The sun is shining, the golden sands are glistening and your surfboard is waxed and ready. The cool, blue waves are breaking just offshore in an enticing crash of foam. Surf’s up in Australia!

If you want to learn to surf, or you are just keen to spend as much time as possible on the board, you can’t go wrong heading for Australia. You can take surf lessons across the country, from Sydney’s Bondi Beach to Perth’s Scarborough Beach.

You also get a free surf lesson with the guys from Manly Surf thanks to your Visa Bureau Platinum Card, check out the deets here.

But perhaps you were thinking something more like an adventure of epic proportions? Why not try a surfing safari?

Several companies offer multi-day trips that let you combine travel and surfing, even if you are more of a beginner, with the most popular area being the run north from Sydney to beachside Byron Bay.

Sydney to Byron Bay safaris

One of the major surfing operators on this route is MojoSurf which runs a series of surf camps, surf adventures, surf stays, and advanced training courses. Their most popular trip is the five-day Great Aussie Surf Adventure, which starts off at Sydney and ends in Byron Bay. In the opposite direction, the trip leaves from either Brisbane or Byron Bay.

From Sydney, the first stop is their remote Crescent Head camp, where you stay for three days and two nights in a modern four-star, hostel-rated surf hut just a few steps from the sand. From Crescent Head the coach heads north to Camp X, located in a secret spot somewhere north of Coffs Harbour and south of Byron Bay, where you spend two nights. There are seven surf lessons in all, each lasting between two and three hours, and most people are standing on their board and catching waves by the end of the trip.

Also following the route up to Byron Bay is Surfaris, with a popular five-day adventure that takes in up to 12 beaches, each with their own character.
They surf at places depending on the wind, tides and swell and actively search out the best conditions, and because they surf off national park beaches you get to see plenty of wildlife. You could spot dolphins in the waters, or even catch the same waves as one.

Another company that runs surf trips on this route is Waves Surf School, based in Byron Bay, which offers a five-day Sydney to Byron Bay trip, along with four-day and seven-day trips. You can travel the NSW North Coast living the surfer’s dream of freedom, travel, good waves and good times with Travel Aust too. This company also runs tours from Sydney to Byron Bay, and vice versa.

Queensland surf

Over the border in Queensland, Ride On Tours offers several great surfing adventures, including trips around the leafy North Stradbroke Island off Brisbane, and to the iconic Surfers Paradise.

Beach Bum Australia offers surf safaris lasting up to three days between Noosa, Brisbane, Surfers Paradise and Byron Bay.

Last but not least

In Victoria, Great Ocean Road Surf Tours offer multi-day trips to Torquay, the home of Australian Surf Culture and the birthplace of iconic surf brands Rip Curl and Quiksilver.

For South Australia, Surf Culture Australia does surf safaris to the Yorke, and Surf and Sun run three, four and five-day surf camps on the Fleurieu Peninsula, leaving from Adelaide.

In Western Australia, Discover West offers a South West Surfing Safari Tour. The four-day trip starts off with a bus journey from Perth to Albany, before heading back via some of the best surf beaches along the beautiful coastal route.

- Go gnarly bro with an Australian working holiday!

©Visa Bureau 2003-2009

Visa Bureau takes no responsibility and cannot be held accountable for action taken as a result of any information or comment provided on this blog, and we recommend that you always seek a number of opinions before making a decision regarding your migration or visa application. Please refer to the Visa Bureau terms of use for more information.

The biggest festival in the Southern Hemisphere will kick off pretty shortly, turning every nook and cranny in Adelaide into one giant party.

The festival completely takes over the city with all things quirky, fun and frivolous with the legendary opening night party and the Adelaide International Buskers Festival being two highlights.

The opening night of the Adelaide Fringe 2011 will see a cast of thousands, led by the alternative King and Queen, parade from the corner of Dequetteville Tce down the streets of the East End. As the sun sets, the Parade will dance into Wonderland (the transformed Rymill Park) for a night of soul, funk, reggae, jazz, new folk, calypso, indie, pop and world music. And it’s free!

The Adelaide Fringe began as an alternative to the Adelaide Festival and has become an enormously popular event. There are hundreds of cabaret, comedy, dance, theatre, music, film, circus and visual arts events all around the city for the 24 days and nights of the festival. Best of all, there are lots of free events.

More than a million people attend the free and ticketed events at the festival, and the opening night party alone attracts more than 80,000 people.

