My personal favorites things to do are Ocean Safari snorkeling in small group sizes at 2 islands and White Water Rafting for its wet and wild experience.

QUICK PICKS: 3 BEST THINGS TO DO IN CAIRNS

Don’t have time to read the whole post? No Problem. Here are my top three picks for the best activities in Cairns.

Ocean Safari

• Snorkel at 2 islands
• Turtles and corals
• Small group size

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White Water Rafting

• Wet & Wild
• No experience required
• Fun family activity

Book tour

Great Barrier Snorkel/Dive

• Snorkel & Scuba
• Maximum 80 passengers
• Less crowded option

Book tour

17 BEST THINGS TO DO IN CAIRNS, AUSTRALIA

In this blog post, I will share with you some of the best tours in Cairns aswell as a load of free activities and viewpoints to include in your itinerary.

Outer Great Barrier Reef Cruise & Scenic Helicopter Flight

Outer Great Barrier Reef Cruise & Scenic Helicopter Flight: You can’t visit Cairns without experiencing the Great Barrier Reef! It’s literally a must when considering the best things to do in Cairns! On this tour, you snorkel at two amazing Great Barrier Reef locations and then take a helicopter flight over the reef. You get to explore the reef from under the surface and in the air! This is one of the top-rated things to do in Cairns.

• Visit 2 spectacular outer Great Barrier Reef locations and snorkel for 5 hours
• Soar over the reef on a short scenic helicopter flight
• Enjoy a complimentary glass of wine and light snack on the way back
• Relax on the full-length sun lounge or on one of the three spacious deck levels

Book your tour: Reef Snorkel & Heli Flight

Reef Snorkel & Heli Flight

• Best tour in Cairns
• Snorkel 2 Reefs
• Helicopter flight above reef

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Daintree, Mossman Gorge & Cape Tribulation Tour

Daintree, Mossman Gorge & Cape Trib Tour: This is the MOST popular tour in Cairns and gives you the whole experience in one day trip. Here’s what you can expect from the itinerary.

• Visit Mossman Gorge, the Daintree River, Rainforest Boardwalk, and Cape Tribulation
• Experience a wildlife river cruise, learn about the fragile ecosystem, and try to spot crocodiles
• Discover the scenic Great Barrier Reef Drive and enjoy panoramic views over the sparkling Coral Sea
• Participate in a Smoke Ceremony with the Kuku Yalanji people, the Aboriginal owners of the land
• Listen to highly trained guides who give an expert rainforest interpretation

Book your tour: Daintree, Mossman Gorge, Cape Trib Tour

Daintree, Mossman Gorge, Cape Trib Tour

• Full day-trip
• All the top sights
• Most popular Cairns tour

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Self-guided Kuranda Scenic Rail & Sky Rail Day Trip

Self-guided Kuranda Scenic Rail & Sky Rail Day Trip: On this Cairns tour you will explore Kuranda and the World Heritage-listed rainforest. First, you will take in the sights by historic railway before taking the Sky Rail over the rainforest.

• Discover World Heritage-listed pristine rainforest by historic scenic railway
• Take a ride on the cableway, gliding just meters above the rainforest canopy
• Visit Kuranda markets, unique shops, and wildlife parks

Book your tour: Kuranda Sky Rail & Scenic Rail

Kuranda Sky Rail & Scenic Rail

• Best way to see Kuranda
• World Heritage Rain Forest
• Full day-trip

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Half-Day Barron River White-Water Rafting

Half-Day Barron River White-Water Rafting: Test your skills on grade 3 level rapids on your journey through the rainforest. In between the fast-paced action you can take in the stunning scenery and enjoy the wildlife action on the banks of the river. Prepare to get wet and wild as this adventure is not for the faint-hearted. It definitely goes down as one of the most fun things to do in Cairns and this definitely one of the most exciting tours I’ve ever done.

