Why use a travel agent?

Do they still exist? Yes, we do but we have adopted to today's business climate accordingly.
Many of our clients book accommodation through the web, tours, flights and much more but for personal recommendations and service nothing beats a travel agent.

Apart from having visited over 120 countries (and counting) we have travelled extensively in Australia and know the country intimately. We also have colleagues all over Australia so when we send our clients to, for example Alice Sprigs you get local people with local knowledge which is important.

So, if you want personal service, contact us. It's easy, hans@sander.com

I've only read 5 lines in my favourite book !

I have one book and I must confess I don't read it over and over ! It is written by a Russian author, Michail Osorgin in the 1930s and it's English title is: The Quiet Street. It has the most fascinating first page I've ever read and, unfortunately I can't find any translation in English on the internet so you would need to find out for yourself.

Further on, I have never ever read beyond the first page! Yes, I know it's a bit weird but I think those first lines which takes me from the Universe down to a back street in Moscow called "Sivtsev Vrasjok" (which is also the Russian title of the book) is so good that I don't need to read the rest.



I might do it one day, but so far I've had it with me on my travel during the last 30 years and in between it's near me here in my "office".



Just in case somebody read Swedish or if you want to use Babelfish to get a translation here are the lines;



"I en liten avkrok av det oändliga världsaltet, någonstans inom vårt solsystem, här på jordklotet, i Ryssland, i Moskva, i ett hörnhus vid den lilla gatan Sivtsev Vrasjok satt den lärde ornitologen Ivan Aleksandrovitj i en länstol i sitt arbetsrum".



So there you are, that's my favourite book !

My Dream Vacation

We had one a couple of years ago. Took a plane from Sydney, Australia to Buenos Aires and upon landing we were met and taken to Lina's Tango House. The first impression was...uuhhh what is this. It was rather small and there was nobody around....until about 1200 when people started waking up!! We wondered what was going on but it was soon explained. This is what we did from then on. We congregated with the rest of the guests in the courtyard for an al fresco dinner and a sometimes tango lessons. Around midnight we took a taxi to a nearby dance hall which was always absolutely packed with afficionados dancing tango. We normally finished off the night with a morning coffee before going to bed and waking up at....yes you guessed it right..around midday. ! It was a sensational stay but we had only booked for 5 nights ( as I was not sure what we had booked) so then we moved to Sheraton and as you know they are OK but completely boring after the stay at Lina's.

We enjoyed all of B.A., the people, the food, the music and the tango.

After Buenos Aires we took a plane to Miami, picked up a car at the airport and drove to South Beach, parked the car and when we came back a couple of hours later there were some nice bodies drawn in chalk nearby the car. We enquired what it was all about and were told there had been some shooting earlier!! Lucky we weren't there.

Drove down to Key West and enjoyed some touring down there before taking the next flight to Las Vegas and say whatever you think about Las Vegas it is the most entertaining place on earth. Sure there is gambling as well but we hardly had time for it. There is so much else to see, shows, dining, just walking along the Strip, shopping, touring etc.

Drove to Los Angeles and stayed in Santa Monica for a week before retuning home.

Caving in Australia

If Batman ever decided to leave Gotham to find a holiday retreat I’m sure he would have chosen Australia. With its powerful landscape and a myriad of caves he would have found the ultimate cave here. And you, being the tourist don't miss the chance of visiting some spectacular caves during holidays in Australia. They are found all over the country and I have listed some easily accessible caves here. For Tasmania which has some of the best caving experiences in Australia I recommend you to visit the Tasmanian blog on
Chillagoe Caves
Formed by an uplift of sediments and now with five caves that can be viewed. Chillagoe, Queensland.

