/countries/show/australia/1.rss en-us Towering more than 260 meters above Sydney, at almost six times the height of Niagara Falls, the Sydney Tower is nearly impossible to miss walking through the city. From atop the observation deck, striking views take you through the Harbour Bridge, over the Sydney Opera House, past sprawling beaches, to reach the soaring Blue Mountains in the distance. Great for kicking back and enjoying the scenery, or simply taking in a view found no where else in Australia, the Sydney Tower gives you a unique perspective over an exceptional landscape. Opened in 1981, after seven years of construction, visitors can reach the observation deck of the Sydney Tower by taking a 40 second elevator ride. For the more adventurous and fit, there is also the option of climbing the stairs, all 1,504 of them. If you're up for a challenge, check out the Sydney Tower Run-Up held annually in July. Experiences at the Sydney Tower range from relaxed dining in one of two restaurants high above the city, to an adventure filled thrill ride across a virtual Australia on OzTrek. OzTrek takes visitors soaring above Sydney's icons, like the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Opera House and Bondi Beach, white water rafting on rapids in Queensland and into the jaws of a huge saltwater crocodile. OzTrek is great for those who can't venture outside of Sydney but would love to have an Australian Outback experience. This virtual ride is the ultimate medium to provoke some divine inspiration. For a more tangible adventure, step outside the observation deck with the Sydney Tower Skywalk, and get a closer view of the clouds. See the city from top to bottom, inside and out, at Australia's Sydney Tower. Wed, 07 Jul 2010 01:49:36 +0000 http://www.thecircumference.org/experiences/sydney-tower http://www.thecircumference.org/experiences/sydney-tower An animal lovers dream come true, Featherdale Wildlife Park lets visitors get up close and personal with some of Australia's most beloved animals. With the world's largest private collection of native animals, here visitors can go beyond the typical bars and barriers that separate at other zoos and wildlife parks. With a unique bush land setting, Featherdale Park visitors can make their dream of petting a Koala bear or feeding kangaroos a reality. While wildlife is normally equated with more rural areas, Featherdale Wildlife Park is right outside metropolitan Sydney. The minute you walk through the doorway, a bush trail of exotic Australian animals await a visit. With koalas, wombats, Tasmanian devils, emus, wallabies, kangaroos, dingoes, and fairy penguins, much of the wildlife here welcome pats on the head, photos and treats. Although, don't try to pet the crocodile. Instead, make a beeline for the koalas. The Featherdale Park's interactive koala bear exhibit is a crowd favourite. Featuring three koalas lounging lazily in eucalyptus trees, taking in the attention around them, visitors here are welcome to get close to the koalas. Amid their munching and playing, you can pose for photos with the cuddly koalas for free, and they're pretty good at it too. In between pictures, you can catch the koalas taking a nap (they sleep 18-20 hrs a day) or picking out their favourite gum leaves for a snack. Once the fun is over with the koalas, there are many other animals to see and interact with throughout the Featherdale Wildlife Park. Kangaroos run right by and eat out of visitors hands. For an extra bit of cuteness, visit the fairy penguins and watch the tasmanian devil run in circles. This interactive learning experience is great for the children, or anyone young at heart. Wed, 16 Jun 2010 16:40:06 +0000 http://www.thecircumference.org/experiences/featherdale-wildlife-park http://www.thecircumference.org/experiences/featherdale-wildlife-park If you’re prone to carsickness, a trip to Australia’s Jenolan Caves may not be for you. The road leading into the Jenolan Caves is a winding, up, down, narrow jumble of twists and turns that can leave even the calmest passenger feeling a bit nauseated. Travelling into the valley with just a sliver of pavement to follow and a sudden drop on my left side, I wasn’t sure whether to hide my head in the backseat or press my face to the window so I could take in the gorgeous view of the Blue Mountains region below me. The Jenolan Caves are a mere three hours from Sydney, but they feel a million miles away. Heading inland, away from the breezy coast and into the heavy heat of the interior, passing along the gorgeous bush of the Blue Mountains, it’s easy to feel like you’re venturing into uncharted territory; well, that is if you ignore the scads of tourists and vacationing Sydneysiders that the area attracts during peak season. New South Wales' Jenolan Caves are the most famous limestone caves in Australia, and are made up of an intricate web of narrow passageways, underground rivers, natural arches, and dramatic stalactites and stalagmites. Walking through them feels like you’re venturing deep within the earth and back in time, which in a way, you are. While the Jenolan Caves had been known to the Aboriginals for thousands of years (as “Binoomea,” meaning “Dark Places”), it wasn’t until the mid-1800s that formal exploration began by European settlers, under government control. Since then, dozens of caves have been uncovered, but much of the area remains unexplored and it’s