The number of tempting options faced by a first-time traveller to Australia is both exciting and daunting. And this is quite normal – after all, choosing between the modest charm of the Australian “capitals” and visiting the deserted interior of the continent is not at all accessible for locals.
Cities of Australia
Founded in 1788, Sydney is Australia’s oldest city and one of the most beautiful cities in the world. There’s a lot to see here. Just look at the Opera House building, which gives the cityscape a slightly fantastical touch. Sydney’s rich architectural heritage, leafy neighbourhoods, and sandy beaches, including the famous Bondi Beach, make Sydney one of the world’s leading tourist destinations.
Sydney’s eternal rival, Melbourne, is considered the most “European” of Australian cities. It is also considered the intellectual capital of Australia—prestigious schools and universities, the best museums and theatres, and a colony of real penguins are located here. In addition, on Phillip Island, you can see a colony of real penguins.
Perth, the capital of Western Australia and a city with a population of one and a half million, is famous primarily for its sandy beaches, where you can sunbathe almost all year round. Also attracting the attention of tourists are the oldest trees—”karri,” which are many hundreds of years old. Among the cultural sites worth visiting are the Art Gallery of Western Australia and the Maritime Museum.
Diving enthusiasts should appreciate the underwater world of Rottnest Island, which is shaped like a miniature kangaroo.
National Parks of Australia
Great Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef is rightfully considered a natural wonder of the world – a chain of islands and atolls stretching for two and a half thousand kilometres along the country’s northeastern coast. Corals of almost all shapes and colours known to science and one and a half thousand species of fish and crustaceans live here, making these places a natural paradise for diving enthusiasts. The Great Barrier Reef is located in the north (upper part) of Australia on the eastern side of the mainland and is a national reserve and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
On the most ecologically clean continent, five per cent of the territory is reserved for national parks and reserves, eleven of which are classified by the UN as territories of exceptional importance for humanity (i.e., UNESCO World Heritage Sites). There are more than 600 national parks in Australia, which are environmental protection zones where commercial activity, mining, and any other use of natural resources is prohibited.
Blue Mountains National Park
In the Blue Mountains National Park, relict forests have been preserved, where the age of individual trees reaches two thousand years. As the Australians themselves say, the first television crews flying there by helicopter were blindfolded “so that they would not know the route and would not open it to tourists who could destroy this jewel.” Now, more than three million tourists visit these places a year.
Blue Mountains—a landmark of Australia. The Blue Mountains are so named because this is the colour of the haze that forms over the magnificent eucalyptus forests, which many tourists come to see. Particularly popular here, as in other similar parks, is “bushwalking”—the Australian name for cross-country hiking. Moreover, getting here has become not at all problematic—this national park is located just 110 km west of Sydney.
Blue Mountains tour
Ready to escape the big smoke and dive into the breathtaking vistas of the Blue Mountains National Park? Pull on your boots and join us on Blue Mountains tour for a day exploring the misty peaks and lush valleys of one of Australia’s most iconic landscapes!
What’s the Go?
- Spectacular Views: Get ready to have your socks knocked off with views over the vast canyons and cool, eucalypt forests. Perfect for your Insta snaps!
- Echo Point Lookout: Say g’day to the famous Three Sisters and hear the dreamtime stories that paint the soul of this epic sight.
- Bushwalking Tracks: Whether you’re after a gentle stroll or a heart-pumping trek, we’ve got tracks for all fitness levels.
- Waterfall Wonders: Discover hidden waterfalls where you can cool your heels and soak in pure nature.
Tour Details:
- Duration: Full day, dawn to dusk
- Includes: All transport from Sydney, a hearty Aussie lunch, and all park entry fees
- Price: $150 per person – it’s a steal!
So, don’t be a drongo, grab your mates or come solo and mix with new friends. Either way, you’re in for a top-notch day out in the Blue Mountains.
Book Your Spot & Experience the Magic of the Mountains!
The centre of the national park is the small town of Katoomba, through which many hiking trails of varying degrees of difficulty pass. The most picturesque views, the likes of which are not found anywhere else in the world, open up in the area of the rock called “Three Sisters.”
