Chapter One
The Best of Australia by Marc Llewellyn & Lee Mylne
Maybe we're biased because we live here, but Australia has a lot of bests-world bests, that is. It has some of the best natural scenery, the weirdest wildlife, the most brilliant scuba diving and snorkeling, the best beaches (shut up, California), the oldest rainforest (110 million years and counting), the oldest human civilization (some archaeologists say 40,000 years, some say 120,000; whatever-it's old), the best wines (come see what we mean), the best weather (give or take the odd Wet season in the north), the most innovative East-meets-West-meets-someplace-else cuisine-all bathed in sunlight that brings everything up in Technicolor.
"Best" means different things to different people, but scarcely a visitor lands on these shores without having the Great Barrier Reef at the top of the "Things to See" list. So they should, because it really is a glorious natural masterpiece. Also high on most folks' lists is Ayers Rock. This monolith must have some kind of magnet inside it designed to attract planeloads of tourists. We're not saying the Rock isn't special, but we think the vast Australian desert all around it is even more so. The third attraction on most visitors' lists is Sydney, the Emerald City that glitters in the antipodean sunshine on-here we go with the "bests" again-the best harbor, spanned by the best bridge in the world (yes it is, San Francisco).
But as planes zoom overhead delivering visitors to the big three attractions, Aussies in charming country towns, on far-flung beaches, on rustic sheep stations, in rainforest villages, and in mountain lodges shake their heads and say sadly, "They don't know what they're missin'." Well, that's the aim of this chapter-to show you what you're missin'. Read on, and consider taking the road less traveled.
1 The Top Travel Experiences
Hitting the Rails on the Indian Pacific Train: This 3-day journey across the Outback regularly makes it onto travel magazines' "Top Rail Journeys in the World" lists. The desert scenery ain't all that magnificent-it's the unspoiled, empty vastness that passengers appreciate. It includes the longest straight stretch of track in the world, 478km (296 miles) across the treeless Nullarbor Plain. Start in Sydney and end in Perth, or vice versa, or just do a section. See "Getting Around Australia" in chapter 2.
Experiencing Sydney (NSW): Sydney is more than just the magnificent Harbour Bridge and Opera House. No other city has beaches in such abundance, and few have such a magnificently scenic harbor. Our advice is to board a ferry, walk from one side of the bridge to the other, and try to spend a week here, because you're going to need it. See chapter 4, "Sydney."
Seeing the Great Barrier Reef (QLD): It's a glorious 2,000km-long (1,240-mile) underwater coral fairyland with electric colors and bizarre fish life-and it comes complete with warm water and year-round sunshine. This is what you came to Australia to see. When you're not snorkeling over coral and giant clams almost as big as you, scuba diving, calling at tropical towns, or lying on deserted island beaches, you'll be trying out the sun lounges or enjoying the first-rate food. See chapter 7, "Queensland & the Great Barrier Reef."
Exploring the Wet Tropics Rainforest (QLD): Folks who come from skyscraper cities like Manhattan and Los Angeles can't get over the moisture-dripping ferns, the neon-blue butterflies, and the primeval peace of this World Heritage rainforest stretching north, south, and west from Cairns. Hike it, four-wheel-drive it, or glide over the treetops in the Skyrail gondola. See "Cairns" in chapter 7.
Bareboat Sailing in the Whitsundays (QLD): Bareboat means unskippered-that's right, even if you think port is an after-dinner drink, you can charter a yacht, pay for a day's instruction from a skipper, and then take over the helm yourself and explore these 74 island gems. It's easy. Anchor in deserted bays, snorkel over dazzling reefs, fish for coral trout, and feel the wind in your sails. See "The Whitsunday Coast & Islands" in chapter 7.
Exploring Kata Tjuta (the Olgas) & Uluru (Ayers Rock) (NT): Just why everyone comes thousands of miles to see the big red stone of Ayers Rock is a mystery, and that's probably why they come-because the Rock is a mystery. Just 50km (31 miles) from Ayers Rock are the round red heads of the Olgas, a second rock formation more significant to Aborigines and more intriguing to many visitors. See "Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park (Ayers Rock/The Olgas)" in chapter 8.
Taking an Aboriginal Culture Tour (Alice Springs, NT): Eating female wasps, contemplating a hill as a giant resting caterpillar, and imagining that the stars are your grandmother smiling down at you will give you a new perspective on Aboriginal culture. See what we mean on a half-day tour from the Aboriginal Art & Culture Centre. See p. 385.
Discovering the Kimberley (WA): Australia's last frontier, the Kimberley is a romantic cocktail of South Sea pearls, red mountain ranges, aqua seas, deadly crocodiles, Aboriginal rock art, and million-acre farms in a never-ending wilderness. Cross it by four-wheel-drive, stay in safari tents on a cattle ranch, swim under waterfalls, ride a camel along the beach in Broome, and more. See chapter 9, "The Top End."
