Fresh water, salt water or both, if you love the water, then Forster, in the NSW Great Lakes area, is where you want to go. Since it is only about a three hour journey to this magical part of the state, it is also an accessible paradise.

Australian fishermen don’t need to be told about Forster. The region was first settled by fishermen and shipbuilders. After the bridge over Wallis Lake was completed in 1959, the two largest towns, Forster and Tuncurry, were merged into one and are now referred to as Forster-Tuncurry, though most people still just say "Forster." Aside from being an ideal location for fishing and shipbuilding, oysters were one of the original attractions of Wallis Lake and the oyster farming industry is still going strong there. Thanks to that, Forster restaurants have some of the best oyster dishes in Australia.

When surfers say they are going to "Forster," what they really mean is that they are going to one or more of the incredible surfing spots in the region. The beaches in the area are peppered with so many great spots for surfing, nobody who goes on a "surfing safari" to the area just goes to one of them. Some, like One Mile, are easier to get to than others, but surfers looking for uncrowded waves have innumerable secret and semi-secret spots to choose from along the 28 miles (45km) of coastline on the Forster coast.

The surfers will frequently criss-cross Booti Booti National Park in search of waves, taking the main road, Lakes Way. Take the drive along Lakes Way and you will discover some beautiful vacation spots that are popular destinations for both young surfers and fishermen and their families.

Boomerang Beach, Elizabeth Beach and Bluey’s Beach are three popular holiday spots in the Forster region. They are all great places for families, fishermen and surfers. With easy access to both Wallis Lake and the Tasman Sea, fishermen can go freshwater fishing one day, rock fishing the next and beach fishing in between. Boomerang is probably the most popular surfing beach, both because of its easy access and quality of waves, but those who are looking for uncrowded waves don’t need to drive far to find them.

Seal Rocks is a quiet, isolated community on the southern end of the Forster/Great Lakes region. To get there from Boomerang Beach takes you on a long, picturesque journey around Smiths Lake. It is still only about a half hour drive away, but when you get there, you feel like you’re in another world. There is a small community at Seal Rocks, but it has a fantastic feeling of isolation. One of the greatest things about the Forster area is that in the course of a single day, you can move from a large town with everything you want for a comfortable vacation to a tranquil village "far from the madding crowd."

Sydneysiders with limited time who want to get away from the big city love Forster. It’s only about 3 hours by car, bus or train from the city, so is ideal for a weekend getaway. If you have the time, though, stay longer, because you won’t want to leave. Forster accommodation ranges from some of the best campgrounds in NSW to luxurious resorts, so you won’t have trouble finding a comfortable place to stay.

The once sleepy little dairy town of Byron Bay has become one of Australia’s biggest tourist attractions since its discovery by surfers and alternative lifestyler’s in the 1970s. Now the home of millionaires, it still retains its laid back ambiance and the locals continue to fiercely defend its natural attractions.

There is little logic to why Lennox Head hasn’t grown like Byron Bay. It, too, has a long, wide, beautiful beach at its doorstep and a great surfing point just outside the town center. Like Byron, the atmosphere is "beachy" and relaxed. The biggest difference between the two towns may be that Lennox Head has remained primarily a family community, while Byron Bay, ever since backpackers discovered it after the inaugural Blues Fest, has developed into a major tourism center.

When you visit the far north coast, you may be torn between staying in the heart of the action in Byron Bay and staying in the quieter Lennox Head. It needn’t be a dilemma. They are within a stone’s throw of each other, so you can enjoy them both equally.

Why Stay in a Lennox Head

Getting a Lennox Head accommodation makes sense if you want to spend the majority of your time relaxing at the beach or exploring the entire far north coast. The main beach at Lennox is far less crowded than Byron’s and all the restaurants, shops and amenities you need are all located just opposite the beach. When you feel like exploring by car, there is much less traffic than there is in Byron. Head up the hills to Lismore and the hinterland, explore little known beaches around nearby Ballina or spend the day at one of the beaches tucked away in the National Parks and reserves between Lennox Head and Byron. If you’re on a budget, you’ll find that Lennox Head restaurants and accommodations are generally less expensive than those in Byron.

