Mildura

With its Mediterranean climate, abundant local produce and its natural beauty, Mildura is located on the mighty Murray River in the north-west corner of Victoria. The early riverboat trade as well as good seasons and good wool prices made the early European settlement days of the 1840s and 1850s a boom time. In 1887 the Chaffey brothers came from California to set up an irrigation colony, which would be the foundation of modern-day Mildura, at the site the original station which had failed during droughts. There is a self-drive tour called the Chaffey Trail, where you can visit the historical landmarks and learn about the story of Mildura starting off at the Mildura Visitor Information & Booking Centre with a short film. The trail includes stops at The Old Mildura Homestead, which is a reconstruction of the first Mildura station of 1847; W.B. Chaffey's 1890 home Rio Vista House, with its wide verandahs and ornate decoration; Mildura Grand Hotel; and landmarks that bring the irrigation system to life - Lock 11, the Mildura Weir, and the Psyche Pumps.

The food of Mildura will give you a true sense of the region and its people. The market gardens, orchards, cellar doors, restaurants and markets of Mildura provide a sensory encounter not to be missed. The region produces a huge array of produce including citrus, mushrooms, melons, asparagus, pistachios, olives, salt and Mallee lamb. Every second weekend the Sunraysia Farmers’ Market at the Australian Inland Botanical Gardens lets you sample and buy some of this spectacular produce. Spring, when the orange blossoms are in bloom is the perfect time to visit Orange World where you can taste and tour the citrus orchards. Mildura is also a wine producing area and there are a number of cellar doors in the area where you can taste the wines and meet the winemakers. Every November the Jazz and Wine Festival brings together the wineries, riverboats, restaurants and even the town streets in celebration of all things wine, food and music. Feast Street, officially known as Langtree Avenue is a great place to find dining options all year round.

If you are staying in Mildura for more than a few days then a trip to the amazing Mungo National Park, 110 kilometres north-east is a worthy diversion. The park covers an ancient lake bed and has spectacular sand dunes known as the Great Wall of China that stretch for a 40 kilometres arc that have been eroded into beautiful colours and shapes. With views of the Mallee country, the lake and the Great Wall of China sand dunes, the 70 kilometre looped self-drive track is a must.

Mildura’s calendar is fully booked with festivals and event no matter what time of the year you visit. For 10 days in September/October the Mildura Country Music Festival showcases over 100 independent country musicians. Mildura hosts the Writer’s festival and Golf Week in July, the finish line to the 8-day cycling event the Tour of the Murray in September and the Mildura 100 Ski Race on the Murray River at Easter. Throughout the year you can also take a slightly slower pace with steam train trip on the Red Cliffs Historical Steam Railway, a walking tour of the art deco buildings in town or a cruise on the Murray on a paddleboat.

To read more on Mildura, please follow the link: Mildura

Other useful site:

Outback Australia

Mildura Accommodation

Mildura Tours

Kakadu

Kakadu is the larger of two World Heritage-listed national parks in Australia’s Northern Territory. Accessible to all, the rich cultural and natural beauty of the park is just 3 hours drive from Darwin along sealed roads. Though plan to stay longer than a few days or you will just scrape the surface of this 20,000 square km park.

A number of Aboriginal clans with different languages and different traditions make up the Traditional Owners of the Kakadu region. Today the park is managed jointly by the Traditional Owners and the Director of National Parks to ensure there is balance between tourism and cultural requirements. One of the best places to get an introduction to the local Aboriginal culture is at the Warradjan Aboriginal Cultural Centre, where displays and exhibits explain traditional ways including hunting, cooking, ceremonies and laws. Kakadu is also a place rich in aboriginal rock art, in fact it is has the world’s greatest known area with over 5000 sites. Ubirr, located in the East Alligator Region, not only provides stunning views over the park and Arnhem Land, it is also home to a spectacular display of rock art. Used to pass stories and traditions on to younger generations as well as a mark of respect, the rock art includes paintings of animals, food and spiritual beings.

