MILDURA

In 1887, Mildura was little more than a village on the banks of the Murray River, situated in the middle of a red sandy desert. That year, two Canadian brothers, William and George Chaffey, came to town direct from their successful irrigation project in California and began Australia’s first large-scale irrigation scheme. Since then, the red soil, fed by the Murray and Darling rivers, has become a vast plain of farms stretching for nearly 100 km. 

Feeding the pelicans on the banks of the Murray River

Today, Mildura is a modern city with a thriving tourist trade. The former home of William Chaffey, the Rio Vista is worth a visit. Built in 1890, it has been restored with its original furnishings and is now an Arts Centre. Grapes, olives, avocados and citrus fruit are grown successfully in the region and the area is rapidly expanding its vineyards and wineries. 

FREMANTLE

Fremantle is one of Western Australia’s most historic cities.  Wealth of 19th-century buildings remains, including superb examples from the gold rush period. Founded on the Indian Ocean in 1829, at the mouth of the Swan River, Fremantle was intended to be a port for the new colony, but was only used as such when an artificial harbour was dredged at the end of the 19th century. The town still has thriving harbours and, in 1987, it hosted the America’s Cup. Many sites were renovated for the event, and street cafés and restaurants sprang up. Fremantle remains forever changed by being, for once, under the world’s gaze. Today the town is renowned for its crafts markets.

 

 The charm of Fremantle Fishing Boat Harbour attracts thousands of visitors each year.

 

 As Perth’s premier destination for tourists and locals, the laid-back atmosphere of Fremantle Fishing Boat Harbour is perfect for day out or holiday escape. Uniquely positioned between the ocean and the sea, the harbour is surrounded by world-class restaurants featuring some of WA’s freshest seafood as well as bars, entertainment and accommodation. Each location boasts panoramic water views and offers a truly unique atmosphere.

BALLARAT

 In 1851, the cry of “Gold!” shattered the tranquility of this pleasant, pastoral district. Within months, tent cities covered the hills and thousands of people were pouring in from around the world, eager to make their fortune. The gold rush petered out in the late 1870s. However, the two decades of wealth can still be seen in the lavish buildings, broad streets, ornate statuary and grand gardens. Today, Ballarat is Victoria’s largest inland city.

Panning for gold - Sovereign Hill, Ballarat, Victoria

Sovereign Hill is the gold fields’ living museum. Located on the outskirts of Ballarat, it offers visitors the chance to explore a unique period of Australia’s history. Blacksmiths, hoteliers, bakers and grocers in full period dress ply their trades on the main streets, amid the diggers’ huts, tents, old meeting places and the Chinese Village.

BURNIE

 Burnie is Australian's newest city, proclaimed by Her Majesty the Queen on 26th April, 1988. The rapid expansion of Burnie, now Tasmania's forth largest town, is based on one of the state's largest industrial enterprises, Associated Pulp and Paper Mills Ltd. Situated on Emu Bay, 148 km west of Launceston, Burnie has a busy deepwater port, which serves the west coast mining centres. Other important industries includes plants for the manufacture of titanium oxide pigments, dried milk, chocolate products and cheese. The area’s natural attractions include forest reserves, fossil cliffs, waterfalls and canyons and panoramic ocean views from nearby Round Hill.      

Tasmania North West Coast. View over the city of Burnie

Along its main streets are many attractive 19th-century buildings decorated with wrought ironwork. Today the city has shed its industrial character, although some industry survives, notably the Lactos company, which has won many awards for its French- and Swiss-style cheeses. The sampling room has tastings and a café. Burnie also has a number of gardens, including Fern Glade, where platypuses are often seen feeding at dusk and dawn. 

MURRUMBIDGEE

From its source high in the Australian Alps, the Murrumbidgee River winds through the alpine regions of Kosciuszko National Park and the Monaro High Plains, and then through the Australian Capital Territory. Once the river reaches the south-west slopes of New South Wales, it heads west across the riverine plains to its confluence with the River Murray near Balranald. The word Murrumbidgee means “big water” in the Wiradjuri language. The Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area is one of the most diverse and productive regions in Australia. Water has been central to the Murrumbidgee’s growth over the past century. It is one of the most productive regions in Australia as an important food bowl, international exporter and burgeoning tourism industry.

