Friday, August 17, 2007

AUSTRALIA ADVENTURES



Australia: An island that is isolated from other lands, inhabited by the exotic Great Barrier Reef, crystal clear water, golden beaches, wide open spaces, flora and fauna, basalt plains studded with extinct volcanoes, rugged wilderness, scenic mountain ranges, extensive coastlines, surrounding tropical islands, vast rivers, and the oldest rainforest in the world and considered by many to be the most adventurous place on Earth.

New South Wales: The inhabitants of New South Wales are never far from adventure for the main focus of outdoor sports here is the Great Dividing Range, which runs parallel and close to the densely populated eastern seaboard for the entire length of the state. Many parts of the Great Dividing Range are rugged enough to have escaped the clearing that occurred as European settlers spread westward from the coast, and today patches of magnificent virgin forest still cloak peaks and escarpments and fill valleys. Although eucalypt forests predominate, alpine heaths cover high peaks in the south, and scattered pockets of subtropical rainforest become more common as you travel northward. The Great Dividing Range offers almost unlimited challenges for adventures, including cliffs for rock climbers, vast tracks of bushland for walkers, and scenic fire trails and rugged back roads for mountain bikers. The highest peaks and plateaus of the Snowy Mountains are a winter playground for ski-tourers. The rivers that have carved their way through the ranges offer opportunities for canoeing, kayaking and rafting, while the narrowest gorges provide a venue for the exciting sport of canyoning. Further west, New South Wales offers entirely different landscapes including semiarid plains and the red-sand deserts and dramatic rockscapes that characterize classic outback country. Adventure Further!

Northern Territory: Renowned for its outback scenery, Aboriginal culture, the great landmarks of Uluru and Kata Tjuta, and the wetlands of Kakadu, the Northern Territory is an enticing but daunting adventure-travel destination. Services are often few and far between, with many towns consisting of little more than a cluster of houses, a shop and a pub, and extreme weather can turn even a short outing into an ordeal. It is for these reasons that some of the Territory’s parks impose strict regulations on visitors. At Uluru-Kata Tjuta, for example, walking is not permitted away from approved tracks and camping is not allowed anywhere with-in the park. Other national parks have less rigid rules but do request that visitors make their plans known to rangers. Despite these restrictions, however, well-prepared travelers can take advantage of a wide range of adventure activities and almost unlimited potential for wilderness exploration. Adventure Further!

Queensland: Queenslanders market their homeland as ‘Beautiful one day, perfect the next’, and this slogan could apply equally to the state’s adventure activities. The almost unlimited scope for outdoor pursuits is mainly a result of Queensland’s

remarkable range of landforms and environments, many of which have been recognized by UNESCO World Heritage listing. The most notable of these are the Great Barrier Reef and the ancient rainforests that extend from Cape York all the way to the New South Wales border. Others include spectacular remnants of volcanic landscapes such as the Undara lava tubes and Glasshouse Mountains, the deserts and plains of the interior, the savanna and swamps of the Gulf Country, the famous fossil fields of Riversleigh and remote oases such as Lawn Hill National Park. Adventurers heading to the Sunshine State should keep in mind the region’s seasonal weather patterns when planning their itineraries. In particular, the Wet Season that affects the far north can upset many well-laid plans, turning relaxed river trips, for example, into life-threatening undertakings. Tropical cyclones are another threat, with associated sea surges swamping boats along the coast, winds toppling trees and heavy rain swelling rivers. Even Queensland’s renowned high levels of sunshine are not without their dangers and all travelers should make sure they have adequate sun protection and sufficient water. Adventure Further!

South Australia: South Australia is the country’s driest state, which means that outdoor activities require careful planning. Not only is drinking water hard to come by, but also dense forests and woodlands that might provide shade and shelter from winds are scarce. In summer, temperatures soar, particularly in the north of the state, so travelers should save ore arduous undertakings for the winter months. South Australia’s major landforms include the series of rugged mountain ranges that runs north from Adelaide culminating in the Flinders and Gammon ranges; these provide plenty of challenges for walkers, cyclists and climbers. In the south-east, the vast lagoons of the Coorong and the 404 miles of the Murray River that wend from the border with New South Wales and Victoria to the sea are favoured by canoeists and kayakers. Caving is also popular in South Australia, perhaps because the state has the best cave diving and some of the best dry caving in the country. Adventure Further!

Tasmania: Despite its often bleak and forbidding weather, Tasmania is a Mecca for adventures. Its mountainous terrain gives rise to an abundance of wild rivers to raft, sheer cliffs to climb, caves to explore and extensive pathways to walk, while its many islands and sheltered bays, especially on the east coast, make for great sea kayaking. Among the state’s most renowned outings are the world-famous whitewater-rafting trips along the Franklin River and the extended hike along the Overland Track in Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park. Throughout the island, clearly marked and well-formed trails make some of Tasmania’s most magnificent wilderness accessible to people with minimal bushwalking skills, and a wide range of guiding and tourist services means that even novice adventures can travel to remote areas. At The same time, there is plenty of terrain here that will test even the most experienced adventure travelers. Adventure Further!

Victoria: Adventure sports are widely followed in Victoria, partly because the state offers such varied terrain. As in New South Wales, the Great Dividing Range is the main focus for waking, climbing, rafting and winter sports such as cross-country skiing and ski touring. However, several other areas also have large tracts of wilderness, including the Grampians, the Otways and the magnificent coastal national parks of Wilsons Promontory and Croajingolong. And even where native bush is absent, travelers can still find adventure: for example, Australia’s top climbing area, Mount Arapiles, rises dramatically out of flat wheat country near Horsham in the state’s west. Adventure Further!

Western Australia: Adventure Travelers keen to experience Western Australia’s wide range of activities must be prepared to cover a good deal of ground. For although the state has plenty of appropriate venues, including rivers, mountains and caves, they tend to be separated by enormous stretches of outback.. Traveling through the immense arid lands of Western Australia can, however, be thought of as an adventure in itself, one that makes your arrival in places like the Kimberley or the Pilbara all the more exciting. The Kimberley alone could supply a lifetime of thrills, with its vast plateaus and myriad gorges offering endless challenges for walkers, river runners, climbers and cavers alike. Similar opportunities abound in the Pilbara. Self-sufficiency and high-level bush skills are essential in these areas and in other remote parts of Western Australia, where emergency services may be a long way away. Only in the south-west of the state will you find an impressive array of adventure-sports locations within a relatively small, densely populated area. The proximity of delightful beaches, wineries, historic towns and other more general tourist attractions make this an especially enjoyable region to explore. Adventure Further!

source: www.australiaadventures.com

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