If you’re a surfer and you stay in Lennox, you have the world class waves of Lennox Head to look forward to, but that’s not all. The friendly local surfers at the surf shops along Pacific Parade will tell you about some fantastic spots in and around nearby Ballina you probably have never heard of before. The waves are arguably better than those you’ll find closer to Byron and definitely less crowded.

Why Stay at a Byron Bay

Byron Bay is the place to stay if you want to be in the heart of the action 24/7. By day, there are the beaches and great shops, galleries and cafes right there at your doorstep. By night, there’s always something to do in Byron Bay. For entertainment you’ve got everything from live bands in the pubs and clubs to the buskers in the streets to keep your feet tapping. Even some of the cheap take out cafes in Byron serve gourmet dishes and if you want something more formal, some of Australia’s most renowned chefs call Byron Bay home.

You can have it all from your Byron Bay accommodation if you stay at one of the guesthouses, B&Bs or resorts on the fringes of Byron Bay. Some are located right on the beach while others are Bali-style enclosures that are oases right in the middle of town. Even some of the cheap backpacker facilities in Byron are ridiculously luxurious, including swimming pools, great restaurants and evening entertainment.

Deloraine, a charming heritage village in rural Tasmania equidistant from Launceston and Devonport, is refreshingly tranquil for most of the year. When the winter chill changes to summer warmth in November, Deloraine suddenly finds itself flooded with visitors who come for the annual Tasmanian Craft Fair, the largest working craft fair in Australia. Then they discover that the fair is just one of Deloraine’s attractions.

Originally called the Tasmanian Cottage Industry Exhibition and Craft Fair, the inaugural Tasmanian Craft Fair was organised by the local Rotary Club in 1981. That first year, around 3000 attended the event. Considered a success, organisers decided to make it a yearly event. Today, the numbers of visitors has swelled to over 30,000 and is growing exponentially. Between the 4th and the 7th of November 2011, over 240 exhibitors will be displaying their skills and their completed arts and crafts to what is expected to be a record number of visitors from all over Australia and the world.

There couldn’t be a better setting for a crafts exhibition. The countryside around Deloraine is just beautiful and the lifestyle of the town’s inhabitants reflects their creativity and hands-on approach to life.  There is something poetic about the town, which may help explain why its name comes from a poem by Sir Walter Scott, The Lay of the Last Minstrel. First explored in 1823 by Captain Rowland and settled shortly thereafter, Deloraine’s first claim to fame was when it was linked by rail to Launceston in 1873, making it part of Tasmania’s first railway line.

You can encapsulate the Deloraine lifestyle in a single word: healthy. 41 Degrees South is just one example of a local business that manages to make a living from the land without exploiting or damaging the environment. So passionate is this company about the environment, they have found a way to use the wetlands surrounding their property without interfering with the environment. In fact, they love to share their surroundings with visitors, who can take nature tours of the property that include close-up looks at platypus thriving in their natural environment and indigenous frog and bird species living unmolested and unharmed by their commercial activities.

41 Degrees South is just one local business that lives in harmony with its surroundings. Others include two honey farms, a renowned Tasmanian cheese factory and a raspberry farm where you can enjoy fresh raspberries and cream. In fact, in just about any restaurant you go to in Deloraine, you will enjoy fresh food from Deloraine and the surrounding countryside. After your meal, you will be ready for a relaxing stroll around the historic village, stopping now and then to see what’s inside its numerous art galleries, antique, gift and other fascinating shops.

If you want to attend the Tasmanian Craft Fair, book your Deloraine accommodation in advance, to avoid disappointment. Do yourself a favour and give yourself a few extra days to get to know Deloraine after the crowds have left. After the excitement of the fair, you’ll love having some time to get to know the town at your leisure.

Thredbo must have the most beds per capita of any village in Australia. While only 477 people called Thredbo home the last time a census was taken, the village has over 4000 beds. That’s only a fraction of the number needed to accommodate the 700,000 who come to Thredbo to ski and snowboard every South Hemisphere winter, though.

