Monday, November 29, 2010

2nd stop - The Great Ocean Road/ Australia

The Twelve Apostles are giant rock stacks that rise majestically from the Southern Ocean and are the central feature of the rugged Port Campbell National Park.

The Twelve Apostles are located just east of Port Campbell, along the Great Ocean Road. Parks Victoria has built boardwalks, tracks, and viewing areas to ensure you get spectacular views of the Twelve Apostles.

The Australian Tourist

Where would you want to travel in Australia?
When we did some research we found quite a few top 10 places.
Here are a few to begin with.

1. Sydney

Sydney is Australia’s number one travel destination in terms of number of visitors. The Sydney Opera House was completed in the 1960's. The unique design for the facility, coupled with the excellent acoustics, make this cultural icon a must see stop that even persons who are not interested in opera will enjoy.

One of the great things about Sydney is there is both culture and lots of fun activities as well. The beaches provide some of the most beautiful ocean side playgrounds in the entire world. Visitors can spend endless hours enjoying the sun and pristine sands, then enjoy tours into some of the surrounding bush areas. Later, a night out on the town is easy to manage, with an array of night spots that will accommodate just about every interest. While in town, don't forget to admire the spectacular Harbour Bridge.

3. Cairns & the Great Barrier Reef

Far North Queensland is a wonderful tropical paradise. Cairns is the main entry point and from there you can travel north or south and out to beautiful island resorts. Luxury holiday homes are a great accommodation option in this part of Australia.

The Great Barrier Reef is known as the world's largest coral reef, the Great Barrier Reef stretches along the Queensland coast for a distance of approximately 35 million hectares. Many varieties of fish and other forms of sea life make the Reef home, and there are plenty of opportunities to learn about and observe. As a family opportunity, the Great Barrier Reef is an activity that will fascinate even the most jaded of travelers.

4. Brisbane

While visiting along the Great Barrier Reef, Brisbane is the place to go when you need a taste of the big city. Located in Queensland, the city is known for spectacular night spots that offer a little something for everyone, as well as a range of cuisine that is considered to be the best in Australia by many visitors.

5. Melbourne

Considered by many to be the emotional heart of Australia, Melbourne offers a mix of modern architecture and amenities along with some of the most beautiful examples of Victorian architecture in the world. Shopping and food that ranges from fine cuisine to guilty pleasures can easily be found at Federation Square and the New Quay.

6. The Great Ocean Road

No visit to Australia is complete without enjoying the view from the Great Ocean Road. Running for over two hundred miles along the coastline in the area of Victoria, the view is breathtaking any time of the year. There are plenty of interesting local restaurants to try along the way, as well as several great places to stop and enjoy a beer. The Great Ocean Road is a wonderful drive over a weekend or stay a little longer at a holiday rental property.

7. The Red Centre including Uluru-Tjuta National Park

Found in the Northern Territory, the Red Centre is considered to be the physical center spot of Australia. Tourists will enjoy viewing the Ayers Rock, which is also known as Uluru. Viewing Uluru is considered to be an ideal activity at sunrise and sunset, when the range of colors across the red rock seem to waver and change in fascinating patterns.

Uluru-Tjuta National Park is an area that functions as both a wildlife preserve and a national park. Along with the Ayers Rock, the part also encompasses such sites as Alice Springs and the Olgas.

8. Canberra

Canberra is the Capital of Australia and a fascinating place to see. Visit Parliament House, the National Gallery of Australia, the National Library, National Archives which feature old movies, records, books and artifacts as well as the War Memorial. Four days is Canberra is adequate to see most of the attractions.

9. Adelaide

Considered to be the doorway into the Outback, Adelaide is a thriving city that includes some of the most prestigious vineyards in the country. There are a number of places around the city that are ideal for getting away from it all for a few days, as well as enjoying a night life that is low key but very active.

10. Tasmania

Tasmania offers breathtaking scenery, hiking and camping. Just off the coast, the main land you can reach Tasmania by car ferry or by short flight. Hobart is a stunning town on the Derwent river and features colonial architecture. The local food produce is deliciously fresh and restaurants reasonably priced.

Welcome to The Australian Tourist

This site is dedicated to providing amazing, high quality video & photos of Australia. Our aim is to provide The Australian Tourist with the desire to travel to these stunning destinations. 

The Launch
The Australian Tourist will officially launch this site in conjunction with it's facebook, twitter & blog on the 1st January 2011. 
 Before then we'll be working tirelessly behind the scenes creating, shooting demos, planning & gaining sponsorship for this extraordinary journey.  

                                      The Challenge

Over the next year we will bring you:
1 Photo per day
1 video per week  


Photography by Tara from Tara Lee Photography. www.taraleephotography.com.au
Videography by Jayden from Sunshine Coast Videography http://www.sunshinecoastvideo.com.au/

Cape York / Australian travel - Sneak peek

This is only a sneak peek, so keep an eye out for the full version that will launch The Australian Tourist on the 1/1/11.
The first Australian destination is Cape York, The very top of Australia, a fitting place to start.





Cape York - QLD

We have just arrived back from Cape York - QLD this will be the first video to launch The Australian Tourist on the 1.1.11.

The Australian Tourist is up & running

We are now online and growing fast.

Although the launch of The Australian Tourist isn't until 1 January 2011, there is a lot going on. This past week Tara & I have shot our first Small Places video & photos. (will be online in the next few weeks as a demo)

For People who don't know what Small Places is let me give you the rundown.

Small Places are:

  • When we don't have time to extensively film the destination in full but we still what to show the world some snippets of the area.
  • The Small Places video & Photos then go onto the Small Places page on our website.
  • Do you want to see more of a Small Place? Jump on our website & tell us.  If we get enough interest we will return to the Small Place and film/photograph it comprehensively.