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1: The Festival of the Sun

Byron Bay was first discovered by surfers and hippies. For years, it remained an idyllic, but out-of –the-way far north NSW playground. Then came the inaugural Blues Festival and within a few years, the whole world knew about Byron Bay. In 2004, Port Macquarie held its first Festival of the Sun. Still going strong today, this three day event in December seems to be doing the same thing for Australia’s favourite “family” beach. An over 18s only event, the festival features most of Australia’s favourite Indie bands and performers. You know a music festival has cemented its reputation when it is widely known by a nickname or acronym. Now called simply FOTSUN, the Festival of the Sun is getting bigger and better every year.

2: Wauchope Country Music Festival

Holding a country music festival in a little town near Port Macquarie just before the Tamworth Country Music Festival kicks off may sound like a bad idea, but that’s what Port Macquarie’s neighbour, Wauchope, did and guess what? It worked. Wauchope is best known for being the home of Timber Town, a family attraction that commemorates its history as a logging town. A stunningly beautiful rural town with a history that dates back to the early 1800s, Wauchope is an ideal location for a country music festival. There are too few accommodations in this town of less than 7000 to handle the crowds that now arrive for the three day festival, so camping facilities are provided. Otherwise, Port Macquarie is just about 10 miles east of Wauchope and public transportation is available. Camp out or drive in: the Wauchope Country Music Festival has a country feeling all its own.

3: Longboard Surfing

Port Macquarie isn’t known as the surfing capital of Australia. This suits the local surfers fine, since they get all the secret spots to themselves for most of the year. The greater Hastings area is a haven for longboard riders and frequently hosts the NSW Longboard Titles. The longest running surfing contest in Australia, the Australian Surf Titles has been going since 1964, when Australian surfers were just beginning to make their mark on the surfing world.

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4: Sea Acres National Forest

Just a couple of miles from downtown Port Macquarie and you enter the magical confines of Sea Acres National Forest. A haven of tranquillity and natural beauty, when you step onto the three-quarter long elevated boardwalk, it’s as if you’ve been “elevated” into another dimension. It’s hard to believe that you’re so close to a major urban centre as you pass towering trees and catch glimpses of some of the 140 bird species and over 2200 species of plants in this amazing forest. When “visitor centre” is mentioned, it usually conjures images of harsh lights and impersonal surrounds, but the visitor centre at Sea Acres has a wonderful alfresco café surrounded by rainforest that is worth visiting in its own right.

If coming for one of the Port Macquarie festivals or just for a family holiday you will find a range of accommodation in Port Macquarie on ‘Book it Now’ to suit your holiday needs.

The Birdsville Races

The Birdsville Races are one of the biggest events on the outback calendar. Held annually in early September, the Birdsville Races were originally held in 1882. Back then, they were pretty casual and today they still are, but the stakes are higher. Prize money now exceeds $130,000 spread between 13 races held on the Birdsville Race Track (not to be confused with the Birdsville Track). Aside from the races themselves, there’s plenty of entertainment to be enjoyed, including a whip cracking contest, live bush bands and even a fashion show – Akubra Fashions of the Field.

Not to be left out, nearby Windorah holds its annual Yabby Race on August 31, just before the Birdsville Races. Held on the main street in town in front of the Western Star Hotel, the Windorah Yabby Races are arguably as looked forward to an event as the Birdsville Races and is every bit as fun.

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Longreach Yellowbelly Classic Fishing Competition

August is also the month to look forward to the annual Longreach Yellowbelly Classic Fishing Competition. Held on the Thomson River in a stunningly beautiful region of the Queensland outback, the Yellowbelly Classic has been steadily growing in popularity, with over 600 anglers competing in last year’s event. Unlike some outback events that sometimes get out of hand after the sun goes down, this one is a definitely a family friendly outback event.

Min Min Light Big Sky Festival

The inaugural Min Min Light Big Sky Festival was held in the outback town of Bulia between the 15^th and 18^th of September in 2011 and was such a hit, it is bound to become an outback classic event. Aside from being in the heart of the Queensland outback in an achingly beautiful locale, Bulia’s claim to fame is the “Min Min Light”; a strange phenomena that is yet to be fully explained. Depending on which source you read, the first sighting was either in the 1800s or 1918, when a stockman saw a weird light appear over a grave in the tiny settlement of Min Min. Other reports speak of a traveling light, with one observer estimating the light traveling at least 65mph because it was moving faster than his car, which was going 60mph. While you may or may not see the Min Min Light at the Big Sky Festival, you will surely see the Big Sky itself, which in the outback is like nothing you’ve seen before.