• Marvel at the stunning rainforest landscapes of Barron Gorge National Park
• Ride the grade three rapids of the Barron River, including the Roostertail

Book your tour: White Water Rafting

White Water Rafting

• Wet & Wild
• No experience required
• Fun family activity

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Fitzroy Island Full-Day Adventure Tour

Fitzroy Island Full-Day Adventure Tour: The Fitzroy Island tour is the best day trip from Cairns. The beaches, snorkeling, and viewpoints on this island are just incredible and a great spot for families or couples to relax, adventure and explore.

• Cruise by ferry to Fitzroy Island and enjoy up to 7 hours of leisure time
• Snorkel the coral reef to see an abundance of marine life, or watch it from the comfort of a glass-bottom boat.
• Take wilderness hikes on up to 5 different trails, suitable for all levels of fitness

Book your tour: Fitzroy Island Tour

Fitzroy Island Tour

• Most beautiful beach
• Amazing water clarity
• Hike, SUP, Snorkel

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Great Barrier Reef Snorkeling and Diving Tour

Great Barrier Reef Snorkeling and Diving Tour: The best way to explore the Great Barrier is on a day trip to snorkel and dive. Take a luxury boat to a private reef for a safe and relaxed snorkel and dive adventure.

• Experience a comfortable day on the reef on a modern vessel
• Dive or snorkel at 2 exclusive outer reef locations
• Enjoy a delicious pre-packed picnic lunch

Book your tour: Great Barrier Snorkel/Dive

Great Barrier Snorkel/Dive

• Snorkel & Scuba
• Maximum 80 passengers
• Less crowded option

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Babinda Boulders

Even after considering all of the fun things to do in Cairns, the Babinda Boulders is right up there for me as one of the highlights of the trip. Surrounded by lush rainforest, the Babinda Boulders is a popular swimming hole with crystal clear water.

This is a place you want to hang out at for a couple of hours. Bring down lunch or a picnic and really explore this gem of a spot. Make sure you walk around the corner to check out Devil’s Pool, which is next on the list below!

There’s an epic tour (I’ve linked it below) that includes the Babinda Boulders and also, Josephine Falls, Millaa Millaa Falls, the Volcanic Crater of Lake Eacham, Babinda Boulders, Henrietta Creek or Malanda Falls, and a Tea Plantation in one day so you can get a great taste of Cairns with one action-packed tour.

Book your tour: Cairns Full-Day Tour (includes Babinda Boulders)

Devil’s Pool

The crystal clear waters of Babinda Creek flow through the Boulders and eventually spill over into Devil’s Pool. On the day I looked out over Devil’s Pool it was carnage. I didn’t even consider touching the water. It was beautiful watching the raw power of the water as it spilled down into each pool, one after another at one of the most popular attractions in Cairns.

However, during times of less rain, the pools are actually a popular spot to jump in for a dip. There are some interesting stories surrounding Devil’s Pool. The story goes that there is a spirit of a woman, Oolana, at the bottom of the pool luring young men to their death. The tale originated after Oolana threw herself into the pool after being separated from her love. 17 deaths have occurred at Devil’s Pool, therefore proceed with extreme caution.

Daintree & Cape Tribulation Guided 4WD Tour

Daintree & Cape Tribulation Guided 4WD Tour: One of the best ways to see many of Cairns’s top attractions is on a Four Wheel Drive tour. Go where the others can and have an incredible adventure seeking the best sights of Cairns. Enjoy spectacular views on the recently-named ‘best drive in the world‘

• Spot crocodiles and other wild animals on the river cruise
• Spend free time at the famous Cape Tribulation Beach
• Benefit from a small group tour (maximum 16 guests)
• Cool down on a freshwater swim in the pristine Emmagen Creek

Book your tour: Guided 4WD Tour

Guided 4WD Tour

• Best drive in the world
• Boat and 4WD
• Great family tour

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Josephine Falls

One of the most remarkable things about Tropical North Queensland is that even when you aren’t at the beach you can be on the beach. What I mean by this is that when you sit down along the banks and look up at the epic Josephine Falls you can sit on the sand. These sandy banks are found all throughout the rainforest and add an element of the oasis to the region.