unknown how many other caves may exist within the system. The Jenolan Caves are considered to be incredibly old; a 2006 study published in the Australian Journal of Earth Sciences showed that the caves date back 340 million years – making them the oldest cave system in the world. Human impact on the caves is a constant concern, and for that reason, many caves have limits on how many people can visit per day, month, or even per year. The Mammoth Cave has a maximum of 10 people per month, and the Naked Lady Chamber allows only 16 people per year to pass through. There are 11 “show caves” including the Orient Cave, Temple of Baal, Pool of Cerberus, Imperial Cave and Lucas Cave, all of which have fairly easy walking paths, staircases, handrails and electric lighting. For the more adventurous there is adventure caving. These Jenolan Cave tours will have you crawling and squeezing your way through narrow, undeveloped caves with only a headlamp to light your way. Wed, 26 May 2010 16:00:25 +0000 http://www.thecircumference.org/experiences/jenolan-caves http://www.thecircumference.org/experiences/jenolan-caves To see any city skyline at its best, you have to get up high. In Sydney, there's an exciting and invigorating way to do this—the Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb. The experience gives you the chance to drink in the best possible view of the famous Opera House, and get a panoramic view of the whole downtown area too. Once off limits in 1998, the Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb has since celebrated over ten years of operation and organizers say that so far more than 2.2 million people have scaled the famous Aussie arch. More than 2,000 marriage proposals have been made at the Bridge's highest point; and a British couple even got married up there in 2008. The Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb is about a 2.5-hour climb and descent involving scaling the upper span of the Bridge's arch using mostly catwalks and a few ladders. It's less daunting than it sounds when you realize climbers are harnessed to rails on the solid steel catwalks the whole way along. It takes about one hour to get to the summit of this iconic symbol which stands 134 metres high. The gradual incline of the Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb only adds to the experience as it gives you a chance to appreciate the amplifying views. At the midway point, the Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb takes you back down the other side of the arch. This is the best time to take in the view from all angles without having to crane your neck! Guides are present throughout the 1.75 km Climb to give running commentary on the history of the Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb and of the Bridge itself. The guides are also there to take photos of all the climbers from several different angles (this can be either a great chance for a breather or an irritating delay depending on your perspective). The photos they take are offered for sale at the end of the Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb. You do get a free group photo of all the people you climbed with—which is likely to include plenty of complete strangers—but bear in mind that you cannot take your own photographs . If you still have more energy by the end of the Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb, another route on offer is called "The Discovery Climb," and this will take you inside the workings of the Bridge. Have the world at your feet and the wind at your back, as you enjoy the exhilarating experience of the Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb! Wed, 19 Aug 2009 15:46:27 +0000 http://www.thecircumference.org/experiences/sydney-harbour-bridge-climb http://www.thecircumference.org/experiences/sydney-harbour-bridge-climb Driving from Singleton in New South Wales towards the town of Pokolbin, the winter sun warmed the inside of the car. My husband and I were on our way to the Hunter Valley Wineries to spend the day sampling some of the most delicious wines on offer there. As Australia’s oldest wine producing region (the first vineyard opened its doors in 1828) and one of the most scenic, a day spent in the Hunter Valley is a delight for the senses. As we set out on our Hunter Valley wineries adventure, we passed a few closed wineries before happening upon IronBark Hill Vineyard. Travelling down the long driveway we were surrounded by barren grape vines, backed up by mighty gum trees. Upon entering the tasting room—an airy, softly lit, earthy coloured room—we were greeted with a friendly "hello" from the unassuming lady behind the counter. With this the wine started to flow. First up, was a delightful tangy Semillon: the signature grape variety of the Hunter Valley. We learned that Semillon is best drunk within the first few years, but if your plan is to age it then ensure it’s left for six years or longer. Between three to six years old, Semillon goes through a flat period. After that, it is more mature and loses its youthful zest; but it is still beautiful to drink. If only wine ever lasted this long in my house to test this theory! Continuing through the scenic Hunter Valley, we hopped across the road from IronBark to Piggs Peake winery. Here, the greeting wasn’t quite as friendly and the wine banter was forced, but we sunk our teeth into a Marsanne, Verdelho, Shiraz and Vintage