Olsens Capricorn Caves
A private cave and a long standing Queensland tourist attraction and consist of 16 caves to visit. Rockhampton , Queensland

Undara Lava Tubes
Not really a cave but we had to fit this one in somewhere. They were formed by lava spilling out from a volcano into a river bed and with the water flowing this caused a cylindrical tunnel to be formed. They run for many kilometres and the caves are large. Found at Undara in Northern Queensland

Jenolan Caves
Perhaps the most caves in Australia with nine caves open for viewing. The complex is well set up and lots to see and do. It is located at the Blue Mountains a couple of hours by car from Sydney or join one of the many tours available from Sydney. Look them up at www.theaustraliacard.com.au where you also get a 10% discount.

Wellington Caves
The Wellington Caves have one of the largest stalagmites in Australia and a lot of fossils have been discovered here. Wellington, New South Wales

Jewel Cave
A limestone cave near Augusta in Western Australia, and at it's highest is 100 metres high.

Yallingup Caves
A set of caves that feature in Aboriginal life and the fight between a good and bad spirit. Yallingup Cave, Western Australia

Mammoth Cave
A lot of fossils have been found at Mammoth. Prevelly Park, Western Australia

Marakoopa Cave
A good cave for glowworms and easy to view. Mole Creek, Tasmania.

Tantanoola Cave
A wheelchair access cave formed in a coastal cliff. Millicent South Australia

Buchan Caves, Victoria
Buchan Caves are 360 kilometres east of Melbourne near the township of Buchan. The Buchan Caves Scenic Reserve protects the caves and their fragile interiors. Underground rivers cutting through the limestone rock formed the caves. Guided tours are available through the Fairy Cave and the Royal Cave. “ Wild “ tours are available for small groups into the unlit, less accessible caves.

Princess Margaret Rose Cave, Victoria.
First discovered in 1936, Princess Margaret Rose Cave is close to the Glenelg River, 3 kilometres east of the Victoria/South Australia border. Guided tours of the main cavern with its delicate formations are available daily.

Cutta Cutta Caves in the Northern Territory features a series of caverns displaying spectacular limestone formations. The caves are home for a variety of wildlife including the Brown Tree Snake and the rare Orange Horseshoe Bat and Ghost Bat.

There are Ranger guided tours operating 7 days a week during the dry season. The Park is 27km south of Katherine on the Stuart Highway, open all year round (except Christmas Day) 8.30am-4.30pm, and entry is $7.50 for adults and $3.75 for children.
However due to flooding within the cave systems during the wet season (December - April) tour times may vary. The most comfortable time of year to visit the park is between the months of May and August, when external conditions are warm and dry .

Good News for Beer Drinkers ! Tours from Melbourne

Top Down Tours who operates Cabriolet Chevrolets has joined the Australia Card and offers a 10% discount on their Beer Tours to Yarra Valley.

On this tour you visit the Major Watering Holes in Yarra Valley and have the opportunity to discover the “divine drink” which was a gift from the Gods according to the ancient and not so ancient or as one bloke puts it; Without question, the greatest invention in the history of mankind is beer.

Well, here is an opportunity to check out the Beers of Yarra Valley. You start this tour by travelling the winding roads of Warrandyte to Healesville where you visit Buckleys Brewery named after William Buckley, the famous escaped convict. The beers are traditionally brewed, non-filtered and full flavoured. This is Yarra Valleys First Traditional Brewery with Solar Heated Brew. There are 4 beers to choose from. This is where you will be taken through the brewery and shown the step by step production method of making Beer.

Next stop "Innocent Bystander Giant Steps" and the new brewery 'White Rabbit'. The guys there are creating some great beers and have been awarded for "Little Creatures", the 2007 Worlds Best Ale in The Australian International Beer Awards. There is also a personal selection of some of the worlds other great beers.

Next we travel the rolling hills across to Yarra Glen to visit Hargreaves Hill Brewery. This is a family owned micro-brewery which brews with rainwater. They make the ales the old fashioned way, no preservatives, no chemicals or sugars. They have 3 new beers and 2 guest taps.

This is also where we stop for lunch at the new Bar and Restaurant. The Chef is known for his delicious modern brasserie style menu.