Kakadu is one of the most ruggedly beautiful places in Australia and home to abundant wildlife. With billabongs, tidal flats, floodplains, Savannah woodlands and amazing sandstone escarpments, Kakadu has a truly diverse landscape to explore. With extensive walking trails, wetlands cruises, 4wd tracks, scenic drives and flights, there are endless ways to explore Kakadu. Some of the highlights include a sunset or sunrise trip on the Yellow Water cruise where you can experience the beauty of the wetlands and its inhabitants – particularly the salt water crocodiles and the huge array of birdlife; Jim Jim and Twin Falls, which is reachable by 4wd in the Dry season or from the air in the Wet; and a visit to Gunlorn Waterfall Creek, with its beautiful plunge pool and waterfall, this is also where parts of Crocodile Dundee were filmed.

Each of the seven areas that Kakadu is broken up in to has its own accommodations options as well as special activities or sites. Jabiru is the main township in Kakadu and offers a full range of services and places to stay from bush camping to hotel accommodation. Yellow Water offers motel-style accommodation and all seven areas offer camping or van sites. The most popular time of year to visit the park is in the early part of the Dry season from May to August, when the weather is good but the waterfalls are still flowing well from the heavy Wet season falls. Whilst some parts of the park are inaccessible by road and the temperatures get extremely hot in the Wet season, it can still be a spectacular time to visit.

To read more on Kakadu, follow this link: Kakadu

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Kakadu Accommodation

Kakadu Tours

Kakadu Photos

Litchfield National Park

Darwin

Broken Hill

The city of Broken Hill is as far west of New South Wales as you can go, with Adelaide being the closest capital city being 500 kms away. In 1883 a boundary rider working on a property named Charles Rasp discovered what he thought was tin. This however turned out to be the largest and richest silver, lead and ore find of its kind in the world, and from here the town of Broken Hill was built.

In 1885 the Broken Hill Proprietary Company was founded which has gone on to become the largest mining company in the world under the name of BHP Billiton. By 1891 the population in Broken Hill had risen to 21,000 people and was the third largest town in New South Wales. Although the mines have been largely depleted, there are still mines that do operate in the town and are viable when the price of metals remains high. Tour operators operate out of Broken Hill, taking tourists out to the old mines where they can explore the days gone by.

With its open plains and stunning landscapes, Broken Hill has become an area renowned for its art and artists, with many artists calling Broken Hill home. If it is art you are interested in, give yourself time to look through the Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery as they always have exhibitions from local artists as well as touring exhibitions from major cultural institutions. A must see for all tourists is a trip out to the Living Desert Reserve to witness the sculpture symposium which are 12 sandstone sculptures placed along a trail by artists from around the world. Broken Hill has also proved a popular spot with filmmakers over the years, with films such as Priscilla: Queen of the Desert and Mad Max 2 shot in and around the town.

There is also much to see in the surrounding area of Broken Hill. Silverton is 25kms from Broken Hill and has many historic old buildings, and for Mad Max fans has a replica car parked out the front of the pub. The town of Menindee is around 110 kms from Broken Hill and sits on the banks of the Darling River. Menindee is also surrounded by the Menindee Lakes, and the Broken Hill locals love to go there for a spot of fishing, water sports, or simply to watch the stunning sunsets over the lakes.

To read up on Broken Hill, follow this link: Broken Hill

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Broken Hill Accommodation

Broken Hill Tours

White Cliffs

Flinders Ranges

The Flinders Ranges offers some of the most beautiful natural scenery in outback Australia starting just 250km (3 hours drive) north of Adelaide in South Australia. The area’s natural beauty abounds in this diverse landscape packed with rugged peaks, creeks and gorges that is easily explored. Made up of quartzite and limestone, the ranges are over 800 million years old. Wilpena Pound forms a 17km long x 7km wide impression within the ranges. The Adnyamathanha, who are the local indigenous people have long placed special significance to the area but in more recent history the pound was also a pastoral station. The highest point in the Flinders Ranges, St Mary’s peak, is a spectacular day-return walk but there are plenty of other walking trails available to suite different fitness levels. Wilpena Pound Resort has accommodation as does Rawnsley Park Station, a working sheep station just nearby.

