International Travel

Posts Tagged ‘Australia’

Australia is not just about the city of Sydney and the grandiose Opera House. More than the famous kangaroos, koalas, trackers and the outback, the continent down under actually tops the list of every nature lover’s favorite escape to paradise.

Lismore

Lismore is perfect for those looking for the chance to commune with nature. Because forests are all around and even within the city, avid hikers, trekkers and campers alike would love to immerse in the beauty of nature that is just a few minutes away from the city center.

Credited as the birthplace of ecotourism, Lismore boasts of breathtaking waterfalls and national parks of World Heritage rainforests. Aside from the usual nature adventure, tourists should not miss Organic Tuesday which is a showcase of everything that grows on the fertile volcanic soil that is officially certified organic.

Kununurra

Kununurra is a city no only for a rendezvous with nature but also for inspiration and motivation when everything else seems to go another way. When all else fails and the moral is so down and low, Kununurra and its story is sure to bring back the smile and the determination to make things work.

Literally meaning Meeting of the Big Waters, Kununurra is a relatively new town in Australia. Contrary to most places which grew from small communities that gradually evolved into towns and cities and on the process developed a rich backdrop of culture and tradition, the city traces its history only a few decades back to the creation of the Great Ord River Irrigation. The town was created, in the truest sense of the word, with the purpose of being the service town for laborers and farmers that were implanted to the area during the construction of the dam and the irrigation system.

Sitting on arid lands, Australian government did not just resign to the fact that agriculture would not be feasible in the Western region. They then determined to challenge the adversities offered by nature. Aside from the dam, they also factually created two man-made lakes to ensure that farmlands they aim to develop would never go dry. True enough, what used to be hot and warm landscape of barren lands, Kununurra now features croplands and greeneries as far as the eyes could see.

Indeed, Australia never fails to keep surprising her visitors. Lismore and Kununurra are delightful desserts after a hearty serving of a taste of life in the outback.

Central Australia is located in the heart of the Australian continent, and is home of the most significant icons of Australian and Aboriginal culture including Uluru (Ayers Rock) and Kata Tjuta (The Olgas), the outback town of Alice Springs, the Ghan railway, and Aboriginal art centres such as Papunya and Hermannsburg. Central Australia is also home to the true Outback spirit of Australia. Whether you’re visiting from elsewhere in Australia or from overseas, Central Australia epitomises the vast and unspoiled wonder of Australia’s desert interior.

Nature is overwhelming in Central Australia. Red sand and rock dominates the landscape, and crystal clear skies are alive with a million-star display almost every  night of the year. The enormous range of unique flora and fauna found in the Red Centre is proof that, while the climate is arid, the land is rich and bountiful. Kangaroos, wallabies, dingoes, emus, echidnas, perenties, goannas, geckos and huge eagles are just some of the animals found in Central Australia, as well as imported species such as camels.

The unofficial capital of Central Australia is the town of Alice Springs, established by 19th century European and Afghan pioneers who opened up Australia’s interior. Today, Alice Springs is a modern outback town with all comforts and none of the hassles of a major capital city, and is the perfect base from which to tour the region, from Uluru and Kata Tjuta in the south to Tennant Creek in the north.

The Aboriginal presence in Central Australia is strong, with living cultural and spiritual traditions connecting indigenous people to the region’s landscapes and landmarks. A visit to Central Australia will provide ample opportunities to learn about and understand both traditional and contemporary Aboriginal culture. For anyone interested in authentic Aboriginal dot painting, Alice Springs is home to a large number of Aboriginal art galleries.

To get the best out of a Central Australian tour, visitors should allow at least seven to ten days. While Uluru, Kata Tjuta and Kings Canyon are undoubtedly major Central Australian tour destinations, visitors can appreciate an enormous variety of stunning natural locations all within an hour or two’s drive from Alice Springs. Popular destinations in the Eastern and Western MacDonnell Ranges include Trephina Gorge, Arltunga, Simpson’s Gap, Standley Chasm, Ormiston Gorge, Glen Helen and Palm Valley.

Attractions right in Alice Springs itself include the Olive Pink Botanical Gardens, the Desert Park, and the Old Telegraph Station where Alice Springs was first established. For visitors who wish to experience the true heart and soul of the Australian continent and its history and cultural diversity, a week in Central Australia is an experience not to be missed!