Brian, Australia & New Zealand Specialist

Brian grew up in the Midwest and spent his childhood summers exploring the US from coast to coast, but his most memorable experiences were visiting the National Parks of the West. This love for the great outdoors led him to study Geotourism, a sustainable tourism degree, at Missouri State University. During school, Brian had his first experience Down Under while working as an intern in the Sydney hospitality industry. During his time in Australia, Brian explored New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, and the Outback. His experiences on the coasts of Sydney, Melbourne, and the Great Barrier Reef region of Queensland inspired his love for Australasia. Since joining Audley Travel, he has returned to Australia to explore the less traveled Western Australia, as well as spending time adventuring on both the North and South Islands of New Zealand. In his free time, Brian enjoys hiking, kayaking, playing basketball, travel writing, and planning his next adventure.

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New Zealand

I recommend visiting - Abel Tasman National Park

Abel Tasman is New Zealand’s smallest national park, but really offers a wide range of activities. I took a day kayak trip from Torrent Bay up the coast to the Seal Colony and watched seal pups playing on the rocks. From there, we docked our kayaks at Sandfly Beach and I hiked back to Torrent Bay on a 6 km section of the popular Abel Tasman Track, which is one of New Zealand’s Great Walks. The views are out of this world and the track is simply spectacular.

Arcadia Lodge, Russell & The Bay of Islands

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New Zealand

I recommend staying at - Arcadia Lodge

The reason Arcadia Lodge is so special is due to the welcoming hosts and the spectacular view of the sailboats docked in the waters of beautiful Matauwhi Bay. The lodge is located just outside of Russell so you have a bit of seclusion, but are just a short walk into the town or to one of the many sandy beaches around Russell.

My small group and I were wading through the knee deep water in the caves of Tunnel Creek in the Kimberley, when we heard a noise. As I shined my flashlight to the roof of the cave, I realized the noise was hundreds of bats flying just above our heads through the descending stalactites. The bats began to swoop between us as I shined my flashlight to the right and spotted a small fresh water crocodile floating only five feet away. At that moment I felt completely immersed in the vast wildness of Western Australia, and thought to myself, “Now this is an adventure.