Pic credit: australiaphotos.co.uk
Australia is a land of opportunity, a magical place full of contrasts, a land of tropical rainforests, snow capped mountains, and a dry, red dusty interior where only the brave or foolish venture. If you are not prepared, the interior takes no prisoners. But the one thing guaranteed to stop you in your tracks is the coastline. Wherever you go, you will not miss the briefcase you left at the office.
With sweeping beaches which seem to carry on forever, craggy cliffs with dramatic surf relentlessly pounding the rock face into myriad shapes, as well as some of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world. Small bays and harbors make the Australian coastline, some thirty seven thousand kilometers, one of the most diverse in the world.
To place that in perspective, the Australian coastline is almost one and a half times the circumference of the Earth at the equator. There is something there for everyone, from small, sandy bay beaches accessible only from the sea, to the long, sweeping beaches of the north, such as those to be found around the coast of Queensland and the Northern Territories.
A Mecca for sailing, Fremantle on the west coast is the port city and marina area of the City of Perth, Western Australia. A cosmopolitan and vibrant city and district, it is home to one of the largest descendent populations of Italians in the world, and is known for its café culture and Mediterranean feel “al fresco eating culture.
“Cappuccino Strip” is the place to go to sample the wonderful Italian café culture of this most wonderful of cities.
If you are in the east, Sydney, the capital of New South Wales is home to famous Bondi beach, loved by sun worshippers, a magnet for hunks in trunks and girls in itsy bitsy bikinis and not much else; it is an icon of what Australian beach life is all about. It is always packed, so be there early to get a good spot.
Byron Bay beach, the most easterly point of Australia is a popular surfing beach, and over the last forty years has transformed from a quiet backwater into a thriving and popular beach resort, popular with surfer dudes and chicks, as well as those seeking more of an “alternative lifestyle”.
Alternatively, the Great Ocean road is a is a route worth following, from east to west along the southern coast, taking in small coves and bays, peaceful villages and small town Australia, as well as finding some fabulous surfing. The water can be cold, due to the currents coming up from the Southern Ocean.
Take a trip inland a little and discover the ancient rainforests, or take a trip on a boat and get some fishing in. Whether it is from a chartered boat or from a quiet jetty somewhere, this is some of the best fishing in the world. A visit to Bateman’s Bay, not only for the fishing, but also the culture will satisfy most peoples’ requirements of a relaxing, unhurried getaway vacation.
Australia cannot be “done” in a lifetime. There is too much of it. To go there is to want to go back again and again, and if you love the sea and the coast, it will call to you always.
This is a guest post by Lyndsey Biddle who writes for leather briefcase, a website that offers luxury briefcases direct from the manufacturer. Lyndsey currently resides in Kolkata, India, where she is learning Bengali and Indian cooking.
