Alice Springs is the little, desert town located bang in the center of great, big Australia. It’s more-or-less half way between Adelaide to the south and Darwin to the north, making it an ideal travel destination to break the long journey in either direction. Alice Springs draws travellers from all over the world as a base to explore the beautiful red centre. The nearby sites include Alice Springs Desert Park, Simpsons Gap, Standley Chasm, Larapinta Trail, the Flying Doctor Service and further afield, Uluru and Kings Canyon.

Today, on the 10 July, Alice Springs is celebrating the 40th anniversary of the annual ‘Camel Racing Cup’ which draws town folks and tourists from all over to watch the spectacle and have a lot of fun! The first Camel Race was run in 1970 in the dry Todd River Bed as a bet between two mates, Noel Fullerton and Keith Mooney-Smith. Since then, the race is held annually including a festival atmosphere with stalls, entertainers, rides, food and drink stalls, live music and Camel Cup souvenirs. No Australian race would be without ‘Fashions on the Field’ and this is distinctly ‘central Australian’ in flavour.

A Town like Mparntwe: A Guide to the Dreaming Tracks and Sites of Alice Springs

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One Great Reason to Visit Alice Springs

One great reason to visit this travel destination during July is to witness the camel racing spectacle which draws people in from all over.

Camel Cup, Alice Springs, Australia

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Dolphins at Seaworld

The Gold Coast, with a 35km strip of golden beaches, is situated on the east coast of Australia in the southern region of Queensland and almost bordering New South Wales. It’s not my choice travel destination but during May we had a short family holiday there to spoil the children with a visit to the theme parks. Why I say it’s not my choice destination is largely for the commercialism. It would have to be the most commercialised areas in Australia, with towering hotels and apartment blocks lining the coast for miles. I would hope readers of my blog would recognise that I prefer remote landscapes and towns steeped in history and culture.

It was Mother’s Day and we left a chilly Melbourne on a 6.30am flight, to arrive at Coolangatta to a beautiful, mild morning and off came the jumpers! The hire car was organised and off we went. We enjoyed a Mother’s Day brunch at nearby Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary before we spent the rest of the day exploring the sanctuary.

The week on the Gold Coast was then filled with three days at each of the following theme parks: Seaworld, Movie World and Wet ‘n’ Wild. The children had a fabulous time. I think their favourite was Wet ‘n’ Wild. I was the ‘bag lady’ and happy to sun myself in the glorious 28C Autumn sun!

Sunset from Marina Mirage

My choice day was a trip out to Mt Warning, the highest easterly peak where day break is first enjoyed. The rainforest of the lower slopes are beautiful and full of plant-life we don’t see in the southern states. We continued to travel south through the rolling hills of the hinterland and crossed the border into New South Wales to visit Nimbin, the hippy capital of Australia. The children’s eyes were wide here! We headed back to the coast with a brief stop at the Byron Bay lighthouse (the most easterly point of mainland Australia) and returned to Currumbin by night fall.

The week was made complete by meeting face-to-face one of my favourite, fellow Aussie bloggers, Linda, and the creator of ‘Journey Jottings‘. We met at the Marina Mirage and exchanged many travel tales over coffee as the sun set.

Lonely Planet Queensland

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One Great Reason to Visit the Gold Goast

One great reason to visit this travel destination is for the expanse of golden beaches as far as they eye can see. Oh, and it’s Queensland “Beautiful One Day, Perfect The Next”!

Gold Coast Tourism Travel Video

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Typical Architecture

Dinner Plain is a town located on the Great Alpine Road in the high plains of Victoria, Australia. It is 389 km kilometres NW of Melbourne. Julie Wilson shares with Travel Tips Plus what attracts her to Dinner Plain.

This unique architecturally designed village, nestled amongst the snow gums, has a population of around 90 people and has over 200 lodges and chalets for tourists, making it a welcoming travel destination. The tradition of hospitality at Dinner Plain goes back well over a century, when mountain cattlemen first discovered this beautiful stretch of countryside as an ideal place to relax, eat up a meal and graze their cattle.

Visitors come all year round to enjoy the high plains life. In winter the village is a excellent base for cross–country and downhill skiing in winter. The gentle slopes are great for beginner skiing and are ideal for nordic skiing. There are 16 kilometres of trails around Dinner Plain. Shuttle buses ferry people to Mount Hotham for downhill skiing.

In summer, cycling and hiking are great attractions. The ski trail between Mount Hotham and Dinner Plain provides an excellent easy-grade walking tracks, and the architecture of the village and alpine wildflowers are a great attraction.

