Arriving in late December 2005, I was horrified to hear of the Cronulla race riots occurring earlier this month, involving Lebanese and ‘white’ Australian youths. Cronulla beach is a central social point for the various surrounding communities, including Lakemba, where a large Lebanese Muslim population resides. I wasn’t originally aware of Sydney’s diverse population, let alone the discrimination within it, but I was quickly subjected to the racial tensions floating uncomfortably, but prominently amongst too many locals.

* A Tribute to the Cabramatta Pailau Beautification Association*

I refused to accept such hostility as the consensus for the whole population and so I headed to Cabramatta, a nearby west-Sydney suburb that was once the target for Southeast Asian immigrants, drug dealers and political warfare. Five years ago, anyone could have stepped off the train in Cabramatta and openly purchased heroin…this was no secret, it was a known fact, and the problem was actively overlooked by police officers in order to keep the crime rate down. Finally, when some officers refused to continue turning a blind eye, action was taken to reinstate law and order, and now locals can walk the streets in safety.

The picture painted by the tarnished reputation is no longer valid. As I walked around this oriental wonderland, my eyes were met with colourful shop fronts and bustling market scenes; there was so much life, so much vitality, the air oozed warmth and welcome. Sweltering spices clung to my nostrils and foreign cries burst into my ears, I had been magically transported to an Asian marketplace and my senses were on fire. Dirty drug deals and violent gangs had no place here.

*Cabramatta – Marketplace*

The most radical decision in combating the Cabramatta crime problem was to move police officers to live in the area. They became a part of the community and this led to a genuine understanding of the culture and a sincere desire to help. A similar interaction took place in the creation of the Cabramatta Pailau Beautification Association when local governments and ethnic councils fused forces to totally re-design the face of Cabramatta. Giant decorative archways now welcome visitors into the central plaza, and at every corner, a monument remembers the refugee history of many of the residents. Such improvements not only encouraged visitors and helped eradicate old stereotypes, but more importantly they gave residents an identity and confirmed their contribution to multi-cultural Sydney, as one grinning girl told me, “…here I can be myself, here I have a place…”

*Cabramatta – central square*

Cabramatta is now the place to go for an authentic Asian experience and the residents are flourishing because of their own ethnicity. Attention need now be turned towards such suburbs as Lakemba, as, since the Cronulla race riots, the Lebanese Muslim community continues to be the focus for racial hostilities.

Visiting Lakemba in person dissolved all my previous apprehensions generated by media misrepresentation and stereotypes. I had arranged to meet a member of the Lebanese Muslim Association and as I spoke to him, another perspective materialised. It seems there has been a long underlying disapproval towards the Lebanese population, with demands for them to ‘go home’, and the Cronulla race riots were an explosion of this. I discussed this with my new Muslim friend, who told me that his brother didn’t even have a Lebanese passport, ‘…he can’t go live in Lebanon, he’s not a citizen, he came to me and said, “people are saying ‘go home’, where do I go? I’ve never been outside Australia”, everything about him is Australian.’ Immersion in this community instantly exposed the falsity of general attitudes – smiles were abundant in the streets, a comfortable, quiet atmosphere floated all around and animated cricket conversations were at the ready.

Although the Australian Government passed a Multicultural Policy Statement in 1999, it seems the pledge to ‘promote community harmony and social cohesion’ is not being honoured. An identity is already recognised for Lebanese Muslim’s, but it is attached with a damaging stigma. Only through education can the image be changed, and, despite its limited resources, the Lebanese Muslim community is making all the effort, with little support from local councils. Multicultural harmony is an image Australia wishes to publicize, but its actual existence is questionable.

The integration of cultures led to understanding and acceptance in Cabramatta, Lakemba needs revamping too. Visitors could explore the latest slice of Sydney, residents could proudly identify with a significant suburb and grinning girls could be themselves again. Assimilation is a two way operation and it’s time the finger stopped pointing at Muslim’s at every sign of antagonism, surely the masses can recognise media hype by now, lets show a little ingenuity.

Visitors to Sydney have not one country to experience, but a whole multitude, so to get the true picture a breakdown of the tourist barrier is required. Without such effort, the reality is missed and the local life passes by, unnoticed behind tinted hotel windows and within shielded taxi-cabs. As outsiders, visitors could help bridge the gap in this impressively diverse population and give travel a whole new meaning… instead of being deterred by racial prejudice, visitors can see these places, meet these people, and watch the misconceptions wash away. The people are the essence of this city, it’s their distinctive cultures and exceptional cuisines that give Sydney its living flesh. If you don’t experience the people, you don’t experience Sydney, so give the beach a miss today and see where the train takes you.

At Newnes you can camp or stay in quaint and comfortable Dr Seuss-like cottages but I dream about the challenge of no running water and sleeping under the stars. Getting back to nature. Hiking through the magically overgrown ruins of a huge mining installation or along abandoned railway tracks, swallowed up by towering trees. Visiting obliging glow worms that twinkle 24/7 in their black tunnel high on a mountain at the end of a rain forest.