Rolling in Wildflowers (WA): Imagine Texas three times over and covered in wildflowers. That's what much of Western Australia looks like every spring, from around August through October, when pink, mauve, red, white, yellow, and blue wildflowers bloom. Aussies flock here for this spectacle, so book ahead. See the box "Tiptoeing through the Wildflowers" in chapter 10.
Drinking in the Barossa Valley (SA): One of Australia's four largest wine-producing areas, this German-speaking region less than an hour's drive from Adelaide is also the prettiest. Adelaide's restaurants happen to be some of the country's best, too, so test out your wine purchases with the city's terrific food. See "Side Trips from Adelaide" in chapter 11.
Getting Dusty in the Desert (SA): Head inland from Adelaide to the Outback to visit remote pubs and settlements, the craggy ridges of the Flinders Ranges, dry salt lakes, and deserts. See chapter 11, "Adelaide & South Australia."
Seeing the Sights along the Great Ocean Road (VIC): This 106km (66-mile) coastal road carries you past wild and stunning beaches, forests, and dramatic cliff-top scenery-including the Twelve Apostles, a dozen pillars of red rock standing in isolation in the foaming Southern Ocean. See "The Great Ocean Road: One of the World's Most Scenic Drives" in chapter 13.
2 The Best Outdoor Adventures
Sea Kayaking: Kayaking is a great way to explore Queensland's Whitsunday Islands as well as Dunk Island off Mission Beach in Queensland. Rivergods ([??] 08/9259 0749; www. rivergods.com.au) in Perth even takes you on a sea-kayaking day trip to snorkel with wild sea lions and watch penguins feeding. This Western Australian company also runs multiday expeditions past whales, dolphins, and sharks in Shark Bay, and over coral at Ningaloo Reef on the Northwest Cape. For details on the Whitsunday Islands and Dunk Island, see chapter 7. For information about Perth and Western Australia, see chapter 10.
Horse Trekking in the Snowy Mountains (NSW): Ride the ranges like the man from Snowy River, staying in bush lodges or camping beneath the stars. See "In the Footsteps of the Man from Snowy River" in chapter 5.
Abseiling (Rappelling) in the Blue Mountains (NSW): Careering backward down a cliff face with the smell of eucalyptus in your nostrils is not everyone's idea of fun, but you sure know you're alive. Several operators welcome both novices and the more experienced. See "The Blue Mountains" in chapter 5.
White-Water Rafting on the Tully River (Mission Beach, QLD): The Class III to IV rapids of the Tully River swoosh between lush, rain-forested banks. The guides are professional, and the rapids are just hairy enough to be fun. It's a good choice for first-time rafters. See "The North Coast: Mission Beach, Townsville & the Islands" in chapter 7.
Four-Wheel-Driving on Fraser Island (QLD): Burning down 75-mile Beach in a 44 on the biggest sand island in the world is liberating, if not great for the environment. Paradoxically, the island is ecologically important and popular with nature lovers. Hike its eucalyptus forests and rainforests, swim its clear lakes, and fish off the beach. See "Fraser Island: Ecoadventures & Four-Wheel-Drive Fun" in chapter 7.
Game Fishing: Battle a black marlin off Cairns and you might snare the world record; that's how big they get down there. Marlin and other game catches run around much of the Australian coastline-Exmouth on the Northwest Cape in Western Australia (see chapter 10), and Broome and Darwin in the Top End (see chapter 9) are two other hotspots.
Canoeing the Top End (NT): Paddling between the sun-drenched ocher walls of Katherine Gorge sharpens the senses, especially when a (harmless) freshwater crocodile pops up! Gecko Canoeing ([??] 1800/634 319 in Australia, or 08/8972 2224; www.geckocanoeing.com.au) will take you downriver to the rarely explored Flora and Daly River systems to visit Aboriginal communities, shower under waterfalls, hike virgin bushland, and camp in swags on the banks. See "Katherine" in chapter 9.
Surfing in Margaret River (WA): A 90-minute surf lesson with four-time Western Australia surf champ Josh Palmateer is a great introduction to the sport-if only to hear Josh's Aussie accent! In July and August, Josh shifts his classes to Cable Beach in Broome. See chapter 10.
Skiing in the Victorian Alps (VIC): Skiing in Australia? Sure. When you've had enough coral and sand, you can hit the slopes in Victoria. Where else can you swish down the mountain between gum trees? See "The High Country" in chapter 13.
3 The Best Places to View Wildlife
Pebbly Beach (NSW): The eastern gray kangaroos that inhabit Murramarang National Park, 20 minutes south of Ulladulla on the south coast of New South Wales, tend to congregate along this beach and the adjoining dunes. See "South of Sydney along the Princes Highway" in chapter 5.
Montague Island (Narooma, NSW): This little island just offshore from the seaside town of Narooma, on the south coast, is a haven for nesting seabirds, but the water around it is home to the main attractions. Dolphins are common; fairy penguins, too. In whale-watching season, you're sure to spot southern right and humpback whales. See "South of Sydney along the Princes Highway" in chapter 5.