After lunch we visit Coldstream Brewery which is a micro-brewery that has Rod Williams as a renowned brewer for over 25 years. His experience and expertise in establishing the brewery is marked by the unique beer and ales available. There are 4 beers available.
We travel back to Melbourne via Warrandyte.
ALL BEER TASTINGS AND LUNCH NEED TO BE PAID BY CUSTOMER.

Using The Australia Card you will enjoy a 10% discount on the tour price.

The Nullarbor - Australia's Great Drive

Crossing the Nullarbor Plain is one of the foremost outback travelling accomplishments for Australians and overseas visitors alike. It’s said that until you’ve spent the time making your way across this endless, mostly treeless, plain you’ve not fully experienced the true loneliness – and freedom – that Australia can provide. It’s been driven, walked, cycled, trained and even skateboarded, and has come to represent everything that is vast and intensely featureless about much of the Australian Outback. With the compliments of Australian Traveller –Australia’s Best selling travel magazine here are some fascinating facts about this “roadtrip of roadtrips”.

The Nullarbor can be done fast or slow, and in fact sometimes it’s difficult to tell which is which; time has a way of telescoping on this famously arid drive. Foot to the floor, it can be done in less than 24 hours – but that’s foolhardy in the extreme. Allowing yourself anywhere from five to ten days is best for really embracing the wide expanse, occasional low spinifex and straight, straight bitumen. Driving east is more comfortable than driving west - you don't drive into the sun in the afternoon.

It’s easy to imagine the Nullarbor as it must have been millions of years ago when it was thought to be a vast seabed. The Plain itself covers around 200,000km2, and is gutted east to west by the ramrod straight Eyre Highway, which begins at the WA end at Norseman and terminates almost 1700km later in SA’s Port Augusta. In between, you’ll find only a few things to disrupt your train of thought as you drive. These include: the world’s longest straight bit of road (the 90 Mile Straight, 146.6km between Caiguna and Balladonia); giant semitrailers intent on sweeping you into the roadside gravel if you’re not careful; hundreds of feral camels (of which a handful are almost certain to stray out of the darkness into your path); ditto Big Red ’roos; a roadhouse or two; tourists (probably German) on bikes; and dozens of shimmering mirages as you slowly succumb to white-line fever.

The spectacular cliffs of the Great Australian Bight, some of the longest in the world, can be viewed from several different Marine Park lookouts and provide some important relief from the mesmerising uniformity. As do the plethora of underground cave systems, such as Cocklebiddy, one of the longest underwater caves in the world. Be sure to check out the museum at Balladonia for more info on these fascinating – and tremendously fragile – environments running beneath the Nullarbor’s extensive limestone surface.

The various towns dotted along the Nullarbor Plain range from Eucla at their largest (near the SA/WA border, with its much-photographed Old Telegraph Station being gradually reclaimed by sand dunes), to Ceduna, the last major town if crossing east to west, to Balladonia, Caiguna, Madura, Mundrabilla and Penong – which are essentially roadhouses with the odd hotel/motel and caravan park thrown in. Balladonia became briefly famous in 1979 when chunks of Skylab crashed to Earth nearby, Caiguna has its own landing strip, Madura is focused mainly on sheep farming, Mundrabilla is famous for large meteorites fragments discovered in the area, and Penong is known for its abundance of windmills. So don’t let anyone tell you there’s nothing to do out there.

At the WA end of your Nullarbor odyssey, you can elect to veer south and wind your way through Esperance and Margaret River – but to do so would be to abandon the Outback flavour of your journey. Instead, head north from Norseman along Route 94 for Kalgoorlie and the Golden Mile. And remember, if you’re travelling west to east from Perth across the Nullarbor (especially if you’re on the great Indian Pacific train journey), Kalgoorlie represents the last major town for many hundreds of kilometres. So be sure to stock up on water, snacks and plenty of in-car games.

