Emma shares some of her favorite photos from her time studying Human Impacts on the Environment in Australia in the summer of 2024. She writes:

My name is Emma Royce and I am currently a senior at The Ohio State University studying environmental policy with a specialization in environmental and social justice. I studied abroad in Australia in the summer of 2024 and made life long memories. This trip ended up being so much more than what I expected. Be prepared to be absolutely wowed by the sites and natural beauty you will get to see. Time flies by so enjoy every moment to its full extent!

The header picture for this blog shows me with my roommates in front of a waterfall. It is from our our time on a family farm stay in the Atherton tables which was one of my favorite parts of this trip and we had the best host parents ever. They took us to Millaa Millaa Falls Park with a beautiful rainbow, but it was a bit too chilly to swim. Fun fact: this rainbow is often used as a promotional photo for Virgin Australia or Qantas Airlines! This waterfall tends to be a tourist spot but there were not many people there fortunate enough for us. Our host parents taught us how to clip sheep nails, use antiseptic wound treatment, and do crop rotation. We learned many interesting and helpful farming techniques for how to make agriculture more sustainable.

Group snapshots post hike 🙂

In the photo above, we hiked a rocky path to a huge gorge with different animals saying a quick hello along the way! After our challenging but super fun and rewarding hike we reached our destination, and of course had to snap a few pics of the amazing view. We all swam here where some of us enjoyed relaxing time in the water and others were playing games. Here we learned about how gorge’s form, which was all new information to me, and you can find out too through this program! This was our second hike of the trip and it was so not what I expected but in the best way possible.

Pictured below is the view from the boat ride out to Fitzroy Island, the final destination of the trip but one of the most gorgeous. There were beautiful blue sunny skies and warmth to bask in the sun. It was cool to learn about the different types of coral reefs and examine ones that were bleached versus coral that was healthy. We took notes while snorkelling with an underwater clipboard! At Fitzroy island we also had free time to do whatever activities we would like. This is the kind of place you see on the internet and don’t believe it is real. It was an awesome way to end the trip! Our last day on the island we did a sunrise hike where we woke up at 5 am and hiked with the sun as it came up.

Relaxation on the way to Fitzroy Island

I truly cannot recommend this trip enough to OSU students. Throughout this study abroad program you can experience Australia like a local and see sites that you would not see traveling on your own. There is so much variety making each stop unique, and you never know what to expect next. It’s a fantastic way to explore new places while discovering interesting insights about Australia and how humans affect nature. Thinking back on the program now, I am much more knowledgeable about sustainability methods that have been used for many years. The techniques the Aboriginal tribes used are still used by some and are very effective. Now it’s your turn, apply for this program and start your journey!