Santa Takes a Ho-Ho-Holiday in Queensland to Recharge in the St Nick of Time

He's the imaginary fat man who is always jolly, globally adored and incredibly selfless. How does the world's biggest philanthropist get the energy to travel 510,000 km and hand out two billion gifts* in one single night?

The secret to Santa's jolliness has been revealed after he was ‘papped’ taking a sneaky week-long getaway to tropical Queensland ahead of his 32-hour around-the-world Christmas Eve journey.

Swapping his winter sleigh for a sunny surfboard and flying reindeer for a turbocharged jet boat, Santa said he left the North Pole behind to relax and recharge.

"Truth be told, the elves kicked me out," he told our reporter.

"We've been tinkering away on toys for months in the depths of winter and I was feeling really flat. I'm no spring chicken and it's getting harder and harder for me to keep up with the latest gadgets and things like smart phones.

“When it's dark and cold at home, the best place to be is Queensland. This place sparkles brighter than the tinsel on a Christmas tree … and it’s all natural,” a re-energised and boardshort-clad Santa said.

Rising for dawn sunshine and three foot waves on the Gold Coast, Santa proved a legend on the surfboard and “went great guns” according to his instructor Lachlan Ellwood from Get Wet Surf School.

“I reckon it’s down to the fact that he rides that sleigh all night and he gets fairly good balance from that,” Lachlan said.

Further north on the Great Barrier Reef, Santa helmet-dived among tropical fish around Green Island near Cairns, zoomed around Hamilton Island on the adrenalin pumping Jetryder and played a relaxing round of golf at Dent Island, Australia's only island golf course located in The Whitsundays.

The legendary Mr Claus got his chops around Queenlsand’s own iconic ‘claws’ when he tucked into a seafood smorgasboard including a massive mudcrab claw at the Hamilton Island Yacht Club, the challenger for the next America’s Cup Yacht Race.

Capping off his getaway, Santa was spotted getting his photo taken while cuddling a koala at the Hamilton Island Wildlife Park.

*Source for stats on Santas journey: http://www.astro.umd.edu/~avondale/extra/Humor/ChristmasHumor/SantaAnalysis.html