Port. The owner explained that not many places make Vintage Port anymore, but here they use an aged brandy and Shiraz grapes. The result is a Vintage Port that given a year or two will taste delightful. Happily quenched we continued our Hunter Valley wine tour with a stop at Tempus Two. Here we enjoyed the view across green hills, billabongs, grape vines and gum trees; this was complemented by the gurgling fountains and bright sunshine. The wines on offer at Tempus Two are unique. In the white category they offer an Arneis and a sparkling blush; in the reds: a light Tempranillo and Grenache, along with the weightier Shiraz. Tempranillo is a grape that the Tempus Two foresees as one that will take off in Australian vineyards over the next few years. Our day in Hunter Valley had worn on at this point and I certainly wouldn't call myself sober. Luckily my lovely husband was the driver, so abstemious I need not be! Our next stop was Draytons Family Wines. The guy working there was by far the friendliest of the folks serving wine, but I wasn't mad about the wines. The exception was the 1999 Joseph Shiraz; now that is a nice drop of wine! Of course at A$70 a bottle it was a bit out of my price range. It's interesting to note that as red wines mature they lose some of that bright burgundy colour and become a more earthy red. From Draytons we walked to Mount Pleasant Estate where we tried a couple of beautiful Chardonnay and Shiraz wines. What a perfect day we had! Chatting, drinking wine, learning about it and all against the backdrop of the beautiful Hunter Valley. Wed, 05 Aug 2009 18:22:02 +0000 http://www.thecircumference.org/experiences/hunter-valley http://www.thecircumference.org/experiences/hunter-valley Ayers Rock or to many Australians simply The Rock, is now more commonly known as Uluru, a name that has endured with aboriginals since before the ice ages and beyond antiquity. Rising above the desert plains 348m high and encapsulating approximately 9.4 km in circumference, Uluru is locally revered as a spiritual symbol. This vast sandstone is held sacred by local aboriginal people, the Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara, offering visitors an ample mix of mythology and magnificent scenery. Uluru provides many terrains to see and explore such as springs, crevices, canyons, caves, waterholes, and ancient paintings. It is discouraged by local people to climb to the summit of Uluru as it was once a traditional route taken by ancestors during the creation of time, used to evoke the spirits for blessings and communicate with during a Dreamtime. Uluru is widely admired for it's dramatic and stark colour contrasts that befall it during sunset or sunrise. Uluru appears to glow with a deep red rust like hue that appears to have remained from its original time of creation thousands of years ago. This colour is derived from oxidation which during sunrise and sunset, sets off a glowing effect due to the arkosic proporties of the rock composition, containing reflective minerals that change colour according to the suns position in the sky. Located in the Uluru-KataTjuta National Park in the Northern Territory of Australia this experience is one that is sure to stir some spiritual reflection and entice Dreamlike frames of mind. Fri, 25 Jul 2008 03:55:07 +0000 http://www.thecircumference.org/experiences/uluru http://www.thecircumference.org/experiences/uluru Experience underwater enchantment diving the Great Barrier Reef, and submerge your senses into a plethora of reef life and mesmerizing coral reef ecosystems. This coral formation located off the South Pacific coast of Queensland in Australia is truly an undeniable best of the world’s natural wonders. With close to 3,000 individual reefs and some 900 islands, the diversity of the Great Barrier Reef is truly stunning. It houses close to 1,500 species of fish and thousands of other forms of life such as clams, corals, snails, crustaceans and echinoderms (like starfish). Some of the species found here are believed to be found nowhere else in the world, and the Great Barrier Reef is the breeding ground for some of the more well-know sea creatures, such as humpback whales, dolphins and turtles. Built by millions and millions of tiny organisms called coral polyps, the Great Barrier Reef spans more then 344,400 square kilometers. In 1981 it was selected as a World Heritage Site, and has since become the icon of Queensland, Australia. Diving the Great Barrier Reef is an enriching travel experience and helps to keep an industry focus on marine preservation. The Great Barrier Reef Queensland is the world's largest coral reef ecosystem, and contains many protected species of animals and plants. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) works to protect those marine animal species that are threatened or at risk of extinction. Tourists can report stranded, sick or dead marine animals by directly contacting the GBRMPA on their hotline: 1300 130 372. Protected species include: helmet and triton shells, and tridacnid clams; seahorses, pipefish, sea dragons, and potato cod; Queensland grouper, barramundi cod, Maori wrasse. Leaflets are available from the GBRMPA (or visit their website) which help tourists identify these species. Tue, 01 Jan 2008 18:07:31 +0000 http://www.thecircumference.org/experiences/great-barrier-reef-diving http://www.thecircumference.org/experiences/great-barrier-reef-diving