General destination; holiday guide and information.
Australia is a unique country that bounds with many contrasts. It is a modern society, just over 200 years of Western influence and yet has history going back millenia with Aboriginal culture dominating it"s past. The Aborigines are believed to be the oldest living civilisation, dating back some 50,000 years. It is thought they came from South East Asia during the last Ice Age. Think of that when you"re sitting on the beach; how could it ever have been frozen!
Watch this short stunning video
It wasn’t until 1770 that Captain James Cook chartered the east coast and claimed it for Britain. The outpost was first used as a penal colony and in 1788 the first ships landed with 1,500 people. Around half of them were convicted of offences in Britain and arrived in Sydney to start a very different way of life. Around 160,000 eventually arrived in Australia as convicted criminals.
The country benefits from many animals that cannot be found anywhere else on the planet and it"s diverse scenery goes some way to explain why this is. Most people will be familiar with Ayres Rock and the Great Barrier Reef but the Blue mountains are just as stunning and well worth a visit.
It experienced great wealth in the 19th century through the discovery of gold and continues as the World"s biggest exporter of Gold. This wealth effectively built the modern cities of Sydney and Melbourne that can be seen today.
Australia is the sixth largest country in the world. It"s similar in size to the USA and 50 per cent larger than Europe. More interestingly it is the least populated country in the world with less than 2 people every kilometre.
More than 85% of Australians live within 50Km of a beach, not surprising when there are over 10,000 to chooses from! With the vast volume of the population living on or near the coast it details how little the inland expanse ever see"s a human face. Out back is most definitely the right term!
With the beach having a major influence on the population it isn"t hard to see why they are renowned for their "laid back" attitude to life.
Getting on holiday. Flights and airports.
Australia"s major cities can all be reached internationally, with little problem. There is also an extensive internal domestic air traffic system opening up much of the country to tourism. Airports are shown below
Sydney Sydney (Kingford Smith) (SYD) Brisbane Brisbane Intl (BNE) Melbourne Melbourne (MEL) Perth Perth Airport (PER) Adelaide Adelaide Airport (ADL) Canberra Canberra Intl (CBR) Ayers Rock Ayers Rock Airport (AYQ) Brampton Island Brampton Island Airport (BMP) Cairns Cairns Intl (CNS) Darwin Darwin Airport (DRW) Dunk Island Dunk Island Airport (DKI) Fraser Island Maroochydore Sunshine Coast Airport (OKB) Gold Coast Gold Coast Coolangatta Airport (OOL) Hamilton Island Hamilton Island Airport (HTI) Hayman Island Hayman Island Airport (HIS) Heron Island Heron Island Heliport (HRN) Hobart Hobart Airport (HBA) Orpheus Island Orpheus Island, Waterport Airport (ORS) Port Stephens Port Stephens Airport (PTE) Sunshine Coast Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore Airport (MCY) Townsville Townsville Intl (TSV)
Weather and the best time to go on holiday.
The winter "summer" for people travelling from the Northern hemisphere! Legendary Turkey on the beach at Christmas.
For the "top" of the country (the hottest part) and the "Red Centre" the most popular time to travel is April through September. Daytime temperatures will reach 66°F to 88°F and it rarely rains. June, July, and August are the busiest months in these parts. Booking early is advised.
Australia"s summer is a nice time to visit the southern states Victoria, New South Wales, Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania.
In winter Australia does see snow, but only in parts of Tasmania, the ski resorts of Victoria and the aptly named Snowy Mountains in New South Wales.
The best time to travel is between September and October, still warm enough to sunbathe, you can enjoy a trip to Ayers Rock without being too stifled by the heat and even in the very North it isn"t too hot to be unbearable.
During the low season, October to March the country is very hot and humid, especially in the North. The North of the country during this time can suffer floods with heavy rainfall.
Things to do, excursions and trips while on holiday.
National Trust Heritage Festival April New South Wales Celebrating Australia. Includes art, history and community events.
Anzac Day April Australian War Memorial, Canberra Thousands of Australians gather for the moving national ANZAC Day Dawn Service at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.
Coral Spawning Late April early May Ningaloo Marine Park, Exmouth Divers paradise at Ningaloo reef when Coral Spawning takes place attracting marine life.
Targa Tasmania Late April early May. Tasmania Car rally that attracts over 300 entrants. The tour takes in much of the State
Natural legends Queensland’s Great Barrier Reef is home to the world’s largest oyster, weighing 3Kg, and again is a must for any keen diver, scuba or snorkel.
Ayer"s Rock. A mystical place that seems to Haunt it"s visitors. The sheer size of it is awe inspiring. Excellent at sunset.
Unique wildlife Australia has a unique wildlife due to it"s evolution away from any other land mass over 50 million years. Over 800 species of bird, over 4,000 fish types with over 80% of marine life found nowhere else on Earch. And of course the ubiqutous Kangaroo. Over 400 million in Australia!
Passport and Visa requirement; information for this resort.
If you"re visiting Australia for no more than three months, travelling with an airline, and you are a citizen of the United Kingdom, United States, Canada or of certain other countries, you may not need an Australian visa. A passport is required.
What is the time difference to this holiday resort?
Sydney is ten hours ahead of GMT.
What currency is used used in resort?
Australian Dollar
Trading exchange rates available at XE.com, this is not what you will get on the high street but is the trading rate. It will give you some bargaining power!
Melbourne villa holiday Australia