Ramparts and Ruins

However, we have an off road camper trailer. Built like a tank. Unfolds to a cottage sized establishment with a queen sized bed and the only concession to roughing it is that the walls are canvas and they are appropriately coloured green to give the impression of camping. There is a hot shower and a toilet, also residing in their own green dwelling, a transplanted en suite from the city to the bush. The kitchen gleams and turns out magnificently cultured cuisine that would hold its own in a city restaurant, but only if my husband is cooking. If I cook, the Rural Fire Service comes, sirens blaring, lights flashing, to put out the conflagration and lecture me on fire bans.

Geoffrey insisted on paying several thousand dollars extra for a completely off road camper trailer. It seemed irrelevant that our 4WD, which is intrinsic to his ability to do business, can not drive on really tough 4WD roads in case it is damaged. But in his defense we can go on relatively rough 2WD roads with total impunity, so we nearly justify the extra dollars spent. I guess it’s the dream that he “could” drive rough with the camper trailer if he wanted to, that is worth paying for. That’s where the camping industry gets you in…it’s the dream. But it’s still fun to pretend we’re camping.

We arrive at Newnes just before midnight after wending our way across the dark roads of the Blue Mountains and burrowing into the majestically close valley leading to Newnes. Towering stone ramparts march alongside the narrow, rutted dirt road. When we arrive the moon is out. Stars twinkle. Frogs make cracks in the silence. We startle a wombat when we turn into our camp site. He slowly raises his boofy head and turns it back in our direction so that his eyes rest malevolently on the car. He glares at us over his shoulder for four or five seconds before he sighs and stomps away in the direction of the river bank where he has a cavernous lair under the tree roots. We are used to each other. I wonder if he remembers that we bring carrots for him. We will make it up to you mate, honest. And we didn’t hit any of your cousins on the way down through the valley in the dark, I promise. The dead ones were hit by someone else.

The Valley

Our intention, because of the lateness of our arrival, was to just flip the top over and go to sleep then set up camp tomorrow. We didn’t want to disturb our landlord, Thomas, in his historic hotel just down the valley, but the dark is so bright and we are not tired, so one thing leads to another and before we know it we have a tent cottage, bathroom, the table and chairs are assembled in the dining room and there is a chair or two by the crackling fire. A huge silver tarpaulin covers the lot. God forbid we get the canvas damp.

Then we turn in for the night after a quiet cappuccino beside the rushing waters of the creek. The moon glistens in its silver and black swirling water as it hurries to the coast via the Colo River. It’s in a rush this time, the creek. Last time we camped here it was feeling lazy and looked almost like syrup slinking around rocks and bushes slyly, taking its time, not wanting to meet the sea for a while, but not being able to stop. It wouldn’t be long before it was full of our grandchildren, so we enjoyed this aspect of quietness just for tonight. Tomorrow, the onslaught. The swirls would be shattered into splashes. The wombat would be digging deeper into the bank to find some quiet. The resident dog, Bella, would be in there with the kids stirring up the sand and sending the red belly black snakes into the bush and away from the mayhem. But now, the silence was golden. Or silver, really.

The River in Daylight

My husband‘s motto is, ‘He who has the most toys wins”. We can barely move at home because of the profusion of gadgets that litter the floor and the shelves. The double garage is full to shoulder height in total squalor. There is so much stuff that when you want something you can’t find it, so you have to go and buy another one. Black tentacles of electrical wire and co-ax creep around our house, festooning the walls and cowering in dark corners behind tables and they make me physically phobic. I don’t know what you call the phobia where you feel crushed and beaten down by “things” but I have it. My husband will not admit my phobia is real. Like a typical boy, if he doesn’t talk about it, it doesn’t exist, so the frenzied collection of even more “things” continues day by day and day by day I am more overwhelmed.

I thought camping would be the answer. The simplicity. To me, camping is a tent that offers a little extra room in case of inclemency, a billy for a cup of tea, a frying pan, a light and a sleeping bag. Add food and a bottle of red, a plate and a cup and you’ve died and gone to heaven.

Instead, there is nothing at home that we haven’t got on the road. There wasone thing, but last year my sister in law declared that she had the perfect gift for us to take camping. Now we have a TV that is also a DVD player, runs on electricity, or battery and I’ll bet even wind power if necessary, takes memory cards from any camera and destroys the last vestige of freedom that I had. It was the icing on the cake of Clayton’s camping…the camping you do when you aren’t really camping.

