In our latest travel video 'Things to do in Queensland Australia' you will find all of the top attractions, events, dining, sports and wildlife encounters you've ever dreamed of. This morning we are visiting the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary here in the Gold Coast and we are going to be having lots of animal encounters. During our visit to Currumbin National Park, we had a chance to get up close and personal with Kangaroos. Spotting animals we had previously never heard of was also part of the program, including the orange tree Kangaroo and one of Australia's most dangerous birds the Cassowary. And no trip to Currumbin would be complete without spending a little bit of quality time with the adorable koalas. Overall, we had a really cool experience here. I like that it had more of a conservation environment as opposed to being like a zoo. Boarding the Derwent Hunter, we went sailing along the Whitsunday Islands of the Great Barrier Reef located in Queensland, Australia. It's a beautiful day here in the Whitsunday Islands. After sailing for a while we had the chance to enjoy some beach time with an opportunity to go snorkeling. Located just a few kilometers from Townsville, Magnetic Island was the perfect city getaway. The island offers lots of walking trails, great beaches and a hint of rugged charm. Here is a look at some of the activities we got to try during our visit to Maggie Island. We also got to try a Bush Tucker Champagne breakfast which featured a delicious spread of food including pancakes, fresh fruit and grilled meats. We have some free time this afternoon on the island and we've decided to do the Magnetic Island forts walk, which is supposed to be 4 kilometers. It is a return trip and it should take about an hour and a half. This is supposed to be Northern Australian's largest colony of Koalas in the wild. We are here in Nelly Bay. We were just enjoying a walk along the waterfront and we noticed that there are some Wallabies over there on the rocks. We are here at the Horseshoe Ranch on the north end of the island and we are going to be going horseback riding. Also, what makes this experience unique is that at the end of the horseback riding lesson you get to go swimming with the horses in the ocean. That is what a lot of the riders are doing right now. If you find yourself on Magnetic Island going horseback riding is a lot of fun. Today we're going to be doing something really cool. We're going to have authentic Australian animal encounters. We're going to be putting snakes around our necks, hugging koalas and you have never had a snake around your neck so this should be kind of interesting. Our morning at Bungalow Bay Koala Village was the perfect opportunity to get up close with some of Australia's local wildlife. First we met various lizards, including the the two-headed lizard which has a tail that resembles the shape of its head. Next it was time to hold a snake. I was quite nervous about it at first, but the ranger reassured me that this non-venomous python was one of the most well-behaved snakes she had every encountered. That was enough to get me to wrap it around my neck. And lastly, we had the opportunity to hold cute koalas. These sleepy little creatures spend up to 20 hours a day napping, and the one we met dozed off right after its photo op. Over the last year we've had the opportunity to try kayaking in both Vietnam and Finland. When the opportunity came to try it in the Whitsundays with Salty Dog we jumped at the chance. At times it was hard to concentrate on paddling given the spectacular scenery of the Whitsunday Islands. During the outing we also got to spend a bit of time relaxing on an island with a pristine beach. Overall, we'd recommend sea kayaking to just about anyone given that it is a safe and fun activity. Rising to a height of some 286 meters above sea level. Castle Hill, a pink granite monolith, dominates Townsville as its most iconic landmark. Having the opportunity to hike up to the top was something we couldn't pass up. This moderately challenging hike was certainly a good workout. We noticed many locals exercising along the way. There are a number of vantage points on the way up but nothing beats the landscapes from the very top. So they say you should do at least one thing that scares you every day. For me it is going to be riding the Ocean Jet. After buckling up we began our Turbo Jet adventure. This 880 horsepower vessel ripped through the water like a speeding race car. Proudly presented by: http://nomadicsamuel.com , http://smilingfacestravelphotos.com , http://thatbackpacker.com & http://backpacking-travel-blog.com

• published: 08 Jul 2014
• views: 11896