Thursday Island is definitely a paradise…on this beautiful island, watches are necessary to keep track of the time!
Our 1 night stay at this small but beautiful island in the Torres Strait – known as Waiben in the island’s native language – was definitely way too brief. The island is so luxurious and relaxing that you don’t ever want to leave! Particularly as our holiday pulls to a close.
Whilst majority of our time was spent chilling on the beautiful beaches, we also dropped in to the historical Green Fort Hill, a piece of history on the island. The military history was very interesting whilst the views were just absolutely breathtaking – a definite must-see on the island.
According to the data collected from the 2011 census, Thursday Island had a population of 2610 people, with this statistic being broken up into approximately 51.0% females and 49.0% males.
The main employment industry of the island is the health care and social assistance division, with 24.7% of the population working for this industry. The other major industries are public administration and safety (20.4%), education and training (14.7%) and retail trade (7.3%). The main occupation of people who live on Thursday Island is Professionals (21.6%), followed by clerical and administrative workers (17.1%), community and personal service workers (13.6%) and labourers (13.2%). Data obtained from the 2011 census showed 63.1% of permanent residents over the age of fifteen identify as working full-time, 20.6% of the populace is working part-time and 4.7% are unemployed. A major industry is the lucrative pearling industry, which was first founded in the year 1885.
What’s unique about Thursday Island? It has a warm climate, with the year average low being 24.2 and the average 30.2, with there being an annual average precipitation of 1757.6mm. It is only partially self-sufficient for water supplies and has two wind turbines which generate a portion of the island’s required electricity. For thousands of years the island was populated by Torres Strait Islanders, and it is known for being the most northerly town in Australia. It is also the administrative centre for all of the Australian islands located between Cape York and the New Guinea Mainland.
Some of the recreational activities available on Thursday Island include aquatic activities, including swimming and fishing, as well as beachwalking. The island houses a sporting complex, a gym and the Ken Brown Oval for the fitness fanatics as well as a public library. Historical tourist attractions are also available as well as educational, medical and legal facilities on the island.
Migration is not one of the major factors driving change in this community – 82.6% of the population were born in Australia -, however there is still culture diversity on the island, with 47.7% of the island only speaking English – thus, 52.3% of the population can speak another language. There are not many factors that drive change, as the population has not been blooming – in 2001, the population was 2693; this number dropped to 2546 in 2006, and by 2011 it has risen to 2610. This indicates that natural increase must be a minor factor as for the past decades Thursday Island has remained stable in not only population but other factors including employment.
Thursday Island paradise and bliss, we bid you farewell. As our holiday draws to a close, we know that one day we will return to relax in pure coastal luxury…
See you soon…from the nostalgic larrikin, larrikin E.
The stunning Thursday IslandA piece of history at Thursday Island.
From Townsville, the Squishy Sand Squad drove almost five hours to arrive at the tropical city of Cairns, again being near the sea and more squishy sand!
Upon arriving, the Larrikins immediately headed to the new Cairns Aquarium. Aside from the abundance of sea creatures (stingrays, sharks, sea cucumbers, fish), the aquarium also included reptiles such as lizards and pythons (Larrikin M almost died from cuteness).
Then onward to Cairns Adventure Park where the Squishy Sand Squad tried out the Flying Leap Megazip down an iconic Cairns hillslope where the collective screams of the three almost certainly scared all the birds in the vicinity. The bushwalk offered us some time to calm down after the thrill, although the Great Barrier Reef lookout was, in Larrikin E’s opinion, equally breathtaking.
After a night’s rest, the Squishy Sand Squad wound up their time in Cairns by visiting the Cairns Botanic Gardens and swinging by some of the beaches, including Holloways and Machans Beach where Larrikin A started yet another sand fight.
Community Profile
As of 2015, the population of Cairns its 147,993 people with the population increasing by around 2.3% over the last 10 years.
Cairns has a relatively high unemployment rate of 7.85% which is higher than the rate for Queensland and also for Australia. Unfortunately for the economy, this rate is currently increasing. As of the 2011 census, the top industries were health care and social assistance (12.8%), retail trade (11.8%) and accommodation and food services (9.6%).