We woke early and came out of our “tent” in the crisp, clean morning to say hello to Bella whose nose could be heard snuffling at the entrance to our establishment. There was a whistling sound and we were confronted by a stunned looking Thomas blowing air between his teeth in disbelief. “I awoke to find the Taj Mahal in my paddock and I thought I was dreaming until I walked across and it didn’t go away” he said in his beautiful German English. He was backing up to get a better perspective. We had bought a new tarpaulin and it was nearly half as big again as we had envisaged. It was silver to repel the sun and when Thomas woke in his historic hotel and glanced out his window to appreciate his unsullied domain, he was struck with the glare of the early morning sun reflecting off a square kilometer of silver canvas rising to majestic proportions in his home paddock. “And Mine Gott, its you! I should have known” he said, glancing at Geoffrey.

Thomas’s Historic Hotel

“We have our children and grandchildren coming” I said by way of explanation. “But you said you only had several children” he pointed out reasonably, both arms taking in the expanse of our small suburb. “Rain is predicted” I replied realistically, “they need space to play”. “I can see an international soccer match being played under such a canvas” Thomas said. Then he invited us to “Come and have coffee and we can watch it from the verandah” as though our humble erection was a spectator sport. We did and it really looked ridiculous but later when it rained he walked over to say that we should be happy to have so much dry space on a rainy day. And we were. If it kept on raining we could even pack up underneath it and not a drop of moisture would sully our canvas.

We had our hot shower overlooking the rushing river from whence the water came, trundled up the steep bank by Geoffrey, tipped into a large, folding camp bucket that held nearly 44 gallons, and delivered via a gas heater through a shower rose hanging like a chandelier from the ceiling of the green canvas bathroom. I shared it with a huge stick insect and Bella’s nose. There’s no getting away from anything in this cylindrical portable room and I had the opportunity to observe the insect closely during my shower. They are amazing. Its little head turned from side to side like a humans and at one point it skated across the soap with elegance and surety before landing on the other side and walking away in boredom. Outside, Geoffrey was deliberating on what sort of pump he could buy to get the water from the river to the bucket.

Bringing Up the Shower Water

Breakfast had been made and Thomas had delivered wood for the fire. Life couldn’t get much better.

“No I never see snakes” Thomas said when I asked about the huge red belly black I had seen bathing in the river below the Taj Mahal. “Bella has loud feet and if there were any they would most certainly depart before we came in sight” he explained.

The first family arrived. Geoff’s daughter and her husband who had never camped before. “We just saw a huge snake Poppy” the children said with saucer like eyes. “On the road” Peter said, “are there many here”? “Thomas never sees snakes” I replied, “…they must know where his boundary is”. Everyone looked relieved and I made a mental note to encourage Bella to spend as much time at our place as possible with her loud feet.

They arrived with a flat tyre and we all stood round looking at it. It was shredded so a new one would have to be bought but the children were impressed as they had only ever seen tyres that were round and that kept the wheel off the ground. Every thing’s an adventure out here in the wild.

Peter was captivated by the beauty of the place. The towering sandstone fortress-like cliffs and the peace of the bush. “All this for only $10 a night”?! He couldn’t believe it .

We put up their tent and went walking in the ruins of the huge shale oil plant that had been partly consumed by the bush over the last 100 years. Trees sprouted between enormous brick walls. A ruined row of kilns that looked like round hobbit houses marched along a ridge. There were about 100 of them in various stages of decay and the kids were wide eyed at the mystery and ruin and couldn’t figure out where the fairies were hiding. We looked for hours but didn’t find one.

Hobbit Holes

On our return Geoff went to his fridge. It takes up the entire luggage section of the Land Cruiser, and beer materialized. Then there was a crisp salad with an olive based dressing and the sun shone. We washed up at the kitchen sink and went swimming and hiking in the river. It had a sandy bottom with the odd large warm rock to linger on and holes of slightly deeper water to sit in. You could walk for miles and if you placed your feet carefully you only got wet up to your knees. It was a great place to take your chair, put it down under a dark shady branch, and sit in the cool running stream and read. With a cold beer in the can holder of the deck chair and a book in one hand, there wasn’t much wrong with the world. “All this for $10 a night” Peter said, shaking his head deliriously.

Because the valley was made in the shape of a U and about the same dimensions, there was only one way the wind could blow that really made it dangerous. “There will be a storm” Thomas announced “and it will come from that way” he said ominously pointing to “that” way. “Chust tie things down and I’ll check on you when it stops” he announced over his shoulder as he retreated to his historic hotel. At least that had stood for well over 100 years, so we knew that if the tents blew away we could shelter on the verandah.

