Scuba Diving In The Great Barrier Reef – Australia

One of the world’s most famous scuba diving dive sites is the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. The Great Barrier Reef, off the east coast of Australia is the only living organic collective on earth visible from outer space. The other is a man made structure, The Great Wall of China.

This reef is regarded as one of the wonders of the world and was declared as a World Heritage in 1981. It is the world’s largest coral reef ecosystem. Being so huge, magnificent dive spots and beautiful marine life and sceneries abound.

The Great Barrier is more than 300,000 sq km in size and consists of more than 3000 reefs. Deciding where to dive in this huge diving destination can be a gigantic headache. Then again, that is a happy problem because of the many wonderful choices you have.

One of the greatest dangers to the reef, especially to the corals is the Crown of Thorns starfish. This starfish eat corals and have ravenous appetites. Vast stretches of underwater life had on many occasions been destroyed by the Crown of Thorns starfish. Do not try to save the reef by cutting up the starfish. It will not die that way, instead it multiplies just like viruses splitting themselves up to multiply their numbers.

Wreck diving is a favorite scuba diving activity. Amongst the many wrecks are Captain James Cook’s ship “Endeavour”. Another famous wreck is that of the HMS Pandora, which met its fate in 1791. There are about 30 shipwreck sites, most of them are opened to wreck divers.

More than 2 million people visit the reef every year spending about a billion US dollars collectively making tourism as the main pillar of the eastern Australia economy. Since tourism dollar is very important, it is vital for the Australian economy to protect the reef from destruction hence it is protected in many ways. As a form of protection, fishing is restricted in some areas and animals such as dolphins, whales, dugong (a seal look alike animal sometimes mistaken for mermaids) are protected.

For the more adventurous divers, there are dives to view shark feedings, especially the ferocious man eater, The Great White Shark. Divers are put into the water in steel cages to view these man eating sharks closed up. For non divers, there are island hopping cruises as well as whale watching cruises to enjoy the Great Barrier Reef.

Discover The Outback On Your Next Australia Tour

The Outback is a region of great beauty and grandeur that will leave you lasting images of Australias intense landscape. Although the word Outback in native dialect is considered really any area that is far away from urban areas. Outback is generally referring to locations more remote than an area called the bush which generally refers to any rural or undeveloped land or area.

In the province of New South Wales, the Outback features the Darling River which flows over 1700 miles making it the longest river in Australia. It is also considered the lifeblood for much of the wildlife even though it has run dry over 45 times and has a high salt content due to systemic droughts. It was also considered the greatest inland mode of travel from Brewarrina to Wentworth.

The outback in Australias Northern Territory is home to the Kakadu National Park and the Uluru/Ayers Rock. Aboriginal people share their 40,000 year old story with rock drawings and canvas. There are more than 5000 recorded art sites that depict Aboriginal culture over thousands of years.

The NT has very diverse and often contrasting environments along with intriguing and spectacular wildlife as you go from the deserts of Central Australia to the tropics of the Top End. You can expect an assortment of unique Australian pubs, amazing characters and enduring landscapes. Here you will find a number of colorful and down to earth characters that insist upon sharing a tale or two.

Many folks take the Ghan Train ride which allows travelers to enjoy the changing landscapes from the red desert of the outback to the tropical top end in the north. You can even take a camel ride through parts of the desert.

The Great Western Woodlands is the largest temperate woodland left on Earth. By sheer remoteness, this piece of land has mostly escaped the impact of industrialization and maintains a nearly preserved ecosystem. The vastness of the woodlands has assured that the hydrological patterns of thousands of years ago still operate and animal migrations are uninhibited. The plant life has as a metered impact on cloud formation.

The area contains a diversity of vegetation communities with islands of granite rock and natural salt lakes mixed in the sixteen million hectares of land. The woodlands is cut off by the world famous Rabbit Proof Fence to prevent human meddling represents 2 percent of Australias land mass. 20 percent of all known plant species indigenous to Australia are represented in the Great Western Woodlands. Nowhere else in the world are such volumes of Eucalytis trees found in such a profoundly dry climate.

Are You Thinking Of Touring Sydney Australia?

When examining a list of attractions or a map of Australia, it’s only natural to think, “I just want to do everything!” But to narrow it down a little bit, Sydney Australia is a destination that won’t disappoint!

If you’re pressed for time, the Australian tourism industry recommends catching the Manly Ferry, taking a harbor cruise, riding the Shelly Ferry, visiting Shell Beach and touring Manly Beach. Many travelers point to the Sydney Opera House as a highlight of their trip as well.