Cairns has recreational infrastructures such as a stadium, a hockey rink, a basketball court and football ovals. It hosts AFL and rugby union games and is home to a baseball league. It also serves as a popular destination for topless sunbathing and water activities such as beach-going, scuba diving, whitewater rafting and snorkeling. In addition to these, there is also kite surfing, fun fairs and skydiving.
Cairns is known for unique features such as close proximity to the Great Barrier Reef and closeness to the Atherton Tablelands (a mix of rainforest, wetlands and savanna). These are its main points for being a tourist destination. There are also some attractions including the Kuranda Koala Gardens (provides an opportunity to see wildlife close up), Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures (as the name suggests, allows visitors to meet crocodiles and other wildlife), white water rafting in the Tully River and Barron River and Aboriginal tours. However, these are not situated within the city and can be a fair distance away. There aren’t many notable features in the actual city of Cairns.
Factors such as a naturally ageing population accounts for the increased percentage of seniors while births account for the increased number of young children. Also, the decreased percentage of people of working age could be owing to the relatively high unemployment rate, since many people are moving to Brisbane where there are more jobs. Furthermore, the appeal of Cairns as a place to live attracts immigrants from the UK, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Japan which would account for Cairns’ increased cultural diversity.
What’s Queensland best known for? Jaw-dropping coastlines? Great food? Tropical islands? Those answers are all correct. But there is one thing that exists in Queensland and only Queensland. To call it a ‘famous tourist attraction’ is an insult, because Daintree is far more than that.
Daintree is located in Queensland, Australia, roughly 111km north of Cairns that caters for everyone, from the nature-lovers to the adrenaline junkies, the foodies to the cost-free but quality experiences. Daintree, as part of Queensland’s Wet Tropics, is also World Heritage listed and has been since 1986 to ensure its raw beauty is preserved for future generations.
We unfortunately only had enough time allocated on this trip to fit in 1 night at Daintree, but boy, it sure did not disappoint! This single night, whilst sadly too brief, however did fulfil all our expectations and more. With all the incredible attractions and experiences on offer, we three larrikins found it very difficult to choose what indeed we wanted to experience the most in our brief stay. We eventually opted to choose one thing each that a) was unique from other stops on our road trip, b) would permit for other experiences to occur on the same day and c) would satisfy all three larrikins. Larrikin A’s refined taste buds of course chose food, wishing to visit the Daintree Ice-Cream Company; larrikin E, whose love for rollercoasters was satisfied by the-almost-rollercoaster-y-ness of the Jungle Canopy Surfing offered through Daintree’s lush backdrop; and larrikin M, all-time animal ambassador and lover, wished to visit The Bat House to learn about flying foxes…this decision was considerably tough with the lure of saltwater crocodiles wallowing in the waters of the Daintree River, however, we persuaded her to take the less-scary option.
Soursop ice-cream, anybody?
These stops definitely did not disappoint – larrikin A’s choice of delicious ice-cream sampling in crazily unique but yummy flavours such as soursop and wattle seed left our stomachs grumbling for more; larrikin E’s choice of jungle zip-lining allowed us to see the beautiful rainforests of Daintree from a different perspective (and speed); and we’ll never forget the joy on larrikin M’s face when she got to meet the flying foxes.
Let’s go surfing…through the Daintree greenery!
Daintree only has a miniature population of 146 (accurate as of the 2011 census) – that’s less than half of that of Red Rock! [Red Rock was previously visited on our road trip]. Approximately 45.9% of the population is female whilst roughly 54.1% are males. The median age of permanent residents living in this settlement is 42 years old.
Some of the biggest industries over history in the Daintree settlement are beef farming, dairy farms including butter factories and timber logging, particularly the red cedar species found in the Daintree rainforest.
59.3% of the residents of Daintree aged fifteen and over work in a full-time position for the labour force while 33.7% work on a part time basis. The top three industries are: accommodation and food services (24.4%), education and training (11.0%) and transport, postal and warehousing (11.0%). Daintree has a relatively low unemployment rate of 3.5%.
Daintree has many unique features, most of which are directly linked to the spectacular Daintree Rainforest. For example, many fauna that inhabits the Daintree area is only found there, such as the southern cassowary, buff breasted paradise kingfisher, the Daintree river ringtail possum, the Ulysses butterfly and the spotted-tail quoll, just to name a few. Daintree also has one of the wettest climates in the whole of Australia, with some areas of the settlement receiving more than 6 metres of rainfall annually, making for spectacular waterfalls (particularly between the months December to April).