If you happen to be traveling through Bulia earlier in the year, don’t despair, because July is the month when the Bulia Camel Races are held. Part of the larger Western Queensland Camel Festival, Bulia is the second leg of this popular outback festival.

Winton: The Event Capital of the Queensland Outback

The small town of Winton may be the event capital of outback Queensland. It is one of the venues for the Western Queensland Camel Festival, for one thing. For another, it hosts the annual Opal Festival. However, arguably the biggest event in the outback is the Winton Outback Festival. Held every second year, the highlight of this festival is the Dunny Derby. Dunny is Australian for outhouse. A team event, two team members pull the dunny from the front, one pushes from behind while a third sits on the pot and hopes for the best.

In the Outback and throughout Australia, you will find a wide range of holiday accommodation in Australia on ‘Book it Now’

What On at Airlie Beach

Airlie Beach is a mixture of laid back and luxurious. Set on the tip of a peninsula, the town is really no more or less beautiful than any other beach town in Queensland. What sets it apart from its neighbours and is the reason for its phenomenal growth into a resort town is the fact that it is from Airlie Beach that most ferries and charters out to the Whitsunday Islands begin and end at Airlie Beach.

If you’re an impecunious backpacker, you can enjoy Airlie Beach just as much as Oprah and her entourage (300 in all) could have; if they had they stayed on the mainland. Campgrounds and backpackers accommodations are plentiful in and around the town and who needs money when you have two perfect beaches to while away your days at? You may not own a yacht, but what’s stopping you from renting a ruby duckie or kayak and exploring the tranquil protected waters at the edge of the shore or Airlie Lagoon?

 
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While Oprah and her select guests may have dined in 5 Star splendor while you can only afford café fare, don’t dismay. Airlie Beach, a small yet modern town accustomed to tourism, is filled with wonderful cafés and restaurants. Whether you eat at the beach or further up in the hills behind the beaches and harbor, you can enjoy the same spectacular views out over the ocean to the Whitsunday Islands that she enjoyed. In fact, you can enjoy a different view from a different alfresco café every meal of the day for a week. Arguably, you’ll be able to enjoy your ‘Oprah moment’ dining in Airlie Beach even more than Oprah could, since you’ll be able to soak it all in while Oprah probably had to be distracted by her minders and admirers.

Head Out to Hamilton Island

As you gaze out to sea, you will want to get a closer look at Hamilton Island. It’s a lot easier and cheaper than you may imagine to have your Oprah moments on Hamilton Islands. Regular ferry services whisk passengers out to the island and back to Airlie Beach every day of the week.

 
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One of the most frequently copied and pasted photos of Oprah’s trip to Hamilton Island is the one of her cuddling a Koala. This is an Oprah moment on Hamilton Island that thousands of visitors have had. It’s simply a matter of visiting the beautiful Hamilton Island Wildlife Park and waiting for your turn in line.

Another thing that Oprah did on Hamilton Island that you can, too, is go for a golf buggy ride. No cars are allowed on the island and there’s a lot to see and do, so one of these is perfect for exploring the island. 2 and 4 seater vehicles are available and they are remarkably inexpensive to rent. You may never be able to afford a chauffeured limousine, but you can have an Oprah moment (or day) aboard a self-drive golf buggy.

Back at your Airlie Beach accommodation, when you reflect on all your Oprah moments, you’ll realize that you don’t need to be super rich or a superstar to enjoy all the good things in life. You already have – at Airlie Beach.

Rainfall is high in this part of Australia and the tropical climate makes it a verdant land crisscrossed by rivers and creeks. While populated, the hinterland is not overpopulated and much of it has not yet been exploited. Easily accessible and stunningly beautiful, a day trip to the tablelands could end up being the highlight of your stay in Cairns.

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Once a year, the locals test their stamina and stage a running race to the top of the 3000 foot Walsh’s Pyramid. If a challenge appeals to you, just taking the two hour hike to the top of this peak can be taxing, but it will be worth it when you reach the top and have the world at your feet.

From Walsh’s Pyramid, you continue along the Gillies Highway to Lake Barrine. A very popular local spot, you can jump in for a swim before continuing on your adventure. While you’re floating on your back, think about the fact that as volcanoes go, this was a fairly recent one, having emerged a mere 13,000 years ago. It is young enough, in fact, to be part of aboriginal lore, which says that this and two other craters were formed when two men broke a taboo and angered the Rainbow Serpent.