When ski season comes around during the Southern Hemisphere winter, ski and snowboard lovers check out the snow conditions at Thredbo first. With over fifty runs, including Australia’s steepest and longest, Thredbo has enough slopes to challenge even the most experienced skiers and snowboarders. The longest descent threads together several shorter runs for a continuous run of 3 miles (6kms). The most challenging run, Funnel Web is for experts only and includes one death-defying near vertical section.

If Thredbo has one thing going against it, it would be the low altitude of the village. Not to be undone by nature, the resort made the Southern Hemisphere’s largest investment in snowmaking equipment. In addition, they developed several lower altitude special purpose slopes, ranging from Wombat World for the kiddies to a park strictly reserved for hardcore skiers and snowboarders.

At the end of the ski season, the action dies down in Thredbo, but as soon as the warm season rolls around, the visitors start coming back. Since mountain biking took off in the early 90s, Thredbo has become world renowned as a great place for mountain biking and has even hosted international mountain bike events that have attracted Olympic level cyclists to the resort.

Downhill runs are the most challenging for cyclists and Thredbo’s Cannonball Run is known as one of the world’s most challenging. Starting at Eagle’s Nest after a ride up the Kosciusko Express Quad lift, you descend over 2000 vertical feet (600 metres) over a distance of 2 miles (4.2km). With drop-offs, switchbacks and challenging single tracks galore, the Cannonball Run is not for the faint hearted mountain biker.

If cross country mountain biking is more to your liking, Thredbo is perfect for you, too. Aside from the many firetrails, there are also many great singletrack rides that take you deep within Kosciusko National Park. One popular way to spend the day on your mountain bike without getting too far from civilisation is to take one of the many trails that link Thredbo with its neighbouring villages.

If you like "bushwalking", as Aussie’s call hiking, you will find one of Australia’s classic one day hikes in Thredbo. You can make it from the base of Mount Kosciusko to its summit and back in just 4 to 6 hours. Most hikers make a day of it and start early, so they can enjoy every beautiful step of the journey.

Thredbo is such a popular destination both in summer and winter, it’s best to book your Thredbo accommodation or Snowy Mountains accommodation well in advance if you want to stay in the heart of the action. With everything from inexpensive backpacker lodges to luxurious lodges to choose from, you can find something to suit your needs to a ‘T’.

Blueys Beach and Boomerang Beach are neighbouring communities in the Great Lakes region of the lower mid-north coast of New South Wales. While many Sydneysiders drive much further north to Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour or Byron Bay for their beachside holidays, those in the know make it easy on themselves and spend their holidays at these great beaches.

Boomerang Beach, more commonly just referred to as "Boomerang", is the larger of the two communities, but that doesn’t mean it is large. It is the perfect size for a relaxing holiday without having to sacrifice the little niceties you need to make a vacation perfect. For that matter, Boomerang now even has luxurious accommodations and amenities that compare with those in the bigger, busier tourist centres along the NSW coast.

The first tourists to discover Boomerang Beach were arguably the surfers who discovered it back in the seventies. Its long, wide beach, sandwiched between two headlands that give the beach its distinctive boomerang shape, seems to act like a magnet for waves and on any given day, you can find a good surfing wave to ride there. It may not be world class, but it’s always fun and consistent.

Bluey’s Beach, or simply "Blueys", is just around the corner from Boomerang. It is a smaller community even than Boomerang Beach. Like its neighbour, it is a fun surfing beach and a great family beach. Those lucky families who call Blueys Beach home have a compact, mini-paradise all to themselves, but welcome visitors with open arms.

Every summer and Easter break, tens of thousands of Australians take to the Pacific Highway for their holidays. Most of them make the mistake of sticking with the Pacific Highway until they reach their distant destination. A select few know that the best way to take to the road is to take the slower route and turn off at Lakes Way.

