The bittersweetness of it all… saying goodbye to our home away from home for the last two weeks, the beautiful Discovery Princess. This was our last day of our bucket list vacation, and we were going out with a BANG!

We had an all-day private excursion I had been looking forward to for almost a year. During that year of waiting, I kept myself excited by following Matt’s blogs, which are both educational and entertaining. If you enjoy Australia, wildlife, photography, or hidden gems, definitely check them out here:

Sydney Guided Tours Blog

Matt was so accommodating to work with. He assured us he would pick us up directly from the ship, we’d throw our luggage in the car, head off on our adventure, and he’d drop us at our hotel afterward.

And that’s exactly what happened.

We took one last look at Australia from the ship, disembarked, gathered our bags, and headed outside to find our guide. Honestly, I knew it was Matt before he even got out of the car.

Did I mention this was a private tour? There really is nothing better than one-on-one time with a local.

I honestly can’t tell you all the names of the places we visited that day. What I can tell you is that it was incredible and far outside the main tourist areas.

As we drove from stop to stop, Matt shared stories and taught us all kinds of things about Australia. We talked about our trip and the koala experience we had in Cairns. I admitted I felt a little guilty about holding one, even though it was a once-in-a-lifetime moment.

Matt quickly explained how important those sanctuary visits are because the money goes toward rescue efforts, education, and caring for the animals. He also promised we’d have another koala encounter later that day—but reminded us that in this region of Australia, it’s illegal to hold them.

Into the Bush

We stopped around the Berowra Valley National Park, mangroves, river valleys, and bushland areas.

We met stingless bees.

John ate honey termites.

And we somehow gained a second tour guide.

Photo by Matt with sydneyguidedtours.com

A little lizard kept appearing throughout our time in the bush like he personally felt responsible for helping guide the tour. 😄 He’d pop up in different spots almost as if he was checking in on us.

At one stop, our tiny assistant tour guide discovered a jellyfish tucked beneath the slats of a bridge—which was crazy because the bridge was at least six feet above the water. He seemed incredibly proud of his discovery.

Everywhere we stopped, Matt taught us about the flora and fauna, encouraging us to use all our senses while exploring.

And speaking of exploring, one thing I loved was the balance. Yes, we drove to many locations, but there was also a fantastic amount of walking and hiking mixed in. Some areas had nice pathways while others felt much more like natural trekking through the bush.

Matt the Photographer

Did I mention Matt is also an incredible photographer?

He even offers photography-focused tours where photographers can go shoot together and exchange techniques. Some of the photos I’ll share from this day were actually taken by Matt himself.

And honestly, I’m so grateful for them because he captured moments neither John nor I could while we were busy living them.

Photo by Matt with sydneyguidedtours.com

Mount White Saddles

Photo by Matt with sydneyguidedtours.com

Next stop was Mount White Saddles, a beautiful property surrounded by bushland.

The contrast was so unexpected. One moment you’re trekking through rugged wilderness, and the next you’re surrounded by intentional landscaping and beautiful gardens.

We grabbed drinks and snacks at the café and wandered the grounds. They had only recently reopened after flood damage from heavy rains, so we felt lucky to experience it.

Then came one of the funniest moments of the day—a swan decided it absolutely did not like Matt and charged at him. 😄

We wandered the pathways among the gardens enjoying the scenery before heading to our next stop.

Walkabout Wildlife Sanctuary

Then came one of the most special experiences of our entire trip: Walkabout Wildlife Sanctuary.

This place felt magical.

The day we visited was fairly quiet, so it almost felt like a private experience. Many of the animals freely roam the sanctuary—kangaroos, wallaroos, wallabies, emus… oh my!

Very few animals were actually enclosed.

This Dingo being one enclosed.

Our first stop was the koala encounter. The keeper gently placed the koala among branches and leaves inside a corral-style area. Honestly, it felt less like the koala was contained and more like they were protecting him from the free-roaming animals.

This experience felt so much more natural and wild.