Josephine Falls was booming on the day I visited but normally you can jump in the many different cascading pools for a refreshing dip in the crystal clear water!

You can check out the tour below, which includes Josephine Falls and Babinda Boulders, Millaa Millaa Falls, the Volcanic Crater of Lake Eacham, Babinda Boulders, Henrietta Creek or Malanda Falls, and a Tea Plantation in one day so you can get a great taste of Cairns with one action-packed tour.

Book your tour: Cairns Full-Day Tour (includes Josephine Falls)

Waterfall, Wildlife, and Rainforest Tour

Waterfall, Wildlife, and Rainforest Tour from Cairns: Explore some of the best ‘wild’ places to visit in Cairns with waterfalls, swimming holes, and rivers on this full-day tour. It’s one of the top-rated activities in Cairns for those who love to have a swim and are up for an adventure.

• Visit Millaa Millaa Falls, which is Australia’s most photographed cascade
• Explore a landscape of rugged mountains, winding rivers, and rainforests
• Swim and float on inflatables at cascading waterfalls and swimming holes

Book your tour: Waterfall, Wildlife & Rainforest Tour

Waterfall, Wildlife & Rainforest Tour

• Best waterfall tour
• 10-hour adventure
• Best value tour

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Mission Beach

Halfway between Townsville and Cairns is the stunning Mission Beach. Four beach villages are linked together by 14 kilometers of golden sands. This coastline is a sunrise special, facing directly to the east and lined with palm trees need I say more. We woke up early and watched as the sun slowly rose over the ocean and finally broke through some low cloud cover.

There are plenty of things to do in Cairns or in the surrounding towns like Mission Beach, which is only a short drive away. It’s a perfect place for a walk or bike ride along the beach path.

Overnight stay on Great Barrier Reef Pontoon

Overnight Experience on Great Barrier Reef Pontoon: Once 3 pm rolls around all of the pontoon guests get back on the ferry and head back to Cairns. That is except of course, for those who are sleeping on the pontoon! That’s right you can sleep on the Great Barrier Reef. 

• Enjoy between 2-5 dives or snorkel sessions each day at exclusive reef locations
• Experience amazing coral and sea life at some of the best dive and snorkel locations on the Great Barrier Reef
• Re-energize with delicious meals prepared by the onboard chef
• Take time to relax on one of the sundecks or in the comfortable bar and saloon areas

The beauty of the overnight stay is it’s just you and a few mates on a pontoon built for 100-200 people. There are no crowds or busy tourists looking for their kids. It’s totally chill and you can really enjoy the reef experience at a much slower pace.

Book your tour: Overnight Great Barrier Reef

Overnight Great Barrier Reef

• Sunset & Sunrise
• Unlimited snorkeling
• Amazing experience

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Daintree Rainforest River Cruise

Daintree River Cruise: This was the most surprising activity of my trip. I thought it would be a relaxing cruise with not too much action but boy was I wrong. We hopped into our small river cruiser, grabbed a pair of binoculars, and tuned into our veteran guide, Ian ‘Sauce’ Worcester. Ian pretty much made the tour as good as it was with some help from the local wildlife. We saw crocs, frogmouths, snakes, and lots of birdlife throughout the tour.

Book your tour: Daintree River Cruise

Daintree River Cruise

• Amazing wildlife
• Relaxing boat cruise
• Good family tour

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Daintree River Drift Tour

Daintree River SUP or Drift Tour: The world heritage listed Daintree Rainforest is so big and so beautiful, that there are never enough ways to explore this natural gem. Cruising on a stand-up paddleboard or on an inflatable as part of a river drift are both amazing activities in Cairns. The challenging current kept us alert as we navigated our way upstream, inspecting every sandbank and Avatar tree along the route. Cruising through this beautiful scenery was one of the most relaxing things to do in Cairns!