The spotted tail quoll can be found at Daintree.
Some of the recreational activities available in Daintree include sea kayaking, cruising on a ferry (the only safe mode of transport – this part of this beautiful Australian place is home to the not-so-friendly saltwater crocodiles) Daintree River or enjoying a Mangrove cruise, reef day trips, as the Great Barrier Reef is only 45 minutes offshore from Daintree, and horse riding. Other options include the beach, swimming, surfing, body boarding, jungle surfing (basically zip-lining your way through the incredible jungle – cool!), taking a walk through the beautiful rainforest and spotting wildlife, with the ideal time for this being at night.
Factors causing change in Daintree include the tourism industry it proudly boasts. Despite a very small population, in the five years between 2006 and 2011 the population almost doubled. This is most likely due to the tourism industry, with many tourists being attracted to the beautiful rainforests, stunning attractions and superb food year-round offered at Daintree. Another factor causing change is natural increase – the median age is 42 years, which implies that people around this median are having offspring, increasing the total populace. Migration, both internal and overseas, also plays a role as a factor causing change – the 2011 census showed that 20.5% of residents were born internationally, with the most common overseas places of birth being France (4.8%) and England and Germany (2.7% each).
Daintree, whilst a small community, is definitely a go-to – it’s fun, thrilling and unique! Did we mention that they have chocolate pudding fruit too? Must. Go. Now!
Concept, title and opening by larrikin A (the one who likes ice-cream).
Blog by the adrenaline junkie, rollercoaster-liker larrikin E.
Who doesn’t have that dream of eating something healthy that tastes like a dessert?
Townsville is a great bustling city, a tourist’s galore, that a 2 night stop at simply does not cater for.
We checked into our accommodation exhausted but excited. We stayed at BIG4 Walkabout Palms Townsville on a powered grass site, excellent for our caravan. Larrikin A immediately pulled on her swimmers and ran at high speed to the excellent pool, complete with a waterslide. We spent the rest of the afternoon here, of course – larrikin M also enjoyed the waterslide, opting to ride it probably a total of 100 times!
We spent our full day exploring a range of the attractions available – the Reef HQ Aquarium, a top pick of larrikin A’s, was a great aquarium experience whilst larrikin M’s suggested Billabong Sanctuary – 11km out of Townsville – allowed us to get up close with beautiful native fauna. We then went and enjoyed the holiday park’s pool again before dining at Seasoned – a restaurant boasting delicious modern Australian food.
In 2014, Townsville had a population of 236,629 people, with this number being divided into 118,768 males and 117,861 females. The median age for the city is 34.5 years old. 18.6% of this population was born overseas, with the most overseas migration occurring from North-West Europe (comprising 4.2%). It has been said that Townsville welcomes 78 new residents weekly, which contributes to the annual population growth in this city of 2.4%.
Townsville Approximately 87,537 people work in Townsville, with the biggest industry being Professionals (approximately 15,680 people), followed by clerical and administrative workers (13,245) and technicians and trade workers (13,129). Townsville has a reasonably high unemployment rate of 10.6%, however, it was said to be approaching 15% in August 2016.
This city, which is adjacent to the main section of the gorgeous Great Barrier Reef, boasts a range of recreational activities alongside the well-catered-for attractions for all the tourists. Tourist attractions other than the ones previously mentioned in this blog include a lengthy tropical beach and garden strip referred to as “The Strand” and Riverway, which is a riverfront parkland attraction. Well known for its excellent diving and snorkelling facilities as well as its high availability of sporting clubs, Townsville offers endless options of recreational activities from sport to arts and culture, nature to shopping, scenic drives and walks to delicious dining and eateries…Townsville really does has and offers it all! To discover more about opportunities in Townsville, please visit https://www.townsvillenorthqueensland.com.au/things-to-do/.
Unique features of Townsville? Wow, there’s definitely many answers you could reply to that question! From the topsy-turvy climate the city experiences, including tropical cyclones, as part of a “tropical savannah climate”, to the tourist attractions mentioned above, Townsville is unique in many aspects, with only a few being outlined in this blog.