Those who prefer to avoid walking around the park on foot have a unique opportunity to ride the world’s steepest railway or take a cable car.
Many national parks are located in the far north of Australia, in a tropical zone where the diversity of unique species of plants and animals is incredible. It makes sense to visit the famous Kakadu National Park, 200 km from Darwin. Over 20,000 square kilometres, it is home to more than 60 species of mammals, 290 species of birds, and 120 species of various reptiles.
The landscape of Nambung National Park, located near Perth, is striking in its fantastic nature. It was not without reason that it was called the “Desert of Penitent Sinners” – fields of sandy strata around fossil plants make a huge impression even on experienced travellers. The first explorers of these places mistook these stone steles for the ruins of an ancient city.
Sandy Fraser Island
The island extends 120 km in length and covers an area of 165,280 hectares. This island, located off the east coast of Australia in Queensland, is the largest sand island in the world. It was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1992. The main attractions that attract tourists here are freshwater lakes, dunes, lush tropical forests growing on the sand, isolated streams and miles of white sand beaches. Most visitors spend a few days here and explore the island by jeep, with overnight stays in small hotels. A ferry runs here from the town of Hervey Bay, near Brisbane.
Tasmania Island
The island of Tasmania (aka the state of Tasmania) is attractive for its extraordinary nature – it is the only place in the region where a temperate climate prevails; in the Southern Hemisphere, it is found only in southern Chile and Argentina. Tasmania is the smallest state in Australia. Almost the entire territory of the island is a large nature reserve. Nearly a quarter of its territory has yet to be subject to human influence. Impenetrable forests and jungles, mysterious and strange forest animals, rare bird species, and fish in mountain lakes and rivers have been preserved here. One of the legendary inhabitants of Tasmania’s forests is the Tasmanian devil, although recently, the numbers of this unusual wild animal have declined significantly.
In the wake of the gold rush
It is in Australia that there are still real fortune hunters. In the Fire Hills, prospectors worldwide are searching for new opal deposits, and some are getting lucky. The spirit of the Klondike hovers over this scorched desert, where the thermometer remains stably at forty degrees during the day. A real ghost town has grown up here; no one can name the exact number of people living there. They say about six thousand. There are no names here – only nicknames and few people try to advertise their origin – some residents are at odds with the law. However, they are peacefully digging next to former professors from European universities. Anyone can come, get a plot of 50 by 50 meters free of charge and try their luck. She smiles at some while others have been digging in vain for decades. And that’s what Australia is all about – sometimes they believe in luck more than necessary.
But the best thing to do is visit the town of Ballarat near Melbourne and the 19th-century gold rush park Sovereign Hill. Here, you can truly immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the gold mining era, visit the mine where gold miners from all over the world mined gold, and even try to mine gold yourself using a traditional method. It was here that the largest gold nuggets in the world were found in the mid-19th century.
Ancient Aboriginal culture
Of particular interest is the culture of the Aboriginal people – the indigenous population of the mainland, which you can touch in the town of Alice Springs, considered the capital of the Aboriginal territories, where any interference in the traditional way of life is prohibited. Not far from here is the rock formation of Uluru, a sacred place for Aboriginal people who believe that the whole world and themselves originated from here. This rock is the largest monolith in the world. Its length is more than 3 kilometres, its width is two kilometres, and its height is 348 meters.
Most excursions to the Uluru area are organised early in the morning or before sunset, and this is no coincidence—it is in the rays of the setting sun or at dawn that the monolith is transformed as a result of the fantastic play of colours on its surface. Surface. Walls. Motorcycle cliff tours and helicopter tours, which offer bird’ s-eye views of the Aboriginal sanctuary dotted with rock art, have also become popular in recent years.
Local tribes have worshipped the monolith for thousands of years. During this time, many legends have developed about Uluru’s unique properties and powers, which guides are happy to tell tourists about. Ancient rituals can also sometimes be observed, including ceremonial dancing and playing the ancient instrument of the didgeridoo. You can get here by car or plane from Alice Springs.
