to 1m. It is probably the most commonly seen bat in Australia - at least it's the one that I've seen thousands of. Literally, thousands. At one tree in Hervey Bay, it was hard to see the leaves through all the bats. They are also pretty noisy, but are harmless and don't bother people.





Turtles

Taken in the Great Barrier Reef off Michaelmas Cay island

Many beaches along the coast teach you to be turtle-wise during hatching season. The little turtles hatch on the beach and make their way to the sea. Joe and I were so excited to see a large sea turtle in the great barrier reef while snorkling, and for me it was the highlight of my trip.


Sharks
The Great White Shark is any surfers nightmare. The films make them out to be a monster, but actually there are very, very few fatalities caused by great white sharks. Bull sharks and tiger sharks also swim the coastline. However we were so amazed to see a harmless white tip reef shark while snorkling the great barrier reef.

White Tip Grey Reef Shark - video still from Great Barrier Reef

Birds
Flying creatures amaze me, and especially given the weird and wonderful found right here.

Rainbow Lorikeet - taken in Melbourne

- Rainbow lorikeet - frequenting the trees in their thousands, these beautiful but noisy birds are really quick, and getting a photo of one in flight is near impossible.
- Ibis - these weird looking stalkers hang around every park and

Ibis - taken in Toowoomba

public area hoping you'll throw some food their way.
- Bush turkey - I keep telling Joe I'm going to catch and cook one of these, but so far they have been quicker than me.
- Hawks - Sea Hawks can be seen patrolling a stretch of beach, or often you see hawks flying down a stretch of highway, most likely looking for roadkill - an easy snack. 
- Cassowary - making north Queensland feel more like jurassic

Cassowary - taken at Australia Zoo

park, these rare flightless birds are found on what is aptly named the cassowary coast - a stretch of coastline just south of Cairns. They have large fluffy bodies and colourful necks, but are most well known for the bone sticking out of their heads. We saw one of these in the wild on our travels, but unfortunately didn't have time to capture it on camera.
- Cockatoo - I always wanted one of these as a pet, but now I see how noisy they are I'm not so sure.
- Kookaburra - You hear them before you see them, the distinctive cry of a kookaburra sounds remarkably like a laughing monkey.

Kookaburra - taken on the Gold Coast

Top 10 tips for traveling Australia in a campervan

Since leaving our cushty flat in Toowoomba 3 months ago, Joe and I have spent every night (apart from the one night we treated ourselves to a hotel room) in the back of a campervan, Safe to say I'm getting used to our new home, and now know all the ins and outs of living in a vehicle.

1. Freedom
Remember why you're doing it. Having a campervan means ultimate freedom, and this is the #1 reason why getting one is the best decision you'll make. One day you can be waking up to the surise over the beach, the next in the garden of a small rural pub after celebrating the rugby scores with the locals. You can up and go... anywhere, and take your whole house with you. Australia is such a big country, I would never have ended up in the places I've been by using public transport.

2. Expect every weather condition
In a van, there's not a lot between you and the outside. It'll definitely keep you dry, but hot and cold can sometimes be an issue. Over the past 4 days this winter we've gone from tropical north queensland with a night temperature of 22 degrees, to south queensland where the night reaches about 8. Not cold for UK standards, but sleeping in a van you really feel the difference at night. If it's hot, park in the shade so it's cooler for bedtime. If it's cold, put some more clothes on!

3. Maintenance
Don't ignore the mechanics advice. Service the vehicle routinely. Get clued up about the basics like checking oil, water, tyres etc. Set aside some money for emergencies. Think about breakdown cover. Don't get caught out. These are your wheels, but also your home so it's doubly important!

4. Wikicamps app
It's illegal to camp on the roadside or in non designated areas. Thankfully, Australia offers a number of free campsites, and these are all easy to find with the help of the wikicamps app. This is the only android app I've ever actually paid money to get, and it's probably the best thing you'll come across. It lists every campsite, caravan park, hotel, day rest spot and everything in between. You can filter by type or facilities available, and find out prices, guest reviews, and my new favourite past-time - reading the arguments between the backpackers and nomads in the comments section.

5. Living space
Possibly the biggest downside to living in a van is that you have a living space not much bigger than the double bed you sleep on. Clear out and tidy up regularly, for you own sanity. When tidy, it feels so much more comfortable. But remember that you won't be spending many of your waking hours in the van, as you'll be out exploring or enjoying your ever changing garden.

6. Being prepared for distance
Australia is huge. Sometimes you will be driving for hours. In the UK you would mentally and physically prepare for such a journey but in Oz it becomes the norm. The difference being that there isn't always a town nearby. The next fuel stop may be a long way away. There isn't always phone signal. Make sure you have enough fuel, food and water. Stay alert - Joe and I enjoy the trivia games that the Aussie highways place every couple of hundred kilometres - but thing like that can save lives. And most important, get a variety of CDs for when the radio signal cuts out!

7. Don't drive after dark
You will most likely hit a kangeroo. Seriously, they're everywhere.

8. Listen to locals and expect the unexpected
They know their country better than you do, and even better than your satnav. Don't go swimming in croc infested water. Don't attempt to drive through flooded roads. Know how to be fire safe, especially in summer. Many tracks are 4WD only - don't try it if you think your vehicle can't handle it.

9. Items you need but might not immediately think of:

• Laptop - You won't always have power, but charge it when you do so that you can snuggle up with a film in the evening.
• Books - Great for relaxing on the beach or before bed. Many places have a free book exchange for when you've read all yours.
• Cooking equipment - Camp stove, pots, pans, camp toaster, plates, bowls, cutlery, utensils. Use them, don't eat McDonald's every day.
• Washing line and pegs - The sun is there for a reason.  All you need is a bit of rope and you can tie it between your van and almost anything. 
• Battery/USB speakers - Always handy, especially if your vehicle doesn't have an aux input.
• First aid kit with snake bite bandages - Always be prepared. We don't consider this last one in the UK, but highly venomous snakes are common in Australia, and if you get bitten by one, you have 15 minutes to get an antivenom. With a snake bite bandage correctly applied, you have 1 hour. 

10. Have fun!
It's what you came here to do. The van is merely a tool to help you achieve that. Australia has some awesome cities and extraordinary stunning landscapes. Go and explore as much of it as you can, because with a campervan that's exactly what you can do.

Want to know more? Find out which were my 5 favourite campsites in Australia here!