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Just a short drive from Brisbane, Australia, is the second biggest sand island in the world—Stradbroke Island. Locals lovingly call it "Straddie", and before you've been on your locum tenens assignment for long you'll find yourself doing the same.
With a population of just 2,500, the island never seems overcrowded or busy. Hop on a ferry and cruise to the spot—just a 25-minute ride from the coast of Brisbane.
Once you make it off the ferry, you might witness a common symbol shining its way through various storefronts, signs and other island landmarks. The carpet snake, or legendary rainbow serpent Kabool, is a traditional mascot for the island's native people who have lived on Straddie since the last glacial period, the Pleistocene Age—a history more than 40,000 years old.
From the Island Historical Museum to renowned Aboriginal art galleries, the number of cultural activities you can explore on the island will surely open your mind to a sliver of Australian society.