 28 March 1922 - Widening of the main canal with Bucyrus Dragline

PERTH

 Western Australia’s pretty capital is the most isolated city in the world. The city of Perth lies on the Swan River, just 20 km from where it flows into the Indian Ocean. The coastal plain on which it stands is bordered to the north and west by the Darling Range, beyond which lie the region’s wheat fields. To the south is a diverse landscape: forests with some of the tallest trees on earth, mountains that dramatically change colour during the course of each day and a spectacular coastline. The history of Perth has been one of building and rebuilding. Perth is a relatively small and quiet city compared with those on the east coast. Its main commercial and shopping areas can be easily explored on foot. The city’s atmosphere is brisk but not hurried. The city centre is bordered to the south and east by a wide stretch of the Swan River known as Perth Water, and to the north lies Northbridge, Perth’s restaurant and entertainment centre.

PERTH SKYLINE FROM KING'S PARK W. A.

In this view, the rapid development and progress of this flourishing city is symbolised by dramatic modern skyscrapers which dominate the city line.

Established at the end of the 19th century, King's Park is 400 ha of both wild and cultivated parkland. Situated on Mount Eliza, it offers views of the city and the Swan River. Most of the park is bush land, which can be seen from the DNA Tower. A landscaped parkland area on the eastern side includes the 17 ha Western Australian Botanic Garden. Treetops Walkway, a 629-m-long elevated walkway, gives another perspective of the garden. The State War Memorial on Anzac Bluff is dedicated to the Western Australians who died in the two world wars. 

Visit Perth

DARWIN

Darwin is the Northern Territory’s capital city with an immigrant population of more than 50 nationalities, including Asian-born Australians, Aboriginals, Europeans, particularly Greeks, and Chinese. Darwin itself is a city that has fought hard to survive. In its short history, it has experienced the gold rush of the 1890s, life as an Allied frontline during World War II and almost total destruction in 1974. Despite having been twice rebuilt, it has grown into a multicultural modern city, with a relaxed atmosphere, great beauty and a distinctly Asian feel. It is small and colourful. The climate is hot, but the dry season has low humidity, making it the best time to visit.

Attractive Smith Street, one of the city's main business area

The heart of Darwin’s shopping area is Smith Street Mall, with its glass air-conditioned plazas shaded by tall tropical trees. Always full of buskers, tour operators offering trips, locals and visitors, the mall is a favourite meeting place. Noteworthy buildings include the 1890 Victoria Hotel, one of the few old structures in town to survive Cyclone Tracy. During the dry season, many outdoor events are held at Raintree Park, at the northern end of the mall.

 

City of Darwin

 

ALICE SPRINGS

Capital of the Outback

Alice Springs is named after the Alice Spring permanent waterhole, near which a staging post for the overland telegraph line was built in the 1870s. Situated in the arid centre of the continent, Alice Springs has long been an icon of modern Australian history, shaped in the hearts of explorers, pioneers, pastoralists and miners. Nestled between the East and West MacDonnell Ranges, ‘Alice’ is famous for its beautiful desert landscapes, colourful outback characters, opportunities for adventure and a strong Aboriginal culture. Alice Springs is a big, bold friendly town with lots of quirks, culture, things to see and do, and an adventurous free-spirit all its own! Alice Springs is one of those places where there’s always more than meets the eye.

 

 

 

Alice Springs Town Council: Visitor Info 

DEVONPORT

Named after the county of Devon in England, the state’s third-largest city is strategically sited as a river and sea port. It lies at the junction of the Mersey River and the Bass Strait, on the north coast. As the terminal for a vehicular ferry from Melbourne, Devonport has become a busy industrial and agricultural-export town, as well as a major tourist centre. Devonport has its own airport, and is ideally suited as a visitor base  for seeing scenic northern Tasmania.
It is the southern terminus for the Spirit of Tasmania ferries operating between Devonport and Melbourne.

LAUNCESTON

Launceston was settled in 1804 and is Australia’s third-oldest city. Although it is Tasmania's second largest city and a busy tourist centre, Launceston manages to retain a relaxed, friendly atmosphere. Nestling in hilly country where the Tamar, North Esk and South Esk rivers meet, Launceston is also at the junction of four main highways and has direct air links with Melbourne and Hobart. It is sometimes known as the Garden City because of its beautiful parks and gardens. Launceston has one of the best-preserved early cityscapes in Australia with its elegant Colonial and Victorian architecture and century-old parks. It has a charming ambience of old buildings, parks, gardens, riverside walks, craft galleries and hilly streets lined with weatherboard houses.

