Category Archives: australia

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Top 4 Family-friendly Destinations For The Ultimate Animal Encounter

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Nothing is quite as memorable as when you can experience the wonder of Australian wildlife with your family. Fortunately, there are some family-friendly destinations which provide fantastic opportunities to have the ultimate animal encounter, if you know where to look. Here are the top 4 that are sure to impress the whole family.

Meet the Dolphins

The opportunity to meet wild dolphins in a stunning and pristine natural environment is a truly magical experience. Monkey Mia is one of the world’s best places to interact with wild dolphins, and is located approximately 800km north of Perth. For over 40 years, dolphins have been visiting the shores of Monkey Mia, and make daily trips for feeding.

Researchers from around the world gather here to study these incredible animals. With shimmering turquoise waters and stretches of pure white beaches, Monkey Mia is a truly beautiful place to take your family for this unique experience. Best of all, this amazing opportunity is entirely free!

Great Barrier Adventure

Treating your family to a spectacular animal adventure is guaranteed when you travel to the Great Barrier Reef. Listed as one of the natural Wonders of the World, the Great Barrier Reef is comprised of almost 3000 individual reefs and 880 islands. It is teeming with an abundance of wildlife, including over 1500 species of colourful tropical fish, as well as a collection of marine turtles, sea snakes, flocks of birds and more.

It’s a great place to see the wonder of natural diversity first hand, and is home to over 30 individual species of whales and dolphins. To make the most of your adventure, consider the option of taking one of the many tours in Great Barrier Reef, it’s a worthwhile investment to truly explore everything that the reef has to offer. Great Barrier Reef

Up Close and Personal

Taking a trek to Australia Zoo is a fun day-trip for every family. Made famous by the late Steve Irwin, the likeable Crocodile Hunter’s family have done a wonderful job with keeping the Zoo a vibrant and educational place to visit. Their passion for wildlife is evident in all of the shows, and in the immaculate enclosures and upkeep of all of their animals. If you’re visiting the Sunshine Coast, taking a detour via Australia Zoo is definitely worth the effort.

Island Retreat

If you’re planning a trip to South Australia, you simply must take a few days to explore the iconic Kangaroo Island. Some of the local island animals include kangaroos, echidnas, goannas, koalas, possums, bandicoots and more. Your children will love the chance to stand on the boardwalk merely metres away from majestic sea lions as they cavort on the beach in huge colonies.

Taking a tour is highly recommended, particularly since most of the island’s inhabitants like to come out at night. You and your family will be taken to special tour-only access areas, and will be able to share your guide’s expert knowledge on everything to do with Kangaroo Island’s diverse animal population.

Sometimes seeing the best when it comes to wildlife often means trekking to exotic and diverse places, many that simply aren’t suitable for families. These 4 great destinations are guaranteed to be fun and family-friendly, and all will allow you to get up close and personal with some of Australia’s most amazing animals!
Written by Jasmine Poole
Jasmine has travelled across 30 countries in the last 18 months with her 10 year old girl. She is currently in Darwin, Australia.

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Ultimate cruising Western Australia – Top cruise sites to see

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Take a Great Cruise – from Perth! For a terrific holiday, you’ll find a range of lovely cruises from Perth. Perth’s port is Fremantle Harbor, at the mouth of the Swan River. To the north or to the south, there are historic cities, spectacular scenery and exotic wildlife. you’ll be find some of the most interesting shoreline Western Australia has to offer. You’ll want to stop at every destination you can fit into your schedule! Traveling northward, you may stop at the marvelous port cities of Broome, Exmouth or Geraldton. Broome, where to desert meets the sea, was founded in 1883. The area’s attraction was not gold, as it was in so much of Australia, but pearls – that precious and rare commodity. Your ship will will cruise the exotic Kimberley Coast, where you can see spectacular natural wonders. Don’t miss Montgomery Reef, with its lagoons and its mangrove island,12 miles off-shore. You could take a day trip to King Cascades, a lovely terraced waterfall, or see the Horizontal Falls – not a waterfall but a tidal flow between stunning gorges. Ningaloo Reef, a marine park off Exmouth, is a World Heritage site. On land near this city, you can visit Cape Range National Park and its historic historic Vlamingh Lighthouse. Geraldton and the Batavia coastline are a paradise for anyone who enjoys watersports. There are plenty of opportunities for snorkeling and diving. There are 120 island off the coast here, and you can get a bird’s eye view on one of the flights offered here.  St Francis Xavier Cathedral, with its elegant masonry, is certainly worth a stop before you leave. Cruises to the southwest coast may stop at Bunbury, which offers the visitor an appealing combination of maritime history orchards. Koombana Bay and the tranquil Leschenault Inlet meet the Indian Ocean here, making it Known as The City of Three Waters. You can swim here with wild dolphins! And you’ll want to visit the wonderful maritime museum. And at the Big Swamp Wildlife Park, you’ll meet some friendly – not to mention Australia iconic animals, the kangaroos. European settlers first set foot in the west of Australia in Albany. Along the Southern Ocean Coastline you’ll find natural bridge, geysers and blowholes. You can enjoy the exptic flowers and birdlife on a cruise up the Kalgan River – and stop at some fine wine vineyards! The wineries along the Ferguson River may introduce you to some faime Australian wines you’ve never tasted before. The city of Esperance and its environs offer delights for the tourist. You can tour the Woody Island Nature Preserve to visit its fur seals and sea eagles. At Cape Legrand you’ll find one of Australia’s whitest beaches, and you can drink at the natural spring at the nearby Lucky Bay. Cruises from Perth may take you all the way to Christmas Island is Australia’s India Ocean jewel, It’s more than 1,000 nautical miles from Perth, closer toIndonesia than it is to Australia. You’ll want to see the tropical jungle here, and the historic European settlement. North or south, you’ll enjoy every day of your vacation.