Factors driving change include the availability of work in various industries. A boom in population in Townsville has been directly linked to the town’s popularity for FIFO (Fly-in, Fly-out) miners as well as short to medium term workers brought in by the army base and other government services. This contributes to Townsville having a younger population than that of Australia-wide and Queensland averages. Similarly, the construction of high-rise apartment buildings contributed to the city’s urban layout allows the city to effectively cope with this rise in population.
Townsville can be described as utterly unique and a superb place to both live and visit…you definitely cannot cover it and see it all in only a few days! As we move on in our journey, we are eagerly looking forward to what awaits us.
Bidding “Au Revoir” or “Goodbye”,
Larrikin E
All the cuteness of Australian wildlife can be found at Billabong Sanctuary,Reef HQ is an amazing aquarium.The thriving Townsville.
Late that night, the Squishy Sand Squad arrived at Hamilton Island for their 3 night stay on the Great Barrier Reef, another squishy sand paradise!
After hastily unpacking and falling asleep in exhaustion from their long flight, the Squishy Sand Squad spent most of the next day exploring the island using hired buggy cars – these were implemented to minimise air pollution on the island. The day also involved swimming in the public pools, visiting the beaches, eating ice cream, playing mini-golf and finally, an outdoor movie session in the evening.
The day after was filled with water activities!! We went kayaking and jet skiing (again, Larrikin M almost flipped over). Later in the day, the Larrikins embarked on a journey to Hardy Reef in a catamaran to snorkel among the coral and reef creatures. Larrikin E’s highlight was watching everyone get seasick while Larrikin A loved the moment a sea turtle swam past all the tourists. Finally, Larrikin A successfully convinced the other two to spend our last evening in another public pool in which we had an intense water fight.
Community Profile
The population of Hamilton Island was 1208 according to the 2011 census. It has a young median age of 28.
Approximately 97% of the workforce (389 people) are employed with the top industries being accommodation and food services (62.5%) and transport, postal and warehousing (9%). This is highly due to the tourism which the island’s economy is based on. It also relies on small businesses such as laundry, buggy car hire and general stores for the island to function.
Hamilton Island has recreational activities such as saunas, spas, swimming pools and beaches as well as bushwalking and golf. Visitors can also visit the Koala Gallery for breakfast with the koalas. An annual event is the Hamilton Island Race Week yachting festival in which yachts from Australia and New Zealand participate in races around the Whitsunday Islands.
The most notable unique feature of Hamilton Island is its location. It is situated among the 74 Whitsunday Islands, providing visitors an idyllic residence for exploring the natural wonders of the Great Barrier Reef, including Heart Reef and Whitehaven Beach. A main reason for the island’s popularity as a tourist destination that sets it apart from others is its multitude of on-island activities (listed above), its golf buggy hires, its marina and its airport. Besides these points, there are also 6 different accommodation levels to choose from across the island.
Factors such as environment could be a reason for Hamilton Island’s declining population and tourist numbers. Coral bleaching and pollution does damage to Hamilton Island’s environment, damaging its tourism industry and hence the jobs available on the island. This may have influenced some people to move away to find better jobs. Another factor is the ageing population, causing there to be more seniors and births, meaning more 0-4 year-olds.
For the Squishy Sand Squad’s tenth stop, they chose the largest sand island in the world (Larrikin M’s suggestion as it was full of squishy sand!) Fraser Island also marks the southern-most point of the Great Barrier Reef.
From the Sunshine Coast, the Squishy Sand Squad travelled to River Heads where we waited for a barge to get across to Fraser Island. By that time it was night so we checked into accommodation at Eurong Beach Resort.
The next day, the Squishy Sand Squad rose early to explore the wonders of Fraser Island. These included diving into Lake Mckenzie (perched on a squishy sand dune), swimming in the Champagne Pools (to Larrikin A’s disappointment that it did not in fact contain actual champagne) and finally trekking and taking photos of locations such as The Pinnacles, Hammerstone, Sandbow and the Seventy-Five Mile Beach.
By late afternoon, the squad had to say goodbye to the mass amounts of squishy sand and leave for the next destination.
Community Profile
In 2015, there were 1582 people living on Fraser Island/the Great Sandy Strait. According to wikipedia, the 2011 census showed the island had a population of 194 but did not give further statistics. It has a relatively high median age of 57 compared to the median age of 37 for Australia.