In the Northern Flinders Ranges lies the Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary that boasts an area of 610sq kms of rugged peaks, gorges and waterholes. You can take a trip on an open-air 4wd along steep slopes to a breath-taking 360 degree view of the surrounding area with the renowned Ridge Top Tour. There are all types of accommodation here from camping to motel-style rooms which you can use as your base to explore the many walks and 4wd tracks available on the Sanctuary. Depending on when you visit the Flinders Ranges you could get to see an amazing array of wildlife including Echidnas, Western Grey and Red Kangaroos, Lake Eyre dragons and the rare Yellow-footed Rock Wallaby. The Wedge-tailed eagles, Australian Ringneck Parrots and Red-capped robins are a few of the great variety of birds in the area plus there are also many varieties of snakes and frogs. In fact just this year a brand new species of frog was discovered in the Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary – the first new species found in South Australia since 1965.

The rich pastoral history of the Flinders Ranges is also easy to explore and experience. Operating between Port Augusta and Quorn, there are heritage train journeys aboard the Afgan Express, which still uses the original Ghan locomotive or on the famous steam train – the Pichi Richi. Dating back to the 1850’s, the ruins of the Kanyaka Homestead are worth visiting to get a sense of the one of the areas old stations – this one, a sheep station, had nearly 70 families living here when it was operational. The towns and particularly the pubs throughout the region are great places to get a sense of both past and present life in the outback. The towns have much to offer visitors like the historic sites along the old Ghan railway, the delicious quandong pies at the famed Bush Bakery at Copely and the renowned Prairie Hotel which offers a menu of native fauna.

Whilst the winter months can be very cold in the Flinders Ranges, the best time to visit is still between April and October (late Autumn to mid Spring). After a wet winter, the Spring wild flowers are a truly impressive sight. With temperatures in the 40’s (Celsius), summer is usually very hot in the area. With so many magnificent sights on offer, no matter when you visit the region, make sure you allow yourself plenty of time to see it all.

To read more on the Flinders Ranges, follow this link: Flinders Ranges

Some other useful links are:

Flinders Ranges Attractions

Flinders Ranges Accommodation

Flinders Ranges Tours
Flinders Ranges Photos

Coober Pedy

Marree

Ningaloo Reef

Located within the Ningaloo Marine Park is Ningaloo Reef. The Marine Park covers an area of ocean 260kms long and 20kms wide, covering 5,000 sq kms, starting at Emherst Point near Coral Bay, up to Bendegi Beach near Exmouth. Being one of the largest fringing reefs in the world allows for fantastic access to many stunning spots to explore only a short distance from the beach.

Found at the northern end of the reef and around 1,300 kms north of Perth is Exmouth, a great place to base yourself while you explore the reef. The climate at Exmouth is nice year round, with no wet season, and summer maximum temperatures averaging 37 degrees Celsius, and winter maximum average temperature is 24 degrees Celsius. Exmouth has many tour options available for exploring the reef, from coral viewing to snorkelling, whale watching and scuba diving. Exmouth is also a great spot for fishing, including big game fishing, and if you don’t have your own boat, charters are available to get you out to that spot.

There are over 500 species of fish and 250 species of Coral found within the Ningaloo Marine Park. From March to June you may be lucky enough to swim with the massive whale sharks which can grow up to 18 metres, while the giant Mantra Ray gently glides through the water below you. If you are there between May and October, then look out for the Humpback Whales as they migrate to their breeding grounds, and keep an eye out for dolphins and turtles all year round as they make the reef their home. If you want to witness something truly spectacular however, approximately 10 to 12 days after the full moon for March and April divers and snorkelers can witness the coral spawning.

When it’s time to relax and stay onshore, there are many beautiful beaches you can relax on, and with this with a 4WD can venture a little further and get to some secluded places. For snorkelling try Lakeside, Turquoise Bay, Turquoise Bay Drift Snorkel and Oyster Stacks. For the swimmers, try Bendegi Beach, Coral Bay and Turquoise Bay. As always, take extreme care when swimming in the beaches. Contact the Exmouth Visitor Centre and they will point you in the right direction and give you advice on tours etc.

To read more about Ningaloo Reef, follow the link: Ningaloo Reef

Some more useful links are:

Exmouth Accommodation

Exmouth Tours

Coral Bay

Coral Coast

Lake Eyre

A salt lake (dry lake) in the middle of an Australian desert might not sound like a nature-lover’s ideal travel destination. With so many people making their way to Lake Eyre right now, what is the attraction? It’s because it is currently teeming with water, plant and wildlife where usually there is only a lifeless area that is 15m below sea level (the lowest point of continental Australia.

