Australia, the country often referred to as ‘the land down under’, has much to offer the visitor. It has all the ‘mod cons’ and safety that one associates with travelling in the western world, while offering a uniqueness that you won’t find anywhere else: breathtaking beaches, loads of natural beauty, cultural diversity, strange and wonderful animals and friendly people with a wry sense of humor. It is a long way to travel, but well worth the trip.
Australia’s beaches, it can be argued, are the best in the world. They are beautiful with literally miles upon miles of white sand met by clean, clear aqua water. Many of the northern coastlines are joined by rainforest, making for stunning scenery. Aside from inner city beaches such as Bondi Beach in Sydney, it would not be unusual to have the beach to yourself, a rare treat to be savored. These gorgeous beaches are typically near a charming little beachside village where life seems to have wound back fifty years and no one seems to be in too much of a hurry; cafes serving coffees and baked sweet treats, trendy boutiques selling versions of Australia’s latest fashions and restaurants serving delicious local fare line the streets of these enchanting small towns.
Not all of the thousands of miles of coastline are white sand beaches, though much of it is. Some of the coast is made up of dramatic cliffs that drop away to pounding surf; not as good for a swim or a sun bake, but stunning to look at. One may wonder how these cliffs happened as they look like such an anomaly.
Off of the north-eastern coast of the country is the world’s largest reef: the Great Barrier Reef. Within the reef one will find giant sea turtles, thousands of varieties of fish and coral, reef sharks, giant clams, sting rays, sea cucumbers, urchins and anemones and other sea creatures that certainly must have names, but generally only marine biologists know them. It is said that global warming, pollution and irresponsible tourism is destroying the reef, so go see it (responsibly) while it is still there.
Apart from the beautiful beaches, Australia has mountains covered with gum trees, streams and waterfalls, rainforests thick with foliage and animal life and desert that stretches as far as the eye can see. Living within these diverse landscapes are animals that many of us have only ever read about: kangaroos, wombats, koalas and wallabies. If you aren’t lucky enough to see these animals in the wild, all major cities and some smaller towns have animal reserves where you can cuddle a koala, pat a kangaroo and gaze at the woolly wombat. The variety, colors and sounds of the birds defies belief; the laughter of the kookaburra, the rainbow of the lorikeet, the screech of the cockatoo and carrying-on of the pink and grey galahs are wonderful to behold.
With all these mountains, rainforests and deserts to explore, one really needs to strap on his or her hiking boots and get out there and see them from the ground. Australia has loads of hiking trails for all fitness levels, through all sorts of terrain. Maps of walking trails are either available at the information centers located in most Aussie towns or many are available online. Either way, do yourself a favor and do some ‘bush walking’ while in Australia. You’ll see more this way than you could ever hope doing a drive by in a vehicle.
Australia is an enormous country, nearly the same size as the continental USA. Unlike the US, Australia has a small population of just over 20 million, so there is so much space that is uninhabited by people. This has a fantastic effect on the psyche, particularly if you are visiting from a populated country where everywhere you turn there are people in your face.
The climate in parts of inland Australia makes for perfect wine growing regions. The zesty, citrusy Semillon of the Hunter Valley is world renowned, as is the richly flavored Shiraz grown in this region. The area is fantastic to visit. With over 150 wineries within about 12 mile radius of each other, one could spend days or even weeks visiting them all and trying to pick a favorite wine. Many of the vineyards do not charge for wine tasting, so assuming you don’t buy too many bottles, a day spent touring can be rather inexpensive. The Hunter Valley isn’t the only region in Australia with good wine: Barossa Valley, Yarra Valley and McLaren Vale are also known for producing some tasty vintages.
With all this natural beauty to appreciate, you’re going to need good weather to get out amongst it and I’m happy to report that Australia has plenty of this. From Brisbane northwards the weather is almost nearly guaranteed to be sunny for most of the year. Even a Melbourne winter day, the city known to have the worst weather in the country, is nothing when compared to your average European or North American winter weather.
In addition to natural beauty and good wine, Australia has some fantastic cities. Sydney is beautiful with so much to explore; Brisbane is set on the Brisbane River and despite being a large city, still manages to retain its small town feel; Melbourne has more nice restaurants and cafes than one could ever hope to visit; and Perth was recently ranked number five in the Economists’ most livable cities.
Within all these cities, vineyards and small towns, you will find friendly Australians willing to strike up a conversation with anyone. There is a casual warmth about Aussies that makes visiting the country a pleasure. They won’t pry, but they’ll be happy to hear whatever story you’re willing to tell and chances are they’ll share a few of their own. Cultural diversity is a part of the country and part of its heritage; everyone here, except the Aboriginal Australians, originally came from somewhere else. There are new immigrants constantly arriving on Australia’s shores, as well as many overseas students and tourist coming to appreciate what the country has to offer.
Australia is a really fantastic country to visit. The natural beauty is staggering, the beaches nearly deserted and lovely, the wine tasty and the people friendly. Who could ask for anything more from a holiday destination?
by: Tabatha Smith
