There is so much to love about the Australian beaches and the waters surrounding them. Australia has over 10,000 beaches along its coastline that many people could fall in-love with.
A person who loves the ocean, beaches, and the beauty it has to offer is called thalassophile.
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Highlights
- Maureen Roco from Victoria has spent time visiting almost all the beautiful beaches in Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria, after her doctors declared her as cancer-free.
- Young couple Zanti Jimenez-Koek and husband Jim Koek had their first date near the beach of Gold Coast.
- Matthew Gildersleeve's marriage proposal to his wife Kristel happened in El Nido, their first date took place on one of the beaches in Queensland, and apparently, the wedding transpired in Tugun Beach, Queensland.
The healing
“It is a very beautiful place, Apollo Bay in Great Ocean Road is very peaceful and it gives me healing.”
After an 8-month long battle with stage 3 breast cancer, Maureen Roco from Victoria revealed that she gained complete healing while reconnecting with nature in one of the best tourist destinations in the state..
"As a person who loves the ocean and after the intense treatment, I went to Apollo Bay. Behind the accommodation is a hill with ponies, the place is surreal. I just want inner peace and being there I can feel serene and calm, it helps me with the healing process," Roco shares.
The beaches gave me the feeling of peace, calmness and healing. Source: Maureen Roco
In October 2020 doctors declared Maureen was cancer-free.
The marriage proposal of Jim Koek to wife Zanti. Source: Zanti Koek
The marriage proposal
“I became very emotional because this is the first time that someone pursued me.”
Zanti Jimenez from Brisbane moved heaven-and-earth being an international student to just to acquire her dream of living in Australia permanently. After obtaining her permanent residency, her knight in shining armour arrived.
“It was one Saturday, in May 2021, he [Jim] invited me for a sunrise picnic in Fingal Head, NSW. The place looks amazing [from our view] on top of the cliff. I can see dolphins. He suddenly knelt, showing me the ring [he took out] from his jacket.”
At that moment, Zanti turned emotional, sharing, “I asked myself, is this a joke? And then we hugged each other whilst telling him that I’ve never imagine getting married because I'm always a hopeless romantic, no one else liked me and I'm not lucky in love."
The couple tied the knot on November 20, 2021.
Wedding of Zanti and Jim Koek in Queensland, Australia. Source: Zanti Koek
Zanti believed that Jim was heaven-sent. Her parents had prayed for that for a long time and that the right man will arrive to love and care for her in their absence.
"I was hoping that my prince charming will come and it happened! I'm very grateful because Jim is humble, he appreciates me for who I am and his gesture of love is service. Every day he cooked for me and kept telling me that, he will always look after me."
Wedding of Zanti and Jim Koek in Queensland, Australia. Source: Coconut Photography
Beach wedding of Kristel and Matthew Gildersleeve in Tugun Beach, Queensland. Source: Kristel Gildersleeve
The wedding
“Matthew asked my hand from my mother and family for marriage and that is the most important thing that happened. We wanted to have a solemn wedding so we decided [that the wedding will be] on the beach. We felt much meaning in our vow. It's a whirlwind romance that turns into lasting love."
It was in 2017 when Kristel and Matthew Gildersleeve met, after a year of romantic relationship Matthew made a marriage proposal on their first vacation together in the Philippines.
They got married in 2018 in Tugun Beach, Gold Coast but their love story is not the usual one.
"After he asked the blessings from my family, we knew that we wanted to have a solemn, simple ceremonial wedding. [At that time], we don’t have the funds to bring everyone to our wedding since I just finished my studies. He was working but it’s just not enough... so we agreed to elope.”
Our three witnesses [cousins and a friend] became emotional when we said our vows to each other. We love the beaches so much and Tugun Beach was just perfect for that moment."
The couple is planning to celebrate another wedding in the Philippines.
And as beach lovers, now that they have a toddler [Henrik], going to the beach is more exciting.
"Our focus now is with Henrik, we enjoy his experience of the sand and playing with the waves."
The couple is now contemplating visiting more beaches in Australia and the Philippines with their son.
Family bonding at the beach. Source: Kristel Gildersleeve
For Kristel, there are many scenic beaches in the Philippines to visit, however, it's expensive to travel, compared to Australia, all is accessible.
"We have El Nido, Boracay but [you have to travel far] and spend a lot of money to go there. Here in Australia, we are fortunate [that] in just a 30-minute drive you can enjoy the gorgeous beaches.”
Their stories may be different from each other but all three couples agree that “everyone should be responsible for taking care of the ocean and beaches” for the future generation to enjoy.
Kristel's family Christmas celebration. Source: Kristel Gildersleeve