 

HOBART

Hobart is an enchanting city built around a beautiful harbour and under the spell of nearby majestic Mount Wellington. A strong seafaring flavour and sense of the past give Hobart an almost European air. This feeling heightened in winter when Mount Wellington is snow-capped and temperatures dropped to a crisp 5C. It has an incredible waterfront location, similar to that of her “big sister”, Sydney.

The deepwater harbour on the broad estuary of the Dervent River is Hobart's lifeblood and the port is always busy. The suburbs nestle right up to the lower slopes of Mount Wellington and the city's population spreads both side of the graceful Tasman Bridge. Australia's second oldest capital, Hobart has a wealth of beautiful Georgian buildings. It is the centre of attention in late December every year as the finish line of the famous Sydney to Hobart yacht race.

MELBOURNE

Melbourne is the capital city of Victoria and one of the southern hemisphere’s largest business, cultural, sporting and recreational cities. Today Melbourne is the second-largest city in Australia and it is built on a coastal plain at the top of the giant horseshoe shaped Port Phillip Bay. Located on the southern coast of Australia’s eastern seaboard, Melbourne is perhaps Australia’s most cultured and politically conservative city. Melbourne features include Victorian-era architecture, bounteous cultural institutions museums, art galleries, theatres and spaciously landscaped parks and gardens. Melbourne’s best attractions and landmarks including beautiful gardens, impressive buildings, sporting arenas, markets and famous laneways. Melbourne was the capital city of Australia for 26 years between 1901 and 1927.

CROCODILE

The world’s largest reptile is the Northern Territory’s very own Saltwater Crocodile, or Salties in the vernacular of the locals. This incredible carnivore has sat atop the food chain of the Top End (a geographical region encompassing the northernmost section of the Northern Territory), for 100 million years. Salties can grow up to seven metres and weigh over 1,000 kilograms, but the average sized male any traveller in the Northern Territory is likely to see will be around five metres. Crocodiles can live for up to 70 years. The largest confirmed crocodile from the Northern Territory was trapped in the Mary River in the 1980s and measured a bit more than 20 feet.

Crocodiles have 68 fearsome teeth in their jaws that replenish constantly if broken off. A large croc can exert more than two tonnes of pressure with its bite. Crocodiles can swim as fast as 10 kilometres per hour and can run over open ground as fast as 11 kph for short bursts. 
 

 
Private swap with Gloria from Northern Territory

ANZAC DAY

Anzac Day is one of Australia’s most important national commemorative occasions. It marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War. Anzac Day falls on the 25th of April each year. The 25th of April was officially named Anzac Day in 1916. 'ANZAC' stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. With the coming of the Second World War, Anzac Day also served to commemorate the lives of Australians who died in that war. The meaning of Anzac Day today includes the remembrance of all Australians killed in military operations.

Battalion bugler playing the Last Post

In military tradition, the Last Post is the bugle call that signifies the end of the day's activities. It is also sounded at military funerals to indicate that the soldier has gone to his final rest and at commemorative services such as Anzac Day and Remembrance Day. The Last Post is one of a number of bugle calls in military tradition that mark the phases of the day.

CANBERRA

Canberra, Australia's Federal Capital is a beautiful city, set within extensive parks and gardens and enjoys four distinct seasons. It is located in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), surrounded by New South Wales (NSW). The city is 150 kilometres inland and 571 metres above the Pacific Ocean, 281 kilometres from Sydney and 660 kilometres from Melbourne. Located on the ancient lands of the Indigenous Ngunnawal people, Canberra’s name is thought to mean ‘meeting place’, derived from the Aboriginal word Kamberra.

Left to right: A view of Canberra from Mount Ainslie; Parliament House, with its distinctive flagpole, opened in 1988; Commonwealth Park during springtime's Floriade 

Parliament House is one of the world's most architecturally acclaimed buildings features an 81-metre flagpole with an Australian flag bigger than a double-decker bus.
Commonwealth Park is beautifully landscaped park in the city centre with interesting sculptures, hidden walks and tranquil ponds. In spring, Commonwealth Park welcomes Floriade, Australia's largest spring festival. The park also hosts many colourful outdoor concerts and events throught the year.

Received from PC user Chris in Canberra
 

ROAD TRAINS

The Australian Road Trains are the longest trucks in the world.  They have 3 or more trailers and are 53 metres long,  hauling 115 metric tonnes and can have up to 60 wheels. They travel at a top speed of 85 kilometres an hour. The longest road train in Australia is 1474.3 metres. Road trains are an integral part of the Australian Outback, just like kangaroos, red dust and endless horizons. Unlike most other states, the Northern Territory relies heavily on triple road trains in excess of 115 tonnes as a major form of transport. 

