To really see Australia, try and make time to see the east coast and the west coast.
From the cosmopolitan lifestyle of Sydney to the laid back surf culture of the Gold Coast and the natural beauty of Perth in Western Australia, each state offers its own unique glimpse of this huge island continent.
Sydney: the city for all seasons
From famous Bondi Beach to the tranquil Blue Mountains, to glittering Sydney Harbour and the thriving city centre, Sydney has it all.
Transport: getting there and getting around:
You can fly direct to Sydney from major international airports. There are 40 airlines servicing Sydney airport including all the major carriers such as Qantas, Virgin and British Airways.
Sydney has a well established rail and bus system which can take you all over the city and out to regional areas and interstate. The road system is modern and easy to navigate and car hire is available at reasonable rates.
Climate: Sydney weather and seasonal variations
Sydney enjoys mild weather all year round. Australian seasons are the opposite of those in the northern hemisphere. It’s the perfect escape from a cold northern hemisphere winter!
Spring is from September to November. Summer is from December to February. Autumn is from March to May. Winter is from June to August. , so it can provide a great escape from a cold winter!
Accommodation: from cheap stays to luxury resorts
Booking accommodation is easy with a huge range available. Check on the internet for the range, location and cost of hotels in Sydney.
Events: there’s always something on in Sydney
• Variety Club Annual Road Bash starts from Garden Island on August 5 2007 on its way to the Northern Territory
• Priscilla the Queen of the Desert - the iconic Australian Musical is on at the Lyric Theatre Star City Darling Harbour
• Sydney Opera House has started its Winter Season – for details of what is on visit www.sydneyoperahouse.com
• For the family, El Caballo Blanco is on at the Horseworld Stadium on Saturday and Sunday nights – it is a show with amazingly trained choreographed horses
Gold coast: surf, sand, fun and excitement
If you’re looking for a relaxing getaway with the family or an action-packed adventure with friends, a trip to Australia’s Gold Coast is a must.
It is just 80kms south of the major city of Brisbane which has an international airport with flights from around the world daily. You can also fly direct from other Australian cities on the domestic routes to the Gold Coast airport. Taxis, car hire, trains and buses are readily available.
From the miles of sparking beaches and nearby tropical rainforests to the famous high rise city skyline and the incredible choice of major theme parks – Dreamworld, Movieworld, Steve Irwin’s Australia Zoo, Sea World, Wet ‘n’ Wild and more – the Gold Coast is Australia’s playground.
Not forgetting the world famous Gold Coast Indy 300, where for 4 days and 4 nights in October the streets around Southport are transformed into a high speed car racing track.
Gold Coast hotels and accommodation are available in a huge array of styles and budgets to suit everyone and the weather is sunny almost 300 days a year with temperature highs above 20ฐC all year round. See you there!
Perth: Australia at its best
A major city buzzing with attractions surrounded by incredible beaches and outback wilderness, Perth truly is the best of both worlds. It’s on the far western side of Australia and is well worth the trip.
Perth’s International airport is the gateway to the vast West Coast of Australia, encompassing one third of the entire continent. Shuttle buses, hire cars and taxis operate regularly between Perth and Fremantle town centres and the airports. Tour buses are also available to guide you around all the popular sites and attractions. You can choose from a wide range of Perth hotels and accommodation options to match your budget.
Explore the secluded surf beaches running for miles up and down the west coast, relax at over 60 wineries in the Margaret River region just a few hours away, or escape on to the water and spot the Monkey Mia dolphins, go whale watching, snorkel over Ningaloo reef or visit the incredible Pinnacles.
Summer temperatures average between 29ฐC and 32ฐC during the day, perfect for a dip or surf, and winter temperatures average 18ฐC during the day, ideal for a long lunch with the sun on your back.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Tour Ayers Rock in Central Australia
Ayers Rock is undoubtedly one of Australia's most widely recognised icons both nationally and internationally. It is also one of Australia's most popular tour destinations, and for very good reason. Set in the stunning red desert landscape of Central Australia, it is a magnificent and magical sight that should form part of any Australian tour itinerary.
Also known as Uluru, Ayers Rock is located within the Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park about 400 kilometres southwest of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory of Australia. The largest monolith in Central Australia (and the second largest in Australia), Ayers Rock is more than 318 metres (986 feet) high and 8 kilometres (5 miles) around, and extends 2.5 kilometres (1.5 miles) into the ground. Famous for appearing to change colour as light conditions change throughout the day and seasons, Ayers Rock is a particularly remarkable sight at sunset. Composed primarily of sandstone, Ayers Rock is infused with minerals such as feldspar that reflect the red light of sunrise and sunset and make the rock appear to literally glow in the right conditions.
