World Heritage Fraser Island/Australia

World Heritage-listed Fraser Island is the world’s largest sand island and is a mecca for four-wheel-driving enthusiasts from across the globe. Seventy-Five Mile Beach is a gazetted highway that runs up the surf side of the island and provides access to the townships of Eurong, Dilli Village, Happy Valley, Orchid Beach and Cathedral Beach.

More than 1500km of sand tracks crisscross the island taking you to some of the best natural attractions Australia has to offer including Lake McKenzie – a fresh water lake perched high in the sand dunes.  We urge visitors to spend a few days exploring the beautiful freshwater lakes and creeks, ancient rainforests, massive sand blows and coloured sands.

Seventy-Five Mile Beach also provides some of the best beach fishing.  But don’t take our word for it…

• TNT Australia Magazine has compiled their top Aussie islands – including Fraser Island at the top of the list – in the May 6-19 issue of their popular travel magazine. (May 2013).
• Fraser Island, jutting off the east coast of Queensland, has been voted number 1 in UK newspaper The Telegraph’s travel section poll on Favourite Australian Island Escapes (April 2013).
• Fraser Island’s 75 Mile Beach is one of the ten best in Australia according to a new book – 101 Best Australian Beaches (November 2012). The author’s picked Fraser’s popular eastern beach as one of their ‘favourites’ writing: “This long beach on Queensland’s Fraser Island boasts ancient coloured dunes, bubbling freshwater springs, pristine lakes, and rainforest filled with wildlife. An astonishing 354 species of birds have been seen on the island, while the surrounding waters are home to dolphins, whales, dugongs, turtles and huge rays.”
• TNT Magazine has just named Fraser Island in their ‘sexy’ Top Ten Australian Islands (October 2012).
• American travel website CNNGo has named Hervey Bay as the World’s ‘Best Humpback Whale Watching’ destination. (September 2012).
• National Geographic has recently named Fraser Island as one of the World’s Best Beaches saying “World Heritage-listed Fraser was an “ecologist’s dream”. The Queensland sand island was the only Australian location to make the 2012 list. (June 2012).
• Australian Geographic listed Hervey Bay in the top ten places to Whale Watch in Australia and The Courier Mail named Fraser Island as one of the top ten best getaway drives in South East Queensland (June 2012).
• The Daily Times (UK) named Fraser Island’s eastern beach in their list of the world’s STRANGEST beaches… rainforest growing in sand; swimming in fresh water on an ocean beach; it’s a gazetted highway; it’s a landing strip for planes… we call that pretty awesome! (June 2012).
• Lonely Planet named Fraser Island in their Top Five Treasured Australian Islands (May 2012).
• Discovery’s Travel Channel has previously listed Fraser Island as the World’s Best Beach chosen through consultation with Travel Channel and experts from the US’ leading travel publications including Islands and Travel & Leisure magazines.
• Australian Traveller Magazine rated Fraser Island at number 9 in the list of 100 things to do before you die.
• American business magazine Forbes listed Fraser one of the World’s Sexiest Islands, and the only Australian island to make the list. The list says Fraser Island’s “enormous sand dunes provide plenty of space and privacy for frolicking on the beach” and it names Kingfisher Bay Resort as the place to stay.
• PLUS in 2006 Conde Nast Traveller readers voted Fraser Island into the Top 10 Pacific Islands and previously have voted it to be one of the World’s Top 10 Tropical Islands for three years running.

Daintree rain forest national park/Australia

The Daintree Rainforest itself boasts an incredibly biodiverse landscape with a large concentration of animal and plant species that can’t be found anywhere else in the world. It is also one of the oldest rainforests on the planet.

It covers 1,200 km squared, and is one of the finest examples of Mother Nature in the world, let alone in Australia. Situated in Northern Queensland, it gained its national park status back in the early 1980s and forms a vitally important part of the Wet Tropics of Queensland. A few years after opening it was awarded World Heritage status and remains to this day a ground to showcase Australia’s most picturesque landscapes and most beautiful flora and fauna.

For the most part, the park is covered by tropical rainforest, which has been alive for more than 110 million years.

It is thought the forest was created via a fortuitous continental drift when it split away from the supercontinent that took up the southern hemisphere millions of years ago. As it drifted away towards Antarctica, it passed through ocean currents and dropped in temperature, while other areas sped off to warmer climates. It is thought the rainforest segments of the supercontinent, like the Daintree, retained their original climates, as well as their original tree species. In fact, many tree species that have long been thought extinct have recently been rediscovered in the park.