JB Hut

There are also key events throughout the year. My favourite events are:

Geebung Polo on Easter Sunday
Come and watch the exhibition of horsemanship and polo skills at Horsehair Plain. See the High Country cattlemen of the ‘Geebung‘ team take on the city slicker ‘Cuff n Collar’ team. The day starts with the announcer reciting Banjo Patterson’s famous poem “The Geebung Polo Club”, after which the event is named.

Cross Country Pub to Pub Race in August
The Annual Cross Country “Pub to Pub” takes place in early August. This 14 km race from the General Store in Mount Hotham to Dinner Plain Hotel is an event for skiers of all ages and abilities, and you’re likely to see first year skiers lining up with Australian champions.

Sled Dog Challenge
This annual event showcases the top dogs of sled dog racing in Australia and is the only Australian snow-based race of its kind. This race is held over an August weekend with 2, 3, 4 and 6 dog teams competing. Over 65 Mushers (dog team drivers) and more than 350 sled dogs are expected to compete in this year’s event.

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One Great Reason to Visit

One great reason to visit this travel destination is To see the Dinner Plain architecture ~ All buildings in the village are designed in an Australian alpine style based on early mountain cattlemen’s huts. Corrugated iron, timber and stone are used for the external walls, with pitched iron roofs. Buildings are limited to the height of the existing trees.

Dinner Plain- Mt Hotham, Australia

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This post is a continuation of the earlier Post ‘7 Things To Do In Marvellous Melbourne‘ and if you happen to be in Melbourne for the current Moomba Festival you may be contemplating a visit to some of the outlying travel destinations of Melbourne. Here are my top 7 travel tips for sites to visit just out of my home city, Melbourne. They are in no particular order and of course there are numerous other sites and maybe you can add a comment below with a mention of your favourite spot!

Fairy Penguins on Phillip Island

1. Phillip Island

Only a 1.5 hour drive from Melbourne is the small island at the entrance of Western Port Bay, known as Phillip Island. A very popular destination for both local, national and international visitors. Its main attractions include the variety of coastal beaches from sheltered bays facing the Bay, to Cape Woolamai that lures the surfers for the waves off Bass Strait. Other attractions include the Penguin Parade, the Nobbies, Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, A Maze’n  Things, Phillip Island Nature Park – Koala Conservation Centre and a must stop is the divine Phillip Island Chocolate Factory. The chocolate here is sensational and the business is booming!

2. The Dandenongs

The Dandenong Ranges are located east of Melbourne and are literally on the backdoor step of my home. It takes me no more than 15mins to arrive by car to the top at SkyHigh Mount Dandenong Observatory. Here you are presented with a fabulous view of Melbourne and on a clear evening the drive up for sunset is a must. There are many terrific attractions within the hills. Some of my favourites include Puffing Billy, Cloudehill Nursery, William Rickett’s Sanctuary, Alfred Nicholas Gardens, Olinda Township and breakfast at ‘Ranges Cafe’ is a nice treat. Further reading can be seen here for a recent guest post I did for ‘Velvet Escape‘.

3. Sorrento to Queenscliff Ferry Trip

From Melbourne you can travel either east or west around Port Phillip Bay and arrive to either Sorrento or Queenscliff. Both towns offer a terrific range of classy cafes, restaurants and boutique shops. Enjoy a lunch, take in the sites of the towns and finally, jump aboard the ferry to cross to the other town. Depending on whether you decide to travel as a foot passenger or take the car, you can explore that town, enjoy a coffee before continuing your drive back to Melbourne or take a return ferry back to the originating town. There is also a good chance you can enjoy watching dolphins swimming and racing the ferry.

Werribee Zoo

4. Werribee Open Range Zoo

Just a 30mins drive from Melbourne you can experience a taste of Africa at the Werribee Open Range Zoo. Take a walking tour and the 45mins tour in a safari bus out across the zoo’s plains and see rhinos, zebras, giraffes, antelopes, lions, monkeys, cheetahs and many other species of African animals.

5. Torquay Surf Beach

Torquay is the surfing hub of Australia. It also hosts the famous and world’s longest-running surfing competition during the Easter period, the Rip Curl Pro Surf & Music Festival. An easy drive from Melbourne with the Princes Freeway now bypassing Geelong and the region has plenty of other attractions on offer.

6. The Yarra Valley

Sunset over the covered vinyard at 'Wild Cattle Creek'

A little further from Melbourne but only a 20mins drive from my home is the famous Yarra Valley wine region. Unfortunately, a number of wineries were affected by the horrendous bushfires of 7 February 2009. As I am a keen wine drinker and love doing the winery-thing, I couldn’t go past celebrating our marriage during March 2008 at the lovely ‘Wild Cattle Creek Winery‘.  In fact it’s our second wedding anniversary today! Together with numerous first class wineries, the area also has much to offer in the small townships of Yarra Glen, Healesville and Warburton.