The Adelaide Fringe Festival kicks off on Friday February 18 until Sunday, March 13. Visit www.adelaidefringe.com.au for more information.

- Apply for an Australian working holiday visa and get started on the trip of a lifetime!

©Visa Bureau 2003-2009

Visa Bureau takes no responsibility and cannot be held accountable for action taken as a result of any information or comment provided on this blog, and we recommend that you always seek a number of opinions before making a decision regarding your migration or visa application. Please refer to the Visa Bureau terms of use for more information.

Most people know of the Great Barrier Reef, but there is another reef off the west coast where you can swim with whale sharks in turquoise waters.

Ningaloo Marine Park is also one of the only places in the world you can swim with whale sharks; gentle giants that have wide mouths designed to filter the water for plankton, small plants and animals.

Despite the huge size of the whale shark, they are docile and pose little danger to humans, and it is possible to swim quite close if you are careful of their tails. If you join a snorkel or dive tour they will be able to get you up close to the whale sharks safely.

The main time to view and swim with the whale shark is from March to June.

The reef is a little over two hours by plane from Perth (or two days drive) on Western Australia’s mid north coast, and it stretches 260 kilometres from Bundegi Reef near Exmouth to Amherst Point near Coral Bay in the south and encompasses a massive 5,000 square kilometres of ocean.

If you wade into the water at Turquoise Bay you will be floating within a few metres of a reef that is home to dolphins, dugong, manta rays and turtles, 500 species of tropical fish and 220 species of coral.

There are plenty of snorkelling or dive tours you can join, as well as glass bottom boat tours, boat trips or quad bike tours. There are even 4WD tours that will take you to some spectacular locations in the national parks in the region.

Parts of Ningaloo Marine Park have also recently been nominated for World Heritage status.

The Western Australia official tourism website has more deets to help you plan your trip: http://www.westernaustralia.com/uk/Destinations/Australias_Coral_Coast/Pages/Australias_Coral_Coast.aspx

- First step for an Australian adventure: Apply for an Australian working holiday visa!

©Visa Bureau 2003-2009

Visa Bureau takes no responsibility and cannot be held accountable for action taken as a result of any information or comment provided on this blog, and we recommend that you always seek a number of opinions before making a decision regarding your migration or visa application. Please refer to the Visa Bureau terms of use for more information.

Australia is well known as one of the world’s premier surfing destinations – and its 37,000km of coastline means there are plenty of beach, reef and point breaks to challenge the most experienced board-rider or easy-rolling swells that beginners can paddle onto safely. Your own magic surfing experience could happen just about anywhere ... but these are some of the best places to catch a wave.

NORTHERN BEACHES (NSW) Beginning at Manly Beach and running 20km north to Palm Beach, Sydney’s northern peninsula has a succession of surf beaches that have some great waves ... and you can have a coffee on the beach afterwards! Manly has great beach breaks and punchy barrels, as well as the offshore Queenscliff “Bommie” (bombora) that is joy for big wave riders. Nearby Freshwater Beach is loved by bodysurfers and youngsters on body-boards, and this is actually where surfboard-riding was first introduced to Australia by Hawaiian surfer Duke Kahanamoku, on 15 January 1915. Up a bit further north, the 6km coastal corridor between Dee Why Beach and North Narrabeen is widely considered Sydney’s blue-ribbon surfing belt, with the legendary Long Reef bombora (known locally as “Butter-box”) situated smack in the middle. Mona Vale Beach, Newport Beach, Whale Beach and Avalon Beach all are great beaches, but if you can’t choose a fav you could try all four beaches in a lazy half-day. Finally, Palm Beach marks the end of the peninsula, and despite it being less well known its 1.5km of sand and beach breaks nevertheless offers plenty of thrills and spills.

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SEAL ROCKS & PACIFIC PALMS (NSW) Lighthouse Beach and Treachery Beach at Seal Rocks are south-facing and get epic waves on south swells. Just 22km up the road at Pacific Palms, Boomerang Beach and Bluey’s Beach have with their own postcard waves from the prominent headlands, and are a favourite place for dolphins to swim. This part of the NSW coast is still quite undeveloped too, so there are few high-rises, nightclubs or casinos in sight. CRESCENT HEAD (NSW) The coastline just north of Port Macquarie through to Crescent Head is accessed via Point Plomer Road, which goes up along the coast for 25kms. Along this route are four perfect right-hand point-breaks, tailor-made for long-board riders, grommets and beginners and capable of generating miracle rides of 200 metres. The point break at Crescent Head itself is revered by long-boarders, and some of the sport’s best have been filmed here. Halfway between Crescent Head and Point Plomer is the brilliantly named Delicate Nobby, a wedge-shaped rock formation that starts just off the beach and spears out into the Pacific, creating beach breaks on either side.

