go-see-do guide for adventurous travellers
The exacting recreational pursuit of opal fossicking demands much of its devotees. Physical strength, mental fortitude, stamina and courage at the absolute minimum. Oh, and the ability to cross your legs and hold on for grim death when nature calls! So it was a relief (in more ways than one!) to find that the ability to cross ones legs for[…]
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Whether or not you consider Aussie bushranger and icon Ned Kelly a national hero or national disgrace probably depends on which version of history you’ve been told. But whatever your views, there’s no denying Ned’s reincarnation as both cultural icon – and tourist drawcard! From inspiring the first feature film ever made (more recent remakes star Mick Jagger and Heath[…]
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Watching people do things you just KNOW they’re going to regret is one of life’s guilty pleasures. Even more so when there’s a cruel laugh to be had at their expense – without their knowing! So the staggering 360° view from the top level of western Queensland’s Cawnpore Lookout didn’t completely distract us from the horrifying sight of a pair of Grey[…]
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Well, the government was never going to do it – and it probably didn’t occur to anyone else. So when casting about for something other than its 100 year sugar milling history to put it on the map, Gordonvale, deep in the wet tropics of Queensland’s far north, didn’t have to fight too hard for the right to immortalize what[…]
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According to my train buddy* G, the longest ever recorded chicken flight lasted for 13 seconds. Ironic then, that one of Australia’s most unsung aviators drew his early inspiration from experiments with measuring chook** wingspan relative to their flight! A world exclusive wasn’t what I expected when I visited Minlaton on South Australia’s York Peninsula. But the Red Devil, a Bristol M.1C[…]
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Compared with other states, South Australia works hard to preserve the sanctity of its reservoirs. Their waters are generally unsullied by boating, skiing, fishing or swimming activities – and poorly maintained facilities tend to discourage visitors from lingering. But the Barossa Valley Reservoir’s Dam Wall is an exception. A short drive past Williamstown, north of Adelaide, the outlook from the[…]
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Surprisingly little is known about Fort Bourke Stockade, the only defensive fort in Australia, but this has been no barrier to building a lifelike facsimile near Bourke, in outback New South Wales. Although its a) true dimensions; b) exact location; and c) the building materials used in its construction are not recorded, this tiny stockade is apparently a ‘real life’ replica! Built in[…]
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Visit Australia’s Northern Territory and it won’t take long before the giant termite mounds become a bit commonplace. After a couple of photos, the average tourist won’t even bother stopping! Until they reach the amazing talking termite mound at Mataranka, that is! Not everyone has the capacity to turn a termite mound into a tourist attraction – but the Mataranka[…]
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Well OK, it’s not actually a ‘paddock’ as such. And it’s certainly NOT just a plane! It’s a fully operational Qantas 747 Jumbo Jet (aka 747-200 VH-EBQ for those who care about such things!), the centrepiece of the Qantas Founders Museum – today celebrating 90 years of Qantas. It’s parked on a fenced off section of of the Longreach Airport grounds,[…]
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Wycliffe Well is one of several roadhouse/diner/pub/motel/caravan park/store complexes on the Stuart Highway north of Alice Springs. But Wycliffe Well is unique. Why? Because it is the self-proclaimed UFO capital of Australia – if not the world. As such, it’s worth stopping over to see if those claims are true. There was once a book in the roadhouse where visitors[…]
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