When you come to Sydney Australia, you’ll obviously want to get the most optimal view of the towering buildings, the world-famous Harbour Bridge and the architecturally intriguing Opera House. At Circular Quay, you can travel thirty minutes from the Sydney Harbour to Manly via ferry, where you’ll get the best view of these landmarks.

When you arrive in Manly, you may want to eat some delicious grub at the brand new Manly Wharf Pub. A more traditional, narrated tour is the Sydney Harbour Cruise, which can tell you a little bit about waterfront mansions, Australian history and the city’s multitudinous cultural offerings.

You’ll get the same view as the ferry, but you’ll have a longer ride and more commentary. “Coffee cruises” have become very popular, offering fresh espresso, teas, gourmet biscuits, muffins and Lamingtons, which is an Aussie favorite. Or you can go on the half-day Sydney Harbour sail aboard “Katrina,” a luxury yacht, which will take you to hideaway beaches and bays.

The Sydney Harbour Bridge Cruise will quickly take you beneath the bridge and narrate a little about this landmark, specifically. You’ll stop in the Darling Harbour, where theatres, aquariums and museums await.

For all you land-lubbers, there’s a nice walk from the Manly Ferry Terminal to Shelly Beach. You’ll pass pubs, cafes, shops and restaurants, although, the particularly keen may even spot a Manly penguin or breaching Humpback Whale!

You can take a tour of Manly Beach or get a terrific view of the Sydney Harbour from the North Fort lookout. With the city, the AMP Centrepoint Tower, a 1,000-foot-high Australian national monument, will give you a bird’s eye view of Sydney’s cityscape.

Sports are more than just entertainment in Sydney Australia: it’s an important part of culture and a celebration of the Australians’ pride. It is an important part of the culture. Rugby is by far the most popular sport but you can also see a horse race at Randwick Race Course, an Australian Football League game (cheer for the Sydney Swans!), a National Basketball League game (go Sydney Swifts!), the start of the “Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race” and the quirky “City to Surf” foot race.

When you first arrive in Sydney Australia at the Kingsford Smith airport, unless you’ve booked a tour, you’ll likely feel overwhelmed and out-of-sorts. You can visit the Sydney Visitor Centre in The Rocks at the corner of Argyle & Playfair Streets or the Sydney Visitor Center at 33 Wheat Road in Darling Harbour between 9:30 am and 5:30 pm to get maps and attraction information.

The key to Australian vacationing is to come prepared, so you may want to look online or book a few tours before you depart from your homeland! The “Sydney Sampler,” for instance, offers five nights exploring Sydney. Starting at $U425 per person, you’ll receive five nights of hotel accommodations and round trip airport transfers, a day at Blue Mountains National Park, the Sydney Harbour coffee cruise, the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge and beach tours. You’ll also stop to see wildlife, museums, shops, Aboriginal heritage sites and more. To arrange a tour, you can check “United Vacations Sp”.

How to Emigrate to Australia

Every year Australia actively seeks skilled immigrants to relocate ‘down under’ and start a new life living in the sunshine of Australia. At the same time, every year thousands of Britons, Europeans and North Americans consider their options of starting a new life far away from their old life in a new country where the climate is fantastic, the lifestyle is excellent and the prospects are pretty much perfect. This is why annually Australia is one of the countries in the world that receives the greatest number of applications from would-be new citizens seeking a residential visa.

Australia offers so much to its citizens, from the aforementioned excellent weather to plentiful job opportunities, from a great standard of affordable living to a free society where everyone is considered equal. If you’re currently a little disillusioned by your home nation because of economic issues, rising crime, falling wages or just because you want a change of scenery and a chance for a new and better life, have you considered emigrating to Australia?

If you have started thinking about it, this guide will show you how to emigrate to Australia with a visa in hand and plenty of potential for your future.

Stage One – Getting Your Visa

Before you rush off and apply for a visa you need to know that there are multiple types of visa that one can apply for to gain residency in Australia. For those who only want to visit for a few months there’s the working holiday visa that allows anyone eligible who is between the age of 18 and 30 to go and live and work their way round Australia for 12 months. For those who want to relocate permanently there are skilled worker visas, employer and investor visas or even humanitarian visas.

You need to spend some time on the Australia immigration department’s website looking at which type you are most likely to be eligible for. There are individuals and agencies out there which can help you with your application – for a fee. But if you prefer to go it alone, just take the process slowly and surely, make sure you send all the evidence of your eligibility with your application and persevere. If you do have skills and talent that would benefit Australia, you stand a good chance of entry.

