Things To Visit In The Australian Outback
Alice Springs is the place to start exploring the Australian Outback. Alice Springs, also known as the Outback capital can be found driving on the 3000 km Stuart Highway, approximately halfway between Adelaide in the south and Darwin in the north.
If you have little time but want to see the Australian Outback, then you should start in Alice Springs: there are many famous tourist attractions in the area of this city. Alice Springs Desert Park is a must see, and if you want something more from your Outback trip than an Uluru sunset and a souvenir T-shirt, then you should make time to visit the Desert Park also.
Undoubtedly the greatest tourist attraction on the Australian continent is Uluru (Ayers Rock), and Alice Springs sees so many tourists because Uluru is relatively close to it. However, many tourists fail to make a correct estimate about the distances in the Australian Outback: ‘close’ means Uluru is 450 km away from Alice Springs.
Those who make the trip from Alice Springs to Uluru should visit the Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park. Kata Tjuta is really close to Uluru: one must drive only 50 km. The third important tourist attraction is Wattarka – Kings Canyon. This is a national park little bit further away, at 300 km from Uluru.
There are a lot of things to see in the Alice Springs area besides the top three tourists attractions. For those who have the time to explore the surroundings West MacDonnell Ranges and the East MacDonnell Ranges can be a good option, and Palm Valley, Hermannsburg, Chambers Pillar are also places to see.
Those who choose to drive all the way from Alice Spring to Darwin must prepare for a really long journey. Those who find inspiring the endless horizon, great open space and ever changing landscape will enjoy the trip. However, a lot of people are unhappy about the journey, saying that the drive is too monotonous, with few tourist attractions on the way.
One beautiful place on the way to Darwin is Devils Marbles, 393 km north of Alice Springs. 600 km from Devils Marbles there is Mataranka, and from here it is only 105 km to Katherine George, one of the greatest places in Australia. Darwin itself is a tourist attraction, and there are several national parks in the north of Australia: Kakadu National Park and Litchfield National Park are the favorite.
If you are driving to the south from Alice Springs, halfway on the trip to Adelaide is the opal mining town Coober Pedy. This place is very different from the other Australian tourist attractions: a lot of people love it, others hate it.
Those who are looking for real adventure should visit the Outback of the Australian Outback, the remote north-west territory. This is the Kimberley region, the place where 4×4 drive vehicles are a must. Among the things to be seen there is the Great Northern Highway that stretches from Broome to Kununura, the Gibb River Road, national parks, one of the world’s top 5 beaches, waterfalls, rock pools and secret fishing spots.
Isabella Olsen is a travel writer who has toured major destinations worldwide, including many European countries by car. To book a car rental Northern Ireland, or learn more about cheap car hire worldwide, visit www.zencarhire.com
Romance and rainforests – your stay on Australia’s Tamborine Mountain
Located approximately 60 kilometres south of Queensland’s capital city of Brisbane, Tamborine Mountain is a volcanic plateau set within Australia’s Gold Coast hinterland.
An outpouring of lava from nearby Mount Warning many millenia ago created Tamborine Mountain’s lush and forested plateau which is approximately 8 km long by 5 km wide and now sits 600 metres above sea level.
The many attractions of the Mount Tamborine area and its picturesque villages include craft and antique shops, cafes and restaurants and numerous galleries which attract thousands of tourists every season.
The area is also known for its award-winning wineries with many offering tours, free tastings and affordable meals in beautiful surroundings. If you enjoy walking, nine National Parks within the region await you. Shady walking tracks lead through stunning subtropical rainforest and past breathtaking waterfalls, natural swimming holes and rock pools. Sun dappled picnic and BBQ areas pepper the way and spectacular lookouts offer stunning views towards the ocean as well as to the West over the hinterland.
The Rainforest Discovery Skywalk is the latest Tamborine Mountain attraction and was completed in early 2009. Set on 30 acres of magnificent rainforest and alongside a tumbling creek, the Skywalk consists of an eco walking trail that leads to a 40m-long platform set 30m above the rainforest canopy. A short drive away, another popular attraction are the Glow-worm Caves that offer guided underground sightseeing tours through two spectacular man made caves filled with thousands of glow worms.
The rich volcanic soil of the area supports a diversity of horticulture which can be enjoyed on nature walks as well as by visiting the local Botanic Gardens. The bounty of many residents’ gardens is also on display at several roadside stalls that abound with kiwi fruit, rhubarb, avocados and macadamia nuts quaintly displayed around an ‘Honesty Box’.
This small plateau also thrives with animal and bird life. Platypus, green tree frogs, scrub turkeys, wallabies and koalas form part of the Mountain’s varied range of wildlife and in the morning, the calls of lorikeets, kookaburras and lyrebirds can be heard.
The state of Queensland is known as Australia’s ‘Sunshine State’. On Tamborine Mountain, you can enjoy abundant sunshine year-round but without the heat and humidity that the more northerly parts of Queensland often endure.
The beaches, shopping malls, theme parks and many other Gold Coast attractions are a comfortable 40-minute drive from Mount Tamborine while Brisbane is one hour away, making the Mountain the ideal ‘base-camp’ location from which to explore south-east Queensland.
The nearest international airport is Brisbane, however national travellers often land at Coolangatta (Gold Coast) airport, a mere 45-minute drive from Tamborine Mountain.
Whether you are parents-to-be seeking a tranquil Babymoon destination, a newly engaged couple looking for that perfect Honeymoon location or if you are simply looking for the best Tamborine cabins you will delight in the serene privacy of Mount Tamborine’s Witches Falls Cottages.
Witches Falls Cottages offer an idyllic retreat to nature and consist of private cottages tucked away along rainforest pathways in one of Tamborine Mountain’s and perhaps even Australia’s most secluded and peaceful locations.
Gay Travel To Sydney – Excitement For All
Sydney is one of the world’s favorite cities. Set on a stunning harbor the shopping and dining variety are superb and you are within easy access of the great outdoors. Sydney was voted by the readers of Conde Naste in 2008. Sydney is a gay friendly city and its wide range of attractions encourages gay travel to this part of Australia.
The Gay and Lesbian community is very active in the city. But the most famous event is the annual Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. This is party central and the event has general popular appeal. Many non homosexual Sydneysiders stand along the parade route to enjoy the fun atmosphere.
The beaches are endless and the best time to be here is from October to March, the Australian summer period. North Bondi is always a classic, but if you want to find a nude beach there are four in easy reach of the city center. If you are a little more energetic you can make the 30 minute walk from Bronte to Bondi to enjoy the coast.
Food and cafes are a way of life here. The range of cuisine is immense and you will be able to find an option that suits your budget. One of the highlights of Sydney must be sitting in the sun at a cafe on the harbor and watching the people and boats go by.
The main gay district of Sydney is centered around Oxford Street; affectionately know as the pink stip. Here there are many gay friendly bars and clubs and a wide range of shopping opportunities from start up designers to the much more high end range of shopping options.
Gay travel to Sydney, Australia should be on your list of travel destinations. Whether you want to attend the Mardi Gras, or sample some of the food or beaches the options are endless. Sydney is also a great starting place to explore the rest of the vast continent of Australia.
While you are in Australia, nose around some of the other spots. You will find Queensland to be gay friendly, as well as a delightful, alternative getaway. Plus, you’ll find gay resorts in Queensland as well.