Tell anyone you’re driving almost 2000km across the Nullarbor and you’ll get one of two reactions. The first is usually a mixture of bewilderment, pity and horror: “It’s so long and boring – why don’t you fly, or at least catch the train? It’ll take days and there’s nothing to see.” Others look at you enviously: “Wow, I’ve always wanted to do that!” The Nullarbor’s like that. There’s no denying it’s a long trip – four days, maybe more: it covers an area equivalent to England, Belgium, the Netherlands and Switzerland, with 7000km2 left over. And it’s definitely flat, with long sections of empty straight between tiny settlements where shopping, nightlife and good coffee is non-existent. But once you’ve done the trip you could never argue that it’s boring, nor could you say there’s nothing to see. As far as great Aussie road trips go, this one can’t be beaten.

Total distance: Perth to Ceduna, around 2000km

Suggested itinerary:
Day 1: Perth to Kalgoorlie, 596km
Day 2: Kalgoorlie to Balladonia, 378km
Day 3: Balladonia to Nullarbor Roadhouse, 693km
Day 4: Nullarbor Roadhouse to Ceduna, 297km

Contact me on hans@sander.com for any bookings in Australia.

Din kontakt i Australien

Hej, vi är etablerade i Australien sedan 1986 och sysslar enbart med inkommande trafik, både FITs och grupper.

Jag hoppas min blogg kan vara av intresse och uppskattar om Du registrerar Dig för kommande artiklar. Det kan alltid vara av intresse eller nytta i arbetet.

Om Du har en kund eller grupp och behöver priser eller resplaner email mig på hans@sander.com för ett snabbt svar.

Under 2010 har vi också en 'promotion' vilket ger Dig ett vinglas i kristall med Australienskt motiv. Mycket uppskattat världen runt. Allt du behöver göra är att sända en beställning.

Dining in Australia - Now you can plan ahead !

At last, here is a service that any traveller to and in Australia will enjoy. I can recommend Menulog to anyone organising a holiday in Australia. It allows you to view menus as well as prices in advance and you will find reviews from other diners and their experience with the restaurant.

There is a wide range of styles from Australian to African and locations all over Australia. You book the restaurant with short notice or well in advance and all details are set out – phone number, location and cancellation procedure.

I can see a lot of use for this online service. Normally you look up a restaurant in the Yellow Pages or get some ideas from the newspaper or the concierge at the hotel but with access to over 1000 restaurants in Australia you can plan your dining well in advance and read reviews.

You’ll find all details at; www.menulog.com.au

Skiing in Australia ?

,First a bit of history. You all know about kangaroos and Sydney Opera House, koalas and Ayers Rock, Kakadu and the Great Barrier Reef but you might not be aware of the fact that Australia was a pioneer nation in the sport of ski racing, with annual ski races being conducted at Kiandra during the 19th Century.

The Kiandra Snow Shoe Club was formed in 1861 by three Norwegians, Elias Gottaas, Soren Torp and Carl Bjerknes on the Kiandra Gold Fields in New South Wales. This original ski club is recognised as the first snow ski club in the world and also carries the distinction of being the longest continously operating club. Later in 1861 the second oldest ski club was formed in Norway.

In 1898 Messrs. C A Falstadt (Consul General for Norway and Sweden), and Andrew (Banjo) Paterson were elected as Vice Presidents. Banjo Paterson wrote Waltzing Matilda, Australia’s unofficial national anthem.

When the first snowstorm of the year hits, the freenzy that is the ski season begins. Overnight the various ski fields across NSW and Victoria are transformed into a winter wonderland. Australian Traveller, Australia’s best selling travel magazine has an update of all ski resorts for 2010 and for further details visit AT’s website here.