Lake Barrine is also the home of the 1100 year old twin kauri pine trees. These, along with the 800 year old towering Curtain Fig Tree, are highlights of the pleasant and easy 4 mile walk around the lake’s perimeter.

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Hopefully, you’ll have remembered to bring your camera with you, because Lake Barrine will be just one of the places that will give you innumerable photo opportunities. At Millaa Millaa Falls, for example, you will want to get photos from every angle. However, it’s lucky we live in the digital age, when you can take hundreds of pictures without reloading film, because Millaa Millaa Falls is just one among dozens on the Waterfall Circuit that begins in the village of Millaa Millaa and is the starting point for the amazing 80 mile Misty Mountains Trails network.

The quaint and welcoming village of Millaa Millaa is also the southern entrance to the Atherton Tablelands. To get an idea of what’s in store for you, go to the Millaa Millaa Lookout and take in the sweeping 180 degree view all the way to the coastal town of Innisfail.

Continue another 35 miles inland to Innot Hot Springs and treat yourself to a dip in the healing waters. Hot Springs are rare in Australia, so make the most of it while you can by staying overnight in a nearby accommodation or at the campground next to the springs.

That’s just a sampling of what you’ll find in the Cairns hinterland and Atherton Tablelands. Local secrets, you’ll be stepping off the tourist trail and into the magic of the real north Queensland.

If hotels and high rise apartments is not your thing you may want to look at staying a few night is a Cairns Bed and Breakfast and escape the crowds.

Follow Sidney Morgan on Google+ or view our ‘Book it Now’ Google+ page

When my husband and I adopted our two large, slobbery Labrador retrievers (Molly and Jack), everyone told us that would be the end of our carefree travel days. Each one of them weighs 80 lbs, loves to run around, and has more chew toys than your average teething infant.

Last summer, we brought them to Madrid with us. They flew on Iberia Air, stayed with us in our apartment, and got to know the locals very well (“Que Bonitas!” the locals would say). We learned that traveling with your pets, no matter how big they are, is completely possible. All it takes is a little planning, patience, and jumping through the right hoops. With a microchip and vet certificate, we were clear to travel to most places in the world.

Read full article: How to Travel with Your Dog

Thinking of taking your dog on holiday with you in Australia then take a look at some of our dog or Pet Friendly accommodation on our website. There are also a number of other good websites like Travel Dogs Australia that offer allot of good information about travelling with pets.

Uluru otherwise know as “Ayers Rock” can be found in the centre of Australia. It is one of Australia’s most recognisable natural landmarks. The rock  is a large sandstone rock formation standing about 348 m high and with a circumference of 9.4 km. The rock and the Australian outback is a magical place to visit. If you are visiting Australia and want more than just the city site of Sydney, Melbourne and Perth. Look at taking a tour out into the Australian Outback. See what some other have to say.

The vast, flat desert lands stretching out before us, have become our backyard. The short green desert shrubs offer a stark contrast to rich redness of the soil which stains our clothing, our tent and our feet.

This is it.

This is what we’ve been waiting for.

My memories drift back to the pictures in Primary School. That day, when the teacher returned from his trip to “Ayers Rock” (back then it wasn’t really referred to as Uluru, white man’s name was still more popular). He held up 4×6 photographs, one by one, flicking through to reveal a golden sunset cascading across the grand red rock. There I was, a child, sitting hundreds of Kilometres away from central Australia, in a tiny school of 60 children in the middle of the drought ravaged bush of NSW. There I sat, in awe, wondering if I would ever get the chance to take photos like that myself.

That’s the power of the rock. Uluru. The grand heart of Australia. It draws you in. Calls you to it.

…More at A Journey to the Heartland

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• Climbed Uluru and LOVED it!!
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The Queensland Gold Coast begins in Coolangatta, just across the border from Tweed Heads in New South Wales. Many first time visitors to the Gold Coast overlook Coolangatta because the Gold Coast Highway shoots straight past it. However, Australian families and surfers often make Coolangatta their only Gold Coast destination because everything a beach lover could want is right there in front of them.