The wind started to blow very suddenly as though the planet had just decided “Ok, lets have a storm, now”! We could hear a roar. Thought it was wind and quailed. But it was water and it was falling in solid sheets from the sky and marching down the valley towards us as though coming into battle. It was an “oh shit” moment. It hit literally with a thud. Naomi was in their tent with little Laura who was asleep. When it hit, the roof of the domed tent blew down to within a few centimeters of her head and she was lying on the bed on the floor. Unbelievable ferocity pummeled us and poured on us. Geoff and Peter spent 15 minutes tying things down in scuba diving conditions…they were wooping and hollering at the top of their voices…”quick over here” and you could hardly hear above the wind. The other granddaughter Emily and I were cowering together in a chair in the kitchen area of the Taj Mahal hugging each other and terrified of the screaming wind and streaming water which had risen to our ankles. The storm threw itself at us. It screamed and beat us with its fists and every second Emily and I said to each other from underneath our entwined arms which were over our heads “I wish this would stop, I wish this would stop” and after 15 minutes it did. And everything was still standing and the parts of the tents that had waterproof floors were dry.

The sun came out. “I can’t believe I only paid $10 for that” Peter said, grinning from ear to ear and squelching into the Taj Mahal. Thomas drove across the paddock. “I don’t swim well” he said by way of explanation, leering at our submerged neighbourhood. “Come and have coffee and we’ll watch it from the verandah” and by the time we’d finished our coffee at the historic hotel, the water had gone down.

Food is always good after adventure and while we went for a walk Geoff had dug out his multitudinous camp oven. It had lots of devices stacked inside and could cook in at least 5 different ways so we were welcomed back to the camp site by a delicious aroma that wafted through the wet undergrowth. It was reminiscent of grandma’s place on a Sunday. Roast Lamb. Surely not. It grabbed us by the nostrils and dragged us across the sodden paddock . We drifted back to the Taj Mahal like Zombies being summoned to a sacred rite. It was eaten in moments. Demolished. It was the more wonderful because it was ridiculous. No one should be able to produce something so ethereally beautiful from a blackened pot on a bed of coals.

They went home the next day then the next wave of family would arrive. They reluctantly piled into the car after Emily and Laura solemnly inspected all the tyres to make sure they were round. Just over the bridge they drove over a huge red belly black snake. I’ll bet it had been hovering there looking into Thomas’s estate and wishing it had the courage to come in, despite the loud feet of Bella…I’m glad the little girls didn’t see it after they drove over it.

The next mob arrived and we were excited to see them. Enya and Angie piled out of the car. “There’s a HUGE dead snake just over the bridge” they said. “We thought you said snakes didn’t come to Thomas’s place”.

“This is your tent”, I said to change the subject. “I promise it is totallywater proof. This is the hot shower and the toilet. This is how to turn on the party lights. We dine a Chez Geoff at 6.30 and the menu for tonight is baked pheasant and truffles followed by Chocolate Soufle with fresh, whipped cream.”

But that wasn’t to be.

Ahhh The Joys of Roughing It!

“Tonight is New Years Eve” Thomas announced in a master of ceremonies voice “Ve vill enchoy it on the verandah and watch the New year in if you vish. Bring a plate and your drinks. Others will come.” We did and they did. Grateful to be invited, we turned up. Son Carl, daughter in law Kerry and the 2 girls and we were joined by the United Nations. They came out of the bush in the dark like wraiths; drifting into the soft golden light of the old hotel which stood beside its row of 6 sparkling white porcelain toilets, each one covered by a narrow green cylindrical tent.

This building had seen many such New Years Eves in its long life and tonight it played host to people from Germany, Great Britain, Finland, Korea and Sydney.

Life goes on and on and on and we fade away whilst the buildings endure. Who really is the winner on this planet? I decided that in all this festive gathering, it was Thomas’s historic hotel. We were just visitors to this place who would eventually disappear whilst this hotel would go on hosting New Years Eves through generations of mere mortals. I could imagine what Peter would say if he was here, “Only $10 and all these nice people and this beautiful night”! Children chased each other under the trees in front of the hotel and Bella munched contentedly under the table, whilst in our absence the wombat nosed through the goodies in our kitchen at the Taj Mahal. Yeah, I reckon it was the best New Years ever and even Claytons Camping is worth doing.

The Sydney Opera House

Located smack-bang in downtown Sydney this music hall was finished in 1973 and is a, “must-do,” destination for all singers. Variously described as a sail ship, or a head-dress it is Australia’s answer to the Empire State Building or the Eiffel Tower. Designed by Dane, Jorn Utzon, the building went through an argumentative birth with the architect ceding completion to the New South Wales Government architects who finalised a shadow of the real version that was intended for this harbourside setting. This is one true global icon with more than Opera going on in its grand theatres and forecourt restaurants.

Image via Wikipedia

Uluru (Ayers Rock)

One of the most enduring images of Australia is the famous large single rock that sits in the heart of this brown land. The “Rock,” as it is lovingly known is a real draw card for visitors who are always eager to climb to the top. This is still allowed although many are trying to name this pastime, “desecration,” of traditional Aboriginal land. Mystical stories abound here with tales of tourists meting a horrid end if they deign to take any souvenir smaller rocks home with them. The landmark is quite extraordinary, changing colours with the time of day or the shifting skies.