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MARGARET RIVER – YALLINGUP & PREVELLY PARK (WESTERN AUSTRALIA) Around 260km south of Perth, the tiny resort village of Yallingup marks the beginning of the famed Margaret River winery region, where wine enthusiasts and ‘waxheads’ (board-riders) have long converged in equal numbers. With several breaks that range from mild to monstrous depending on the swell, Yallingup is considered the best all-round surfing destination on Australia’s west coast. Further south, Prevelly Park is the heart of serious Margaret River surfing territory, where swells up to six metres get spun into perfect barrels across the treacherous offshore reef. No place for beginners or the faint-of-heart, “Surfers Point” at Prevelly even attracts the big-name big-wave lunatics from the US and Hawaii, and it’s one of the few places in Australia where board-riders wear helmets and nobody laughs at them.

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NORTH COAST – ANGOURIE TO BYRON BAY (NSW) When the surfing counter-culture took hold in Australia in the late 1960s, the NSW north coast quickly became the place for surfers. “Discovered” in the early 1970s, the point break at Angourie remained relatively still local knowledge for the next two decades, but it’s world famous nowadays as home turf of Aussie surfing legend Nat Young. Endlessly filmed and fawned over, the right-hand point-break at Lennox Head rates a mention in any discussion of Australia’s best wave. Whether your preferred spot is Tallow Beach, Watego’s, Main Beach, the wreck at Belongil or elsewhere along the Byron Bay coast, the compelling factor here has always been the vibe. Kombi vans, dreadlocks, hippie gatherings, communal drumming and a collective feeling that there’s nothing to do tomorrow but get up and do it all again.

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NOOSA – POINT BREAK (QUEENSLAND) One of the best and most photogenic long-board breaks in the world, the point at Noosa is capable of producing a genuine 200 metre ride on its best days. In a decent swell there’s always a big crew of locals riding it but when it’s smaller it’s perfect for beginners – a long, easy-rolling cruise. TORQUAY – BELLS BEACH (VICTORIA) Historically and spiritually, Bells Beach is the home of Australian surfing and today is still the site of the country’s oldest and most prestigious professional surfing event; nowadays named the Rip Curl Pro, the winner still receives the traditional clanging bell trophy. Swells from the Southern Ocean slow down and steepen over the shallow reefs to produce outstanding surf that can rise to five metres or more, so when it gets big, most of us are best advised to think of surfing Bells as a spectator sport.

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SNAPPER ROCKS (QUEENSLAND) Snapper Rocks is a sand bottom point break considered as a world renowned surfing spot on the Gold Coast. Snapper, located at Rainbow Bay, is home to the world-famous ‘Super Bank’, regarded in surfing circles as the longest, most consistent and most hollow wave in the world. The swell here often reaches six to eight feet, and one good, clean wave can transport you from Snapper to Kirra, a distance of almost two kilometres. Snapper Rocks hosts elite international surfing events such as the Quiksilver and Roxy Pro, Rip Curl Masters, and MP Classic. It is also a favourite surfing spot of local world champs, Mick Fanning, Joel Parkinson and Stephanie Gilmore, who enjoy nothing more than surfing their own ‘local’ break when they’re at home.

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- Surf around Australia with an Australian working holiday!

©Visa Bureau 2003-2009

Visa Bureau takes no responsibility and cannot be held accountable for action taken as a result of any information or comment provided on this blog, and we recommend that you always seek a number of opinions before making a decision regarding your migration or visa application. Please refer to the Visa Bureau terms of use for more information.

There are a number of Australian sites that appear on every gappers “must do’ list – and most likely to appear somewhere at the top of the mix is the Great Barrier Reef. The good news is the reef is getting easier to access with the rise of low-cost domestic carriers. So go pack your swimmers!

By far the largest coral reef system in the world, the Great Barrier Reef extends over 2,600km off the coast of Queensland. Believe it or not, it is larger than the Great Wall of China and the only living thing on earth visible from space.

The reef comprises over 3,000 individual reef systems and coral cays and literally hundreds of picturesque tropical islands which are home to some of the world’s most beautiful beaches.