I’ll also admit… I may have blanked out on some of the educational information because I was too focused on petting and studying the koala. 😄

Later we experienced feeding time, which was amazing. The keepers walked through the sanctuary shaking buckets of food, and suddenly animals began appearing from every direction.

We learned this training is incredibly important during wildfires because the animals are conditioned to come to the keepers so they can be safely evacuated.

Standing there watching animals emerge from all directions was honestly emotional.

I could have stayed there for hours.

Lunch at Avoca Beach

Back in the car we went, this time heading to Avoca Beach.

Matt dropped us off at a restaurant on the beach while he parked the car. The setting was unbelievable—just a walking path separated the restaurant from the ocean.

We sat outside beneath the shade of a tree with the most peaceful view before us. The food was wonderful, but honestly the serenity of the setting is what I’ll remember most.

Off the Beaten Path

After lunch, Matt joined us again and we started walking along the coastline.

Photo by Matt with sydneyguidedtours.com

Ahead of us we could see boys cliff jumping into the water. I assumed we’d eventually turn around and head back.

Nope.

We started climbing over rocks and venturing completely off the path—and I loved it.

The contrast in the rock formations fascinated me. Some looked dark and rough like volcanic rock, while other cliffs reminded me of Sedona with smooth layers and stripes of color.

As we rounded one corner, the entire landscape opened up. Cliff jumpers, fishermen, crashing waves, tide pools full of marine life—it was breathtaking.

Photo by Matt with sydneyguidedtours.com

It was hard leaving that area knowing the day was starting to wind down.

Aboriginal Art & Bush Soap

Next stop was Bulgandry Aboriginal Art Site.

We followed a beautiful trail through the bush until we reached a circular walkway filled with Aboriginal carvings and drawings.

Standing there realizing some of these markings could be hundreds of years old felt incredibly humbling.

Before leaving, Matt showed us how leaves and a little water can actually create soap. He crushed the leaves in his hands, added a few drops of water, and suddenly there were actual suds.

I really wish I had taken more photos during moments like that.

Flying Foxes

By this point the day already felt complete, but secretly I was still hoping for one thing: flying foxes.

As we drove into what looked like an ordinary neighborhood, I became confused. Beautiful homes, wetlands, normal streets… nothing seemed particularly special.

Then we started walking behind homes along the water.

Dogs barked at fences while a strange chattering sound slowly grew louder and louder.

And then we looked up.

Every tree around us was filled with bats.

Thousands of them.

It wasn’t the trees shaking—it was the bats vibrating in the trees.

At one point Matt snapped a branch loudly, causing waves of bats to take flight. The sound became absolutely deafening.

I was completely in awe. Their size, the noise, the sheer number of them—it felt unreal.

Matt navigated his way to our hotel and dropped us off.

I was amazed as this bird crossed the street and was just strutting around on the sidewalk. He was so big too!

Final Reflections

As I sit here now going through photos and writing about this day, I realize something.

Once we reached the wildlife sanctuary, I stopped taking as many pictures because I was so focused on simply experiencing everything.

And honestly, I think I need to find a better balance between living in the moment and capturing memories.

I wish I had taken more photos of Matt teaching us how to make soap or more candid moments throughout the day.

But maybe that’s okay too.

Let’s Talk About Matt

Matt is an incredible human being—photographer, educator, encourager, storyteller—and someone who genuinely loves sharing his home with people.

I cannot recommend this excursion enough.

He picked us up directly from the pier, safely kept our luggage with him all day, tailored the experience beautifully, and dropped us at our hotel seamlessly afterward.

If you’re visiting Sydney, you need to book with him.

You can book directly here:
Sydney Guided Tours

And if you have any questions about the excursion or what our experience was like, feel free to reach out to me at Dee@GoWithDee.com ✨

The next morning, as we loaded our luggage into an Uber heading to the airport, a car zipped by honking with a hand waving out the window.

It was Matt—off to pick up the next lucky guests for their adventure.

Honestly… I can’t think of a more perfect ending to our Australia trip.

Sydney’s Hidden Side – Our Final Day in Australia