Photojournalist David Savage travels Australia on the OZ Experience…
On the Bus…
It was a short journey to Surfer’s Paradise but the Oz Bus took time to call into the Springbrook National Park so we could see the rock formation, ‘The Natural Arch’. The short walk through the forest gives you a good taste of the National Park that is only an hour or so away from Surfer’s Paradise. The park has pit toilets that may be very Eco-friendly but not so good to drop handbags down, as one of the OZ Passengers found out. An unknown hero retrieved the bag with a long branch and we were off again, (the smelly handbag safely sealed and placed in the bus’ baggage hold – Thank God!).
Surfer’s Paradise
Some have described Surfer’s Paradise as being a Japanese orientated concrete jungle. Others describe the place as the Party Capital of Australia where everyone goes wild. I would say that the city of Surfer’s Paradise is where shopping and night-clubs meet the beach, literally. It is a combination of the two, everything thing you want in a city combined with the beach, just a step between the two.
So from sandals to stiletto’s, I made it my mission on the night I arrived to assess if Surfer’s really is the king of the party scene in OZ. My guide for the night was Lisa, a UK lass and Surfer’s’ top night-club promoter. I met her earlier in the afternoon where she informed me we were going on a special club crawl. She also told me there was only one thing she did with her hands that she could tell me about, and that was drinking. So before I left The British Arms hostel, I prepared for the morning – two aspirin and a glass of water close to the bed.
The night was a big one, beginning at the ‘Rose and Crown‘ and calling in at the ‘Cocktails and Dreams‘ and ‘Shooters‘ night clubs. My research was quite thorough and numerous cocktails were past my way, warming me up for some serious funky shake down.
I met one hostel manager who told me that backpackers come to Surfer’s for three things. Firstly to get drunk, secondly to get laid and thirdly to get drunk again. As all nights like these do, mine ended in a haze and an unknown journey back to The British Arms. Having only time to spend one night in Surfer’s, I only reached the first stage of getting drunk. Getting laid would take a second night…the torture of a timetable! However, my mission was successful. They party hard at Surfer’s Paradise and they set the pace. By the time you leave (if you’re game to stay) you’ll need a holiday just to recover.
Whilst in Surfer’s I chose to stay at The British Arms, (1800 680 269), that comprises of a hostel and a traditional English pub. It is just off the main drag near the marina, ideal for water sports and (this was the deciding factor) they had Shepherd’s Pie on the pub menu. Being two minutes from the beach too, there are surfboards to hire out and the staff will give you all the info you need on Surfer’s and what there is to do.
Surfer’s Paradise is also the theme park centre of Australia. Parks range from Wet n Wild, Movie World, Ice World to Sea World. I went for a day to Dreamworld that hosts big rides that will make you throw up and lovely Koala Bears to go ‘Oh, ain’t they cute!’ at. These parks are big enough to spend a whole day at and some like Dreamworld offer a $10 ticket for a second day. Dreamworld is hard to miss as you approach it from the highway. It has this huge tower called the Tower of Terror and as a car-load of tourists are hurtled up it, a chorus of screams can be heard, followed by another chorus of screams as they plummet back down.
Staying On…
There is much more to Surfer’s than the beach and the high rises. As a base, it is an hour away from rainforest and outdoor activities range from scuba diving, jet ski’s, Bungy, surfing, and sailing. Surfer’s is also legendary for what is becoming known as the ‘Club Crawl‘. The main nightclubs and all the hostels have pulled together to make this event happen twice a week. A $10 ticket gets you onto a double-decker bus, free entry into four clubs and a free first drink in each. The club crawl happens every Wednesday and Saturday and a convoy of double-deckers takes up to 300 backpackers on the biggest night of dancing and drinking in Australia. For the best advice on accommodation speak to Jane or Tracy at ‘In Transit‘ in the Transit Centre, (07 5592 2911).
Australian Saying
“You Pommie Backpackers, leave our Sheila’s alone!”