It’s an enormous, ancient, living organism, composed of live coral gardens growing on inert coral dating back as much as 20 million years. Many generations of coral have built themselves into great walls of stone covered in a diverse range of living coral, algae and an extraordinary array of thousands of species of plants, seal life and animals. This includes a gathering of more than 400 different kinds of coral, coral sponges, molluscs, rays, dolphins, over 1,500 species of tropical fish, more than 200 types of birds, around 20 types of reptiles including sea turtles and giant clams over 120 years old.

So you can imagine that the reef is also a very popular destination for tourists – it’s a beautiful place to snorkel or scuba with the fish, sleep under the stars like on Lizard Island, sail or just chill out.

The most common places to base yourself so you can experience the reef are Cairns (which is also a great party town) and the Whitsunday Islands. Both destinations are extremely easy to get to by plane, train and automobile. Many cities along the Queensland coast offer daily boat trips as well out to various islands in the reef.

WHEN TO GO

June through October is ideal if you don’t like intense humidity. However, you might still find during November to January the weather is hot but bearable with the possibility of picking up bargain flights and accommodation.

HOW TO GET THERE

• Fly! Virgin Blue and Jetstar offer cheap flights from major cities and towns to Cairns, Airlie Beach and Proserpine airports in Far North Queensland. Subscribe to their newsletter for first dibs on sale flights.
• Drive! It is a great trip up along the East Coast if you have a few days or a week up your sleeve, and stopping along the way you can see some pretty nice beaches (that you will most likely have to yourself).
• Coach! Coach travel can be long, but they are very cheap way of getting there too and you may make friends along the way. Visa Bureau Platinum Card Holders get 20 per cent off an Oz Experience pass – and you can hop off and on when and where it suits you! Check out the full information on the discount here.

- The Visa Bureau Platinum Card site has more great offer details to help you make the most of your Australian working holiday!

©Visa Bureau 2003-2009

Visa Bureau takes no responsibility and cannot be held accountable for action taken as a result of any information or comment provided on this blog, and we recommend that you always seek a number of opinions before making a decision regarding your migration or visa application. Please refer to the Visa Bureau terms of use for more information.

Kakadu National Park in the Northern Territory is Australia’s largest national park: and nothing makes you feel like an adventurer than exploring 20,000 square kilometres. To give you some idea, the Kakadu is the size of Israel, a third the size of Tasmania and nearly half the size of Switzerland  so you’ll need plenty of time to explore it fully.

The place to start is at the Window on the Wetlands Visitor Centre on Beatrice Hill, approximately 60 kilometres from Darwin. You'll easily see the upswept line of the Visitors Centre roof, and there is plenty of information there to give you some idea of things to do.

The Arnhem Highway takes you across five of the eight rivers as you travel between Darwin and Jabiru, the main township in Kakadu and the gateway to the national park.

The name Kakadu comes from the Gagudju Aboriginal people who once lived here. They left a rich heritage and with more than 50,000 years of heritage, this land has one of the longest historical records of any people in the world. There are more than 5,000 recorded rock art sites along and ancestral trails known as Dreaming Tracks across the landscape.

Kakadu National Park was first inscribed on the World Heritage list in 1981 so it has impeccable environmental creds as well. Around one-third of all Australia’s bird species can be found in the Kakadu!

Jim Jim and Twin Falls are among the most spectacular natural sights in the top end but you’ll need 4WD to get there and it’s only accessible in the dry season.

If seeing a crocodile in the wild is on your ‘to-do’ list – this is probably your best chance, as both ‘salties’ and ‘freshies’ live in here, so take notice of the signs! And you can’t miss the Warradjan Aboriginal Cultural Centre - it’s built in the shape of the local pig-nosed turtle.

From Jabiru you could take a scenic flight for a bird’s-eye view; or take a boat trip on the East Alligator River and experience the ever changing palette of nature’s best scenery. See the land through the eyes of the local Bininj people by spending the night at the Kakadu Culture Camp.

The Mary River region is considered by many to be the most beautiful in the Top End and a day should be set aside to explore it fully. Other areas to visit are Yurmikmik in the wet season or Gunlom in the dry. Ubirr, the most famous of Kakadu’s art sites is not to be missed; while Nourlangie Rock, Kakadu’s second greatest art site, has the image of Namarrgon, the lightning man.

The Kakadu has six seasons, not four, with each revealing its own wonder – from torrential rain to mud-cracking drought. That’s just one of the reasons Kakadu is a must-see Australian destination.