We stopped after half an hour to eat some local fruits and have a refreshing swim. It was here that we turned back downstream, sitting and laying on our boards enjoying the serenity of the Daintree Rainforest and appreciating the natural sounds of the environment.

Book your tour: Daintree River Tour

Daintree River Tour

• SUP or Drift/Snorkel
• Very relaxing & Scenic
• No experience required

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Mossman Gorge Indigenous Dreamtime Walk

Roy Gibson had a dream and that was to preserve the heritage of the indigenous people of his region and to give an opportunity to his community to be involved in a positive project they could take ownership of. This dream became a reality when he acquired the land and backers helped him build the 20 million dollar Mossman Gorge Centre.

We went on a guided Dreamtime Walk through the Daintree Rainforest. Before we entered we took part in a smoke ceremony and asked for welcome and protection from the spirits. Along the way, we looked at communication rocks, medicinal plants, tools, and other unique aboriginal traditions and ways of life. The Aboriginal people have some of the most resourceful and unique techniques in all areas of life that helped them to not only survive but thrive in the often harsh landscapes of Australia.

The Dreamtime Walking Tour is a great introduction to the Aboriginal culture and how they interact with their environment.

Ocean Safari Tour: Cape Tribulation Snorkel

Ocean Safari Tours took me out on what was definitely the highlight of my snorkeling in Queensland. The snorkel trip uses a Zodiac-style boat, built for speed and transport. From Cape Tribulation, the boat zips you and 20 others out to a small caye/island. On this trip you can expect:

• Visit two reef sites – Mackay and Undine Reefs
• Explore the underwater world
• Spot turtles and other wildlife
• Enjoy a small group size of only 25 people

This short trip with Ocean Safari is a great way to snorkel the reef without the crowds of Cairns. Much more chill much more relaxing. The Ocean Safari half-day tour costs $145, which is far less than in Cairns and doesn’t require the long ferry in and out.

Book your tour: Ocean Safari

Ocean Safari

• Snorkel at 2 islands
• Turtles and corals
• Small group size

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Explore Thala Lodge

Thala Lodge is an eco-resort just out of Cairns. I didn’t stay at the resort but a friend suggested I stop by to hang out in their epic little palm field for an hour. Thala Lodge is an award-winning eco-resort and it would actually be a great spot to stay for a night or two with lots of attractions in the area to explore. Symmetrical palms from above are always going to be fun. Hanging out here is one of the lesser-known things to do in Cairns.

Bungee Jumping in Cairns

Bungee Jumping with a BMX bike from the top of a roof? Sure why not. AJ Hackett Cairns is the ultimate hang-out spot for adrenaline junkies. Only 15 minutes from the city center it’s one of the best things to do in Cairns that involves hardly any driving! They have a giant swing and multiple bungee platforms to entertain you for hours. At the base of the jump is a big pool of water that dunks the jumper’s head ever so slightly.

I decided to do the BMX bungee, it’s the only place to do it in Australia so why not! I first had to do one regular jump and then one running jump from the ramp on the roof. The running jump was awesome and felt like a superman cliff jump. Once I graduated from the running jump the boys set me up on the BMX and off I went, rolling down the ramp before I came hurtling down to the water! AJ Hackett Cairns is one of the top 10 things to do in Cairns for adrenaline junkies!

Book the Bungee BMX package: Bungee Jump BMX Package (3 Jumps)

Book a single bungee jump: Bungee Jump (With Cairns Hotel transfers & Souvenir T-shirt

Bungee Jump Cairns

• BMX style available
• Pool beneath jump
• Leap of faith swing

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MY TOP THINGS TO DO IN CAIRNS VIDEO

If you prefer to watch rather than read I put together a few highlights from each activity in this video:

I hope you enjoyed my guide to the top things to do in Cairns and have an adventurous holiday.

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CAMPING AT WHITEHAVEN BEACH

In this blog post, I’ll share my Whitehaven camping experience with you and also give you some options for how you can book your own trip.

