AUSTRALIA! We call ourselves the Lucky Country. Well, we’ve thumbed our way through the mega sized Lonely Planet book The Travel Book and gleaned all that Aussies can proudly brag about. Plus for anyone who hasn’t been down under, then here are the top essentials tips and facts you need to know before arriving. Here is an excerpt on the chapter about Australia from the travel gurus at Lonely Planet.
CAPITAL Canberra | POPULATION 22.5 million | AREA 7,741,220 sq km | OFFICIAL LANGUAGE English
Australia is as big as your imagination. There’s a heckuva lot of tarmac across this wide brown land and the best way to appreciate the country is to hit the road. Sure, it’s got deadly creepy crawlies and sharks, but they don’t stop people from coming here to see its famous natural beauty – from endless sunbaked deserts to lush tropical rainforest and wild southern beaches. Scattered along the coasts, its cities blend a European enthusiasm for art and food with a passionate love of sport and the outdoors. Those expecting to see an opera in Sydney one night and spy crocs in the outback the next morning will have to rethink their geography: it is the sheer vastness that gives Australia – and its population – such immense character.
BEST TIME TO VISIT
Any time: when it’s cold down south it’s warm up north
TOP THINGS TO SEE
- A concert, dance or theatrical performance at the country’s most recognisable icon, the Sydney Opera House
- The red hues of Uluru, an awe-inspiring natural monolith that is both ancient and sacred
- Broome, where the desert meets the sea in contrasting aquamarines, rust-reds and pearl whites
- Provocative and engaging art at the world-class MONA, a museum housed in an underground lair in Hobart
- Paradisiacal beaches and an astounding underwater world as you island-hop around the Whitsunday’s on the Great Barrier Reef
TOP THINGS TO DO
- Discover Aboriginal culture, rock art and biological diversity at majestic Kakadu National Park
- Wind your way beside wild waters and craggy rock formations then whip inland through rainforests driving the Great Ocean Road
- Sip on a well-balanced shiraz or crisp sauvignon blanc in the Barossa Valley or Margaret River
- Spy ‘gentle giant’ whale sharks at the World-Heritage–listed Ningaloo Reef
- Tackle the waves at one of the world’s hippest beach spots, Sydney’s Bondi
GETTING UNDER THE SKIN
Read Cloudstreet, Tim Winton’s fascinating novel that chronicles the lives of two families thrown together in post-WWII Perth
Listen to Slim Dusty’s ‘Pub with No Beer’, a classic Australian country tune; the soothing Aboriginal voice of Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu on his album Gurrumul
Watch Rabbit-Proof Fence, a true story about three relocated Aboriginal girls who trek 2400km to return to their families
Eat fresh Sydney rock oysters; barely cooked purple-red kangaroo meat; Vegemite
Drink craft beer or any one of a huge selection of local wines
IN A WORD
G’day mate!
TRADEMARKS
Dangerous creatures; surfing; endless coastlines; outback pubs; barbecues; wildlife warriors; beer; Aussie Rules football; sunshine; Aboriginal art
RANDOM FACT
Great Australian inventions include the bionic ear, the black box flight recorder, the note pad and the wine cask
So there you have it, got any relatives or friends thinking of making a trip to this epic country, then show them this.
The Carousel would like to thank Lonely Planet for this extract from The Travel Book 3rd Edition © Lonely Planet, 2016. AUD $80