Jervis Bay (NSW): This is probably the closest place to Sydney where you're certain to see kangaroos in the wild-and where you can pet them, too. The national park here is home to hundreds of bird species, including black cockatoos, as well as plenty of possums. See "South of Sydney along the Princes Highway" in chapter 5.
Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary (Brisbane, QLD): Cuddle a koala (and have your photo taken doing it) at this park, the world's first and largest koala sanctuary. Apart from some 130 koalas, lots of other Aussie wildlife-including wombats, Tasmanian devils, 'roos (which you can hand-feed), and colorful parakeets-are on show. See p. 254.
Hervey Bay (QLD): The warm waters off Hervey Bay, and in particular the lovely Platypus Bay, on the Queensland coast, are where the humpback whales come each year between June and October in increasing numbers to give birth. The long journey from Antarctica brings them up the coast to frolic with their young for several months before making the return trip. Hervey Bay's many cruises can bring you closer to these gentle giants than you'll ever come elsewhere. See "Fraser Island: Eco-adventures & Four-Wheel-Drive Fun" in chapter 7.
Australian Butterfly Sanctuary (Kuranda, near Cairns, QLD): Walk through the biggest butterfly "aviary" in Australia and see some of Australia's most gorgeous butterflies, including the electric-blue Ulysses. See many species of butterfly feed, lay eggs, and mate, and inspect caterpillars and pupae. Wearing pink, red, or white encourages the butterflies to land on you. See p. 293.
Wait-a-While Rainforest Tours (QLD): Head into the World Heritage-listed Wet Tropics Rainforest behind Cairns or Port Douglas with this ecotour operator to spotlight possums, lizards, pythons, even a platypus, so shy that most Aussies have never seen one in the wild. About once a month, a group will spot the rare, bizarre Lumholtz's tree kangaroo. See "Cairns" in chapter 7.
Heron Island (off Gladstone, QLD): There's wonderful wildlife on this "jewel in the Reef" any time of year, but the best time to visit is November to March, when the life cycle of giant green loggerhead and hawksbill turtles is in full swing. From November to January, the turtles come ashore to lay their eggs. From late January to March, the hatchlings emerge and head for the water. You can see it all by strolling down to the beach, or join a university researcher to get the full story. See "The Capricorn Coast & the Southern Reef Islands" in chapter 7. Mon Repos Turtle Rookery, near Bundaberg in Queensland (see "Up Close & Personal with a Turtle," p. 348) and the Northwest Cape in Western Australia (see "The Midwest & the Northwest: Where the Outback Meets the Sea" in chapter 10) are two other good turtle-watching sites.
Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary (The Gold Coast, QLD): Tens of thousands of unbelievably pretty red, blue, green, and yellow rainbow lorikeets have been screeching into this park for generations to be hand-fed by delighted visitors every morning and afternoon. The sanctuary has 'roos and other Australian animals, too, but the birds steal the show. See p. 369.
Kakadu National Park (NT): One-third of Australia's bird species live in Kakadu; so do lots of saltwater crocs. A cruise on the Yellow Water Billabong, or aboard the Original Jumping Crocodiles cruise en route to the park, are some of the best ways to see them in the wild. See "Kakadu National Park" in chapter 9.
The Northwest Cape (WA): For the thrill of a lifetime, go snorkeling with a whale shark. No one knows where they come from, but these mysterious monsters (up to 18m/60 ft. long) surface in the Outback waters off Western Australia every year from March to early June. A mini-industry takes snorkelers out to swim alongside the sharks as they feed (on plankton, not snorkelers). See "The Midwest & the Northwest: Where the Outback Meets the Sea" in chapter 10.
Tangalooma (QLD), Bunbury (WA) & Monkey Mia (WA): In several places, you can see, hand-feed, or swim with wild dolphins. At Bunbury, south of Perth, you can swim with them or join cruises to see them (they come right up to the boat). If you want an almost guaranteed dolphin sighting, head to Tangalooma Wild Dolphin Resort on Moreton Island, off Brisbane, where you can hand-feed them, or to Monkey Mia on the lonely Outback coast, where they cruise past your legs. Even better is a cruise on the Shotover catamaran to see some of the area's 10,000 dugongs (manatees), plus turtles, sea snakes, sharks-and more. See chapters 6 and 10.
Kangaroo Island (SA): You're sure to see more native animals here-including koalas, wallabies, birds, echidnas, reptiles, seals, and sea lions-than anywhere else in the country, apart from a wildlife park. Another plus: The distances between major points of interest are not great, so you won't spend half the day just getting from place to place. See "Kangaroo Island" in chapter 11.
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Excerpted from Frommer's Australia 2007by Marc Llewellyn Lee Mylne Copyright © 2006 by Marc Llewellyn. Excerpted by permission.
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