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Top 5 Australian Winter Sun Holiday Destinations

April 6th, 2009 1 comment

Over the past few years, travelling has gotten more and more advanced. You book your flights online. You choose your destinations from the thousands available. More and more people are now looking for unusual destinations because travelling to far off places isn’t the hard part anymore. Also, many tourists like to travel to places which aren’t the usual travelling destinations. On an average Europe, Americas, Caribbean and Mediterranean are the tourist hotspots, but now tourists love to venture to far off destinations.

Australia is one such destination that if you are a tourist searching the perfect vacation destination, then Australia is the just right country for you. Just keep in mind that if you’re headed to Melbourne, Sydney or Perth, it’ll be winters. If you think that Australia has much less to tender than the other continents, you must go there and look at it yourself. Queenland’s Gold Coast will spoil you totally.

The Gold Coast has beaches with five star hotels, beach side apartments, miles and miles of the blossoming green golf courses. With warmth ranging from 9-21 degrees, even the meekly nippy weather won’t be capable to keep you in for long. Popularly known as Australia’s favourite playground, the Gold Coast would be far from a disappointment.

Darwin, perched on a peninsula, is another spectacular destination. It’s the capital of the Northern Territory. If you’re in mood for some adventures, then book your flight right now. Darwin has a large harbour, twice the size of Sydney. Crocodiles, snakes and the trademark red earth are all there in surroundings of Australia. This would be your time to check out the iconic natural wonders of the great country.

If you are a history fan, then you can check out Darwin’s World War II history at the conserved sites including the ammunition bunkers, oil tunnels and air strips.

Cairns is a winter sun playground in the far north of Queensland. Full of different tours, activities and attractions, Cairns is one place you’ll never get bored of. Just like the typical north Queensland, Cairns has a balmy temperature and low rainfall. Your tour to Cairns will not be complete without a tour to the Great Barrier Reef or the Daintree Rainforest.

The Whitney Islands are a group of 74 lush green islands. The temperature hovers between 17 -26 degrees even in winters. The 10 deluxe resorts on eight of its islands, Whitney Islands will not let the tourists get bored. You can spend your day doing water sports or scuba diving, or better yet, go for a hike in Whitney’s deep and lush forests.

The climate of Broome does not feature summer or winter. It’s simple there, either wet season or the dry season. While in Broome, don’t forget to explore the amazing Kimberly Region, Mitchell Falls, and the Bungle Bungles, which are just some of the highlights of the great Western Australia. If you’re in Broome, a must-see sight is the Staircase to the Moon. On a cloudless night, you can see the reflection of the moon in the mud flats which makes it look like a stairway.

A Few Great Tips For When You Visit Alice Springs

February 5th, 2009 No comments

This interesting outback city is surrounded by a surprising number of locations of interest. It’s the second biggest city in the Northern Territory, with about 25,000 people, and is located about 1,500 km from Darwin, and about 300 km north of the South Australian border.

This city has often been called the center of Australia, and is a popular tourist spot for people wanting to explore Ayers Rock (Uluru), the MacDonnell Ranges, and the Olgas (Kata Tjuta). There are many other attractions available here, as well.

Alice Springs came into being as a vital link in the Overland Telegraph Line. It later became a major railhead in the Northern Territory, with goods passing through the city on their long journey to other destinations.

Located about 600 m above sea level, Alice Springs is on the Todd River, a dry bed that contains water only after a heavy rain. This river rises in the MacDonnel Ranges and flows through the rich alluvial plain where Alice Springs is located, then disappears about 300 km south in the Simpson Desert.

The springs themselves are located northeast of the city, and were discovered in 1871, while the Overland Telegraph was being built. The Springs were named after Alice Todd, who was the wife of Sir Charles Todd, the namesake of the Todd River, and the driving force behind the telegraph’s creation.

Of course, these weren’t the first settlers of Alice Springs. There have been 5 generations of Europeans there, but over 500 generations of Aborigines. A number of the attractions in this area are related to that ancient culture, in addition to those related to the area’s more recent history.

Anzac Hill is an excellent place to start looking at what Alice Springs has to offer, showing visitors a three hundred and sixty degree panorama and a great view of the city. If you continue east from there, you’ll also see the bed of the Todd.

History lovers should check out Adelaide House, which was the city’s first hospital and has a number of interesting architectural features, like 45 cm thick walls and an intriguing cooling system. Nearby is the famous radio hut, featuring the first pedal wireless radio and the site of Australia’s first field radio telegram transmission.

The Old Stuart Gaol is the oldest building in the city, and it’s desert oak lintels and local stone make it a lasting structure. The railway station offers a number of railway cottages that used to house workers, and Wild Dog Rock (Gnoilya Tmerga), a stone associated with Aboriginal legend, is located nearby.

You can also see the Henley-on-Todd regatta every August – a race along the dry river bed, and the Bangtail Muster in May – a parade with humorous floats. More rail history is available at the Ghan Preservation Society museum, which features a tea room and souvenir shop.

At the Pitchi Richi Sanctuary, collected machinery, clay sculpture, and native animals mingle, and a few kilometers away is Emily Gorge. For those who love nature, Simpson’s Gap National Park, the Chambers Pillar Historical Reserve, the Henbury Meteorite Conservation Park, and the Ewaninga Rock Carvings Reserve may be points of interest.

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