7. Sovereign Hill

A little further afield and located in Ballarat, the heart of the historic gold mining region, is ‘Soverign Hill’. A terrific reproduction of a 1950′s gold-field town of the area and presented as an open air museum on a large 25 hectare site. Sovereign Hill has more than 60 historic buildings, people are in costume of the era and plenty of activities to entertain everyone. Pan for gold, have your portrait taken in costume, take a horse and carriage ride, a guided tour of the mines and more. The evening sound and light show ‘Blood on the Southern Cross’ is extremely popular and depicts the Eureka Stockade.

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Sovereign Hill, Ballarat

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Twelves Apostles

The Great Ocean Road is one of Australia’s most popular travel destinations luring both national and international visitors to the south-western coast of the state of Victoria. I decided to spend my recent summer holiday exploring the region with my family. I will admit, I was a little apprehensive after my husband booked the holiday because I’d been to the area on three previous occasions and experienced miserable weather with horizontal rain! Not the best conditions for sightseeing.

A couple of days after Christmas we had the car and trailer packed with all our camping gear and set off early for the seven hour drive from Melbourne to the Great Ocean Road which is signified by a memorial arch just before you arrive in Lorne. The arch commemorates the returned service men that commenced building the road during 1918, and on to our destination, Warrnambool.

The Arch

During our 10 day holiday (my 10 day ‘digital-detox’) we enjoyed the beach at Warrnambool, a day trip to the ‘Shipwreck’ coast taking in the 12 Apostles, The Arch, London Bridge, Bay of Martyrs, Bay of Islands and Port Campbell. Helicopter flights over the coast seemed very popular with as many helicopters as flies!

A lovely day trip was also taken to the nearby historic township of Port Fairy where the children enjoyed a camel ride and I drooled over the historic cottages by the old inland port. From Port Fairy we visited ‘Tower Hill State Game Reserve‘ which is based around an extinct volcanic crater, so makes for some interesting landscapes and plenty of wildlife can be seen including emus, kangaroos and koalas. We were very impressed with the Worn Gundidj Visitor Centre. Its design blended beautifully with the landscape and is very well hidden within the crater.

Kirsty enjoying her digital-detox!

One of the highlights of our stay at Warrnambool was the ‘Shipwreck Sound and Light Show‘ at the Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village. The spectacular laser show depicts the voyage of the ill-fated Loch Ard ship bound for Melbourne from England during 1878 and was wrecked on the reefs near Port Campbell. There were only two survivors which is miraculous in itself when you see the size of the cliffs they would have been confronted with. The Loch Ard Cemetery is located near Loch Ard Gorge and named after the wreck.

Our holiday ended with a superb meal at Simons Waterfront Restaurant. The restaurant is situated right on the foreshore of Lady Bay with a lovely view over the water to sit back and enjoy the sunset. We all enjoyed our summer, family holiday but for me, the digital-detox was very necessary and a chance to enjoy the 3D world!

Australia’s Great Ocean Road: Walks, Beaches, Heritage, Towns, Ecology and Sustainable Tourism: The Complete Guide to Southwest Victoria

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One Great Reason to Visit the Great Ocean Road

One great reason to visit this travel destination is for the spectacular coast line that can be viewed via the scenic drive through coastal towns, national parks and open, salt-bush, cliff tops.

Great Ocean Road, Victoria, Australia

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View from Mt Oberon

Wilsons Promontory or more fondly known as ‘The Prom’ is the most southerly tip of mainland Australia. It has been one of my favourite camping spots for many years, offering bushwalking, wildlife viewing, swimming in the clear waters and general relaxation in the protected National Park.

Wilsons Promontory National Park was one of the first national parks declared in Victoria, more than 100 years ago, and is an icon of the park system and draws visitors from all over to this travel destination.

Development within the park has been minimal and it was only recently that a major objection was fought to keep development and commercial tourism out of ‘The Prom’. The only facilities for camping are located at Tidal River camping ground. The park information centre, small supply shop and petrol station are also found here.

During the summer peak season camping is so popular that you not only have to book a site but enter a ballot system due to the demand. Unfortunately, there are times when you will miss out!

The special attractions include Tidal River, a hike to Squeaky Beach, Whisky Bay, a 20km return hike to Sealers Cove (the only access is by foot) and Lilly Pilly Gully. It is a bushwalker’s delight.