Its workforce is comprised of 386 people of which 63.7% are working full-time and 31.9% are working part-time. The top 3 industries in 2011 were accommodation and food services (27.2%), health care and social assistance (11.5%) and construction (9.4%). This is probably due to tourism which is what the economy of Fraser Island is mainly based on.
Recreational activities are mainly fishing, trekking, swimming, visiting beaches and viewing wildlife. There is only a small resident population, and most people there are tourists.
Fraser Island is best known for the fact that it is the largest sand island in the world and is inscribed on the World Heritage List. The island has unique land features such as shifting sand-dunes, dune lakes, a rainforest, coloured sand cliffs, blowouts, uninterrupted lines of beach. It is home to the most pure strain of dingoes in eastern Australia and to over 230 bird species.
A factor causing change in Fraser Island is an ageing population. The most significant change is the decrease in preschoolers and an increase in citizens of post retirement age. The decrease in resident population may be due to factors such as the decrease in tourism, leading to the prospect more promising jobs elsewhere. Environmental factors such as sand mining and logging drastically harm Fraser Island’s landscape. This perhaps contributes to the decrease in number of tourists to this destination.
Early next morning, the Squishy Sand Squad embarked on the 1 hour 40 minute drive from Brisbane to the Sunshine Coast – home to beautiful beaches and the famous Australia Zoo.
Instead of staying at a caravan park, the squad decided to treat themselves to a night’s stay in a beach resort – the Mantra Mooloolaba Beach (Larrikin M’s suggestion as it had a funny name).
At Larrikin E’s enthusiastic insistence, they went around the Sunshine Coast’s more famous beaches where Larrikin A initiated a round robin of sand fights using the squishy sand. These included Rainbow Beach, Coolum Beach, Teewah Beach, Kings Beach Caloundra and lastly the Mooloolaba Beach where they were staying. They also visited Steve Irwin’s Australia Zoo, a feature which the Sunshine Coast is famous for.
After a well-earned night’s rest, the Squishy Sand Squad were at it again, revisiting Rainbow Beach for horse riding. This was followed by jet-ski adventures along the coast, where Larrikin M almost flipped over, much to Larrikin A’s horror and Larrikin E’s amusement. Later in the day, the larrikins also paid a visit to the Buderim Ginger Factory.
Community Profile
As of June 30, 2015, the population of the Sunshine Coast is 297,539. The average household size is 2.46 people.
The unemployment rate for the Sunshine Coast at 7.5% and increasing. This number is higher than the average for Queensland. The employed people are split into 57% full-time workers and 41% part-time workers. The top 3 industries in 2011 were health care and social assistance (13.6%), retail trade (12.6%) and construction (11.9%).
The Sunshine Coast has a stadium home to the region’s sporting teams. These sports include rugby league and football. There are also a large number of golf courses. Other recreational activities or sports are tennis, several annual triathlons, beach-going as well as theatres, zoos and marine parks.
A unique feature of the Sunshine Coast is the late Steve Irwin’s Australia Zoo. It is an 100-acre zoo featuring a vast array of animals, from crocodiles to tigers. Another feature is its close proximity to around 7 national parks. There are also beaches, excellent golf courses and plenty of opportunity for fishing.
The Sunshine Coast has a naturally ageing population, accounting for the increase in percentage of older people. There may have also been many recent births since the percentage of preschoolers has slightly increased. The cultural diversity in the Sunshine Coast is owing to factors such as that 21% of people living in the Sunshine Coast arrived within 5 years prior to 2011. This is likely owing to the city’s popularity among immigrants from the United Kingdom and New Zealand, as well as the fact that it’s a popular tourist destination, home to the iconic Australia Zoo.
After an exhilarating adventure at the Gold Coast, the Squishy Sand Squad arrived at the Queensland capital of Brisbane – home to the Story Bridge, an excellent live music environment and a myriad of different sport venues!
After a short drive around the bustling city, (Larrikin A squealing excitedly as they drove across the famous Story Bridge), they pulled up at the much anticipated tourist attraction of the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. The sanctuary features cute and furry creatures such as kangaroos, Tasmanian devils, wombats and the not-so-furry array of reptiles (Larrikin M found them cute nonetheless).
The next day after spending the night in a caravan park, the Squishy Sand Squad paid a visit to the Queensland Gallery of Modern Art. While Larrikin A and Larrikin E were thoroughly intrigued by the displays of contemporary art, Larrikin M’s highlight was the artistic food representations served in the restaurant.