Falls Creek
The big news for Falls Creek in 2010 is the unveiling of more sections of the palatial Quay West Resort & Spa. Part of a massive $65m development, the five star resort has a day spa, gym and a supermarket onsite – and since it’s so new, of course there’s a winter savings package to kick things off. Called “White Space”, it’s valid from June 12-25 and you get to stay in one of the 23 apartments in the just-completed West Wing for five nights from just $2400. Since they’re two-bedroom apartments, that’s pretty good split four ways. The resort has also introduced valet parking, which includes having your car dug out of the snow for you if required,

Falls Creek has also bolstered its snowmaking arsenal this year with an additional 28snow guns, ensuring a better base throughout the 2010 season. More importantly, this has meant they can finally introduce a night skiing program on their famous Wombat’s Ramble, at 2.2km the longest beginners’ run in the country. Wednesdays and Saturdays are the only nights running for now, so time your visits carefully – and try skiing into Tom, Dick and Harry’s – ski bar and café at the Quay West for a hot toddy before zooming back onto the slopes.

And lastly, legendary Australian skier and three-time Winter Olympian Steven Lee has been given the green light in 2010 to conduct special backcountry tours of Falls Creek.

Mt Hotham
Not wishing to be outgunned by Falls Creek, steep and deep Hotham has also upped its snowmaking capabilities, with 22 new guns blasting out over Heavenly Valley. And believe us when we say, any technology that allows Heavenly Valley to open earlier and close later in the season is very good news indeed.

It’s also never been easier to reach Hotham’s 320 hectares of terrain, with QantasLink flying four times a week direct from Sydney to the only Australian alpine resort with an airport. Hotham also remains the only ski field in Australia to offer dog sledding, so strap yourself in and enjoy the ride.

Mt Buller
Only three hours northeast of Melbourne, Buller has a much younger feel – probably because it’s the only resort to extend its “kids pricing” tickets all the way through to Year 12 (a great move that should really be taken on by the other big players), and at just $54 for a kid’s day pass and $99 adults, that’s insanely good value.

A lot of its accommodation packages also contain that all-important “Kids Stay Free” rider, which helps the hip pocket enormously. So with that, plus the largest lifting system in Victoria, more on-mountain beds than any other Victorian resort and a tonne of eating and drinking options, Mt Buller is very hard to beat for an all-round great on-snow experience.


Mt Baw Baw
Mt Baw Baw is just 150km east of Melbourne, so for city slickers this is what skiing in other snow-blessed countries must be like: hop in the car for a leisurely drive to the ski fields; stay or drive home the very same day.

The emphasis here is on “accessible and affordable”, so be sure to make good use of the inexpensive lodges and apartments clustered around the small village centre (the solitary hotel houses a backpackers dorm and weekly Foozball comps).


Perisher
The largest ski resort in the southern hemisphere, and the adopted training ground of golden girl Torah Bright, Perisher is a playground for all ages and all types of snow sports, allowing you to ski, board, tube, snowshoe or skidoo across seven mountain peaks, the highest reaching 2054m. And this year things might get very interesting at Front Valley on Australia’s only Superpipe: the best three-minute video of jumps, tricks and twists filmed on the pipe and PlayStation Slopestyle course will win $5000 in Coca-Cola’s annual “Tube My Ride” comp.

And we simply cannot write about Perisher without recommending perennial AT favourite Moonbah Hut (www.moonbahhut.com), nestled on the edge of a lake near Jindabyne, as a place to stay. For a completely different way to experience a trip to the snowfields, you simply must check it out.


Thredbo
The rivalry between Thredbo and Perisher has traditionally been fierce, primarily due to proximity, since the resorts offer such different on-mountain experiences. Thredbo sits lower than Perisher but still has 480 hectares of good riding, and while Perisher village might be whirling in snow, Thredbo can often be a wind-free haven. They’ve also reached into the coffers to completely overall their hire equipment, which means shiny new skis, boards and boots for all ages and skill levels.

100 Greatest Australian Gourmet Experiences

“Deep in a little corner of the Derwent Valley surrounded by fertile and bucolic Tasmanian countryside lies the ultimate Australian gourmet experience. Revered restaurant critic Leo Schofield describes is as “one of the most seductive and sophisticated cooking schools in the country”.