It got its name from the Daintree River which weaves its pretty way through the forest, which in itself was named after Richard Daintree, the friend of keen explorer George Elphinstone Dalrymple.

The park is split into two separate sections with a sweep of lowland that connects the two. It’s here that you’ll find the quaint towns of Mossman and Daintree Village, both of which are tucked away beneath the green-carpeted scenery

Animals of daintree national park

The park is home to more than 430 different bird species, ranging from small, colourful varieties to larger, more prehistoric-looking species. Keep your eyes peeled for the wompoo fruit-dove, which is one of around six pigeon species in the park, as well as the cassowary and the buff-breasted paradise kingfisher.

On the forest floor, you might spot creatures like the striped possum, the ringtail possum, the brown bandicoot, and various species of tree kangaroo. There are plenty of native Australia critters here, too, including the swamp wallaby, the platypus, and the short-beaked echidna.

If that wasn’t enough, there are also around 23 reptile species that call the forest home, and 13 amphibians that wander between the watering holes and dry land. You might be able to spot forest dragons, water dragons, chameleon geckos, pythons, and varieties of tree snakes, as well as a unique frog species like the Australian lacelid, the white-lipped treefrog, and the common mist frog.

The selection of wildlife and plant species in the Daintree Rainforest really is spectacular, and you can guarantee that you’ll be able to spot at least a few of the native critters that call the park home. While wandering beneath the lush canopies and exploring ancient landscapes, keep your eyes peeled so you don’t miss a wildlife-spotting opportunity.

Some of the species that call it home can only be found in this small patch of land, and it contains a vast amount of wildlife that is otherwise extremely rare or near extinct in other parts of the world.

Explore Daintree National Park

The Daintree National Park’s stunning scenery and abundance of cute critters makes it the perfect place for nature lovers to explore. It offers a unique hotspot for outdoor holidays that is unrivalled by anywhere else in Australia; visitors can enjoy daintree frogjaw-dropping hiking trails, camp beneath the vibrant green canopies, cool off in natural rock pools, and enjoy spectacular views from uninterrupted lookout points. There is a wealth of eco-friendly accommodation in the area and a number of eateries that promote local, fresh dishes.

Originally owned by the Eastern Kuku Yalanji Aboriginal people, the Daintree National Park is imbued with a legendary spiritual significance which weaves through the colourful undergrowth. It’s this combination of age-old histories and a new sense of development and sustainability that makes the Daintree National Park such an enticing place – well, that and it’s incredible wealth of wildlife and awe-inspiring landscapes.

Bondi beach – Australia

Bondi Beach is Australia’s most famous beach. The jewel of Sydney’s laid-back beach lifestyle is home to one of the oldest surf lifesaving clubs in the world and one of Australia’s oldest swimming clubs, the Bondi Icebergs. You can travel by public transport from the city centre to the iconic beach.

Enjoy a wonderful range of activities at the white sandy beach, from swimming and surfing to sunbathing and a spectacular coastal walk. Beach picnics are popular, too, and there are delicious beachside cafes and restaurants with splendid views of the beach and the sparkling blue ocean.

The main beach area is in front of the Bondi Pavilion, where there are change rooms, a gallery and a theatre. Professional lifesavers patrol the beach all year and you should always swim between the red and yellow flags. A 50-metre ocean pool and a children’s pool are at the southern end.

Famous of the world

With over 2.5 million visitors each year, Bondi Beach is one of the most popular beaches in the world and this particular attraction accounts for a significant amount of the tourists who visit Australia each year. It is featured on everything about Australia – from postcards to TV shows. It is rare for someone to visit Australia, particularly in the summer months (December to February) and not visit Bondi beach. If you have heard of the beach, you might be wondering what is so special about the beach. Why is Bondi Beach so popular? Why is Bondi Beach is a place must go in Sydney

Bondi Beach is part of Australia’s National Heritage List. The Sydney Roosters, a very popular Rugby team play at Bondi beach. It is on the Guinness World Record list for the largest swimsuit photo shoot ever with over 1010 women wearing bikinis taking part in the photo shoot. However, these are not the only reasons to join the bandwagon and visit Bondi beach. Bondi beach is unique because of the following reasons:

1. It is one of the best beaches in the world. The parked sand, the rocks, the water and the warm temperature combine to make the experience at Bondi beach like no other. You can surf waves or lie down on a blanket on the beach. You can skate as much as you want. The fact that there are lots of people on the beach also helps to create a great atmosphere. This is the place to be if you like meeting fellow tourists while enjoying your own vacation. There are few beaches in the world that are better than Bondi beach when it comes to hosting parties. Overall, Bondi beach is a beach that many tourists would enjoy.