The Squishy Sand Squad crammed many of Brisbane’s other tourist attractions into the rest of the day, including the Wheel of Brisbane (a nice Ferris wheel in which Larrikin E jumped up and down, successfully scaring the other two out of their wits), the Museum of Brisbane, a visit to the South Bank Parklands (this featured an artificial beach, rainforest and grass plaza) the Story Bridge climb and the CityCat Ferries.
Community Profile
The local government area of Brisbane has a population of 1,146,787 which is growing by 1.6% every year.
The unemployment rate is 5.4% while the workforce is comprised of 669,580 people. The biggest industries in this city are health care and social assistance (12.7%), professional, scientific and technical services (10.9%) and public administration and safety (9.0%).
Brisbane has a substantial live music scene, displaying acts across several genres from punk rock to metal. It also has theatres, pubs and clubs, providing venues for an active nightlife. Entertainment centres in Brisbane host concerts and is home to many music festivals such as Future Music Festival, Stereosonic and Soundwave. Aside from this, Brisbane also has many sporting venues such as a tennis centre, stadiums, an athletics centre, a baseball field and basketball courts. Brisbane hosts many sporting events including the Commonwealth Games in 1982, the Brisbane International tennis tournament and has hosted some events during the Sydney 2000 Olympics and the 2008 Rugby League World Cup.
Unique features in Brisbane are the Story Bridge (a heritage-listed steel bridge), South Bank Parklands (features a ferris wheel, an artificial beach, rainforest and grass plazas, a conservatorium), Brisbane Skyneedle (can emit light that can be seen from 60km away), Early Street Historical Village (displays recreations of old Brisbane buildings) and the Brisbane Botanic Gardens (one of Brisbane’s oldest parks).
One of the factors causing change in Brisbane is a naturally ageing population causing a very slight increase in the percentage of people aged 65 and over. This can also be seen from the fact that there are less children aged 0-14. However, there is a larger increase in people aged 25-44, presumably because of overseas migration and internal migration to Brisbane as it is the capital of Queensland and is an appealing city for a new start. The significant increase in percentage of people with a non-English speaking background is likely owing to Brisbane’s increasingly multicultural community as well as tourism – no surprise since the city boasts good climate all year round, an excellent nightlife, a diverse community and is bursting with many exciting tourist attractions.
Our first Queensland tourist stop was definitely a high of the holiday so far! Fuelled by coffee, excitement and the slowly-nearing lure of the theme parks, we arrived at the Gold Coast for 3 nights of fun!
Whilst the Gold Coast is definitely a valuable tourism asset to the nation with its broad variety of tourist attractions, our 3 nights limited us to sampling only a small selection of what was available. We chose Warner Bros MovieWorld and SeaWorld as our theme parks as well as some relaxing beach hanging and fantastic eating.
For families, the Gold Coast is definitely a great holiday destination. From the two days we spent at our two selected theme parks, we found there really was something for everyone – larrikin A loved seeing the stunning marine life at SeaWorld whilst the more adventurous larrikins loved hanging upside down, getting dizzy, stuffing their faces with churros (often followed by a sugar rush) and getting wet (yes, some rides you get wet!) Larrikin M, however, often did this all with the addition of her signature squeals (of delight?) – she adored the high-speed Superman Escape! Larrikin E, despite the headache of dizziness she endured afterwards, also enjoyed these rides. The best ride of all for the whole crew? The Scooby Doo Spooky Coaster at Movieworld! Guaranteed fun and love for the entire family. Larrikin E, whilst initially a bit nervous about the whole “ooh, dark ride”, loved the entire ride; larrikin M loved the animatronics (look out for the spider!) and larrikin A liked the fact she was seated.
The Gold Coast also is home to stunning beaches, which we spent our other morning at before continuing on our journey. The beaches, most of which are patrolled by lifeguards, are pristine and with the warm climate it makes swimming enjoyable at any time during the stay. We then bunked in at the Gold Coast Tourist Park in our caravan and enjoyed eating larrikin A’s cooking. Her toast with fruit was a great addition to the holiday, even when it was so golden it was burnt. However, larrikin A was redeemed when she took her fellow larrikins to a sample of Surfers Paradise eateries. A favourite of everyone’s was the dessert delight Max Brenner Chocolate Bar – a must for anyone visiting the Gold Coast.
