I’ve been holding onto and savoring these photos from Australia of my recent trip there because I loved them so much and I am secretly very proud of them. Looking back even just two years, I could have never, ever imagined I would be taking photos from a helicopter over the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland. Wahoo guys, dreams do come true! Even the wildest ones you haven’t even imagined yet!
I was invited over to Queensland with Canon Australia a few months ago, and for the first time in two years I got to test drive new camera gear. I’ve been a Canon girl since I was 17 and my dad got me a Powershot for graduation, and I’ve been hooked ever since.
This time I was getting to head back to one of my favorite parts of Australia, Tropical North Queensland, land of waterfalls, crocodiles, ancient rainforest, reefs and snakes that will probably eat you (just kidding). I love this place! Wild, off the beaten path and colorful, I could probably live here. Trust me, I’ve thought about it. And I would be sharing everything I loved about this paradise through my camera lens. Or lenses if we are being grammatically correct here. Which we are on this blog, right guys?
I flew into Cairns, the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, and started the trip off with a bang on a scenic helicopter flight over the reef. I fell in love with the high seas here over a year ago when I did my first intro dive and spent the night sleeping under the stars out on the reef. Magical is one word for it.
Queensland is so colorful and this time was no exception; from the air you can really appreciate the millions of shades of blue in the water, the islands and the little floating yachts dotted around the reefs – it puts things into perspective, that’s for sure.
And inland Cairns has its own fair share of beautiful views, this time green and tropical. Take me back!
Have you ever been on a scenic flight? Would you like to come see the Great Barrier Reef one day yourself? Share!
Camera details for those of you who are curious:
Many thanks to Canon Australia, Tropical North Queensland and Queensland for hosting me on this trip. Like always I’m keeping it real, all opinions are my own, like you could expect less from me! PS some of these links are affiliates.
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Hi Liz!
I went to the Great Barrier Reef this July and it was fantastic! We took a boat tour and spent the day snorkelling. The helicopter ride sounds amazing! Do you reccommended it even though I have a fear of heights?
Definitely, seeing the reef from above is out of this world, and they have short flights too so it’s not so bad. you’ll be oohing and ahhing the whole time
Phenomenal photos! And not a single glimpse of glare from the window – how did you manage that??? Pro-photographer all the way.
I have been lucky enough to take a scenic helicopter ride, albeit back in 2004 when my photos were printed, not on a SIM card. I kick myself for that now and just want to go back! I took this flight in my favourite place in the world, the Isle of Arran. We had the best day for it, the lush green glens and the crystal blue ocean sparkling for us. Scotland should be seen from the air!
I am pretty good at avoiding the glare and these are the shots that didn’t have the reflection in it, or that I managed to fix in post processing. Sounds like you just have to go back 🙂
I was on a scenic flight in Croatia that lasted only 5 minutes cause we had run out of gas (don’t ask how), but other than that I didn’t have any and I would love to do it more often, no matter where, cause almost every scenery is beautiful seen from above.
OMG
Ahhhh I love Queensland! When I was growing up as a kid we used to take a holiday every year to Queensland and my favourite one was definitely the time we went further north to explore Cairns and the Reef.
It is just such a beautiful part of Australia and definitely well worth how popular it is.
Tropical North Queensland is my favorite part!