- Happy and safe travelling on your Australian working holiday!

©Visa Bureau 2003-2009

Visa Bureau takes no responsibility and cannot be held accountable for action taken as a result of any information or comment provided on this blog, and we recommend that you always seek a number of opinions before making a decision regarding your migration or visa application. Please refer to the Visa Bureau terms of use for more information.

If you are keen for a bit of adventure, then you are in the right place. Australia’s dramatic outback, wilderness areas, mountain ranges and waterways give an exciting edge to some amazing activities!

WARM UP IN SYDNEY Get started on your adventures by warming up a little, scaling the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge! You have the choice of three exhilarating tours with Bridge Climb. The original Bridge Climb takes you along catwalks, up ladders, and up to the bridge’s summit. There are panoramic views across the city, the harbour and to the Sydney Opera House. The Discovery Climb takes you inside the Bridge’s structural ironwork on your journey to the summit and the Express Climb is the newest climbing adventure and the fastest way to the top of the Bridge. If you would rather go a little faster than your two legs will take you try zipping around the beautiful harbour at full throttle, before a sideward slide and a powerbreak stop on a jet-boat with either Ozjetboating, Harbour Jet and Thunder Jet Boating. Another awesome experience is diving with huge grey nurse sharks, giant stingrays, sea turtles, wobbegong sharks, and moray eels at Oceanworld Manly. Plus Australia is also one of the best places to learn to surf, and the guys at Manly Surf School in Sydney can help you catch some great waves. All Visa Bureau Platinum Card holders get a free surf lesson when you book three, so pretty soon you should be on your feet on the board.

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GO WALKABOUT (OR MOTORBIKEABOUT) One of the most visited areas on Sydney’s fringe is the World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains National Park. There are awe-inspiring canyons, thick rainforest, and plunging waterfalls to be discovered along the tracks. Take some sandwiches and water (and other essentials) and plunge into the wilderness! If you are keen to learn a bit more about the area, see things differently with Aboriginal Blue Mountains Walkabout. Along the way your Aboriginal guide will show you ancient art and ceremonial sites, and recount dreamtime stories. Then there’s ochre bark and body painting, bush tucker tasting, wildlife spotting, and the chance to bathe in a crystal clear billabong. There is a bit of an art to rolling down a hill in a big inflatable ball – but zorbing is something you have to try for yourself! Zorb Gold Coast will strap you in and give you a push. The wild ride also comes with a 20 per cent discount for Platinum Card holders, so take a look at the full deets here. Australia is a big place, and among the most adventurous ways to see it is by hiring a motorbike and taking to the road. Several companies rent bikes, among them Motorcycle Holidays Australia. Hop aboard a Harley Davidson Softail Heritage, or a BMW, and head off from Coffs Harbour on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales to explore local rainforests and unspoilt beaches. Or you could take a self-guided tour through the Outback to Uluru, or even head north to the Great Barrier Reef.

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TAKE OFF IN MELBOURNE See things from a different perspective: try running down the side of the building in a forward facing abseiling technique! It’s called ‘rap jumping’ and you can do it at Urban Central. Or head to Phillip Island, just outside Melbourne, for an adrenaline spin around the Grand Prix Circuit in a high performance rally car. Phillip Island is the home of the World Superbike Grand Prix, but it’s also the best place to see the morning march of the fairy penguins in the wild.

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UNTAMED WILDERNESS Delve into the deep wilderness of the island state of Tasmania from a two-person kayak and see nature as close as possible. Roaring 40°s Ocean Kayaking has a three-day Wilderness on Water experience with a unique journey to Tasmania’s remote south-west tip, at the centre of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. There are no roads, no settlements, and very few tracks but you will explore pristine bays, beaches and headlands in the best possible way: by paddle power! Rafting the untamed waters of the Franklin River in Tasmania is one of the world’s greatest adventures. This World Heritage-listed waterway carves its way through rugged and inaccessible rainforest wilderness where platypus, wallabies, and marsupial cat-like creatures called quolls are plentiful.