This is the exciting introduction to # 1 Australian Gourmet Experience, The Agrarian Kitchen and you can find more details in the April/May issue of the “Australian Traveller” which is my favourite magazine and I strongly recommend that you make it yours as well! You can contact them here;

Back to The Agrarian Kitchen,it was founded by ex-Gourmet Traveller magazine food editor, Rodney Dunn. It is a self-sustaining cooking school housed in a charming 1887 school house with the kitchen overlooking the vegetable patch
Dunn hopes his Kitchen changes the way people think. “ I want people to leave here and think about where their food is coming from. I want them to realise that this is how good it can be”.

The Top 10 of the hundred experiences are;
001 The Agrarian Kitchen TAS
002 Victor Churchill NSW
003 Quay Restaurant NSW
004 Fish ’n’ Chips on the Beach NATIONAL
005 Holy Goat Cheese VIC
006 Daylesford Organics VIC
007 Tetsuya’s NSW
008 Vue de Monde VIC
009 Pyengana Dairy Company TAS
010 Sunnybrae Restaurant & Cooking School VIC

And there are another 90 waiting for you. It’s sensational reading if you are interested in food and a great source when planning your next gourmet holidays or a fish ‘n’ chips on the beach. You can find it all in the latest issue available from your newsagent or visit Australian Traveller's website by clicking here.

This is great reading and should not be missed. By the way, coming to Australia you should also consider The Australia Card which gives you a 10% discount on a variety of services in Australia. Check it out at: The Australia Card.

Australian Alps Walking Track - 655 km

** Before exploring the Alps, walkers must obtain detailed maps of their chosen walking area including a copy of "Alpine Walking Track" by J. Siseman **

The Australian Alps form the largest area of mountainous alpine country in the Nation, extending from Canberra and the nearby Brindabella range, through the Snowy mountains of New South Wales and along the great dividing range to north east of Melbourne. More than ten peaks exceed 2100 metres, including Mt Kosciuszko, Australia's highest mountain at 2228 metres.

The 655 kilometre track generally follows ridges and high plains through some of the highest country in Australia and is mostly remote from any settlement. On the Alps Track you will discover some of Australia's finest mountain national parks You can join the track at many places between Walhalla and Tharwa, as it joins popular walking tracks in the Baw Baw, Alpine, Kosciusko and Namadgi National Parks. You can walk the track in ten weeks, but many people choose to walk shorter sections such as Baw Baw plateau, Bogong high plains, and the Jagungal wilderness.

Walking: - There are many short and long walking tracks within each national park.
Fishing: - Kosciuszko National Park: All year round for trout fishing in lakes Eucumbene and Jindabyne and, Tantangara reservoir. Elsewhere in the park,
the season extends from first weekend in October to last weekend in May. Types of fish include Macquarie Perch, Golden Perch (Yellow Belly), Murray Cod,
Brown and Rainbow Trout.
Canoeing: - Lake Dartmouth, Howqua and Macalister rivers, the Snowy River, the upper reaches of the Murray River, and the Mitta Mitta river.
Horse Riding: - Bogong High Plains and between the Bluff and Mt Howitt, The Cobberas-Tingaringy Unit and the adjoining Snowy River National Park,
Bicentennial National Trail. For actual details on horse riding in Kosciuszko National Park contact National Parks and Wildlife Services.
Caves: - Yarrangobilly Caves, Glory Hole thermal pool where the water temperature stays at 27 degrees Celsius throughout the year.
Cross Country Skiing: - Marked trails at Perisher Blue & Charlotte Pass. In the northern end of the park, trails near Mt. Selwyn and Cabramurra areas.
Downhill Skiing: - Thredbo, Perisher Blue, Charlottes Pass and Selwyn snowfields.

Open Times
Not easily accessible during the winter months.