Road trains are used extensively between southern capital cities, Darwin and other parts of the Territory. Road trains shrunk the Australian continent to a more manageable size. The long road trains are banned on the majority of populated roads since they would bring a lot of inconvenience and traffic when driven in the large cities.

Private swap with Gloria from Northern Territory

 

NOURLANGIE ROCK

Kakadu National Park is a World Heritage-listed national park covers almost 20,000 square kms and is 253 kms east of Darwin the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. More than one-third of all bird species recorded in Australia live in Kakadu National Park; as do more than 60 mammal species, 117 reptile species, 1,700 plant species and at least 10,000 insect species.
Nourlangie Rock is a looming ancient escarpment of slowly eroding red rock creating sheer cliffs rising above the Kakadu wetlands. The sacred site is the keeper of one of the best local collections of Aboriginal rock art and a gateway to some of the most amazing views in Kakadu. The paintings provide a fascinating record of Aboriginal life over thousands of years. With paintings up to 20,000 years old, this is one of the longest historical records of any group of people in the world. Nourlangie Rock is significant to Aborigines as home of the Lightning Dreaming.

Nourlangie Rock, Kakadu National Park, Northern Territory, Australia 

Private swap with Gloria from Northern Territory

WILDLIFE AUSTRALIA

A trio of Australia's fascinating wild creatures: 

• The termite-eating short-beaked Echidna. It is  among the few living representatives in the world of mammals that both lay eggs and suckle their young. Due to their small size and slow speed, the echidna protects itself by either hiding, or curling into a ball being protected by their spikey exterior. Sometimes called the porcupine of Australia. 

• The platypus lives in an aquatic environment like a fish, suckles its young like a mammal, lays eggs and has the bill of a duck! Platypuses are carnivores. They hunt worms, shrimp, insect larvae, and crayfish at dawn, dusk, and night. They live along streams and rivers in eastern Australia, including Tasmania.

• The Blue-winged Kookaburra, a giant kingfisher. Nielsen Park is inhabited by the kookaburra, easily identified by its call, which sounds like laughter. Kookaburras are very efficient breeders: one of the young birds is kept on in the nest to look after the next batch of hatchlings, leaving both parents free to gather food.

(left to right): Short-beaked Echidna; the Platypus; the Blue-winged Kookaburra

SPIRIT OF TASMANIA

The Spirit of Tasmania is a large ferry that runs daily between Melbourne, on Australia’s south coast, and Devonport in northern Tasmania. It was built in 1986 as MS Peter Pan by Schichau Unterweser, Bremerhaven, Germany for TT-Line. Between 1993 and 2002 the ship was named MS Spirit of Tasmania, owned by the Tasmanian Government and operated by TT-Line Pty. Ltd. and used on traffic across the Bass Strait. Measuring 161m long, 27.6m wide and weighing over 31,000 tonnes, the ship can carry 490 cars, plus 60 buses or trucks, with berths for 1278 persons. One of Australia’s most iconic travel experiences, Spirit of Tasmania makes travelling across Bass Strait flexible, convenient and easy. The trip on board Spirit of Tasmania takes approximately 9-11 hours.

Operating between Devonport and Melbourne, The Spirit of Tasmania is the largest ferry to carry the Australian flag.

SPIRIT OF TASMANIA

WEST COAST WILDERNESS RAILWAY

 The West Coast Wilderness Railway is an award-winning railway and wilderness experience located on the west coast of Tasmania. The lovingly restored steam journey connects the historic towns of Queenstown and Strahan and is a wonderful way to experience a combination of Tasmanian wilderness, history, cuisine and hospitality. Three of the original trains now command the railway, built in 1896 (ABT 1), 1898 (ABT 3) and 1938 (ABT 5), and are beautifully restored to their former 28 tonne glory. 

The West Coast Wilderness Railway was originally built during the 1890s to transport copper from the mines in Queenstown to the port on the coast at Strahan. The railway operated until the 60’s when it became too expensive to run, and road transport became a more efficient way of travelling. The trains were decommissioned and the track fell into disrepair. However, reconstruction work started in the 1990s and in 2003 the railway was officially reopened. 

The West Coast Wilderness Railway embodies a wealth of stories, stories that tell of the ingenuity, resilience and determination that turned the west coast of Tasmania into one of the wealthiest mining regions in the world.   

West Coast Wilderness Railway