Image via Wikipedia 

The Great Barrier Reef

Skirting the Eastern Coast of Australia this landmark is the world’s longest and largest reef system providing visitors with much needed colour experience in this otherwise dull continent. Home to innumerable fish and coral life the Reef is a must-do for anyone thinking about a visit to this mysterious and remote land. Even if you can’t swim, boat with see-through bottoms; project you across the Reef so no-one misses out on seeing the dazzling display of life under the seas.

Tasmania – the Apple Island

Image via Wikipedia

Tasmania is Australia temperate paradise to the south of the continent that is an experience in itself. Snow capped peaks, verdant green pastures an exotic food are the hallmark of this Island of Apples. Tasmania is worth visiting herself because she is so gorgeous. Tasmania is green and lush kissed by the cooling rains of the Roaring Forties and stepped in convict history from day’s yore.

The Wild Outback

The “Outback,” is out-the-back of most of the cities and towns of this sparsely populated nation. If you are standing facing the sea then the Outback is thousands of kilometers behind your back. Uluru is the centre of the Outback which is also the setting for those famous movies about that crocodile hunter, “Crocodile Dundee.” Many a spooky tale springs from this empty and haunting place but any visitor will find stories both indigenous and introduced to draw them to this wild realm. It’s a true Australian holiday that includes this wild realm. 

Conclusion

These sights are the most famous offerings for tourists to Australia. If your itinerary includes these then you will have got value for money seeing most of what makes Australia unique. There are countless others but this guide takes you to the most famous and obvious reasons why people visit this remote and wild country.

 More Australian travel articles by this author:

Escape Down Under 6: Sport Mad Land | Sportales

Sydney: New South Wales’ Stunning Seaside Spectacular

 It lies nine hours’ drive north of Sydney, or one hour south of the Gold Coast Airport-  and it’s worth the journey.

Northern News South Wales Australia is an eye-opening part of Australia that is truly beautiful, the NSW ‘North Coast’ has the world’s largest expansion of subtropical rainforest’s. These rainforest’s have been formed with fertile soils from Ancient Volcanoes and some of its trees are reputedly over 1,000 years old.   With a pristine coastline featuring countless beaches that offer surfing, whale-watching, frolicking dolphins and flocks of seabirds, the North Coast has a diverse culture that is unique to the  area.   Regional festivals and markets present products such as crystals, gemstones, and handicrafts, as well as a wide variety of locally grown foodstuffs.  For example: On your scenic drive to Lismore, you can stop of at the famous Channon Markets and enjoy an Alternate market, watch the hippies banging their drums and dancing for a love of life.

Some Towns to Visit below in Northern New South Wales Australia!

Lennox Head: famous for its great surf break, wind-surfing, kite boarding and hang gliding. 

Mullumbimby, a  scenic little town nestled below the mountains; plenty of character and some good eating and drinking holes. 

Byron Bay:Surf City!  Rich in alternate traditions with an awesome music scene.   Byron has the lot!  See article on Byron.

Brunswick Heads, with its beautiful little river that greets the ocean here.   

Bangalow: a small, arty town with fantastic little restaurants and its  yearly Go-cart Derby.

The hinterland’s farmers grow many exotic foodstuffs, and this produce that can be bought from their  mini-stores that sit roadside out front of their farms.  Macadamia nuts, Guavas, Lychee’s and delicious Avocado’s, all can all be purchased here at a fraction of the usual shop prices.  Take what you want and just drop some coins in the “Trust Box.”   So as you’re traveling through this majestic countryside, why not stop, help yourself,  and enjoy the “pick of the bunch” to later feast at home.

Mount Warning greets the North Coast every morning as the rising sun spreads its wings across the ocean from the east.    Not afar from here is the majestic Minyon Falls,  and when Minyon’s aroaring the scene can resemble something from an old Tarzan movie.   April is the wettest month up here, and this is when the falls are at their finest.   

When heading south, Minyon Falls can be reached by taking a right turn just out of Bangalow and following the designated signs. This drive is a true wonder just on its own and lies about 30 minutes from the Bangalow turnoff.

Things to do in Northern New South Wales Australia

Watch dolphins swim with surfers.  This can be done  from Pat Moreton Lookout near Lennox Head.

Plunge into the waterholeat Killen Falls, a rainforest’s oasis near Fernleigh, in Ballina Shire.

Hire a bikeand ride the cycle ways in Ballina.

Discover Cape Byron Headland Reserve, the Easternmost point in Australia.

Stop at a roadside stallfor great coffee, avocado’s and macadamias.

Try adventure activities at Byron – kayaking, snorkeling, diving and hot-air ballooning.

Watch the annualGo-cart Derby at Bangalow town.

Swim in clear waters, both  fresh and salt

Take a surf lesson with one of the registered surf schools

Check out the local music scene in one of the local pubs or hillside dances.  Learn to fire dance.

