Wild Australia – the land of an estimated 44 million kangeroo’s, 20 out of the top 25 deadliest snakes in the world, and a turtle species that can breath out of their bottoms… yes out of their bottoms. In fact, 90% of the native animals are found no where else in the world.

Before heading to Australia I knew that I’d learn a lot about the wild animals. Little did I know that I’d learn about the wild history of how this massive island was turned into a land for the rejected.

Below I will share the top five things I did while I was in Sydney along with the wonder that lies within the land of the rejected.

1. Sydney Botanical Gardens

Arriving in Sydney in the early morning we didn’t waste any time. We hit the city, first going to the Botanical Gardens. Bright colors and life surrounded me. I was in the zone, capturing stunning photos of wild plants when my dad told me to look in-between the plants. So I took my camera and scanned in-between when suddenly all of them were forced into my perspective… spiders… man eating (basically), size of my head, worse than tarantulas, worse than anything in America status, spiders. I felt as though I should have been deep in the Amazon jungle, but no, there I was right in town. Moving on from the spiders, everything else was stunning. Vibrate flowers, squawking birds, and massive trees that you knew had witnessed so much throughout the years.

We also got to experience a special exhibit that featured carnivorous plants in the gardens. Venus flytraps were one of many wild carnivorous plants there and what a sight they were. They were bold in color, small to large in size, and just looking at them and observing them made my mind race with wonder. Overall it was the perfect introduction to the wild lands of Australia.

2. Fortune of War

The first night we walked around The Rocks, a cute history filled district in the northern part of South Sydney, and visited the oldest bar in town, Fortune of War. To say it was fun would be an understatement. There, in that small pub, people from all around the world as well as locals gathered to drink a beer and reflect on their day and celebrate life. The best moment was when everyone in that little packed pub starting singing, “Do you come from the land down under?!”. Between that experience and a handful of conversations with folks in the pub, my mind was set on the fact that the culture and vibe of the bar was as impactful and genuine as its roots.

3. Manly Beach

Manly Beach lives up to its name. It is full of activities, wildlife, and adventure. You take the ferry over which is quick and painless and then the adventure is all yours. We decided to rent bikes and see as much of the coast as we could. Even with it being a Sunday it wasn’t unbearable with the amount of people doing activities which was surprising. Although, I do recommend getting started early. The views were stunning and being on a bike really lets you see the culture and heartbeat of Manly. Once our bike rental was up, which wasn’t too expensive, we got fish and chips and planted on the beach. It was a beautiful fall day. Not cold but not hot enough to get in the cold ocean. After the beach we cruised through Manly’s outdoor shopping area called The Corso, which included a local market, street performers, and a ton of shops. By that time the sun was setting and we headed back on the ferry to wrap up a perfect Manly Beach day.

4. Featherdale Wildlife Park

We made our final day in Sydney another adventure day by booking a 10 hour day trip to the Blue Mountains with a first stop at Featherdale Wildlife Park. It far surpassed my expectations by giving visitors an up close wildlife experience. There were a ton of animals you can only see in Australia, and the park provided two different open areas where kangaroos and wallabies ran free allowing you to interact with them. I also got to pet a koala bear which was a highlight.

5. Blue Mountains

Number five… the Blue Mountains. They’re a place to be admired and respected. They’re called the Blue Mountains because light reflects off of the oil being emitted from the eucalyptus trees, also known as gum trees, that gives them a blue color. The Blue Mountains cover about 3,900 square miles and a hold a handful of Aboriginal legends and sights such as the three sisters, shown below. The landscape is stunning and so in the depth of history of these lands.

Outside of admiring the beautiful surroundings and listening to the Aboriginal legends I was made more aware of the dark side of Australia’s past. In the late 1700’s convicts were forced over to Australia from Britain. This group of convicts ranged from murderers to people who had stoled an apple due to hunger. They were lumped into one guilty category, put on a dirty, rat invested ship, were sailed to Australia and were forced to be slaves in the new lands. Over the course of less than 100 years, 160,000 convicts were forced to Australia.

This part of history was one I hadn’t thought much in depth about until my day in the Blue Mountains. Up until that point I had been saturated in the fun, good, wild animal aspect of Australia but when I started to take in the reality of its history it provided so much wonder, awe, and hope. I reflected on my time there and the culture I had experienced. Just thinking of what it took to get from there to present day made each experience and interaction with a local so rich. What I experienced was the result of goodness winning out after cultures collided. A land of deep Aboriginal roots and rejected convicts was resurrected to be a land of acceptance, depth, respect and wonder. That in my opinion is what makes Australia so wild and a must to visit.

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