Australia The Land Down Under
A Tourist’s Guide to Adventure
Entertainment Dive the Depths
Coral Reef
Completely surrounded by water and rich in islands and reefs, Australia is a diver’s dream. Our waters shelter a treasure trove of marine life, with more than 4000 species of fish and the world’s highest diversity of sea grass. Swim with the giant, gentle whale shark on Ningaloo Reef or with sea-lions and dolphins on South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula. Learn to dive on Queensland’s Great Barrier Reef – the world’s largest living organism. Or snorkel in sheltered and scenic Clovelly in Sydney. Discover kelp-encrusted submarines off the Mornington Peninsula or a maze of underwater caves along Tasmania’s east coast. Our temperate waters are calling, so come dive in
Check out the technicolour coral and marine life through a glass-bottomed boat from coastal hubs such as Cairns, Port Douglas, Townsville, Bundaberg, Rockhampton, Mackay, Mission Beach and Airlie Beach. Or experience the reef’s smooth seas, deep drop offs, underwater tunnels and caves with a dive school or day trip operator. Snorkel or dive the edge of the continental shelf at Agincourt Reef from Cairns explore the SS Yongala shipwreck from Townsville and Magnetic Island and the Llewellyn shipwreck from Mackay. See sea stars, crabs corals, molluscs at Fitzroy, Capricorn and Bunker Reefs near Gladstone. Or kick through vivid coral canyons and past marine turtles near Lady Elliot and Lady Musgrave Islands. In the Whitsundays, the warm clear water and psychedelic coral reefs are just a day trip from your Airlie Beach or island resort.
Approximate Number of species
Type of Animal Fish
Turtles
Sea Snakes
Whale & dolphins Hard Corals
Snails & Clams Giant Clams Starfish
Great Barrier Reef 1500
6
15 26
350
4000 9
100
Air Boating With its vast distances and remote, rugged terrain, many of Australia’s journeys are ready-made adventures. Travel across northern Australia on the Savannah Way, which starts in Cairns and ends on the other side of the country in Broome. Or cut the continent from south to north on the Explorers Highway, which takes you from Adelaide through Australia’s Red Centre to Darwin. On the comprehensive South Australia Loop, you can climb to the rim of Wilpena Pound, hike part of the Heysen Trail and dive shipwrecks in Kangaroo Island.
Outback Nothing says Australia quite like our Outback. The open spaces that seem to stretch on forever tell the story of the exploration and development of our wide brown land, and reflect Australia’s pioneering spirit and unique identity. You can find a little bit of the outback in every state of Australia, and while the regions are remote, they can be easily accessed from most major cities and towns. From challenging four wheel drive adventures to sprawling cattle stations of more than a million hectares and from rugged mountain ranges and s pectacular gorges to the longest stretch of straight railway track in the world, the Australian Outback symbolises the essence of Australia.
Australia’s Food and Food and Wine experiences Australia offers any number of culinary adventures. Dining on Sydney Harbour is magical, from the high-calibre fare of city restaurants to fish and chips at Manly Beach, or on the deck of a luxury harbour cruise. Dine under a million stars at the Sounds of Silence or capture the legend of the Outback stockmen with camp-oven cooking in the Northern Territory. Explore the laneways of Melbourne where you’ll find worldclass restaurants in converted warehouses and secret underground locations. Dine overlooking the vineyards in Victoria’s Yarra Valley. Enjoy an Outback barbecue in the Kimberley for a uniquely Australian experience. Wander through the Mindil Beach Markets in Darwin and taste a breadth of fare from across the globe. Visit the rows of fresh produce and sumptuous delicatessens of the Victoria Markets in Melbourne or the Central Markets in Adelaide. Dine on seafood served fresh from the day’s catch at the Sydney Fish Market. Hunt for truffles in Western Australia or the Australian Capital Territory. You can shuck your own fresh oysters on Tasmania’s Freycinet Peninsula. Meet the growers in regional Australia. Outdoors, by the water and in stunning locations, the range of ways to experience food and wine in Australia is almost as varied as the goods we produce.
Wine
Food and Wine trails Food and wine trails can be found across Australia to help you explore and discover our best regional food and wine offerings. Follow the Poacher’s Way from Canberra and you’ll find gourmet delights dotted throughout the countryside. Close to Adelaide are the Adelaide Hills, Barossa Valley, Clare Valley and McLaren Vale, where you’ll find hundreds of cellar doors plus farmers’ markets, exquisite restaurants and artisan producers. The Clare Valley’s Riesling Trail and Rattler Trail is perfect for walking or cycling between local towns. In Western Australia the Swan Valley Food and Wine Trail and Gascoyne Food Trail feature an array of wineries, breweries, fine restaurants, cafes, and fresh produce; while the Chittering Valley Wine Trail provides a unique combination of wine and art.
Restaurants Around Australia you’ll find a collection of restaurants that tell the story of Australia’s dining excellence; the creative direction of our chefs and our high standards of service. Many chefs come to Australia and open restaurants because of our fresh produce, open air locales and fresh thinking. Some of the world’s top restaurant critics and chefs are amazed by the quality and sophistication of our restaurants and the diversity of their menus. Our globally recognised chefs have the freedom to be playful and creative, and create their own rules. You’ll find menus using indigenous ingredients such as wallaby, warrigal greens and quandongs. You’ll find Australian restaurants have relaxed feel, mostly due to our weather that draws us outside and towards the water or the shade of a gum tree. Even the most prestigious fine dining restaurants offer an informality that make them welcoming. Whether you dine in an internationally acclaimed restaurant or a local café in a regional town or city suburb the quality of the menu and fresh flavours on your plate will be a delight.
Souveneirs and Shops Shoping Your Australian holiday wouldn’t be complete without shopping for uniquely Australian gifts and souvenirs. Evoke the ancient mystery of Aboriginal culture with an Aboriginal artwork or artefact. Buy a signature piece of jewellery made from opals, our national gemstone, or Australian pearls and rare pink diamonds found only in the Kimberley. Let Australia’s fashion designers fit you with the greatest of elegance or for the outback, city and beach, or luxuriate in a pair of soft sheepskin boots. Whether it’s high end fashion or our city and local markets with their diverse array of stores, Australia has a unique array of artefacts and souvenirs for your shopping pleasure. You’ll find high end shopping and shopping precincts across our cities, markets in the cities and local communities. Don’t forget to explore the opportunities to shop in Australia.
Australia’s Shops
Shop till you drop in Australia’s markets, mega malls, warehouses and high-end boutiques. Discover Australian designers in Melbourne’s hidden laneways or trawl. Surry Hills in Sydney for retro chic. Shop up a sub-tropical storm in Brisbane’s Queen Street Mall or browse at least 500 stores in Rundle Mall in Adelaide. Soak up the atmosphere of Fremantle Markets, near Perth, or the Saturday markets in Hobart’s historic Salamanca Place. Shop beneath the palm trees on Darwin’s Smith Street Mall or hit the huge shopping centre in Canberra’s Civic. Shops are generally open until 6pm, with late night shopping offered either Thursdays or Fridays. You’re covered by Australia’s consumer protection laws which require businesses to treat you fairly.