WHITEHAVEN BEACH OVERNIGHT CAMPING TOUR

Currently, the best way to have an overnight camping experience at Whitehaven is this 2-day Sailing & Camping Tour.

• Tick sleeping under the stars on a Whitsunday Islands beach off your bucket list
• Visit Whitehaven Beach, Hook Island, Hayman Island, Border Island, and Whitsunday
• Snorkel in the crystal-clear waters of Luncheon, Caves Cove, and Blue Pearl Bay
• Help the crew to prepare delicious and healthy meals such as bolognese each night
• Watch the sunset over the horizon as you sail in a yacht around the Whitsundays

2-day Sail & Camp

• Great Value
• Snorkel, Swim, Hike
• Camp on Whitehaven

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MY EXPERIENCE CAMPING AT WHITEHAVEN BEACH

The night we camped it was me and my sister at our campsite and a couple of hundred yards away was another couple. That was it. Just four of us are on one of Australia’s best beaches. All of the tourists had left at sunset and no one arrived till after sunset. Camping at Whitehaven Beach was the ultimate way to experience not only Whitehaven Beach but the nearby Hill Inlet and the Whitsundays region.

We did the adventure with Scampers Island Camping Transfer. It was perfect for a traveler like me who definitely wasn’t carrying my own tent, cooler, cooking gear, and other camping essentials.

Transfer to and from Hamilton Island was handy for me in the purpose-built Scamper aluminum boat. However, you can also get the Scamper Island transfer from Airlie Beach, which is part of mainland Australia. For $40 on the first night and $20 for each additional night, they will rent you the tent and basic camping gear. You can check out the transfer prices from your destination and see what Scamper is all about on their website by clicking here.

We arrived mid-morning to begin our Whitehaven Beach Camping experience. There were one or two other boats at the beach with day-trippers but along the 8km of sand, we would be able to share it with fifty-odd tourists.

THE CAMPSITES AT WHITEHAVEN BEACH

The campsites are slightly hidden behind the trees. The day-trippers probably don’t even know they are there. Purpose-built clearings have been made for 4-5 individual campsites with their own privacy. A communal toilet block with no running water is in the middle of the campsite.

First things first it was time to get the tent and campsite set up. We were only staying one night but it’s always good to get ready early. As we were setting up we had our first interaction with the Aussie wildlife. A huge Goanna casually strolled through our campsite as if he was dropping by to say hello. Several other Goanna’s cruised around the campsite during that morning as we set up and it was pretty surreal. I can’t imagine being a city slicker from overseas and having a 2-meter-monitor lizard watch you set up the tent on a deserted beach!

I was dying to go and explore Whitehaven Beach and make it all the way down to the Hill Inlet, which is one of the most spectacular aerial views in Australia. Camping at Whitehaven Beach was a blast, we just grabbed our day packs and strolled down the beach towards the Hill Inlet. Often at times, we felt like we were on a deserted island. On a beach this long you are often entirely alone.

Along the journey, we stopped in to check out a colony of crabs thousands strong as they scurried across the sand. During the journey to the Hill inlet, we also investigated some dead trees, damaged by the cyclone/storm of 2017 that ravaged the region and Whitehaven Beach. We were in full exploration mode and loved the adventure.

HILL INLET AT WHITEHAVEN BEACH

After a couple of hours, we arrived at Hill Inlet and the tide was a bit high to pass so we stayed on the southern end of the Hill Inlet. I sent up the drone and enjoyed every second of flying over this epic landscape. It had been on my bucket list for a while so it was super cool to combine Hill Inlet with camping at Whitehaven Beach. There’s probably no better way to explore this region other than possibly getting up top in a chopper. However, a chopper ride is short-lived and we had 24-hours to fully take in Whitehaven Beach on our camping adventure.