Look on a map and you’ll see that a peninsula divides Coolangatta from its nearest New South Wales beach. Right on the tip of that peninsula is the aptly named Snapper Rocks. "Snapper" is one of Australian surfers’ most coveted surfing spots. For experts only, entrance to the break is risky. You have to time your entrance well or you could find yourself getting "snapped up" by the rocks at the point.

While Snapper Rocks may not qualify as an ideal family spot, the break continues up the beach to Rainbow Bay. Rainbow Bay is perfect for everyone, with shallow sheltered waters close to the shore, easier waves for the "grommets" (young surfers) within eyesight of the lifeguards on the beach and toilets, showers and amenities for everyone within easy walking distance.

At the height of the surfing and sunbathing season, Coolangatta can get too crowded for spoiled Queenslanders who often have it all to themselves. That’s when they head a little further north to Currumbin. Like Coolangatta, Currumbin has it all: world class surfing waves, calm and shallow waters for the little ones, fish and chips shops for family meals and gourmet restaurants with ocean views to die for. All that Currumbin lacks is the crowds that gather on the better known Queensland Gold Coast beaches.

Just north of Currumbin is the long, straight stretch of the Gold Coast Oceanway, which is the official name of the cycle and pedestrian path in front of Surfers Paradise. To the untrained eye, this long, straight beach is all part of Surfers Paradise, but to the locals, it includes three distinctly different suburbs. If the highrises and crowds of Surfers Paradise are too much for you, but you still want to be close to the action, choose a Queensland Gold Coast accommodation in Mermaid Beach or Broad Beach. Although this part of the Gold Coast is nicknamed "Millionaire’s Row," there are accommodations for all budgets to be found here. From a cosy family motel to an executive penthouse, it’s all there for you on the Queensland Gold Coast.

Let’s start with food. Tasmania produces much of the best produce that Australia has to offer. Bruny Island’s fertile soil produces some of the best produce in Tasmania. The island’s cattle graze on grass that grows on this fertile soil and produce rich milk that is turned into some of the best cheese in Australia. The waters off Tasmania’s shores are rich with some of the best seafoods in the world, including oysters, which are harvested in abundance off Bruny Island.

When you take all of this delicious food and combine it with a bottle of Bruny Island wine, you end up with a superb meal worthy of presentation in a 5 star restaurant. On Bruny Island, though, you can get a meal like this in a quaint hotel pub or village café.

If you are looking for the Tasmanian wilderness experience, then Bruny Island is what you’re looking for. With roughly half the island devoted to protected park, you can have the best of both worlds. Stay in Adventure Bay on the northern end of the island and have all the creature comforts you could ever want (including delicious hand made chocolates and fresh-shucked oysters) and in no time at all you can be in the middle of South Bruny National Park or aboard a chartered boat, exploring the waters around the island.

You can enjoy South Bruny National Park no matter what your level of fitness or time restraints may be. For example, the Truganini Lookout commands a breathtaking 360 degree view, but the entire walk up the boardwalk to the lookout and back again takes only 15 minutes. If you feel like dipping a little further into the Park, you can take the easy coastal Grass Point walk, which is suitable for the whole family.

If cruising is more to your liking, then the breathtaking Bruny Island Cruise is for you. This is the best way to see the magnificent coastline of the island in comfort and safety. You will also have the opportunity to view some of the amazing island wildlife while you’re on the cruise, without disturbing its natural habitat.

Your Bruny Island adventures will be complemented by your Bruny Island accommodation. You can be living in the lap of luxury at the edge of the world in your fully self-contained cabin or bungalow. If you are a family traveling on a budget, you will be amazed by how sumptuously appointed a Bruny Island caravan park can be. Enjoy the good life on Bruny Island.

Find a range of Bruny Island and other accommodation Tasmania on our website.

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Canberra‘s Birthday Celebration

On the 12th of March, 2012, Canberra will be celebrating its 99th birthday. This will be one event you won’t want to miss if you’re in Australia in 2012 and will probably be worth planning a special trip for in 2013, when Canberra’s 100th birthday celebration rolls around. Expect to see spectacular fireworks over Lake Burley Griffin from Regatta Park, but that’s only the beginning, because Celebrate in the Park only marks the beginning of the annual Canberra Festival.

ANZAC Memorial Services

ANZAC is the acronym for the Australia New Zealand Army Corps that fought together in WWI. ANZAC Day is commemorated in their honour and in honour of all the soldiers who have fought in foreign wars throughout Australia’s history. Every April 25, the ANZAC Day Dawn Service is held at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra to commemorate the first ANZAC military action of WWI. It is an ideal day to visit, pay your respects by placing a poppy at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and afterwards visit the fascinating exhibits in the War Memorial Museum. Services begin at 5.30am, followed by a Returned Servicemen’s League (RSL) march at 10.15am.