The National Park offers the perfect opportunity for taking photographs of beautiful landscapes and wildlife you will encounter. You might like to take a look at Tony Page, professional photographer and writer and what he has on offer.

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One Great Reason to Visit

One great reason to visit this travel destination is to experience the sunset from the top of Mt Oberon looking over Tidal River and Norman Bay.

Gippsland, Victoria including Wilsons Promontory

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Medlands Beach

Great Barrier Island is located 90 km from Auckland on the east coast of New Zealand. Angela Pearse spent a weekend on the island courtesy of Tourism Auckland and Sealink ferries.

Visiting Great Barrier Island is like winding back the hands of time. The 800 or so islanders generate their electricity by wind, solar, battery or diesel power. There is no main water supply or street lighting. Mail is infrequent and supplies of fresh food such as bread and grocery items are shipped over on the ferry.

But it is this back-to-basics lifestyle and untouched natural landscape which makes Great Barrier Island such a special travel destination. On our trip we met some locals who are passionate about “The Barrier”.

In Port Fitzroy on the west side of the island, Sven Stellin extracts manuka and kanuka oil and makes products, such as mosquito spray, balms, soaps and essential oils. He gives visitors a first-hand look into the process of extraction and a chance to buy Barrier Gold products.

Also at Port Fitzroy is Glenfern Sanctuary run by Tony Bouzaid. Glenfern is a 150 acre reserve where endangered species such as the rare black petrel, brown teal duck and North Island Robins can live safely from predators. Tony’s guided walk takes you through the sanctuary, which has elevated boardwalks through native forest and a suspension bridge into a 600 year old kauri tree. A ride in Tony’s Unimog, a 4WD all terrain army vehicle, is included in the walk.

Solar Panel House

The largest settlement in Great Barrier Island is at Tryphena Harbour in the south west of the island where the ferry docks. It has a good selection of accommodation including:

There are eight camping grounds on Great Barrier Island, with some situated a short distance from pristine white sand beaches. Medlands Beach and neighbouring Okupu Bay on the east coast are particularly beautiful and it is not uncommon to see dolphins there in the warmer months.

Other top notch accommodations include Mt Saint Paul Lodge at Medlands Beach and Great Barrier Lodge at Whangaparapara Harbour on the west, which has self-contained cottages and backpacker cabins.

Currach Irish Pub, Mt Saint Paul Lodge and Great Barrier Lodge

Sealink ferries and Fly My Sky

You can reach ‘The Barrier’, as it is affectionately known, by a relaxing four and half hour Sealink ferry ride (with onboard café + two movie theatres) or a 35 minute chartered Fly My Sky flight from Auckland Domestic Airport.

New Zealand (Eyewitness Travel Guides)

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One Great Reason to Visit Great Barrier Island

One great reason to visit this travel destination is for the more than 100 kms of walking tracks. One of the most popular is Kaitoke Hot Springs. Reached by a gentle meandering bush walk, Kaitoke Hot Springs has a series of natural pools for bathing and is the perfect place to relax and unwind after a hard day of sight-seeing on the island.

Great Barrier Island

Great Barrier Island from Dave Woodard on Vimeo.

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View over Kaikoura

Kaikoura is located at the top of the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand. A small township with a population of only 3,000 people, it draws around 900,000 tourists a year because of resident giant sperm whales and up to seven other species of whale which come to feed in the deep waters off the coast.

Angela Pearse spent three days in Kaikoura and had her own up close and personal whale experience.

“Our first sperrrrrm whale coming up ladies and gentlemen!”, shouts Jim our onboard commentator, and general funny man, for the two and a half hour whale watching experience.

Up until now we’ve been motoring at a steady pace from shore but suddenly the boat shoots off, rocking alarmingly up and down on the two metre swell. When checking in with Whale Watch Kaikoura [www.whalewatch.co.nz] there was a sea-sickness warning but I came prepared with my ‘Ease the Quease’ pills which I dutifully took before even setting foot on the boat. I have a weak stomach at the best of times.

A fellow passenger lets the waves get the better of her and throws up gracefully into a complimentary paper bag. I’m sympathetic but with cries of “We’re chasing a whale, ladies and gentlemen,” from Jim, there’s no time to waste being sick.

We all pile over to starboard (“If you’re on the left, you’re on the wrrrronnng side”, drawls Jim). And wait and wait. The captain turns off the motor and we galoop up and down on the swelling sea. Nothing. The whale has already dived and is now feeding somewhere up to three kilometres beneath us. “It could be down there for up to two hours,” says Jim, “We lost that race. But not to worry, the captain is going to listen to see if there are any other whales around”. A handy whale listening device is hastily produced which looks like a long bendy bit of plastic tubing with a funnel duct-taped to the end. The captain listens intently to whale noises which apparently sound like trying to start your car with a flat battery.