We made the journey back to our campsite area just in time for the golden hour, grabbed some snacks, and then headed back out to the beach to watch the sun disappear over the mountains and the seaplanes to leave Whitehaven Beach. The sunset was a pearler and we felt so relaxed as the last boat left and we and the other couple were the only four people on the island!

A good night’s sleep in the tent was followed by an early wake-up as we went up to the viewpoint to see if we couldn’t double our luck with a beautiful sunrise to go with the sunset from the night before. Despite it being cloudy and windy there was a small window where the sun shone through and made for a beautiful scene as we sat atop the rock watching the clouds roll through.

For the rest of the morning, we spent the day beach-bumming and soaking up the good vibes of our camping experience at Whitehaven Beach. There are a few hikes in the area and lots to explore on paddleboards like our camping neighbors. I would have loved to stay for 2-3 nights and highly suggest doing so if you have the time. If not, one night is still fun and it’s a great way to really enjoy the beach and the region. When we saw the day-trippers coming to the beach, they really only sat where they were dropped off, took some selfies, and went home. I’m sure they had fun but this beach and region have quite a lot of cool spots and activities to offer if you take the time to explore.

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO CAMPING AT WHITEHAVEN BEACH

• You need to bring all of your own water
• You need to bring all of your own food
• Bring toilet paper
• There are no facilities other than a drop toilet
• There is no wifi
• Bring warm clothes as it can get cold overnight depending on the time of year
• Never leave any food out where mice, lizards, snakes, or bugs can find them
• You must take out all of your trash with you

WHITEHAVEN BEACH MAP

WHITEHAVEN BEACH FLIGHTS

Another way to see Whitehaven Beach is from the air. In fact, it is actually the best way to see it because Hill Inlet looks amazing from above with all of its patterns. You can either take a helicopter flight or a scenic plane flight. I think the helicopter is always better because they can hover a bit for photos and look around. You can book both online before you go to make sure you secure your flight. The plane flights are generally cheaper than the Helicopter flights and you do still get a great view.

Book a tour: Helicopter Flight over Whitehaven Beach

Book a tour: Scenic Plane Flight over Whitehaven Beach

I flew to Cairns and stayed in a crappy hostel for the night. The next morning I jetted off to Hamilton Island at 5 am and arrived on the island the morning of the wedding.

Hamilton Island is somewhere I’ve never been and it’s a pretty sweet spot. Anyone who has visited will know the water just has this incredibly vibrant aqua blue, unlike any ocean I’ve seen before.

I had been clothes shopping in Manila a month earlier to get some suitable clothes that weren’t tank tops and boardshorts. It was a great wedding and it was an awesome night catching up with family and celebrating the start of a new chapter for my cousin!

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For some reason, I never let myself enjoy a rest day so I had organized to do a little gig with the Tourism Board of Queensland. It was great to be working on a campaign with the tourism Queensland girls who I traveled with earlier this year in Cairns. This time, however, it was just my sister and me on the trip as they sent us out to capture some unique content.

The plan was to camp overnight at Whitehaven Beach. It’s one of the best beaches in the world and known to have white sand so fine you can clean your jewelry with it. It’s seriously like powder. It’s an incredibly long stretch of sand with that aqua blue water contrasting against the white powder.

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I’ve been dying to see the Hill Inlet, so of course, I made us walk down the entire beach to get there to fly the drone. Along the way, we observed the destruction of last years cyclone and came across some crab migrations, which fascinated for far too long.

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Our campsite was pretty rad, tucked away behind the shrubs but still only yards from the shore. We had to share the campsite with a few friendly Goannas, which are more or less monitor lizards. 

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The sunset was a banger as was the sunrise with plenty of epic scenes to shoot including water planes, yachts, and a sweet viewpoint.

I think we managed to create some pretty awesome content for Tourism Queensland and they were stoked. We got to enjoy one of the best beaches in the world so we too, we’re definitely stoked, to say the least. Only one other couple camped overnight so essentially, it felt like our private island! Definitely how I would recommend experiencing Whitehaven Beach.