Canberra International Film Festival

If you’re coming to Australia in late October or early November, check out the Canberra International Film Festival. The 16th annual festival is slated for October 31 – November 11, 2012 and is expected to be the biggest yet. In 2011, 58 films from 26 countries were shown at Dendy Cinemas in Canberra. Aside from films, other events of interest to film buffs include workshops, question and answer sessions and other opportunities to meet actors, directors and film producers in person and learn about the filmmaking process from those who know it best.

Wine, Roses and All That Jazz

If the Canberra International Film Festival isn’t quite enough to entice you to come to Canberra in early November, there’s another concurrent event that will surely tip the scales in Canberra’s favour. Wine, Roses and All That Jazz is your opportunity to discover the vineyards around Canberra, enjoy wine tastings, gourmet food and great entertainment all at the same time. There are an amazing 140 vineyards and 33 wineries within a short 30 minute drive of the city. Most of them will be competing for your attention, so expect to be treated like royalty.

Floriade

Spring in Australia starts in mid-October and Canberra is an ideal place to go if you love springtime and all that it symbolizes. At Floriade, you’ll marvel at the colorful display of over a million bulbs opening at once in Commonwealth Park. An event for the whole family, this yearly event features entertainment, activities for children, wonderful craft and food stalls and much, much more. In 2012, Floriade will be celebrated from the 15th of October through to the 10th of November.

Time it right and you can take in the Canberra Film Festival; Wine, Roses and All That Jazz and Floriade all in the space of a single visit to Canberra. Be sure, though, to book your Canberra accommodation  early, because thousands of others are going to be flocking to the nation’s capital for these events, too.

Sidney Morgan on Google Plus

Ask a Victorian where the oldest settlement in Victoria is located and they will probably take a stab and say "Melbourne." They are close, but still far away. Actually, Sorrento is the site of Victoria’s first settlement. Back in 1803, the first settlers chose Eastern Sister, a point at the southern end of Sorrento’s crescent shaped bay, as their home.

Unlike Melbourne, which once settled grew at a frantic pace, Sorrento was left to mature at a more leisurely rate The first hotels weren’t even built there until the 1870s and the best examples of them, like the wonderful limestone construction of the Continental Hotel, are still standing and still serving patrons today. This and other examples of 19th century architecture are just one of the reasons why a visit to Sorrento is so enjoyable.

A refined and sophisticated community, Sorrento has a traditional charm about it. The Sorrento foreshore is an example of this. Unlike so many beaches that are backed by highrise hotels or rows of houses and shops, the wide Sorrento foreshore is lined with grass and trees. Whether you go there to swim or to stroll, it is a pleasure to while away a day on the beach in Sorrento.

Two good reasons for visiting Sorrento are that not only is it one of the finest suburbs on the Mornington Peninsula, it is the perfect jumping off point for exploring the rest of the peninsula and beyond. Centrally located between all of the peninsula’s charming suburbs, it is also where you can catch the vehicle and passenger ferry and cross over to Queenscliff and the Great Ocean Road.

One of the biggest tourist drawcards in Sorrento is located offshore. Bottlenose dolphins can be found in abundance: view them from shore or take a dolphin viewing excursion. For that matter, you can even dive in the water and play with them if you want to.

Back on land, you can tour the Mornington Peninsula in style from Sorrento. Imagine taking to the road in the sidecar of a vintage Harley Davidson, your tour guide being a local who knows all about the history and attractions of the peninsula.

The Mornington Peninsula becomes very narrow by the time it reaches Sorrento. If you love to be near the sea, this makes Sorrento an ideal place for you to stay. On the bay side is the tranquil Front Beach: perfect for a relaxing day in the sun. Just minutes away, on the opposite side of the peninsula, is Sorrento’s Back Beach. Back Beach is on the wild, windswept Bass Strait coast and is perfect for adventurers and lovers of the outdoors.

Sorrento is close enough to Melbourne that you can make it a short day trip, but that’s not the best way to do it. By the end of the day, you will wish you had booked a Sorrento accommodation. Do yourself a favour and make a reservation before you go. This way, you will be sure to have your accommodation waiting for you when you arrive.