Griffith University Partnership

Activities and excursions are designed to pull you into the communities you visit and encourage cultural connections of every kind. There’s no extra fee to participate in these optional outings—everything is included in your program fee.

Below are examples from previous terms; outings may be different for your program. We’ll make every effort to run them all, but sometimes things we can’t control, such as local regulations and health protocols, get in the way. As result, we cannot guarantee activities and excursions.

Activities

• Indigenous Australians Dance Performance: Watch Bangarra, a company of professional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander contemporary dancers, tell powerful stories through movement, dynamic design, poetry, and music.
• Bike Tour: Scheduled early in the semester, a bike tour is the perfect way to get orientated to the Gold Coast, get your bearings, and explore your new city.
• NACE Competencies Workshop: Mastering the eight U.S. National Association of Colleges and Employers competencies is essential preparation for college graduates. This IFSA staff workshop helps you make meaningful links between your study abroad experience and career readiness.
• Farewell Dinner: Savor the memories and experiences of your time in Australia during a final delicious dining experience with your IFSA family.

Excursions

• Lamington National Park Weekend: Explore Queensland’s biodiversity in all its richness with a weekend adventure including a rainforest walking tour and visits to Mount Tamborine and Binna Burra.
• Stradbroke Island First Nations Tour: Stradbroke Island, home to the Quandamooka People, is known for some of the most stunning scenery found anywhere in Australia. Immerse yourself in a world of ancient dreamtime stories and real-life experiences during the tour, including seeing many native animals in the wild.
• Lone Pine Sanctuary Visit: Lone Pine is the world’s first and largest koala sanctuary and collaborates with universities, government, and students on hundreds of wildlife research projects. During the three-hour visit, see more than 130 koalas, hand feed kangaroos and emus, experience a sheep dog show, spy on a shy platypus swimming, and watch the birds of prey.
• Witches Falls Getaway: One of the oldest national parks in Australia, Tamborine Mountain features the scenic Witches Falls and hosts 85 percent of all animal species found in the Gold Coast area. Australia is known for being one of the world’s largest exporters of wine and produces wine in every state. At the Witches Falls Winery, learn about the wine making process, climate challenges, distribution, and taste!