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I flew back to Adelaide, curated a lot of content, backed up hard drives, visited friends and family and then headed back of to the airport a few days later. Now I’m sitting at the Adelaide Airport, heading to South America for the first time.

Colombia is the destination and I’ll be working on a short campaign with Hostel world and old mate Josh Lynott is along for the ride so here we go! Week 100 let’s rock it!

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My first ever blogger workshop ended on the 11th of March. There was no time to rest as I boarded a plane that night for a red-eye overnight flight to Cairns, Australia. Arriving with only two hours sleep under my belt, I touched down in Australia, my home country, ready for a new adventure.

For the next week, I would be teaming up with Tourism Queensland on a campaign to run alongside the Commonwealth Games, which is in Queensland this year. The aim of the campaign was to show all of the unique adventures you can have in Cairns and the Tropical North Queensland region.

Along on the trip were three women from Malaysia and Wales who were writing feature articles for their respective magazines and newspapers. I was the only photographer, content creator, influencer. Whatever name I’m going by these days, I was the only one. This proved to be challenging when trying to create content but just involved a little bit of thinking outside of the box and some tidy drone work.

Courtney Atkinson, the Commonwealth Games Ambassador, also joined us for the first couple of days. Courtney is a former Olympic tri-athlete and an all-around machine. The guy runs adventure races all around the world. On our trip, Courtney would go for 15k jogs before breakfast making me feel lazy on my 3-5k runs. Stoked to meet such a dedicated athlete and see the moves he is making in the content creation field with his epic videos documenting all of the crazy stuff he gets up to. #redbullsponsored

Chelsea and Liz from Tourism Queensland were on for the ride and had organized the whole trip with the help of their awesome team back at the office. It’s always nice to be able to focus on your own content and be in your own bubble when all the travel details, meals and timeliness is taken care of.

Those were the logistics of the trip. Here is a quick overview of what the hell we got up to in a week. I’ll take a deep breath because life on a media trip ain’t no cruise, we go hard.

Welcome to a week in my life:

• Babinda Boulders
• Devils Pool
• Josephine Falls
• Mission Beach
• White Water Rafting on Tully Gorge
• Great Barrier Reef Pontoon Experience
• Overnight stay on Great Barrier Reef Pontoon
• Helicopter over Great Barrier Reef
• Daintree Rainforest Skyrail
• Daintree Rainforest River Cruise
• Mossman Stand-Up Paddleboard Tour
• Mossman Gorge Indigenous Dreamtime Walk
• Cape Tribulation Beach
• Cape Tribulation Great Barrier Reef Snorkel
• Jungle Surfing Zipline in Daintree Rainforest
• Cow Bay
• Thala Lodge
• Bungee Jumping 3x Cairns

Along the way, I am creating content for all activities, sharing Instagram stories, Instagram posts, and Facebook posts. It involves a lot of car edits, late nights and falling asleep on my MacBook (Just ask Liz who drove our car!)

I’m extremely blessed to be given opportunities to experience all of these epic locations and activities. I’m also honored to be given the shared responsibility of promoting Australia and more specifically Queensland to the world. Can I create content that will bring thousands of tourists to our great country?

Here are some of the visual highlights of the trip! Below these photos, I’ll share with you a bit about what’s going on inside my head right now.

Weekly Thinking

I think awareness is something really powerful. If you are aware of your actions, your feelings and your directions you have the ability to mold all three. I often ask myself what’s coming next and why? What is my purpose? Do I even have one yet?

I’m still evolving towards a new challenge but I know right now I’m currently inspiring thousands of people to do several things:

#1 Get out of their comfort zone

When people see me jumping off cliffs, pushing my limits, hiking, visiting new cultures, running workshops and pushing myself way beyond the comforts of an average life.. they themselves are taking actions. I get countless messages a day thanking me for this inspiration and that’s a really great positive impact my journey is having on this community. It never feels like I’m doing anything too outlandish but I have adapted to my lifestyle.