2. You can visit in both Summer and Winter. Most beaches around the world are off limits during the winter season. Due to Australia’s unique weather, Bondi beach can be visited all year round – even during winter. During winter, visitors enjoy ice skating and participate in the various festivals taking place at the beach. Weather conditions are not an obstacle to visiting Bondi beach. It is basically the beach for all seasons.

3. There is great food at Bondi beach. When you visit Bondi beach, you will have an opportunity to get top quality Australian cuisine. The restaurants and cafes on Bondi beach serve sumptuous food that continues to attract tourists to the beach. Some of the best dishes you can try while on Bondi beach include; Australian steaks, Mexican, French, American burgers and seafood galore.

4. Many cultural events. There are many cultural events taking place at Bondi every year. This is one of the many features that draws visitors. In the last few years, there has been, among other events, a food festival, several company events and political gatherings.

5. Bondi beach is close to CBD. The CBD is Sydney’s most vibrant area and Bondi beach’s proximity to the CBD means that the beach would get a lot of traffic both from Australian residents and tourists.

Take a trip to Bondi beach today and enjoy the activities and the crowd. You don’t have to wait till it is summer in Australia as Bondi beach is one of the beaches in the world that are busy even in winter. This means that no matter what time of the year you can get a vacation, you can surely try having fun in this great Australian beach attraction. As one of the most popular places in the world, Bondi beach would be a great destination for you on your next vacation.

Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park in Australia

Uluru is recognised as “Australia’s most natural icon” and has become a focal point for Australia and the world’s acknowledgement of Australian indigenous culture. The sandstone monolith stands 348 metres (1,142 ft) high with most of its bulk below the ground. To Anangu (local indigenous people), Uluru is a place name and this “Rock” has a number of different landmarks where many ancestral beings have interacted with the landscape and/or each other, some even believed to still reside here. Kata Tjuta, meaning ‘many heads’, is a sacred place relating to knowledge that is considered very powerful and dangerous, only suitable for initiated men. It is made up of a group of 36 conglomerate rock domes that date back 500 million years.

Anangu are the traditional Aboriginal owners of Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. believe that their culture was created at the beginning of time by ancestral beings. Uluru and Kata Tjuta provide physical evidence of feats performed during the creation period. They often lead walking tours to inform visitors about the local flora and fauna, bush foods and the Aboriginal Dreamtime stories of the area.

The Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act was passed in 1976, meaning that after many years Aboriginal law and land rights were finally recognised in Australian law. Nine years later on 26 October 1985 the traditional owners were presented with the freehold title deeds for the park, who, in turn, leased the land back to the Australian Government through the Director of National Parks (formerly the Australian National Parks and Wildlife Service) for 99 years.

The Director is assisted by Parks Australia, a division of the Australian Department of the Environment and Energy. Since hand-back, Anangu and Parks Australia staff have worked together to manage the park. This process of working together is known as ‘joint management’.

History of uluru

Uluru and Kata Tjuta were formed about 350 million years ago during the Alice Springs Orogeny.

The Anangu have connected to the area for thousands of years and some records suggested that they may have lived there for more than 10,000 years.

Europeans came to the western desert area of Australia in the 1870s. Uluru and Kata Tjuta were first mapped by Europeans during the expeditionary period made possible by the construction of the Overland Telegraph Line in 1872.

In separate expeditions, William Ernest Powell Giles and William Christie Gosse were the first European explorers to this area. In 1872 while exploring the area, Ernest Giles sighted Kata Tjuta from near Kings Canyon and called it Mount Olga, while the following year Gosse saw Uluru and named it Ayers Rock after Sir Henry Ayers, the Chief Secretary of South Australia. Further explorations followed with the aim of establishing the possibilities of the area for pastoralism.

In the late 19th century, pastoralists attempted to re-establish themselves in areas adjoining the South-Western/Petermann Reserve and interaction between Anangu and white people became more frequent and more violent. Due to the effects of grazing and droughts, bush food stores were depleted. Competition for these resources created conflict between pastoralists and Anangu. As a result, police patrols became more frequent.

Aboriginal rock art at Uluru

Between 1918 and 1921 large adjoining areas of South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory were declared as Aboriginal reserves, as sanctuaries for a nomadic people who had virtually no contact with white people. In 1920, part of Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park was declared an Aboriginal Reserve (commonly known as the South-Western or Petermann Reserve) by the Australian Government under the Aboriginals Ordinance 1918.

During the Depression in the 1930s, the Anangu became involved in dingo scalping with “doggers” who introduced Anangu to European foods and ways. The first tourists visited the Uluru area in 1936.