The Lakes Way is one of the most popular tourist drives on this part of the mid-north coast. It doesn’t pass directly through either Boomerang Beach or Bluey’s Beach, but the turn-off onto Boomerang Drive has become a very popular diversion. The Lakes Way Drive, which passes through wonderful bushland, is one of the most enjoyable drives you will find anywhere. Taking the turn-off onto Boomerang Drive makes it all the better.

What better way to spend the day than to take a drive on the open road and take a break at the beach while you’re at it? There is a better way. Instead of stopping for a few hours, book a Boomerang Beach accommodation or a Blueys Beach accommodation and stay for awhile. You’ll love them both and when you leave, you will feel refreshed and renewed. You may even decide there’s no place else you want to go.

Located on the northern end of the Great Lakes district on the mid-north coast of New South Wales, Taree makes an ideal vacation spot for those who are looking for something a little different. Unlike Forster and Port Macquarie, its neighbours to the south and north, Taree has never been developed into a primarily tourist destination. While there is no shortage of Taree accommodation options, this city of 20,000 has been built around its bountiful natural resources.

The biggest landmark in Taree is the "Big Oyster." It is an appropriate one, too, because the Manning River, which skirts the town, produces over 2 1/2 million oysters per year. In Taree, oysters are a big part of the local economy, as are the many crops that grow in the fertile Manning Valley.

Taree was originally developed as a private town in 1854, when Henry Flett set aside 100 acres for its development. The town grew into the administrative centre of the Manning Valley region after the railway line was connected to Taree instead of Wingham in 1913. It remained a fairly small town, unfrequently visited by tourists until the Martin Bridge was built in the 1930s. After that, the town really began to flourish.

The city of Taree is about 10 miles (17kms) inland from the mouth of the Manning River and the Tasman Sea. When the locals want to go to the beach, they usually go to Old Bar, a delightful beachside community that arguably has more square metres of beach sand than residential land. Old Bar is many a surfer’s "secret spot." When no place else is breaking, a surfer can always find a great sandbank wave somewhere along the beach in front of the village.

You could walk up the beach a few miles to Saltwater Point, but most surfers drive in and park in the big parking lot and check out the waves from the top of the point. On its day, Saltwater can be one of the best breaks in the region. Although it’s not exactly a "secret spot," it’s a little out of the way and the local population is small, so it is rarely crowded. Just behind the parking lot is a fantastic campground that is very popular with locals and surfers who know about it.

The campground at Saltwater Point is not unusual in the Taree region. There are many such little places tucked away in the area, both near the beach and in and around the many reserves and National Forests that make up so much of the landscape there.

Then there are the towns and villages surrounding Taree. Towns like Manning Point and Cundletown are not big tourist centres, but are fascinating places to visit that give you a unique look at the Australian lifestyle and landscape.

You can get to Taree by rail, road or air, but the best way to get there is by car. There is so much to do and see in and around Taree, you will want to be able to explore it all at your leisure. Don’t make the mistake of just stopping off in Taree for lunch on your way to someplace else. Stay awhile. You’ll find that in Taree, home of the Big Oyster, the world is your oyster.

Coober Pedy, South Australia looms so large in the Australian imagination, many people are surprised to learn that the town’s permanent population numbers just 3,500. For a town of its size, Coober Pedy may be the most cosmopolitan in the world: over 45 different nationalities are represented in the town’s population.

Although the area around Coober Pedy has been known to Australian aboriginals for thousands of years, the first European to pass through the area was John Stuart, in 1858. Stuart must have seen nothing of interest in the barren but beautiful landscape of the outback of this part of South Australia, because no settlers arrived until 1915, when opal was discovered in the region by Willy Hutchinson. Within a single year, Coober Pedy went from nothing to becoming a thriving mining town and part of Australian mythology. The rush was on, but unlike the Gold Rush, in Coober Pedy, opals were found in such abundance that by 1999, over 250,000 mine shaft entrances could be found in the region. This forced the government to finally take action and limit large scale mining operations.

The heat in the South Australian outback can be brutal and to this day, many miners prefer to live in cave dwellings bored out of the rocky hills. Called ‘dugouts’, many of these are not ordinary, cramped cave dwellings. In fact, many of them are two or three bedroom homes that include lounge rooms, full kitchens and bathrooms.