Facilities
Car park, Public Toilet

Activities you can be involved in
Canoeing, Caving, Self-Guided, Bushwalking

Experiences you can enjoy
Adventure, Flora/Fauna, Nature based, Wildlife

Description
** Before exploring the Alps, walkers must obtain detailed maps of their chosen walking area including a copy of "Alpine Walking Track" by J. Siseman ** The Australian Alps form the largest area of mountainous alpine country in the Nation, extending from Canberra and the nearby Brindabella range, through the Snowy mountains of New South Wales and along the great dividing range to north east of Melbourne. More than ten peaks exceed 2100 metres, including Mt Kosciuszko, Australia's highest mountain at 2228 metres. The 655 kilometre track generally follows ridges and high plains through some of the highest country in Australia and is mostly remote from any settlement. You can join the track at many places between Walhalla and Tharwa, as it joins popular walking tracks in the Baw Baw, Alpine, Kosciusko and Namadgi National Parks. You can walk the track in ten weeks, but many people choose to walk shorter sections such as Baw Baw plateau, Bogong high plains, and the Jagungal wilderness. Walking: - There are many short and long walking tracks within each national park. Fishing: - Kosciuszko National Park: All year round for trout fishing in lakes Eucumbene and Jindabyne and, Tantangara reservoir. Elsewhere in the park, the season extends from first weekend in October to last weekend in May. Types of fish include Macquarie Perch, Golden Perch (Yellow Belly), Murray Cod, Brown and Rainbow Trout. Canoeing: - Lake Dartmouth, Howqua and Macalister rivers, the Snowy River, the upper reaches of the Murray River, and the Mitta Mitta river. Horse Riding: - Bogong High Plains and between the Bluff and Mt Howitt, The Cobberas-Tingaringy Unit and the adjoining Snowy River National Park, Bicentennial National Trail. For actual details on horse riding in Kosciuszko National Park contact National Parks and Wildlife Services. Caves: - Yarrangobilly Caves, Glory Hole thermal pool where the water temperature stays at 27 degrees Celsius throughout the year. Cross Country Skiing: - Marked trails at Perisher Blue & Charlotte Pass. In the northern end of the park, trails near Mt. Selwyn and Cabramurra areas. Downhill Skiing: - Thredbo, Perisher Blue, Charlottes Pass and Selwyn snowfields.

Bruny Island Cruise, Tasmania, Australia

This multi-award winning three-hour eco-adventure cruise takes you through some of Tasmania's unspoilt coastline like nobody else. Our safe, fast and comfortable boats ensure you're right in the adventure – seeing everything up close, feeling every thrill and experiencing nature first hand.

Bruny Island boasts stunning natural cliff formations, among the tallest in the world. The awesome 'Breathing Rock', the towering 'Monument' and the lush emerald green forests of South Bruny - you will fall in love with this island paradise. The impressive array of sea and coastal wildlife rivals many national parks throughout the world. Meet the Bruny Island seals, dolphins, whales, albatross, eagles, gannet, shearwater and petrel who live in this delicate ecosystem.

Our highly trained interpretative guides love what they do – they’ll make your experience fun, enjoyable, entertaining and informative.

After an unforgettable three hour 50km journey, you’ll return you to shore knowing you’ve been involved in a remarkable voyage of discovery – not just Tasmania's best, but simply one of the world's great environmental travel experiences.

That was straight from the brochure and here are my personal comments; this is a definite must when travelling to and in Australia and Tasmania. It shows you a part of Tasmania that you can’t experience from ashore, the beauty of the ocean with its different colour of blue and green and white, the most fantastic caves and cliff formations, amazing kelp forests all the way down to the Great Southern Ocean. On our day we were surrounded by Shearwaters and Albatrosses who majestically sailed along without the slightest movement of their wings, they just glide on the air and dive down to catch a fish now and then. The playful seals which we saw a lot of both the New Zealand fur seal and the native Australian seal and to top it off, on the return we were surrounded by 100s of dolphins diving and swimming along the boat. Spectacular !