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TOURING SAFARI Experience the open plains and huge blue skies in the South Australian outback, the red dusty landscapes that are iconic of Australia’s interior. You can go touring by yourself in a four-wheel-drive vehicle, or join a tour operator out of Adelaide. A highlight is Lake Eyre, which was in flood in 2009. When there is water in the lake tens of thousands of waterfowl, including pelicans, arrive to breed and feed before the water evaporates and the lake reverts to a vast saltpan. In Western Australia you can find the Kimberley region, a massive area of rugged red ranges, cooling water holes, and remote coastline recently immortalised in Baz Luhrmann’s epic movie ‘Australia’. A self-drive adventure along the famous Gibb River Road takes you through breath-taking landscape layered with Aboriginal spirituality. In the Kimberley you can also explore ancient rock art and cave paintings, including the world-famous Bradshaw paintings. These are believed to be up to 50,000 years old. Another self-drive adventure option is the Golden Quest Discovery Trail. This takes you through some of West Australia’s outback gold-producing areas. Running from Coolgardie to Laverton, the trail takes in historical mining towns, legendary country pubs, the fascinating Gwalia ghost town, and remote salt lakes. If you would prefer to the outdoors as more of a blur, then off-road rally driving could be more your thing. You choose to be the driver or a passenger in the world beating Subaru WRX STii rally cars at WRX Experience in Pimpama, Queensland. You can go from 0 to 100kms in 4.5 seconds, so it is one high speed experience. You can also get 10 per cent off any of the activities offered the WRX Experience, so check out the details at the Visa Bureau Platinum Card site here.

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FROM THE REEF TO THE OUTBACK In Queensland, the ‘Reef to Outback Journey’ links two of Australia’s most iconic natural attractions – the World Heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef with the magnificent Queensland outback. Start off by exploring the coral gardens of Lady Elliot or Heron Islands, or visit Mon Repos Conservation Park to see the largest turtle rockery in the Southern Hemisphere. You can master the open sea with a proper Barrier Reef sailing adventure and see lush tropical islands, turquoise waters and pristine beaches – but best of all your Visa Bureau Platinum Card will get you a 15 per cent discount with Whitsundays Sailing Adventures in Airlie Beach. They also have racing yachts where you can take the wheel and hoist the sails as part of a team. Take a look at the discount offer at the Platinum Card site here. Then make your way to Queensland’s outback for a spot of bush camping in one of the region’s 42 National Parks. Along the way you can expect to see some of the finest Aboriginal rock art in Australia, plenty of kangaroos and koalas, and you can immerse yourself in real ‘Aussie’ outback towns.

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- Check out the Visa Bureau Platinum Card site for full discount and offer details to make the most of your Australian working holiday!

©Visa Bureau 2003-2009

Visa Bureau takes no responsibility and cannot be held accountable for action taken as a result of any information or comment provided on this blog, and we recommend that you always seek a number of opinions before making a decision regarding your migration or visa application. Please refer to the Visa Bureau terms of use for more information.

Hannah Davies found the wilds of the Blue Mountains, just outside of Sydney, to be an adventurous day out - but not without some need for a recovery session in Manly.

So this week I found the "adventurer within"- temporarily switching my stiletoes for hiking gear to trek into the Blue Mountains.

Awake at 6am (first time since 1989), layered up to the extent that I resembled the lovechild of Michelle McManus and the Michelin Man, more sarnies than one person would ever need for one day packed - and I'm ready for my first non-city based Aussie experience.

I have visions of "Challenge Annika" as we descend into the Grand Canyon, setting off on a four hour trek, that is apparently classed as a "hard" walk (I know, what was I thinking right? And there was me imagining a "nature trail" style stroll, like the kind you get in Welsh country parks...)

A river crossing, a crawl through a cove, and a short motivational humming of the Rocky theme tune whilst climbing many, many steps later, we reached Evans Lookout. Spectacular. Especially when accompanied by a cheese and pickle sandwich. Observation; a country walk in Wales is a timid stroll compared to an exhilarating Aussie bush trek.

Upon our return to the car, realising it was only 1.30pm (most productive morning ever!) we decided to take a trip to Katoomba.

Now I already felt very Bear Grylls having faced the perils of the rainforest during the morning, but as we boarded the vertical railway to take us down the mountain and the theme tune from Indiana Jones started playing (honest!), I became Hannah Davies "danger seeker" (ie. Kate Adie crossed with Ellen MacArthur and Angelina Jolie as Tomb Raider).

It wasn't long until I was back in my more familiar habitat however- the Hollywood blockbuster (where I would star as a female Crocodile Dundee) would have to wait.

A night out in Manly was in store with a couple friends from Wales. We found ourselves in Sugar Lounge, a lovely little bar on the seafront; drank wine, met a Frenchman whose idea of flirtation was winking numerous times (didn't know whether he was attempting to catch my attention or was merely nervous twitching), and danced to a live band playing Stevie Wonder classics.