View the Humpback whales as they head North to give birth in tropical waters.

Surf the famous points and beach breaks in warm waters.

Kite Board and wind surf at Lennox Head and other famous breaks.

As you can see from the article above Northern New South Wales Australia is a holiday makers dream.  So have a great time end enjoy all it has to offer!

With wonderful workshops on several times a week a traveller can learn anything from jewellery making to how to make a Didgeridoo!

The main ‘hang-out’ of the Arts Factory accomodation area sports pool tables, a great cafe and plenty of benches to eat at or spend the afternoon reading and relaxing.

In the evening check out the beautiful Bhudda Bar restaurant or lay back and truly relax at the Byron Lounge cinema.

It is located a short walk from the beach and the shops where just about anyone can get in touch with their spiritual side. The laid back atmosphere and vibe of Byron Bay is contageous.

Women are in for a special treat with the near by Tea Tree lake, which according to native Aboriginals is a special bathing place just for women. The Tea Tree Lake is part of the Tyagarah Nature Reserve and all year round the lakes teem with birds, wallabies and reptiles. One may encounter some nude bathers due to the privacy of the region and the old myth that the Tea Tree lakes can restore fertility to women.

Contact Information:
Arts Factory Backpackers Lodge
Arts Factory Village
Skinners Shoot Road
Byron Bay
02 66857709
info@artsfactory.com.au

We were getting up towards Darwin when we pulled off the Stuart Highway at Adelaide River. We were there to see Crocodile Dundee’s Bull. This is the animal that Crocodile Dundee brought to its knees with his finger in the movie and he was so loved, that when he dropped off the perch the locals had him stuffed. He is now standing impressively on the hotel bar.

Picture Crocodile Dundee’s Bull

But Adelaide River has more to offer than a stiff bovine… it was first established as a railway station in 1888 and now it houses a solemn memorial.  The Adelaide River War Cemetery.

Set in beautiful lawns, surrounded by massive shady trees, the cemetery is a fitting tribute to those who died in the Second World War and an arresting reminder of the impact the war had on the Northern Territory, the enormity of which was kept from the rest of Australia at the time.

The War Cemetery

Four hundred and thirty four military personnel are buried here. There are memorials to 287 people who were lost in the northern region including Timor and adjacent to the military memorial is a civilian cemetery honouring 63 people who died in the bombing of Darwin on 19th February 1942. The Post Office workers who were killed in the bombing are here and it is shocking to see multiple family members lying together for eternity.

It’s about half a day’s leisurely journey from this peaceful spot to Darwin. I had last been here 40 years ago, before Cyclone Tracy had all but wiped the northern capital from the face of the earth and I couldn’t wait to see what it looked like now.

Back then, it was not that impressive. I remember getting terribly lost because all the houses looked the same. The people I met were all from somewhere else and questions about their past were frowned on. The natural scenery was quite lovely and there were some emotive colonial buildings that dragged you back to a past that was romantic and difficult and picturesque and multi racial…and thankfully, some of these remain.

We drove past the turn off to Humpty Doo and in through the new developments at Palmerston which could have been in Sydney. The houses are beautiful and we drove through to Stuart Park where friends were hosting us in their private rain forest.

Their home featured a Rubber Tree that was as big as any huge Fig Tree in Sydney’s Botanical Gardens and its deep shade enveloped the property.  20 years ago this tree lived in a pot in the lounge room and our hostess simply put it in the ground. This result would take 100 years in Sydney! This was flanked on two sides by massive Mahogany Trees. There was a pool and peace and welcome. Darwin is a gardener’s dream location.

We had been asked out to dinner by about a dozen people after just one walk up Smith Street Mall. My Sister in law spends several months here every winter and she knows more people in Darwin than she does after a lifetime living in Sydney…that pretty much says it. Darwin is “Great to see you, let’s have a good time!”

 In this city evening drinks are an institution. They were held at a different location every night … the first of these was at the sailing club in Frances Bay. It was a galvanized iron establishment, no bull, down to earth and full of real people having a congenial time. The water sparkled and we sat under an umbrella shaped tree to sip our sundowner drinks.

Umbrella Shaped Tree at the Sailing Club

We had drinks on the cliffs where we walked the dog one night with our hosts and their friends. The boys went ahead and set up the picnic tables on a hill top beside the sea. The corks were out of the champagne bottles by the time we arrived and we sat in companionable silence, munching fish and chips, sipping champers and watching a breathtaking sunset over the ocean.

Now if you live as I do, where the sun sets over the land, this is a total delight.

Sunset

On my first night in town we were shown the wharf precinct which has undergone a $1.1 billion upgrade. We saw the towering convention centre. Locals feel that this impressive building  faces the wrong way….inland, but that’s the only way you’d concentrate on anything if you were inside, because the sea view would be far too distracting… especially at dusk.

