Things to do - Experience Something Unforgettable

Sydney Harbour at Sunset

Sydney Harbour is one of those iconic Australian images that no holiday would be complete without. The panorama as we know it would be incomplete without the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

The Opera House is just as special. With its huge white sails seemingly rising out of the glittering blue water of the harbour, it’s one of Australia’s most spectacular sights. The harbour has a magic all its own, and luckily there are many different ways to experience it.

For a truly breathtaking view, it’s now possible to climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge itself, although this activity probably isn’t recommended for those with a fear of heights.

For a less hair-raising though equally stunning panorama, it’s possible to walk across the bridge. No harness is required, just a pair of comfortable shoes - the bridge is more than a kilometer long.

For those seeking an adrenaline rush minus the vertigo, the Harbour Jet is a high powered boat that goes on various tours around Sydney Harbour and the surrounding bays.

If you want to get out on the water but aren’t too keen on going at breakneck speed, why not go on a ferry ride? The tickets aren’t super-cheap compared to most forms of public transport, but take a seat outside and you’ll realise it was worth every cent, as you smell the sea air and take in the dazzling harbour view.

To admire the harbour from a distance, merely go to Circular Quay, where you can find yourself facing the glittering blue of the harbour, with the Harbour Bridge to your left, the Opera house to your right and the sparkling glass towers of the Sydney Central Business District directly behind you. Yet another great spot for viewing the harbour can be found at Mrs. Macquarie’s Point, a beautiful spot in the Sydney Botanic Gardens.

A Spine-Tingling Ghost Tour

Australia’s convict heritage means that there’s no shortage of chillingly atmospheric former prisons in which to scare yourself silly. Many old penal colonies, such as Port Arthur in Tasmania, are supposedly haunted with the ghosts of condemned criminals. However, Tasmania isn’t the only place in Australia to experience paranormal activity.

The Blue Mountains are home to a mysterious limestone labyrinth through which tours are conducted on a fairly regular basis. It’s said that the labyrinth was once used as a hideout for bush outlaws.

The Old Quarantine Station in Sydney reportedly reverberates with the cries of long dead immigrants who had the misfortune to travel on diseased ships.

Old Fremantle Prison in Western Australia, built by convicts, still has enough mysterious bumps and inexplicable rattles to scare the visitors.

Last but not least, the back streets of Melbourne’s Chinatown are apparently rife with poltergeists and various spooks.

Swim with Dolphins

There are many places to spot dolphins along Australia’s coastline, however swimming with dolphins is only possible in Western Australia. It is a truly wonderful experience to enjoy the dolphins in their natural environment. Monkey Mia (pronounce My-ah) which is about 850kms north of Perth has a separate area of the beach which allows visitors to swim and interact with the dolphins. There are also other areas that are within easy driving distance of Perth.

Whale Watching

Whales abound around Australia’s coastline and there are plenty of places to watch them. Some of the best lookouts include Hervey Bay in Queensland, where you might catch mother whales with their young (calves) heading back down south to the Antarctic.

Alternatively you could train your binoculars on the waters of Byron Bay, Australia’s most easterly point, where massive humpback whales pass through between July and September. This type of whale is the most active, so visitors often get to see the amazing rolls, leaps and breaches that the whales are famous for.

< p>Southern right whales can be seen in the Great Australian Bight, an area in the south of Australia. Logan’s Beach in Warnambool, Victoria, is another place where these huge animals can be seen as they migrate north to give birth in warmer waters.

Eden, a town in New South Wales, was once a whaling town. Now it has become one of the best places to see humpback whales during their migration to and from Antarctica.

During June and July, snorkellers and divers in the Great Barrier Reef may find themselves sharing the water with Dwarf Minke Whales, a (thankfully) toothless breed that love to interact and often seek encounters with humans.

Penguin Parade

Phillip Island is located about 140 kilometres south-east of Melbourne. Its main claim to fame is the fact that it plays host every evening to the Penguin Parade, an amazing ritual played out every night by thousands of fairy penguins who march along the shoreline. Visitors can watch the Penguin Parade from specially constructed boardwalks and viewing areas.

Greet the Dawn at Uluru

Uluru (formerly known as Ayer’s Rock) is one of Australia’s most spellbinding destinations. Located southwest of Alice Springs in Central Australia, Uluru is one of the world’s biggest monoliths, which means that unlike a mountain, it isn’t merely a land formation. Instead, it is an enormous rock, 348 metres in height and 9.3 kilometers in circumference. Like an iceberg, most of Uluru’s bulk is below the surface. It’s estimated that more than two thirds of Uluru’s mass are hidden beneath the desert sands. When the sun comes up or goes down, the light reacts with the red of the rock to create a dazzling range of colours.

When you see the huge mass of rock rising out of the ground like a red giant, it’s easy to understand why this site has such a special significance for the local Aboriginal tribe, the Anangu people. It is for this reason that climbing the rock is no longer permitted.

Even without physically touching the rock (or perhaps because of this), a visit to Uluru remains an awe-inspiring encounter.

Spend the day at the Beach

Australia is famous for beaches, and no wonder! With over 7,000 beaches (more than any other country in the world) you can rest assured that there’s always a little patch of sand somewhere with your name on it.

Whether it’s wild surf you’re after, or the peace and serenity of a local harbour beach, Australia has something for you.

So why not grab a couple of friends, some sausages to throw on the barbecue, a towel to lie on and listen to the waves, a surfboard to try and tackle some of them (between the flags, of course!) and some sunscreen and a hat, and have your own essentially Aussie experience?

If lying on the sand’s not for you and surfing isn’t your thing either, check out some of the other ways to get your heart racing on the sand. You can play volleyball, beach cricket, or just take a long leisurely walk along the shoreline.

Cuddle a Koala

Koalas are one of the best known symbols of Australia and luckily enough there are many places where you can get up close and personal with them – by giving them a cuddle! Just a quick word of warning, however: koalas in the wild can be unpredictable and aggressive if threatened, so it’s always better to handle, feed or photograph them in a wildlife park or zoo. There are plenty of wildlife parks and koala sanctuaries where the koalas can be petted, hand-fed, held and photographed.

Swim with Whale Sharks

Australia is famous for its fearsome sharks but it is interesting to know that most species pose no threat at all. Diving with sharks has become a major tourist attraction and Australia is one of the few places where you can swim with a whale shark. Whale sharks are the largest living fish species with a total length of approximately 18 metres and are totally harmless to humans. Whale sharks visit Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia from March through to late May.