The Best Holiday Locations in Australia
Great Australian Cities, Sandy Beaches and Outback Adventures
Oct 13, 2009
In a country of great contrasts, there’s much to see and do; from coastal drives, to stunning train rides, roller coasters, outback landscapes and wineries, Australia offers something for all travel tastes. The biggest problem for most travellers is choosing what to see; hopefully this list will help narrow the choices.
Drive the Great Ocean Road
Great scenic coastline is a draw the world-over, but few stretches can compare to southern Victoria’s Great Ocean Road. Lofty cliff faces, stunning rock formations, beautiful rain forests and some of the most spectacular golden sand beaches make this driving trip visually unforgettable. The Road stretches for about 240 km’s (150 miles), but is worth more than a single day trip since there are many scenic spots worth a stop: the Twelve Apostles, the London Arch and the Grotto to name a few. Car hire or a bus tour is therefore the best way to experience this amazing route.
Experience the Outback at Uluru
Formerly known as Ayers Rock, Uluru is a large, single sandstone rock formation over 9 kilometres in circumference. This spectacular natural icon sits in the dead centre of Australia, 4 hours from the nearest large town Alice Springs. This distance from civilisation may limit Uluru’s accessibility, but there is a major resort nearby built to facilitate visitors to the rock, so this could be the best way to experience the outback as a short (or longer) holiday. Uluru is best seen in the evening hours when it miraculously appears to glow red, and at different times of the year, at various hours it appears to even change colour. The vast desert surrounding Uluru, with another famous rock formation the Olgas, located just to the south, make this a great way to get to know the real Aussie outback.
Wine Tasting in South Australia
The Barossa Valley, only an hour north of Adelaide, is world-renowned for its Shiraz-style of wine, a heavy, juicy red grape that has made brands like Penfolds, Jacobs Creek and Wolf Blass famous. With dozens of major and boutique wineries in the region, the sweeping green vines of the Valley are an iconic image of the area. The Barossa Valley is a wine lover’s heaven and probably the biggest tourist draw in South Australia. An hour south of Adelaide McLaren Vale, a smaller but more boutique wine region, offers visitors a chance to try many different wine styles in a compact and accessible area of scenic wineries. Tours are plentiful running from Adelaide, but hiring a car and staying in the region is definitely recommended.
Sightseeing in Sydney and Melbourne
Australia’s two largest cities offer many great sights and events, along with a laid-back cosmopolitan lifestyle and a thrilling nightlife. There's much to see and do in Sydney, where visitors can drink and dine in style, after a day of lazing on the beaches of Bondi and Manly; perhaps the most perfect city-based beaches in the world. Climb the Harbour Bridge, see the Opera House and visit the amazing Sydney Aquarium to top off a busy few days. Melbourne is a more artful city, with brilliant galleries, festivals and, paradoxically, a slight obsession with sport – see an Aussie Rules match in winter or Tennis, Cricket, Horse Racing or Grand Prix in summer.
Snorkelling at the Great Barrier Reef
The world’s largest coral reef is located off the pristine coastline of Queensland, and is a very popular place to swim, snorkel and scuba dive. Great cruises offer unsurpassed scenic beauty, and the chance to witness an amazing array of marine life; humpback whales, sea turtles, porpoises, dugongs and dolphins. With many tropical islands in the region, this a great place for a relaxing getaway.
Tropical Beaches and Roller Coasters on the Gold Coast
Further south of the Great Barrier Reef, the area known as the Gold Coast offers a tourist oriented tropical experience. Less than an hour south of Brisbane, Surfers Paradise at the Gold Coast offers more great golden beaches, suitable for relaxing and sunbaking. Also close to Brisbane, Australia’s best concentration of theme parks sits clustered together. Most notably is Steve Irwin’s Australia Zoo, along with Warner Brother’s Movie World, Sea World and the roller coaster frenzy of Dreamworld to top things off.
Epic Train Journeys through the Desert
The vast epic hinterlands of central Australia are a drawcard for many visitors to the country. The Ghan runs from central southern Australia at Adelaide to central northern Australia at Darwin, e.g. right through the middle, taking visitors through the stark and amazing desert scenery and harsh bushlands that makes this country famous. Just as thrilling is the journey from Adelaide, through the Nullabor Plain to Perth, on the great Indian Pacific Train, where the vastness of the outback will compete with the vast snowfields of Alaska for its stark, philosophically inducing spaces.
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