Larrikin A’s fun Q: What are some of the recreational activities you and your troupe can participate in? Most notably the theme parks! The five theme parks – Wet ‘n’ Wild and Warner Bros MovieWorld in Oxenford; SeaWorld in Main Beach; and Dreamworld and its adjacent Whitewater World in Coomera; are the biggest – and the best! – theme parks in the country. There are many passes available for you to explore these theme parks. However, the Gold Coast is also home to lush rainforests, a warm climate, beautiful beaches and other tourist attractions, such as eateries and sporting activities.
The Gold Coast boasts a variety of sporting clubs and other unique recreational activities, including putt putt golf, golf, surf schools, trampolining, go-karting, aqua jetpacks, indoor and outdoor skydiving, ten-pin bowling, ice-skating, trapeze and even a space flight academy! To discover more unique recreational activites available to residents and tourists of this city, visit http://www.visitgoldcoast.com/things-to-do/sports-and-recreation-facilities. For those looking for something a bit calmer, hanging at the beach is also readily available – and low cost!
The population of this thriving city was 507,641 people in 2011, or 248,042 males and 259,599 people. The most common age division was 35-39 year olds for males and 40-44 year olds for females; this is because this is a common age division for employment and work, which the Gold Coast offers a vast availability of.
According to the 2011 census, the most common sector of work was construction, which made up of approximately 20% (one-fifth) of the employment industry. This is because the Gold Coast is a constantly developing city and new structures and buildings are required to support the fluctuating population. Manufacturing and retail are also major employment industries.
Factors driving change in the Gold Coast are the high migration rates, the high availability of work, natural increase and the availability to house many people on one block of land due to the frequent construction of high-rise buildings, which are better suited and tailored to feed the needs of a growing city.
Overall, the Squishy Sand Squad highly recommends the Gold Coast – it ticks all the boxes for fun!
Holiday well wishes, the larrikin who writes a lot…also known as larrikin E.
The red rollercoaster is the Superman Escape – new heights of fun! Movieworld guarantees family fun, thrills and squeals of delight.Gold Coast, Australia – a wonderland paradise.This food is love for the larrikins
When larrikin E strongly recommended Red Rock, Ballina and Byron Bay as parts of our journey, larrikin A was a little doubtful… especially after she asked E what Red Rock had to offer and E simply replied: “It just has red rock.” But after today, A’s doubts have been wiped clean without a trace.
Our first destination this time is a very small suburb called Red Rock. As the most northern region of the Coffs Coast, it is an ideal location for activities including, but not limited to, picnicking, swimming and boating. So why is it called Red Rock? This suburb gets it names from the stunning formations within the estuary that are a stunning red in colour.
Red Rock – the title says it all!
Ballina is a lively holiday town and the home of the Big Prawn, one of Australia’s iconic ‘big things’. The ‘big things’ are a loosely related array of massive structures found in every state and territory. After snapping a group photo with the Big Prawn as the background, the Squishy Sand Squad went in the caravan for a 10 minutes drive to Lighthouse Beach. Although the weather and water were ideal for splashing in the waves, the larrikins were more interested in the lighthouse for which this beach was named. Then when hunger suddenly overwhelmed the crew, they ran into Lighthouse Beach Café, hoping for a simple lunch of sandwiches but discovered delicious burgers and grilled, fresh seafood in store. Do the surprises ever end?
After lunch the larrikins drove for 30 minutes to the nearby Byron Bay, where they kayaked in rippling blue water with cool ocean breezes blowing on their faces. Larrikin M and E screamed in excitement whenever a dolphin broke jumped up into the air. However larrikin A, a turtle lover, was so interested when she saw a turtle that she almost capsized from leaning out too much.
Community Profile
Population
Red Rock – In 2011 there were 310 people living in Red Rock. 52.3% were male and 47.7% were female. It had a population of 23 indigenous people, which is around 7.4% of total population. Most people were around 45-64 years of age. People of 20-34 was the least common age group.
Ballina – In 2011 there were 7875 people living in Ballina. 45.5% were male and 54.5% were female. Ballina had a population of 341 indigenous people. The most common age group was 75-84 years of age. The least common age group was 20-24.
Byron Bay – In 2011 there were 4959 people living in Byron Bay. 49.4% were male and 50.6% were female. Byron Bay had a population of 65 indigenous people.The most common age group was 45-54. The least common age group was 85+.
