Australia

MY COUNTRY

I love a sunburnt country,
A land of sweeping plains,
Of ragged mountain ranges,
Of droughts and flooding rains.
I love her far horizons,
I love her jewel-sea,
Her beauty and her terror
The wide brown land for me!

Dorothea Mackellar OBE (1 July 1885 – 14 January 1968)

ABORIGINAL  AUSTRALIA

Immerse yourself in Australia’s Aboriginal experiences, places and journeys.  The Aboriginal people of Australia have a rich, living culture stretching back at least 50,000 years. Throughout Australia you’ll find opportunities to explore and immerse yourself in Aboriginal culture.

THE 20 AUSSIE SLANG WORDS YOU NEED TO KNOW

Yes, Australians speak English. But it’s a special kind of English that develops when you drag the language halfway across the globe then leave it out in the sun for a couple of centuries. Are you struggling to understand the locals in this land of bloody galahs, barbies in the arvo and choccy bikkies with your cuppa? Then use this dictionary of Aussie slang to help translate.

THE 11 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE TACKLING AN OUTBACK ROAD TRIP

“Eat your vegetables. Take a sweater. I don’t think that’s a good idea. Hmmm”. We don’t want to sound like a naggy Marge Simpson, but this is the stuff you need to wrap your head around if you’re planning to jump behind the wheel for an epic Aussie road trip.

HOT DRINKS OUTDOORS (BYO MARSHMALLOWS)

You don’t have to be a Masterchef to whip up a steaming cup of something delicious when you’re staying in a national park. These recipes are so simple and so good, they may even earn you a night off washing up (look, it’s worth a try).

AUSTRALIAN FOOD AND DRINK FESTIVALS WORTH TRAVELLING FOR

The great thing about the Australian food scene is that it’s so different, not only from state-to-state, but it also widely varies from region-to-region within each state. There’s just one teensy, tiny problem – with so many festivals celebrating the unique food culture of Australia, how do you know which ones are worth going to, let alone jumping on a plane for?

ICONIC AUSSIE FOODS THE WORLD IS MISSING OUT ON

Australia’s not just a nation of quirky animals, people and landmarks – Big Banana, we’re looking at you – it’s also a nation of some very interesting food. For the full Aussie experience, don’t miss these ten interesting, delicious foods you can only find in the land down under.

BROADSHEET

Through breaking news, features, event guides and insight from industry experts, Broadsheet is the authority on the cultural life of your city. We’re here to keep you across the goings on around town and to cover, analyse and comment on it all with accurate reporting, sharp photography and clear, clean design.

STILL OUR COUNTRY

We Yolngu, we are proud of our culture, of who we are. Our culture makes us strong. We Yolngu, we belong to our country and our country belongs to us.  Our country makes us strong.

Sydney 1940

Paul Hogan – shrimp on the BBQ ad

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John Collinson singing Waltzing Matilda around 1930

Answer to Waltzing Matilda Mystery Found in Broome, Western Australia

ABC Arts: Girt by Sea, An Archival History of the Australian Coast

Recently overseas friends have been asking about travel info for Australia and for your interest I have put some general info here:

2018 YHA Accommodation Guide

TEN CHEAP, EASY AND HEALTHY MEALS YOU CAN WHIP UP IN A HOSTEL KITCHEN

You don’t have to be a MasterChef contestant to knock up these budget meals for two.

HOTEL LUXURY, HOSTEL BUDGET

MONUMENT AUSTRALIA website is a historical and educational research site which records the public monuments and memorials in all Australian States and Territories under various themes.   These public monuments and memorials were erected by a public desire to commemorate people or events.

An Interesting Web Page FIND MY AUSTRALIA

Interesting information about Australia on All Down Under

Car Rentals – economy car rentals

AUSTRALIAN OUTDOOR CINEMAS

SUMMER OUTDOOR CINEMAS 2017-2018 

There are a few visual cues that mark the beginning of summer in Australia. Jacarandas blossoming on suburban streets. Cricket replacing footy on local ovals. Backpackers sunburning on crowded beaches. And big screens popping up in parks and on rooftops around the country, preparing for another summer of outdoor cinema. Because what better way to spend a balmy evening than under the stars watching your favourite flick?

The world’s longest golf course:

 As if golf didn’t take long enough to complete as it is, Australians have created a course that takes four days to play. Stretching 1365 kilometres from Ceduna in South Australia to Kalgoorlie in the West, the Nullarbor Links is a great way to break up the tedious journey on the long drive across the desert heartland of Australia.

Dive with Dwarf Minke Whales:

Though it’s forbidden to get too close to whales, special permission has been granted to a number of tour operators on the Great Barrier Reef. Passive diving, in which the whales are the ones who need to initiate contact, allows you to get up close to majestic giants of the sea. If you’re lucky, you can be just metres away.  The Minke Whale Project

View the oldest living organisms on Earth:

Did you know that Australia is home to the oldest living organism on the planet? The stromatolites in the Shark Bay World Heritage Area are estimated to be between 2,000 and 3,000 years old, and provide a unique insight into the origins of life.

Travel on the longest stretch of straight rail:

The Indian Pacific travels from east to west on the longest straight stretch of railway track, coming in at a massive 478 kilometres in length. On the journey you’ll get to experience the magic of our great southern land, all in air-conditioned comfort.

Visit the world’s largest sand island:

A must-see on the route around Australia, Fraser Island the world’s largest sand island – comprised of sand that has accumulated over 750,000 years. It’s home to over 100 freshwater lakes, and dunes that reach up to 260 metres above sea level.

Travel down a horizontal waterfall:

The Horizontal Falls, also known as the Horries, is a natural phenomenon in the Kimberley region of WA. Despite the name it’s not actually a waterfall, but rather a fast moving tidal flow between two narrow, closely aligned gorges. Still, we think it looks pretty spectacular and should be a must see on any Kimberley itinerary.

Drive around the world’s smallest continent:

Coming in at more than 24,000 kilometres, Highway 1 is the world’s longest national highway and allows you to circumnavigate Australia. Though we’re often called the world’s largest island, the jury is out on this claim as technically Australia is a continent and not an island. Either way, Australia still makes for an epic road trip.

AUSTRALIA’S EAST COAST IN 30 DAYS: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE

We know the east coast is where it’s at when it comes to iconic Australia – pristine white sand beaches, jaw-dropping coral reefs and dense, lush rainforests are just a few of the many things you can find along the way. If you’ve been wondering where on earth to start your dream trip, what to see along the way and where to rest your sleepy head after all your adventure-filled days, YHA’s got you sorted.

Drink among the world’s oldest grape vines

With travel to and from Europe taking a ridiculously long time, grape vines were brought to Australia on the First Fleet. The first plantings were in the Hunter Valley around 1830. In the 1860’s, a grape root louse called Phylloxera wiped Europe’s vineyards. As a result, Australia possesses the oldest on-root vines in the world.

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