November 4, 2025

AUSTRALIA marks our 6th Continent of this trip around the World! I visited Australia & New Zealand for the first time back in 2016, but we didn't make it to Darwin then - so I was excited to see this time.

The Port is a fairly quiet place. They get 160 cruise ships on average in their winter months - because of their warm climate ( they are the Florida of Australia). But in their summer season, as is now, they only get roughly one ship a week. Cyclones are common here and on Christmas Eve 1974 Cyclone Tracy devastated the City of Darwin, and practically everything had to be rebuilt. The waterfront area where we docked is loaded with mid rise Condo's, Bars and Restaurants. You can't swim in the ocean here, because it is loaded with Crocodiles and Box Jelly Fish! So the government built a FUN Wave Lagoon Pool in their Harbor, as a center piece for the Condo's and Restaurants that is very reasonable priced.


It took us a couple of hours to clear customs when we arrived in Australia. They are extremely strict and thorough at checking everything on the Ship environmentally and this is the first time they have ever allowed a Ship to arrive with residential cats on board. It was a hugh deal for our management team to figure out. We currently have 11 cats on board, spread between 6 or 7 owners / Villas, and they had to be checked out and quarantined in a separate area, down on level 2, away from their owners. Lots of drama.


We went on a harbor sunset cruise, our first night here, with several other residents. We saw some lighting in the distant sky, but got lucky with a lovely sunset, as late afternoon thunder storms are also common here, in their summer months.

By Patricia Patrick February 15, 2026
We got up at 6:45am to get to National Park Forts Walk trail in the hope of seeing koalas . Prior walkers mark trails with tree branches pointing in the direction of their sighting and we were luck enough to see 3 markers in our first hour of hiking. It is so stinking hot and humid the success we had made it bearable. The koala population on the island started with 20 brought over in 1930, to escape fur hunters. Today, the island boast 800 to 1000, and they are so cute and drowsy. They need 20 hours of sleep a day! The early morning is when they are the most active.
By Patricia Patrick February 14, 2026
Just off the coast of Townsville, Australia is a special little island (that used to be part of mainland, hundreds of thousands years ago). The island was formed by molten granite that was pushed to the earth's surface with volcanic force.Over time the volcanic overlay weathered away leaving an extraordinary landscape of rounded domes and boulders, many as big as a house and spectcularly perched. Over Seventy Percent of the center of the Island is a National Park. There is lots of wildlife here too - koalas, rock wallabies, snakes & birds.
By Patricia Patrick February 14, 2026
This is my third time in CAIRNS, AUSTRALIA and I really enjoy how walkable, clean and charming it is. The waterfront esplanade and lagoon area is a nice walk day or night. We had 2 nights here in the waterfront Shangri La Marina Hotel while waiting for the Ship to arrive and then 2 additional days in Port.