The wave pool next-door, is an amazing piece of community infrastructure. Because the local seas are somewhat unfriendly, (crocodiles and box jelly fish mean the sea is deadly for much of the year) this immense pool is free to everyone.

It’s easy to get around Darwin. The busses are plentiful and on time and if you are over 60, free.

They take you anywhere. There are also Tourist Tub busses that run all day, picking up and depositing tourists at all the local sights at a very reasonable price.

The Botanic Gardens are impressive…they are right near Mindil Beach, are both botanical and historical and a great place to spend a few peaceful hours. There’s an informational sign on a northern hill in the gardens explaining indentations in the hard ground. In World War II on this bushy hill over looking the bay, soldiers on look-out duty would lie on their stomachs in these ditches, watching for a Japanese invasion.

Lookout Trench Sign

Pat is a retired midwife and a proud Darwinian and I was fortunate enough to have her show me her city, just so I could get my bearings. I got it from the heart. We went to Larrakeyah and the swanky development of Cullen Bay where the marina features a range of culinary houses to delight any palate.

We drove out to Casuarina and on the way we saw where a crocodile had recently taken a child in a little creek and where, on Casuarina Beach, a croc had been stalking beach goers. We had a look around. I was with a nurse so I felt a little bit safe. I don’t know if I was relieved or disappointed that the croc seemed to be having the day off and Pat’s nursing skills were not needed.

The local nurseries are worth seeing. As well as marveling at what will grow in a place like Darwin….there was superb deli style food, a huge ceramic dragon and dinosaurs in one and a whimsical sign in another.

Dragon

Nursery Sign

There’s plenty of shopping! In Smith Street Mall Paspaley Pearls showroom displays breathtaking local pearls. Next door I bought a beautiful, yellow crocodile skin bracelet. Caught up in the moment I then decided on croc souvenirs for everyone at home and bought mummified crocodile paw key rings for the boys and bracelets for the girls…very whimsical.

The city has well organized self guided walks with informational brochures and signposts. I decided to do the lot and walked all day on the heritage tour…I visited the Chinese temple. It has been destroyed and rebuilt more than once, like many buildings in the city, but retains the beauty and charm of yesteryear.

Chinese Temple

 The heritage tour is beautifully done! And the remaining old buildings on the tour are preserved with cultural reverence and proudly shown.

Heritage Buildings in the Darwin CBD

Crocosaurus Cove is right in the middle of the city. It is the complete, accessible crocodile experience. There is also Barramundi feeding and angler fish that spit at your hand. There are reptiles and big, big crocs to watch and a forest of tiny little ones with only their eyes showing on the top of the water.

It’s Just a Croc

The old storage tunnels under the city are cool. Literally. It is very hot in Darwin. The temperature resembles that of Bali and a visit to these tunnels that run under the city is a welcome break from the heat above ground. The tunnels are an educational experience… they are so long they are literally out of sight.

Fuel Storage Tunnels Under Darwin

Right around the city of Darwin WWII reminders are well preserved and signposted.

Ammunition Storage Bunkers

Lunch at the old Admiralty house under huge figs looking over the Esplanade and harbour is a great way to break the day. A cool beer and the genteel historic building are very atmospheric.

Admiralty House

Leave lots of time to visit the Museum and Maritime Museum which shows all the vessels that relate to this part of the world including many Asian vessels that have visited the area over the years for various reasons.

The museum is packed with local cultural artifacts and full of interest and has a sound proof room that plays a recording taken during Cyclone Tracy. It features the devastating, unrelenting, God forbidden shriek and the thudding of trees and buildings being blown against other structures, that went on all night when Darwin was blown away. As I stood there in the dark, tears streamed down my face. I could not imagine the terror of really being there. I could not bear to hear the noise, but they could not open the door and leave like I could. My heart went out to those people who lived through that night of devastation.

In the evening we visited Mindil Markets which run along the beach and are always packed. Darwin is a backpacker’s haven and there were crowds of young tourists as we walked and ate and had our fortune told. A didgeridoo player who plays four or five instruments at once puts on a rock show that is pure Darwin and there are clothes to buy and people to meet and these markets are a truly exciting experience.

But the most impressive part of the markets is when tourists and locals mass along the beach at that magic moment when the sun drops into an orange sea. They sit meditatively and when dark falls, they turn back to the fun and enjoyment of the food and market stalls.

Sunset on Mindil Beach

Government House is central to the life of Darwin and accessible to everyone. We attended an open day and met the first lady Tessa Pauling who welcomed everyone to Darwin’s cultural icon. The beautiful house is the official residence of the Administrator of the Northern territory and has stood on the site since 1871.

The house has had its share of disaster. In 1897 it was severely damaged by a cyclone and much of the superb garden was wrecked by another cyclone in 1937. Part of the building sustained a direct hit in the war and most of the furniture disappeared and Cyclone Tracy damaged the house again in 1974. This legacy has constantly been brought back to life like the city itself and is shared proudly with the community with regular open days and on many other occasions.

