ON A five-week whirlwind tour of Australia, Ella and her travel buddy have ticked off Melbourne, Uluru, diving the Great Barrier Reef in Cairns and are now set for an adventure in the beautiful Whitsundays.

Ella is a visual arts graduate, specialising in photography, but when she returns to England she will pursue a career as a water-sports instructor.

The change of career path is a recent move for the 19-year-old who has been further inspired to follow an aquatic career path after immersion in the tropical warm waters of North Queensland.

The Whitsunday Times caught up with Ella on Saturday while she was recharging the batteries ahead of a three-day sailing trip around the islands.

Ella said travelling had forced her to get outside her usual comfort zone and she had become more independent since leaving home.

How long have you been in Australia?

We have been here three weeks.

What are your travel plans?

When we leave the Whitsundays we are going to Gladstone then out to Heron Island. Then we are going to Sydney and flying home.

What is Queensland's best attraction?

The Great Barrier Reef and islands.

What is your top travel tip?

I would say try as much as you can.

We went scuba diving the other day which we have never done, we took a helicopter ride the other day which we have never done. And we are going to be skydiving in Airlie Beach which we have never done.

If you are staying in hostels, cook all your own food and don't eat out. You can save heaps of money by being stingy on meals.

And do it yourself. On Magnetic Island we could have paid for a tour but we went on our own tour. We did the same thing and saved $200.

What is the weirdest thing about Australian culture?

Everyone is really friendly compared to England.

Everyone will come and have a chat with you but at home no one talks to each other.