The Aboriginal community of Mutitjulu is located near the western end of Ayers Rock, which is sacred to local indigenous people. The rock is surrounded by springs, waterholes, rock caves and other features that figure prominently in dreamtime stories for the Ayers Rock area. Uluru is the name used by the local Pitjantjatjara people for the rock, which was named Ayers Rock by European explorers after Henry Ayers, a 19th century Premier of South Australian. Uluru has been the rock's official name since the 1980's, although many people still refer to it as Ayers Rock.
The Australian Government returned ownership of Ayers Rock to its traditional Aboriginal owners in 1985, leasing it back for 99 years as a National Park. The traditional owners request that visitors respect the sacred status of Ayers Rock by not climbing it. However, they do not prevent people from climbing the rock, which remains a popular activity with many visitors. In 1980, Ayers Rock made international headlines when baby Azaria Chamberlain disappeared while her family were camping nearby. Her mother Lindy Chamberlain claimed that her daughter had been taken by a dingo (a wild dog), initiating one of the most widely publicised legal trials in Australian history.
Kata Tjuta, also known as The Olgas, is a group of 36 rounded rock formations situated about 30km west of Uluru within the Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park. The tallest dome of the group, Mt Olga, actually stands taller than Uluru at 457 metres. Kata Tjuta, which means 'many heads' in the local Pitjantjatjara language, is as sacred to the indigenous traditional owners as Ayers Rock. Traditional ceremonies are still conducted at Kata Tjuta, particularly at night, and many Pitjantjatjara dreamtime legends are associated with both Ayers Rock and Kata Tjuta.
Ayers Rock is located about 20 kilometres from Yulara, a modern tourist town of 3000 inhabitants situated just outside Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park precinct. Yulara is well provisioned with quality accommodation, shops and services, and also has an airport serviced by major airlines flying directly from most Australian capital cities.
Few regions of the world can match the astounding beauty of the Central Australian desert landscape, its unique flora and fauna, and natural features like Ayers Rock and Kata Tjuta. Whether you prefer to travel in lavish luxury or on an authentic four-wheel-drive safari adventure, Ayers Rock and Central Australia have something for everyone.
Also known as Uluru, Ayers Rock is located within the Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park about 400 kilometres southwest of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory of Australia. The largest monolith in Central Australia (and the second largest in Australia), Ayers Rock is more than 318 metres (986 feet) high and 8 kilometres (5 miles) around, and extends 2.5 kilometres (1.5 miles) into the ground. Famous for appearing to change colour as light conditions change throughout the day and seasons, Ayers Rock is a particularly remarkable sight at sunset. Composed primarily of sandstone, Ayers Rock is infused with minerals such as feldspar that reflect the red light of sunrise and sunset and make the rock appear to literally glow in the right conditions.
The Aboriginal community of Mutitjulu is located near the western end of Ayers Rock, which is sacred to local indigenous people. The rock is surrounded by springs, waterholes, rock caves and other features that figure prominently in dreamtime stories for the Ayers Rock area. Uluru is the name used by the local Pitjantjatjara people for the rock, which was named Ayers Rock by European explorers after Henry Ayers, a 19th century Premier of South Australian. Uluru has been the rock's official name since the 1980's, although many people still refer to it as Ayers Rock.
The Australian Government returned ownership of Ayers Rock to its traditional Aboriginal owners in 1985, leasing it back for 99 years as a National Park. The traditional owners request that visitors respect the sacred status of Ayers Rock by not climbing it. However, they do not prevent people from climbing the rock, which remains a popular activity with many visitors. In 1980, Ayers Rock made international headlines when baby Azaria Chamberlain disappeared while her family were camping nearby. Her mother Lindy Chamberlain claimed that her daughter had been taken by a dingo (a wild dog), initiating one of the most widely publicised legal trials in Australian history.
Kata Tjuta, also known as The Olgas, is a group of 36 rounded rock formations situated about 30km west of Uluru within the Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park. The tallest dome of the group, Mt Olga, actually stands taller than Uluru at 457 metres. Kata Tjuta, which means 'many heads' in the local Pitjantjatjara language, is as sacred to the indigenous traditional owners as Ayers Rock. Traditional ceremonies are still conducted at Kata Tjuta, particularly at night, and many Pitjantjatjara dreamtime legends are associated with both Ayers Rock and Kata Tjuta.
Ayers Rock is located about 20 kilometres from Yulara, a modern tourist town of 3000 inhabitants situated just outside Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park precinct. Yulara is well provisioned with quality accommodation, shops and services, and also has an airport serviced by major airlines flying directly from most Australian capital cities.