Stage Two – Making the Move

With your visa in hand you now have to make the move a reality. You may be keen to sell up everything at home and leave with no ties – but what about if a move ‘down under’ to Australia doesn’t work out for you? How will you ever make it back? Think carefully about what solution would work for you best and then know that it is never too soon to start packing, looking for a job in Australia, seeking accommodation etc.

Some people prefer to make the move when they have a home to go to, jobs to go to and the children enrolled in school. Others are happy to just arrive, stay for a few weeks in a holiday let and sort everything out when they are on the ground. Whichever approach you choose, there are others who have gone before you and succeeded so know that although it will be tough at times, you can make a go of it if you try hard.

Stage Three – Coping with Homesickness and Settling In

Although you have dreamt of a move to Australia and finally made your dream come true through pure perseverance and hard work, the honeymoon period once you arrive in Australia doesn’t last long for most people! The stress of actually having to put together the pieces of a new life can take its toll on even the most organised people, and most people reach a point where they think ‘why have I done this? Why have I turned a perfectly good life upside down?’ This feeling is NORMAL! Don’t panic. Just push through, keep your eye on the goal which is settling in to life in Australia and you will get there.

Possibly one of the best things you can do to make your transition easier is make friends. So, get out and about and meeting people and make contacts and friends who will support you and help you, and before you know it, you’ll have that brand new life you dreamed of and you will be happier than ever before!

Scuba Diving Great Barrier Reef Australia by Neil Parris

Learning to scuba dive on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia, back in the year 2000. We had a 1 week training course including 9 dives on a liveaboard which moved between different reefs. Video includes parts of the PADI open water certification including navigation, removing mask. Lots of fish, turtles, corals and other amazing underwater life. Fran is wearing pink fins, and Neil has odd blue and green fins. The last two minutes show some library footage from Cairns Dive Centre.

U/W Sunset, Far Northern Australia

Sunset taken while crossing the Gulf Of Carpenteria, Far North Australia.

A Travel Guide Through Australia

Beyond doubt, Australia is a miraculous nation. The experience will be unbelievable. The enormity of the country and its varied inhabitants give it an appealing spirit. As a tourist, you wish to visit Australia to taste the beauty of the country. You need an Australian visa.

Australia’s biggest attraction is its natural splendor. The thick tropical rain forests, the huge sunny beaches, the Indian Ocean touching hands with the mighty Pacific, the Great Barrier Reef and the placid Tasman Sea are some sites of glory.

Enjoy the delightful outback townships and posh cities which combine a European fervor with a passion for sport. The open-air wine regions have something special for all tourists. You can visit Australia at any season.

The period between spring and autumn are normally the most enchanting. The weather remains calm and pleasant. Spring heralds the entry of fantastic wildflowers in the outback. To be specific, Canberra and the Victorian Alps are gorgeous during this period of the year.

Summer months are from December to February. You may experience hot weather. This climatic condition may be most uncomfortable to a traveler. In the southern states this climate will be grand beach weather for partying. At the same time, the north is rainy and you have to tolerate extreme humid conditions. You need to be very careful about jellyfish.

The sea is full of them around this time. Campervans are trendy options for many travelers. You will find a number of joints that rent fully operational campervans. They vans include complete set of camping gear for the modern traveler. Prices vary on the period of occupancy and they charge reasonably.

With visa Australia, some objects are there in Australia that you should see without fail. We give the introduction of those wonderful objects. The first of them is the famous Sydney Harbour Bridge. This icon is nicknamed “The Coathanger” or “Colin” by the localities. This mammoth steel architecture connects the central business distinct of Sydney with the North Shore.

It has motor vehicle road, pedestrian road and railway tracks for the movement of traffic. This marvel of an arch bridge was opened in 1932. The bridge carries many stories that can rouse interest in a traveler interested in history. This is by far the best of all sights in Australia.

The second in the must-see list is the Sydney gay and lesbian Mardi Gras, which is an annual parade ceremony of the members of a particular community. This takes place in February with the opening taking place in January at the Sydney Opera House.

This is one of the best shows of live entertainment in the world. The show includes dances, music, comedy acts, theatrical shows and films on gay and lesbianism. People come from all over the globe to enjoy and take part in events of dance, drama, forums and conferences and other social activities.

You can enjoy the charming ones like the Sydney Opera House, Bondi beach, New South Wales and Manly ferry services Sydney provided you have an Australian visa.