Whale watching

We take off again. Jim tells us that all the whales in the area are male as the water is too cold for the breeding females. The females are all (rather cleverly, I think) in the Bahamas. Some of the whales which we will encounter, like Manu, are resident and stay in Kaikoura all year round.

Soon enough we see our first whale, blowing and snorting up ahead. “Our first encounter, ladies and gentlemen, fantastic!” says Jim voicing our enthusiasm for us. But it is thrilling to see a whale close up, it looks like a large floating black log. But we are only seeing the tip of the iceberg, the very top of the whale’s head, the rest of the huge mammal is submerged somewhere beneath the waves.

“We don’t know how long he’s been up, he could go at any minute”, says Jim cheerfully, making us grab for our cameras. No pressure, I think. Sure enough the whale lies there for a bit then arches its back taking a last breath. “Cameras ready people”, calls Jim, “He’s about to dive!”. Sure enough the whale ducks down and its tail flicks gracefully up into the air. You could have heard a pin drop (apart
from the clicking of cameras). We are hooked. We want more whales and Jim knows it. We set out on the hunt once again with all of us hanging on for dear life as the boat powers off.

The experienced crew seem easily able to spot the whales from a long distance, and in total we see five sperm whales. But on the way back into shore Jim says he has a surprise treat for us. A sixth whale, a rare Southern Right is in the area.

We all pile outside again as the boat plies patiently up and down the shoreline in search of the whale. “Over to starboard mate”, says one of the crew. After a few seconds a black hump and a tell-tale waterspout emerges on the slate grey horizon. “This whale’s behaviour is slightly different”, Jim tells us. True enough, it doesn’t lie on top of the sea and flick its tail but duck dives smoothly beside the boat as we putt alongside like its anxious child.

We gaze in mesmerised awe until Jim says it’s time to leave the whale to continue feeding. Though I doubt any whales had actually stopped feeding for a minute because of our presence. They probably
never even noticed we were there.

Jim plays us a series of videos on the trip back to shore which show typical whale behaviour, such as tail thumping and jaw clacking. In one of them called ‘The Encounter’ a determined whale tries to make contact with the boat. On second thoughts, I consider, perhaps it is best to leave them feeding in peace.

The Complete Whale-Watching Handbook: A Guide to Whales, Dolphins, and Porpoises of the World

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One Great Reason to Visit Kaikoura

One great reason to visit this travel destination is for an up close and personal experience with majestic sperm whales.

Magic of Kaikoura

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Freycinet National Park

Freycinet National Park is situated on the Freycinet Peninsula on the eastern coast of Tasmania. The bush surrounds, pink granite mountains known as the ‘Hazards’, coastal dunes and the pristine beach of Wineglass Bay make the area a mecca for bushwalking, fishing, boating, sea kayaking and rock climbing. Wineglass Bay, as you can see from the photo to the right, is a picture postcard travel destination.

The nearby town of Coles Bay is the gateway to Freycinet National Park and is approximately a 2.5 hour drive from Hobart and Launceston. On the road into Coles Bay a stop at Moulting Lagoon Game Reserve to see the breeding ground for black swans and wild ducks is a must.

The Rough Guide to Tasmania

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One Great Reason to Visit Freycinet National Park

One great reason to visit Freycinet National Park is for the bushwalking through the Australian bush to the pristine beach of Wineglass Bay.

Freycinet – Tasmania

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Parliament House

Canberra is the political capital of Australia and located in the Australian Capital Territory. It was a purpose built city by US architects Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahoney Griffin. They were announced the winners of a competition to design the national capital during 1912. Canberra is well planned and demonstrates modern orderliness.

Some of the great sites to visit in Canberra include the grass topped Parliament House on Capital Hill, War Memorial, National Gallery of Australia, Lake Burley Griffin, National Botanic Garden, Old Parliament House, National Film & Sound Archive and the Australian Institute of Sport. If you have access to wheels there’s also some great places to visit just out of Canberra.

A terrific time to visit Canberra is during September and October – early Spring. For a period of 4 weeks, Canberra becomes Australia’s drawcard to celebrate the arrival of Spring with the Floriade Festival.

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One Great Reason to Visit Canberra

One great reason to visit Canberra during September and October is to marvel at the display of Spring flowers at the Floriade Festival.

Floriade – Australia’s Celebration of Spring

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