Aside from my friend managing to tumble, legs akimbo, into the band- landing in a heap at the feet of the lead singer, it was a pretty great night. Conclusion; stiletoes and dancing can be traded in for walking boots and bush adventures ONCE a month only - as awesome as the views are, one can only muster a certain amount of motivation from chanting "buns-of-steel" repeatedly whilst hiking up a mountain. Wiggling to "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" whilst sipping a glass of Chardonnay however, is a purely pleasurable experience (minus the twitchy Frenchman of course...).

Quote of the week; "Don't you find possums really camp - you know, how they just mince across the power lines". According to my Welsh friend, who has recently arrived in Sydney, the possum is the most interesting of the nocturnal Australian creatures...

- Get up to 50 per cent off Blue Mountains tours and heaps of great freebies with your Visa Bureau Australian Working Holiday Visa.

©Visa Bureau 2003-2009

Visa Bureau takes no responsibility and cannot be held accountable for action taken as a result of any information or comment provided on this blog, and we recommend that you always seek a number of opinions before making a decision regarding your migration or visa application. Please refer to the Visa Bureau terms of use for more information.

Beautiful  sandy beaches and an  energetic nightlife make Sydney one of the most popular destinations in Australia. There's heaps to do in the Emerald City, but just in case you only had a few days of sightseeing, see below for a three-day guide to the city:

DAY ONE Circular Quay and City Centre After breakfast, head down to Circular Quay to see the two city icons: the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House. You could take a tour of the Opera House, or take a walk further to the peninsular of the nearby Royal Botanic Gardens along Mrs Macquarie’s Road to the famous carved rock bench Mrs Macquarie’s Chair where you can take great pictures of the Opera House. Nearby to the Opera House, you can stroll through The Rocks area along quaint streets to where European Sydney started out. The area is covered with alleyways, terraced houses, old pubs, and former maritime storehouses. You can also take a guided walk with an operator like The Rocks Walking Tours. If you head up to walkway that spans the Sydney Harbour Bridge you can walk right across the bridge, returning back to the city centre by local commuter train. Or gain a memorable experience by climbing the Harbour Bridge with BridgeClimb. Next up, you can head back to Circular Quay to take a boat trip on Sydney’s glorious harbour. There are guided tours such as the Tribal Warrior Aboriginal Culture Cruise or you can simply catch the public transport ferry to Manly for a pre-lunch swim followed by fish and chips on the beach. In the afternoon you can head into the city centre and see the Sydney Tower, the tallest building in Sydney. The tower offers stunning 360-degree views across the city and beyond to the Blue Mountains and the brave can walk around the outside of the tower on a Skywalk.

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DAY TWO Darling Harbour, Darling Spend the morning in Darling Harbour, Sydney’s main entertainment precinct and an area packed with plenty of bars, pubs and restaurants with al fresco dining. Darling Harbour is also home to the Sydney Aquarium where you can see the stunning Barrier Reef exhibit, dugong habitat, and an underwater walkway through an enormous tank full of giant sharks and rays. You can also feed the sharks from a glass bottom boat. In the afternoon you could check out the native Australian animals at Taronga Zoo or make your way to one of Sydney’s many golden beaches. The most famous is Bondi Beach, where you might even be lucky enough to see home-grown celebs. You can also learn to surf on Bondi.

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DAY THREE Blue Mountains exploration Today it’s time to head to the hills and get away from the city into the World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains, which are less than two hours from Sydney. You can get there by train and join a tour, take a tour from Sydney, or wander around alone. Visa Bureau Platinum Card holders can take day trip out to the Blue Mountains with Adventure Tours Australia at 50% off. You can see more about this and other single-day trips on the Adventure Tours Australia single-day tours page on the Platinum Card site. In the Blue Mountains you can ride the world’s steepest incline railway and enjoy spectacular rainforest views from a cable car at Scenic World. Stretching for over one million hectares the Blue Mountains is an inspiring mix of rainforest, canyons, tall forests and heathlands, combining eight individual conservation reserves. There are lots of incredible bushwalks, majestic waterfalls, and the sandstone escarpments and canyons are awesome. Take a bushwalk, or a bike ride, down a few of the tracks and see for yourself some of the many cascades and waterfalls through the area. Stay the night if you wish to extend your trip, or head back to the cosmopolitan lifestyle of Sydney.