Darwin – The Top End Of Australia

Positioned between Queensland and Western Australia on Australia’s northern coastline, and overlooking the Timor Sea is Darwin, the capital of the Northern Territory. Darwin has a permanent population of around 110,000 people, but really comes alive during the Dry Season when the tourists flock to the city. With its tropical climate and warm weather all year round, the city enjoys a relaxed outdoor lifestyle and a real buzz occurs each night in the many hotels and nightclubs. If you want to experience some true Australian cuisine then make sure you try Kangaroo, Barramundi and Mud Crabs, or for the real experience try some Buffalo or Crocodile.

On 19th of February 1942, 188 Japanese planes raided Darwin, dropping more bombs on the city than Pearl Harbour. At the time Darwin had a population of about 2,000 people, but this had swelled with an additional 15,000 Allied soldiers based in Darwin due to its strategically-placed naval port and airbase. Darwin came under attack another 58 times during 1942 and 1943, but none were as devastating as the original attack. Today there are still remnants from World War 2 around the city.

Because of Darwin’s location so far north in Australia, the city has 2 distinct seasons, one Wet, and the other Dry. The dry season tends to run from April/May through to October, with the wet season seeing most of the rain fall between December and March. November sees the days becoming very hot and humid because of the build up to the wet season, whereas in the dry season there is very little rain between May and September. If you want to see the waterfalls and rivers in Kakadu at their best, the wet season is the best time to visit Darwin as tours are available to fly over the National Park and see them from the air.

Darwin is the perfect place to base yourself as you explore the Top End of Australia, with good access to the Litchfield and Kakadu National Parks, Katherine Gorge is not too far down the road in Outback terms, and the Tiwi Islands and Arnhem Land aren’t too far away. If its fishing you want to do, there are many tour options to chase after the much sought after Barramundi, or you can always watch the crocodiles jump out of the water on a tour up the Adelaide River. There are the Mindil Beach Sunset Markets each Thursday and Sunday evening during the Dry Season where food stalls prepare cuisine from around the world and local artisans and craft people sell a colourful array of goods.

If you would like to read more information on travelling to Darwin, please click on this link: Darwin

Sandpiper Sailing Thru the Great Barrier Reef, Australia

This was taken while Sandpiper sailed thru the Great Barrier Reef in 2007 on our way to Darwin. Far North Australia. check us out at sandpiper38.blogspot.com

See, Do And Stay In Cairns, Australia

Cairns is located in Australia’s Far North Queensland – one of the lushest, most beautiful and natural places left in the Western – and more importantly English-speaking, and developed – world. The entire city has recently been given a facelift, to match its status an a top international holiday destination, and is now quite a fitting scene for the lovely luxury hotels in Cairns and natural wonders which you can explore from the city.

Of course, you’ll need to organize somewhere to stay before you even leave your grey, ordinary day job, the daily grind of traffic and transport, and the bills that just keep arriving in the letterbox. Bloomfield Lodge is a great choice for those seeking something a little different. This boutique hotel in Cairns is a member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World Association, with decor in a stark, naturally clean and pristine taste, and friendly, courteous staff. The focus at this Cairns Australia hotel is on unobtrusive service – you won’t even realize until you get back home that drinks don’t just magically fill themselves, and that you actually have to wash your linen yourself!

Shangri-La Cairns is the city’s other option for those seeking the reassurance of a brand name hotel, as well as six-star luxury service, impeccably designed surroundings, gorgeous ocean views and a convenient location. Light, airy and spacious rooms are given the luxury treatment with Egyptian cotton sheets, a home theater system and Playstation for the kids, as well as cardio training and strength equipment (you’ll need to get ready for some of the beautiful and thrilling outdoor activities!), and kid-friendly facilities at this Cairns hotel like a children’s pool and table tennis tables.

For the traveler looking for a holiday with a little more than relaxation, Cairns is the perfect place from which to explore some of the world’s most famous natural wonders. The Great Barrier Reef is known worldwide as a heritage listed site and the largest tropical reef of its kind. Snorkeling, scuba diving, windsurfing, sea kayaking, parasailing and helifishing are some of the breathtaking outdoor adventures that await, just outside your Cairns hotel doorway.

The Daintree rainforest is another sight to tempt you away from your luxury hotel in Cairns – wildlife unseen elsewhere in the world, like cassowaries and the endangered green tree frogs can be seen in pristine, untouched tropical rainforest. This is currently the most diverse ecological system in the world, with thousands of species of wildlife and birds, as well as golden rainforest beaches with calm water.

There is also the Curtain Fig Tree, a Ficus strangler vine that grew over another of its kind, and grew cascading down 15 meters to the ground below. The Babinda Boulders is a beautiful swimming hole, filled with water that is quite cool, even in mid summer. Josephine Falls and Tindoo Dam are also popular, and worth venturing out from your luxury accommodation in Cairns for!

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