Discover Sydney’s glistening waterways and charming inner-city precincts
Sunny, seductive Sydney is a high contender for the title of the world's most ideal city. It is slick and smart, the streets are clean, the parks sublime, the water in the huge harbour bright blue, and the landmark buildings breath-taking. Sydney's population is approaching five million, but it is easy to leave the frenetic urban pace behind with just a simple ferry ride to the North Shore for a bush walk, or a stroll along the harbour beaches, or any one of a number of daytrips to explore the 'real' Australia on the city's doorstep.
Just like its characteristic white-sailed Opera House, Sydney seems to cruise effortlessly through nights and days filled with myriad entertainment opportunities, sophisticated shopping, memorable museums, and strings of beautiful beaches. Visitors find it exhausting to take it all in, even though the tourist precinct where most of the interesting attractions are to be found is concentrated in quite a small area around the downtown waterfront and harbour.
The fact that Sydney is a thriving seaport and industrial city has been cleverly concealed behind attractive pleasure and leisure grounds and residential suburbs, making full use of the scenic, watery geographical location. The harbour area is dominated by the span of one of the world's largest arched bridges, backed by towering skyscrapers. It is all a far cry from the remote penal colony established by the British back in 1788.
Another plus for visitors is that compared to most big cities Sydney offers excellent, reasonably priced food, accommodation and public transport. The city also has an excellent suburban rail network, with its hub at Circular Quay in the city centre, and full use is made of the waterways with ferries and passenger jet boats plying to and from various points.
To the north of Sydney is the Pacific Coastal route, which passes beautiful coastal scenery, laid back seaside communities like Byron Bay, and excellent surf, with nearly 249 miles (400km) of beaches to explore. Whale watching is popular in season and the region is also dotted with numerous national parks and nature reserves that offer activities from hiking to kayaking in the Myall Lakes. The Waterfall Way, which winds up to the New England Tablelands, is one of the most scenic drives in the world, taking in the vineyards of the famed Hunter Valley. To the south of Sydney is Australia's only alpine habitat in the Snowy Mountains, where winter skiing is the main attraction. In summer the mountains become a playground for whitewater rafters, fishermen, kayakers and hikers.
The Great Barrier Reef
One of Queensland's fastest growing regions, the Fraser Coast is best-known as the home of Fraser Island and the Great Barrier Reef, two of Queensland's World Heritage Sites, and is the capital of whale watching in Australia thanks to the amount of giant humpback whales that frequent its waters. Boasting a rich and diverse natural beauty, the Fraser Coast region encompasses the areas of Fraser Island, Maryborough, Hervey Bay, Gympie, Cooloola, Tiaro, and the Great Sandy Strait.
Prospectors should take a trip back in time and visit the old gold mining town of Gympie, where gold-diggers flocked and saved Queensland from its severe economic depression in 1867. Visitors can also admire the beautiful colonial architecture of the charming Victorian town of Maryborough, visit the Mount Walsh National Park, watch loggerhead turtles hatching on Mon Repos Beach from January to March, feed the dolphins breakfast in Tin Can Bay, or simply relax with a good book on the stunning stretches of sandy white beaches.
The UNESCO World Heritage Site of Fraser Island is by far the region's most popular attraction. The largest sand island in the world, Fraser Island's pristine freshwater lakes and creeks are the perfect place for nature lovers to escape for a bit of peace and quiet, while the verdant rainforests are juxtaposed with swampy wetlands and the coastal strands of Pandanus palms. Keen fishermen should take a trip to Hervey Bay where monsters like garfish and marlin can be hooked, as well as red emperor, barramundi and mangrove jack. Hervey Bay is also the best place to view the awesome humpback whales as they make their annual migration south from July to November.
With endless activities and a good range of natural and man-made attractions to visit, it's not surprising the Fraser Coast is becoming one of Australia's premier holiday destinations.
There's much more to the Great Barrier Reef than Cairns. Those who take the time to explore the lesser known Southern Great Barrier Reef will find themselves rewarded with pristine islands, snorkelling and diving and extraordinary marine creatures including manta rays and colourful coral gardens. There's even a surf beach where anyone can learn to ride the waves. Find the "real" Australia in down-to-earth cities and laid-back towns such as the quirkily titled Seventeen Seventy (also known as Town of 1770), so named after the year in which the British explorer, Captain James Cook landed here.
Uluru
Uluru, also known as Ayers Rock and officially gazetted as "Uluru / Ayers Rock",,is a large sandstone rock formation in the southern part of the Northern Territory in central Australia. It lies 335 km (208 mi) south west of the nearest large town, Alice Springs, 450 km (280 mi) by road.
Uluru is sacred to the Pitjantjatjara Anangu, the Aboriginal people of the area. The area around the formation is home to an abundance of springs, waterholes, rock caves and ancient paintings. Uluru is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Uluru and Kata Tjuta, also known as the Olgas, are the two major features of the Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park.