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- Don't forget that you can send in your working holiday stories by via email, with photos or edited video attached and the word “Australia” in the subject box, to and win prizes!

©Visa Bureau 2003-2009

Visa Bureau takes no responsibility and cannot be held accountable for action taken as a result of any information or comment provided on this blog, and we recommend that you always seek a number of opinions before making a decision regarding your migration or visa application. Please refer to the Visa Bureau terms of use for more information.

You might have read her stuff earlier on in the blog, and since arriving in Australia last year Alex Simpson has put some serious travel miles under her belt and seen a helluva lot of country. As you'll read though, Alex still feels the magical "wow I'm in Australia" moments:

We were both excited and apprehensive about meeting Melbourne as it's where we're planning to live and work for 2+ months and wanted to love it. The good news is, we do.

A lot of people have raved on about how great it is, really cultural, young and trendy so we had high hopes but it really is as good as the recommendations. A cross between London and Brighton, street art adorning every brick wall and tiny cafes, bars and clubs poking out of holes in back alleys. We're very excited to be heading back there, defo my favourite Australian city.

On day 1 we caught a tram into the CBD and followed the Lonely Planet's recommended walking guide to get to know the streets fast, it was a cool tour and took us past everything we needed to see to get a feel for the place. We'd only just got started when we promptly stopped again and enjoyed and very cosmopolitan lunch of risotto and wine while sitting at a little cafe table under the shade of a big canvas umbrella.

After our walk we made time for a quick fondue from Max Brenner and then got comfy in our Imax seats for Avatar 3D which was absolutely, unbelievably, incredibly amazing. A life changing experience really, just astounding. Especially as Melbourne has the 3rd biggest screen in the world :).

We ended up walking over 7 miles on day 2 because we wanted to check out St Kilda and all the funky suburbs we might want to live in. St Kilda had a fun beachy vibeto it and the huge palms reminded me of America which made me a bit travel sick for LA.

It was really windy so I got a great unexpected surprise when I spotted a kite hovering in the air a mile or so away.

I sat bolt upright staring at the horizon and then noticed a whole sky full of kite colour WOOHOO! I walked down to the harbour and went straight up to a guy to ask him about the wind seasons and kite community which is apparently thriving so have made the decision to get my stuff sent down to Melbourne for when I'm there, don't know how yet but can't wait!

On our last day we walked another 7 miles into a different district (also uber-cool) to check that out and ended up treating ourselves to another cosmo lunch, oops! We loved our 3 days in Melbourne and packed our bags happy in the knowledge we are heading back in a month or two.

The last 3 days we've been travelling from Melbourne over to Adelaide via the Great Ocean Road on the Groovy Grape tour bus lol! It's been really fun, Tina and I are the only English on the mini bus which seems quite rare but it's taken us past some awesome views including my highlight, sunset at the 12 Apostles. The Apostles are a coastal rock formation formed by sea and wind erosion but they don't sound so mystical like that so we'll leave it as The Apostles.

The day before yesterday we drove up into the Grampian mountains and saw Koalas just chilling in their natural habitat which was so cool and nice to see, I'm not sure I'd fancy going to a zoo again after that. In the evening we stayed at little cabins surrounded by bush so as dusk fell loads of kangaroos started appearing out from the trees and coming right up to us where we were having a BBQ! It was one of those "wow, I'm really in Australia moments".

Our final day took us on a hike up into Hollow Mountain which sounds a bit like a Disneyland ride but was actually some dramatic sandstone mountains we got to scramble up to reach the summit, amazing views and worth the effort for sure.

Then we had a quick pit stop for a picnic lunch and hit the road for the remaining 5 hour drive to Adelaide. We arrived quite late, too late to do anything yet had that agitated 'been stuck on a bus' feeling so I managed to persuade Tina to go on a jog around the town before bed, not sure how that happened!

So now we're in Adelaide and we're off to explore the town, we've chosen a good time to come as the Fringe Festival is currently on and the area seems to be buzzing more than usual.

Next stop is Alice Springs and the desert, hope I don't get bitten by a scorpian...or snake...or spider...or...

- What's your "wow" moment in Australia? Send us your working holiday stories by via email, with photos or edited video attached and the word “Australia” in the subject box, to . 

©Visa Bureau 2003-2009

Visa Bureau takes no responsibility and cannot be held accountable for action taken as a result of any information or comment provided on this blog, and we recommend that you always seek a number of opinions before making a decision regarding your migration or visa application. Please refer to the Visa Bureau terms of use for more information.