When the Stuart Highway, the only road into Coober Pedy, was finally surfaced in 1987, another boom took place in Coober Pedy. This time it was a tourist boom. The three main attractions of Coober Pedy for tourists are the opals, the fascinating lifestyle of the local miners and the stunning scenery. All of these, combined with the fact that Coober Pedy lies just about halfway between Adelaide and Alice Springs, make it particularly attractive to visitors.

Naturally, most tourists who visit Coober Pedy want to take opals home with them and there are a number of ways they can do this. There are many opal shops in the town, usually located in underground shops. In fact, most of the amenities are located underground, including museums, churches and accommodations. If buying opals from a shop is too tame for you, you can try your hand at opal mining.

Above ground, Coober Pedy has one of the world’s most unique golf courses. The only grass on this course is the tuft of grass you are given for teeing off. Other than that, it is 18 holes of groomed outback soil. Because of the intense heat, night golfing using glowing balls is a very popular activity in Coober Pedy, both with the locals and the tourists. The Coober Pedy Golf Club also holds the proud distinction of being the only golf club in the world to have reciprocal playing rights with Scotland’s St. Andrews Golf Club. St. Andrews is known as the "home of golf," so it is a proud distinction indeed.

Your Coober Pedy accommodation is likely to be in an underground cave. Not only will this be a totally unique experience, it will be spacious, comfortable and maybe even luxurious. For a unique vacation you will never forget, visit Coober Pedy.

When you look at an aerial view of Caloundra on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, the first thing you will notice is the beaches. While the whole of the Sunshine Coast is lined with beaches, Caloundra has more than its fair share. In fact, a rundown of all Caloundra beaches forces you to categorise them. In Caloundra, you can find family beaches, sports beaches and romantic beaches.

There are no less than four family beaches in Caloundra. Bulcock Beach, Currimundi Beach, Dicky Beach and Golden Beach are all characterised by their tranquil, sheltered, child friendly waters and beautiful surroundings. Bulcock Beach, for instance, is a small beach within easy walking distance of downtown Caloundra. It features a wonderful boardwalk and permanent street furniture, including shaded seating areas. This south facing beach has no waves, so the little ones can safely splash about it its waters.

Moffat Beach is another kettle of fish altogether. Mention Moffat Beach to a surfer and he will instantly recognise it as Caloundra’s premier surfing beaches and one of the best point breaks in Queensland. Moffat isn’t just for surfer’s though. The coastal walk out to Moffat Headland is something everyone will enjoy and the wonderful alfresco cafes in Moffat cater to everyone’s appetite.

South of Moffatt is a long stretch of isolated beaches and tidal pools known as Shelly Beach. For a romantic getaway for two, you need to be willing to walk out here, but its isolation is worth the effort. The currents are very strong on this exposed part of the headland, so it’s not recommended for children, but it does have a wonderful undeveloped wilderness feel to it.

Another favourite with couples and those who want to get out and stretch their legs is the long, open Kawana Beach. You can stroll for miles on Kawana Beach, keeping your feet cool by walking on the hard-packed low tide sand. If you prefer, rent a bicycle in town and take the wonderful coastal bike path, stopping off for a dip in the sea when the spirit moves you.

Of course, no matter how much you love the beach, you will want to get away from it from time to time and see what else Caloundra has to offer. You may be surprised to discover that there are over a dozen great art and craft galleries in Caloundra and its neighbouring towns. The Sunshine Coast attracts creative types and the galleries feature the works of many local artists and craftspeople, as well as national and international artists.

In 2008, Caloundra won the award for being Queensland’s tidiest town. The justification for this award is evident wherever you go or stay. Whether you choose to stay in a 3 star family accommodation or a 4 ½ Star luxury Caloundra accommodation, you will be sure to be more than satisfied with what you get. If you’re considering a Queensland beach vacation, give Caloundra a try. It has a certain magic that is missing in even many of the other wonderful Sunshine Coast resort towns.