When there is significant rainfall further north in Queensland the river systems of Cooper Creek, Diamantina and Georgina flow through to transform Lake Eyre – this happens on average only once every 10-12 years. Pelicans in particular but many other water birds breed in large numbers when Lake Eyre is in flood. The explanation of the migration of birds to the area during the floods has many theories but none that are definitive. Where previously there was only salt, sand and dust, the floods see frogs, microscopic crustaceans and a wealth of plants and algae spring up in addition to the birds.

If you have a 4WD there are 3 public access points: Lake Eyre South – Oodnadatta; Lake Eyre North – Level Post Bay; and Lake Eyre North – Halligan Bay. The best views of Lake Eyre however are from the air where you can really appreciate the beauty, the contrasts and the vastness of the area. The towns of Williams Creek, Marree, Cooper Pedy and Wilpena Pound (Flinders Ranges) all offer flights. Whist you are catching your flight, check out the unique outback experiences on offer at these towns, whether you are looking for a pub lunch, a chat with the locals or a longer stay.

If you are driving and looking to do more outback exploration on your Lake Eyre trip, the Oodnadatta, Birdsville and Strzelecki tracks make it easy. The Oodnadatta track is a 620km unsealed track that runs between Marree and Marla in outback South Australia; the Birdsville track runs the 517km from Marree (South Australia) to Birdsville (Queensland); and the Strzelecki track takes you out along the Cooper Creek to Innamincka near the borders of South Australia, Queensland and New South Wales. Whichever way you travel there a trip to Lake Eyre particularly while it is in flood, is a truly spectacular Australian outback experience and one not to be missed.

If you would like to read more on Lake Eyre, please follow this link: Lake Eyre

Some other useful links are:
Lake Eyre Photos

Marree

Flinders Ranges

Birdsville

Gibb River Road

The Gibb River Road is found in the Kimberley Region in the north west of Western Australia, one of Australia’s last wilderness frontiers. Originally built as a stock route to move cattle from the stations to the ports, the road stretches for 660 kilometres, starting from Derby and heading east to the Kununurra / Wyndham junction. Typically the Gibb River Road is flooded during the monsoon season from November through to March, and is generally not driveable during this period with the rivers flooding and the creeks overflowing. It is best to drive the Gibb River Road in a 4WD vehicle as the roads a rough and corrugated and there are plenty of river and creek crossings, on saying this though, some people do attempt the trip in a 2WD.

Driving through the Gibb River Road is an amazing experience, you will come across spectacular ranges, stunning gorges with inviting waterholes to refresh you from the drive, intriguing boab trees and beautiful waterfalls. The river crossings are exciting and by the time you have finished you will be an old hac at getting through them. You will be amazed at the sheer size of the cattle stations as you drive the road, passing a boundary fence and driving for hours before you get to the other side, with many stations covering one million acres or more. When the sun sets the Kimberley Region becomes pitch black, but if you look up into the sky it comes alive with billions of stars overhead.

To tackle the Gibb River Road you do not require 4WD experience, don’t forget your sense of adventure though. Don’t travel the road ill-prepared as it is a remote area of Australia, always ensure your vehicle is in good working order, the spare tyre is in good condition and you have plenty of food, water and of course fuel. There are roadhouses and stations along the way where you can re-supply, with some offering repairs also. Always remember though you are travelling through the Outback of Australia where the roads are rough, the flies are plentiful and the dust is endless, with luxuries few and far between.

If you are not planning on being self reliant along the Gibb River Road then plan ahead as there are limited accommodation options. Some of the stations that welcome tourists do have motel style accommodation for hire, do book ahead though to ensure they have a room for you when you arrive. If you are after luxury style accommodation then on the eastern side of the Gibb River Road, not too far from Kununurra are El Questro and Home Valley Stations. They are both working cattle stations, offering a range of accommodation options from camping up to luxury rooms, and both have a good offering of tours to see the stunning countryside on their properties.

