Choose to take a road trip through the iconic
red monolith, hike the Laraprinta Trail, ride a
camel through the Simpson Desert or take a
Ghan train journey from Darwin or Adelaide.
UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Greater
Blue Mountains Area, consists of one million
hectares of sandstone plateau, escarpments and
gorges dominated by a temperate eucalypt
forest. The site is also home to plenty of
waterfalls and bushland, easily reachable with
a 90 minutes drive from Sydney. The geology
and geomorphology of the property provides
the physical conditions and visual backdrop to
support outstanding biological values.
Alternatively, head over to Maria Island,
a mountainous island located in the Tasman
Sea off the east coast of Tasmania, Australia.
This exclusive island has something for
everyone, whether you are into historical
ruins, sweeping bays, rugged cliffs and
mountains or remarkable wildlife. The
abundance of coastal and inland forest
walks within this National Park paradise is
possible with its restriction of motor vehicles
and other non-relevant business entities.
Whether you are here for hours or days,
you can bask in the natural glory of Mother
Nature and let Maria work her spell on you.
WILDLIFE WONDERLAND
Australia is home to more than one million
species of plants and animals, many of which
cannot be found anywhere else in the world.
Some iconic animals include the cute koalas,
wombats, kangaroo, laughing kookaburra and
egg-laying platypus – a creature so odd-looking
that skeptical European scientists thought it
to be several animals stitched together. Many
rare animals and birds can easily be spotted in
major capital cities. Do not be alarmed if you
see a possum climb up a city lamp post in the
evening or a giant fruit bat taking off from its
roosts in city parks. Other common animal
sightings include pelicans, sacred ibises and red
kangaroos bounding beside your ride as your
traverse through Australia’s outback. If you
don’t wish to miss any chances, then here are a
few territories for your consideration the next
time you are in town.
New South Wales is ideal for dolphin
cruising, swimming with seals, sea bird
watching and other aquatic creature
encounters along the New South Wales
coast from Eden in the south to Cape Byron
in the north. The Northern Territory teems
with river and wetland wildlife such as
crocodiles, wild horses and buffaloes. Duringwet seasons, it also attracts millions of
migratory birds. The Queensland coastline
is famed for its cruising humpback whale
watching between the months of July and
November. In the Great Barrier Reef,
you can snorkel close to a kaleidoscope of
colourful fishes, sea turtles and manta rays in
warm tropical waters or even catch nesting
sea turtles and emerging hatchlings heading
into the ocean.
To spot rare wildlife, Tasmania would be
the place to be. You may be lucky enough
to encounter a wombat, shy platypus or
hear the chilling screams of a Tasmanian
devil as you walk a forest path or sit quietly
by the stream within the UNESCO World
Heritage-listed wilderness. Narawntapu
National Park will be one of the best places
to visit. Last and definitely not the least in
our list, head on to Victoria’s Phillip Island
Nature Park to watch the adorable nightly
penguin parade. Rangers will guide small
groups of visitors to view the penguins as
they waddle up the beach every evening.
Whether you are looking for an exciting
getaway or quiet adventure, Australia has it
prepared for you so pack up and head out here
on your next journey! ß