#2 Travel

I understand travel isn’t for everyone, which is why you will rarely see me pushing people to do so. If you are up for travel I help guide people as to where to go or how to they might like to do it. However, I do believe that travel is a positive experience for most people. Not that they have a great party and visit some viewpoints. That stuff is inevitable but not what I am talking about. I’m talking about meeting people of a different skin color, different cultures, and different religions. I’m talking about hearing new languages, new ways of cooking and accepting that people all around the world do things differently.

We all grow up in our own little bubble and this can be a dangerous environment, especially when we begin to believe our bubble is the ‘right’ bubble (*see religion). If those of us who can afford to travel did so rather than building our little empire on our own block, likely inside our own bubble, I believe the world would be a little bit more empathetic and understanding.

#3 Chase their dreams

Two years ago I graduated college and since then many of you have been following my journey on Instagram and my blog. I never knew either would make me a cent. My only ever aim was to make $800 USD a month and to be honest I only had a few rough ideas as to how I would do that. I knew if I made $800 a month I could survive in Asia, traveling around and buying me some more time to get my online earning potential on the rise. The day I left college, I left with less than $5000 in the bank. Since that day I’ve single-handedly grown my blog into the number one adventure travel blog in Australia.

How did it all happen

Journey Era was recently ranked the 45th biggest travel blog in the world, on a list dominated by couples and veteran bloggers. I’ve spent countless hours honing my photography skills and have since sold numerous photos to Tour operators, Tourism Boards, Campaigns, and Airlines. I’ve been invited to multiple campaigns around the work with Tourism Boards and Travel Companies like Royal Caribbean. The reason this all happened comes down to the following three reasons.

#1 I worked my ass off

I still do. Those who surround me know that I am that guy on the computer. If it isn’t an adventure, working out or working on improving something then let me chase my dream. I’m not here to sit still, it’s just not how I operate.

#2 I try my very, very hardest to be a yes man

Never say no to a new experience, new country or new opportunity. This attitude has forced me to follow through on so many halfway thoughts. Experiences like running an adventure travel workshop on a remote island in Indonesia with ten people. Things like hiking to Mt. Everest Base Camp in the middle of the off-season with just myself and a guide. I use these as examples because I had doubts and fears about both but I always fall back to my standard attitude of shooting for the stars. Usually, everything works out, even if you have to push yourself way into the unknown to find that out. It’s called growth.

#3 Think differently

I constantly look at what everyone else around me is doing and figure out how to be one step ahead or even better a step sideways. I think long-term and try and strategize my moves in a chess-like manner rather than stumbling my way from one manoeuvre to the next. It might not be the best analogy considering my poor chess ability but you are following me surely. If you are trying to start a travel blog and there are 10,000 blogs ahead of you, the majority of which are trying the same tactics to promote themselves and grow, you need different. Find your different. This applies to all jobs, careers, and aspects of life across the board. You aren’t going to cruise to your goals if you are copying the pack. Don’t compete, be different.

Why I hate money

I never made my life about financial goals. For me, that is a tragedy. The idea of chasing a dollar to pay for a plot of land, to build a home, to drive to and from each day in a car I own sounds incredibly uneventful. To each, their own and there are multiple ways to do this thing we call life. However, I am all of a sudden in the position where I am not making $800 USD a month. My value to marketing departments, tourism boards, brands and travel operators has risen significantly.

I haven’t yet touched a cent of anything I have earned outside of my $800 USD month travel expenses. I still travel incredibly cheap. The most I have ever spent on a hotel or hostel is $12 per night in almost two years of travel. I am saving my every cent I earn. I have a financial goal for my 27th birthday, which is on October 22nd. This financial goal leads to a project much bigger than me or any material desires I may have from time to time.

I’ve been dealt one of the most fortunate hands this life can offer. I’m hyper-aware of that and I’m going to make it count.

I hope you all had an awe-inspired week and furthered yourself one step closer to your goals of 2018!