If you are after a true Australian Outback experience and don’t have the time to drive through the middle of Australia, then the Gibb River Road is the perfect option. Relax and unwind in Broome for a day or two before driving the Gibb River Road. Give yourself a few days to drive the road to really experience a truly breathtaking part of the world, then head back to Broome on the sealed bitumen Great Northern Highway. Of course if you do not wish to drive yourself, lookout for the many specialised tours that will do the driving for you, giving you more time to stare out the window at this spectacular place. So you aren’t disappointed, book early as the tours are very popular in the dry season.

If you would like to read additional info on the Gibb River Road, please follow this link: Gibb River Road

Some other useful links are:
Gibb River Road Photos
Broome
Mitchell Falls
Bungle Bungles
Lake Argyle
Derby
Kununurra

Darwin - The Top End of Australia

Positioned between Queensland and Western Australia on Australia’s northern coastline, and overlooking the Timor Sea is Darwin, the capital of the Northern Territory. During the Dry Season in Darwin, the city really comes alive with an influx of tourists coming to the city, swelling its permanent population of around 110,000 people. The tropical climate and warm weather all year ensures the people of Darwin enjoy a relaxed outdoor lifestyle, with the nightclubs and hotels buzzing with activity each night. Darwin is also a good place to try true Aussie cuisine, with things such as Buffalo, Kangaroo, Mud Crabs, Crocodile and Barramundi on offer.

On 19th of February 1942, 188 Japanese planes raided Darwin, dropping more bombs on the city than Pearl Harbour. At the time Darwin had a population of about 2,000 people, but this had swelled with an additional 15,000 Allied soldiers based in Darwin due to its strategically-placed naval port and airbase. Between 1942 and 1943, Darwin came under attack another 58 times, but none were as devastating at the attack on the 19th of November. Today there are still remnants from World War 2 around the city.

Because of Darwin’s location, unlike a lot of Australia that has 4 seasons, Darwin only has 2, a Wet Season, and a Dry Season. The wet Season tends to run from November through to March/April, with most of the rain falling between December and March, and the dry season running from April/May through to October. November sees the days becoming very hot and humid because of the build up to the wet season, whereas in the dry season there is very little rain between May and September. Don’t be put off by the wet season though as this is the best time to see the spectacular waterfalls and rivers in Kakadu National Park from the air.

Darwin is a good base to explore the Top End of Australia with good access to the World Heritage listed Kakadu National Park, Litchfield and Nitmiluk (Katherine Gorge) National Parks, the Tiwi Islands and Arnhem Land. Try your hand at fishing for Barramundi with one of the many tour charters from Darwin, or experience the crocodiles out in their wild habitat on one of the jumping crocodile tours on the Adelaide River. Head to the Mindil Beach Sunset Markets and watch the sunset over the ocean, and afterwards have dinner from an array of food stalls while looking over the arts and crafts from local artists.

If you would like to read more tourism info on Darwin, please follow this link: Darwin

Some other useful links for Darwin and its surrounds:

Darwin Accommodation

Darwin Tours

Litchfield National Park

Kakadu National Park

Katherine

Outback Pubs of Australia

The Australian Outback Pubs are a tourist attraction in their own right. From the wide open verandas, to the walls filled with travellers memorabilia, to the real life museums of times gone by. The locals will always have a yarn to tell over a beer and it gives you a first hand opportunity of hearing what it is like living in the Outback of Australia.

The easy going style of the outback publicans welcome outback travellers for a cold beer and a tall tale. There is many an outback pub that has survived the times and still remains today along the old stock routes and 4WD tracks of the Outback.

The outback pub is where the locals meeet, talking about the latest muster over a cold beer or catching up with friends from outlying stations. Come in and experience true country hospitality where no-one is a stranger, the beer is cold and the steaks fill your plate. There is a friendly smile and a warm greeting, and everyone will soon be your mate.

If you are ever driving through a country town, stop in at the local pub and experience its cheery atmosphere. It’s here you’ll discover the soul of a town, where the beer is cold and plenty of a yarns is spun. There’s nothing we Aussie’s like more than to crack open a cold beer on a hot summers day. You will understand the feeling when you wash down that first beer, clearing the dust from your throat and reliving your travels.

To read more information on the Outback Pubs of Australia, follow the link: Outback Pubs

Some other useful links are:
Outback Pub Photos
Outback Australia