Now whilst I work within the media space, mastering the art of the perfect camera settings is something I have always left up to the professionals.
But when offered the chance to hone my skills and experience a part of Australia I grew up visiting through a new lens, I jumped at the chance.
Getting my hands on my very own Fujifilm X-T50 was daunting in and amongst itself.
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The four detachable lenses that came with it were an entirely new ball park.
But the crew over at Fujifilm are wonderful, and after a quick briefing, my anxiety settled and I packed my bags with the confidence boost I needed, ready to head to the Sapphire Coast for a few days.
Day 1
One thing about rural travelling is you know what you’re getting in to when you have to get a bus out onto the Domestic Terminal tarmac.
Having previously flown REX Airlines before, I was thoroughly impressed by how seamless the whole process was this time around.
The 12 row plane, although tiny, had comfortable legroom with a seatback pocket and tray table — think Qantas just miniature.
After some light refreshments and waving down at my house in the Illawarra, we had one of the smoothest landings I’ve ever had at Merimbula airport.
We were greeted by Sally from Southbound Escapes who filled up the bus with all our luggage and gave an in-depth brief history of our surroundings.
After the short drive we made it to our first destination, Bar Rock Lookout and Australia Rock.
With incredible ocean views and the cutest seal companions, this lookout set the tone for the rest of the trip — fun, playful and inviting.
Looking out over Bar Beach and the Wagonga Inlet, the beaches were pristine and the offshore breeze made it quite an enjoyable temperature even for Winter.
Stopping to admire the sea life and hole in the rockface known as Australia rock.
Using the FUJINON XF 16-50mm lens to capture images of the break wall and coastline through the rock formation, I couldn’t help but feel immensely grateful that I have grown up on the east coast of the country.
And the unreal scenes around me were practically my backyard growing up.
Once sunset hit, we checked into our accommodation and quickly took off for a night of stargazing and intimate storytelling.
Starting our evening with a homecooked meal at Black Bream Point, followed by a Welcome to Country and intimate evening star gazing.
To capture these scenes, I used the FUJINON XF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 lens to create an image that felt as immersive as the experience itself.
Day 2
Waking up on day two to catch the sunrise was something that everyone had been looking forward to the whole trip.
We were heading to Glasshouse Rocks and Pillow Lava.
This beach is where a 500-million-year-old rock formation and rare pillow lava from an ancient submarine volcano create a spectacular sunrise photography experience,
The soft golden light reveals incredible textures, coastal landscapes, and unique geological details.
Despite the low cloud cover, we were able to capture the reflections on the wet sand of the rock formations with the FUJINON XF 16-50mm f/2.8-4.8 R LM WR lens.
Once sunset was over, we headed to breakfast and then made our way to the main activity for the day — Whale Watching.
Getting onboard the Montague Island Adventures boat, we headed out to Montague Island to try and catch some of the sealife in their natural habitat.
We were greeted by native sealions grazing the rock faces on Montague Island, some even friendly enough to come right up to the boat.
Using the FUJINON XF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 lens to zoom meant I could get right up close and personal with the seals both on the rocks and at the front of the boat.
On our way back to the Montague Island Adventures docks we caught a glimpse of dolphins riding the front of the boat and eventually saw some whales grazing in the distance.
We finished up the evening at Short Point Beach where I took some of my favourite photos of the whole trip during sunset.
Using the FUJINON XF 23mm f/2.8 R WR and FUJINON XF 16-50mm f/2.8-4.8 R LM WR lenses to capture the wider landscapes and the water crashing against the mossy rocks.
One thing about me is I love to climb rocks, spending most of my childhood doing beach walks and around rockfaces I found myself watching the sunset on a high rock point.
Which allowed me to take a moment to be thankful for this experience and reminisce on the times I visited the Sapphire Coast as a child.
We ended the evening at the famous Dulcie’s cottage, where I had one of the best burgers I have ever had.
Although I was skeptical as to how I was going to fit it all in, the mammoth burger was jam packed with a perfectly cooked patty, crispy butter lettuce and the most perfect secret burger sauce.
Day 3
Waking up on our final night, we were on the hunt for another sunset spot.
After settling on another recommendation by our amazing tour guide Sally, we headed off to Long Point Lookout.
This lookout spot is where we saw one of the most perfect sunrises I have ever seen, as the sun crested the horizon I got some stunning shots of the sun rays hitting the coastline using the FUJINON XF 16-50mm f/2.8-4.8 R LM WR lens.
Taking in the scenes, eventually we spotted some more whales who were making their way closer to shore.
As the temperatures continue to go up and we head into the best time of the year for whale watching, I wouldn’t be surprised if you sat and watched the water for half an hour, a whale might say hello.
Saying goodbye to the coastline we headed inland to explore Pambula River by kayak with Navigate Expeditions.
Now when I first saw this activity, I knew it would be the perfect opportunity to experience the great outdoors from a new perspective.
Kayaking along Pambula River and through Beowa National Park, we stopped to take in the crystal clear water and surrounding treescapes where we saw an eagles nest.
Making our way down the river we were greeted by many wildlife, including a very active seal who came right up next to all of our kayaks to say hello.
After kayaking we headed to the heart of town where we enjoyed Merimbula’s oyster country.
Partaking in a tour with Merimbula Oyster Tours, we indulged in freshly shucked oysters straight from the sea as we were taught how the oysters make it from the farms to our tables.
Using the FUJINON XF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 lens, I was able to capture the moment the oyster was shucked and could see the seawater dripping from the shell.
Quickly becoming one of my favourite images from the trip, this experience grew my appreciation for the people behind Australia’s local delicacies.
Eleanor Bailey explored the Sapphire Coast as a guest of FujiFilm*