Few regions of the world can match the astounding beauty of the Central Australian desert landscape, its unique flora and fauna, and natural features like Ayers Rock and Kata Tjuta. Whether you prefer to travel in lavish luxury or on an authentic four-wheel-drive safari adventure, Ayers Rock and Central Australia have something for everyone.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
The Great Barrier Reef: Australia's Tropical Paradise
The Great Barrier Reef is located off the north-east coast of Australia, and is undoubtedly one of the most outstanding natural wonders of the world. It is a World Heritage listed park and is one of the foremost holiday destinations in Australia and the world. It combines a fantastic climate, pristine native rainforests, white sandy beaches, and a shimmering turquoise green ocean, ensuring its reputation as a premier location in which to lie on the beach, swim, surf, snorkel and sail.
The Great Barrier Reef is scattered with beautiful islands and idyllic coral reefs and covers more than 300,000 square kilometres. The area abounds with wildlife, including dolphins, whales, dugong, green turtles, 1500 fish species, 200 bird species and 4000 types of mollusc. The reef system consists of around 3000 reefs ranging from 1 hectare to over 10,000 hectares in area.
The ideal conditions for coral are shallow warm water, plenty of water movement and light, and salty water low in nutrients. There are many different types of coral, some slow growing and living for hundreds of years, others faster growing. The colours of coral are created by algae. Only living coral is coloured. Dead coral is white.
The Great Barrier Reef's popularity is demonstrated by the fact that more than 2 million people visit the area each year, making tourism a major earner for the state of Queensland. More than 500 commercial vessels are available to transport tourists to the reef system, and tourism is permitted through nearly all the Park. A majority of the Reef forms part of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. Various parts of the Reef are protected: fishing is restricted in some areas, while particular animals including whales, dolphins, green turtles and dugong are all protected.
Coral reefs are sensitive to climate change, changes in water movement patterns, and physical damage. Problems such as global warming, the building of structures such as breakwaters, and excess nutrients from human settlements can have a negative effect on the reef system and the wildlife which depends upon it for survival. Tourism may also have a negative impact, with fragile corals broken by reef walking, dropped anchors or by boats dropping fuel and other sorts of pollution. Even large numbers of people in the water, with the associated run-off of sweat and suntan lotions, can have a negative impact on the reef's fragile environment.
Most visitors value the reef's beauty and diversity, which is after all why they visit. Tour operators and tourists as well as government agencies cooperate to develop sustainable tourism approaches over the medium to long term. Despite the challenges, the Great Barrier Reef remains one of the natural wonders of the world, a rich environment of extraordinary beauty with a diverse ecosystem, which makes its conservation essential. This will maintain the Reef as fantastic place to relax and enjoy Australia's natural heritage.
The Great Barrier Reef is scattered with beautiful islands and idyllic coral reefs and covers more than 300,000 square kilometres. The area abounds with wildlife, including dolphins, whales, dugong, green turtles, 1500 fish species, 200 bird species and 4000 types of mollusc. The reef system consists of around 3000 reefs ranging from 1 hectare to over 10,000 hectares in area.
The ideal conditions for coral are shallow warm water, plenty of water movement and light, and salty water low in nutrients. There are many different types of coral, some slow growing and living for hundreds of years, others faster growing. The colours of coral are created by algae. Only living coral is coloured. Dead coral is white.
The Great Barrier Reef's popularity is demonstrated by the fact that more than 2 million people visit the area each year, making tourism a major earner for the state of Queensland. More than 500 commercial vessels are available to transport tourists to the reef system, and tourism is permitted through nearly all the Park. A majority of the Reef forms part of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. Various parts of the Reef are protected: fishing is restricted in some areas, while particular animals including whales, dolphins, green turtles and dugong are all protected.
Coral reefs are sensitive to climate change, changes in water movement patterns, and physical damage. Problems such as global warming, the building of structures such as breakwaters, and excess nutrients from human settlements can have a negative effect on the reef system and the wildlife which depends upon it for survival. Tourism may also have a negative impact, with fragile corals broken by reef walking, dropped anchors or by boats dropping fuel and other sorts of pollution. Even large numbers of people in the water, with the associated run-off of sweat and suntan lotions, can have a negative impact on the reef's fragile environment.
Most visitors value the reef's beauty and diversity, which is after all why they visit. Tour operators and tourists as well as government agencies cooperate to develop sustainable tourism approaches over the medium to long term. Despite the challenges, the Great Barrier Reef remains one of the natural wonders of the world, a rich environment of extraordinary beauty with a diverse ecosystem, which makes its conservation essential. This will maintain the Reef as fantastic place to relax and enjoy Australia's natural heritage.
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