Employment
Red Rock – 35.6% citizens of Red Rock aged fifteen and over identify as working full-time while 46.6% of the 310 citizens work part-time. The top jobs in the suburb are: technician and trades workers (18.3%), Professionals (17.4%) and clerical and administrative workers (13.8%). The unemployment rate in Red Rock is 10.2%.
Ballina – 48.5% of Ballina’s citizens aged fifteen and over work for the labour force full-time; 36.8% of the population works part-time. The top three jobs are: labourers (15.3%); technicians and trades workers (15.1%) and Professionals (14.8%). The unemployment rate for Ballina is 9.4%.
Byron Bay – 42.1% of Byron Bay’s residents aged fifteen and over work full-time while a greater percentage, 43.1%, works part-time. 22.7% of the population work as Professionals, followed by Managers (15.4%) and technicians and trade workers (14.0%). Byron Bay has an unemployment rate of 8.7%.
Recreational activities
Red Rock – As a small town primarily used for holidaying, Red Rock has limited recreational activities, however, this suburb does have a surf-lifesaving and a bowling club. There is also the Corindi/Red Rock Breakers Football Club. Beaches offer activities including beach-walking, body boarding, swimming and surfing and the river similarly allows snorkelling, swimming and kayaking to take place.
Ballina – Some of the recreational activities available in this suburb include fishing, surfing and golf. There are many parks in the region and picnicking is also a common recreational activity undertaken.
Byron Bay – Recreational activities available to both permanent residents and tourists include skydiving for the adrenaline junkies, sea kayaking, vision wildlife walks using the incredible technology of night vision, relaxing gardens and inner-zen at the Crystal Castle, whale watching, scuba-diving swimming, surfing, hot air ballooning and walks including the Byron Bay Lighthouse Walk. There also many sporting opportunities available in this suburb as well as frequent market stalls that sell a variety of goods.
Unique features of the community
Red Rock – With a teeny population, Red Rock has limited unique features. The majority of the dwellings in the suburb are empty throughout the year except during school holiday periods due to it being a holidaying village, but the most noteworthy unique feature is the spectacular red rock formations found in the estuary.
Ballina – The Big Prawn! The Big Prawn is currently found at a Bunnings Warehouse location. Why? This large prawn sculpture constructed from fibreglass and concrete was originally set to be demolished but when Bunnings bought the site it was refurbished. Ballina also has a humid, subtropical climate, as listed in the Koppen classification system. Ballina also has the major airport for the region and is responsible for servicing the nearby Byron Bay and Lismore.
Byron Bay – Byron Bay hosts many unique events, including the annual Byron Bay Ocean Swim Classic, the Byron Bay International Fashion Festival, the East Coast Blues & Roots Music Festival, the Byron Bay Writers Festival and the Byron Bay Film Festival amongst others.
Factors causing change
Red Rock – Not much change occurs in this tiny community. The population barely grows, only growing by 36 people in five years (2006-2011). The most likely reason for this is natural increase, as the town is known for being a holidaying village with the majority of houses being empty for a large part of the year. Overseas migration also would be a factor as 18.1% of the 310 citizens were born in international destinations including New Zealand (1.9%) and Germany (1.6%).
Ballina – Migration plays a role as a factor that causes change in this community. 82.7% of Ballina residents were born within Australia, however, that indicates that 17.3% of its permanent residents were born overseas, with the most popular international destinations being England (3.1%), New Zealand (1.6%) and the Philippines and Scotland (0.5% each). Natural increase also would play a minor role in contributing towards change, however, this would not be overly significant as the education institutes in Ballina are all fairly old, one dating back to the 1860’s.
Byron Bay – Overseas migration is partially responsible for causing change in this suburb: 71% of citizens were born in Australia, with the highest international birthplace being England (5.6%), followed by New Zealand (2.8%). Natural increase is also another factor causing change in aspects such as population, education and resources.
Overall, these three places are each unique in their own way and if you are looking to save money they are fantastic value – you can visit all three places without attraction costs (activities Squishy Sand Squad participated in at Byron Bay did require additional costs). We recommend these locations as a stopping point on your road trip or as the destination of a day trip.
Blog by larrikin A
Community features by larrikin E
Squishy Sand Travel 