Government House

 On my last night in Darwin I enjoyed a sun-downer dinner with the Dead Husbands Club. My sister in law belongs to the “Dead Husbands Club”…a group of women with whom she shares food and wine and company. Only one still has a husband and he has named the group. They are nurses, station owners, and business wives, women from all walks of life who are fun and interesting and friendly.

Sundowner at the Trailer Boat Club

We ate at the trailer boat club and I had Barramundi watching the sun go down over the sea at Fannie Bay….how iconic and how perfect. I encourage everyone to visit Darwin. Everyone who enjoys life, that is.

Darwin is synonymous with enjoyment and with life. It is a proud survivor. I have seen the evidence during my discovery tour, that very time it is beaten down Darwin rises up and surpasses itself. I would live there tomorrow.

The Great Barrier Reef is under the protection of the World Heritage Scheme and it is an official national marine park. In biological and geological terms it is rightly designated one of the top natural wonders of the world. The Great Barrier Reef comprises about one fifth of the world’s entire coral reef area.

The reef is about 1250 miles long (about 2012km) and reaches from Lady Elliot Island to Cape York. The area is shallow, warm, coastal water and there is a unique diversity of marine life here. The whole reef is made up of coral polyps which live on top of the build up of skeletons of past generations of coral. These polyps are like tiny buds of coral which form a soft layer over the limestone base. The coral is actually soft bodied and surrounds itself with an exterior skeleton made of limestone.

Image by In Veritas Lux via Flickr

Image by In Veritas Lux via Flickr

Marine biologists calculate that the first corals inhabited this area more than 17 million years ago and it is incredible to think that today’s corals are living on top of the skeletal remains of their ancestors from millions of year before. The generations are literally layered on top of each other.

Image via Wikipedia

Image by In Veritas Lux via Flickr

The coral, which supports the other wildlife on the reef, only thrives in unpolluted water and needs a constant temperature that stays around 72 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit.( This is equivalent to 22 to 28 degrees centigrade.) The coral lives on clean sea water and sunshine. It needs the sunlight to be able to reach it and to warm the water, and this is why it occurs where the water is relatively shallow.

Image by In Veritas Lux via Flickr

The reef is home to more than four hundred known species of coral and these vary spectacularly in size, shape and colour. This habitat supports 1500 species of tropical fish, six of the seven species of sea turtle in the world, plus almost 300 varieties of birds including waders, sea birds and sea eagles.

Image via Wikipedia

Image via Wikipedia

Since the 1960’s tourist numbers in the reef area have risen sharply with a 30% increase per year for the past 20 years, and this has made it essential to protect the environment and control access to certain areas. The management of the area necessitates making many rules and regulations to prevent things like anchor damage to the reef, reef walking, coral collection, uncontrolled fishing and of course, pollution from boats, and the other detritus tourists tend to leave behind them.

Image via Wikipedia

Image via Wikipedia

Image by In Veritas Lux via Flickr

The colours and the natural construction of this fabulous world are unbelievable and even if you don’t scuba dive, you can have the most amazing experience here via snorkelling, or setting out in a glass-bottomed boat. If you get the opportunity, this is one of the world’s, ‘must see’ places, but if not, the photographs shown in this article will give you a good idea of just what a fabulous job nature has done here.

“The Sight you must Sea”

110 km stretch of Beautiful soil covered in shells, hence the name Shell Beach. The beach is located 45 km of Denham. Use Of Beach – Relaxing, Swim and collecting shells

Number 4: Monkey Mia

 
It’s a squeaky but very clean beach; it is a nice beach to come with the kids. Since 1960’s a pod of bottlenose dolphins have come every day. It is found North-East of Denham. Use of beach- Entertainment, relaxing, fishing and to feed the wildlife

Number 3: Scarborough

If you are a surfer who likes to party, this is your place. During the day the waves and pumping during the night the pubs and night clubs are pumping. Use of Beach – Surfing, Body boarding, swimming, wind surfing, kite boarding and just for plain entertainment (e.g. Beach cricket)

Number 2: City Beach

This beautiful piece of mother’s nature has been rewarded as Perth’s best beach, not just once but a few times. It is good for the family and either an early morning and late afternoon fish. It has great facilities and on a good day you may be able to catch a wave or two. Use of beach – Entertainment, Swim, fish and a body board

Lucky Number 1: Cable Beach

Turquoise water and beautiful white sand is not the only reason people come to this beach. No it isn’t because you can get a camel ride, which is actually quite fun. It has been voted in the top 10 beaches in the world. This is because of the feeling and illusion you get when the sun hits the water. Its such a beautiful site you wish it never ends.

Thank you for reading this, hope you enjoyed.

Just remember this was my choice, yours might be different.