Bring warm clothing the brochure reads but the operator also supply you with a wind and waterproof jackets that covers you from top to toe and, This was most appreciated as it gets rather cold out there on the Tasman Sea.

The staff is 100%. They know what they talk about has a fountain of knowledge and keep you spellbound throughout the cruise. . They look after all the clients on the boat very well indeed and make sure they are fine. Ginger tablets were available for those a bit apprehensive about sea sickness and some other snacks were also distributed during the trip. Again I must really commend them on their service and attitude. Absolutely tops !

We were so impressed with this cruise that we decided to take the Tasman Island Cruise as well, slightly different but again fascinating. Check it out at www.brunycruises.com.au and www.tasmancruises.com.au

Sailing Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia

Sail Ningaloo has joined the Australia Card and offer holders of the card a 10% discount on their sailing trips on the World Heritage Ningaloo Reef Marine Park in Western Australia, ex Coral Bay.

Sail Ningaloo Pty Ltd has a beautifully appointed 51ft sailing catamaran" Shore Thing" set up for live-aboard cruises lasting from 3 to 9 days accommodating up to 10guests.

Their focus is providing a quality tour with a little luxury all within a pristine environment. Activities available to guests while on board the vessel “Shore Thing” include snorkelling on a world class coral reef, kayaking crystal clear lagoons, beach combing and scuba diving. All meals and activities are included in the price. Scuba diving is at an additional cost to clients.


Ningaloo Reef Marine Park on the remote west coast of Australia is one of the worlds most beautiful and pristine fringing reef systems teeming with fish life and spectacular coral ormations. The major leisure activities are swimming with the Manta Rays, Reef Sharks, Marine Turtles and Whale Sharks. Humpback Whales also visit our shoreline on their annual migration and Dugongs grace us with their presence throughout the year

Accommodation on board is orientated toward small numbers (maximum of 10 guests) to ensure your unique experience and provide you with the best personalised service. The vessel has beautifully appointed cabins for your privacy and comfort, fully shaded back deck area and a large front deck and trampoline area for lazing about in the shade of the sails.

Sail Ningaloo charters operates in the stunning Ningaloo Reef Marine Park between the months of April to October with scheduled charters including 3 day/2 night “Coral Garden Spectacular”, 5 day/4 nights “Ningaloo Escape” and the 9 day “Ultimate Experience”. They also operate day sailings from Coral Bay exploring the reef. Private charters and research charters are also offered.

You can contact them on enquiries@sailningaloo.com.au and mention The Australia Card to enjoy the 10% discount. However, you need to purchase the card first and you can do this by emailing us on hsander@theaustraliacard.com.au. For more details see www.theaustraliacard.com.au

Tasmania December - March

As much as we love Tropical Queensland, sometimes it gets a bit too humid during December-March so this year we decided to spend a couple of month in Tasmania instead enjoying the lovely temperate climate down there.

We took the car across from Melbourne to Devonport and on arrival it was raining and it kept raining for a couple of days. Who cares. One could use clothing that has been unused for some time. Dress up warmly, nice open fire etc. etc.
We rented a small house for AUD 280.00 per week and it has everything down to dish washing liquid, bed linen etc. but everything else you need to supply, like food and drinks. On top of that we had to contact the Energy company to put the bill in our name as well as Telstra which has the best coverage in Tasmania. We also had to lodge a bond of 1120.00 with the local authorities which is refundable once you've had the real estate agent inspecting your lodging.

Two months in Tasmania might seem a long time but if you are a pensioner and live in the Tropics I can highly recommend a change of scenery during the humid period.

It is essential to have a car so if you don't bring your own, rent one.

December-March is a lovely time in Tasmania with fresh product like cherries, raspberries, blueberries etc. in abundance, try some great meat from the Cape Grim area and don't forget the seafood here. Actually, everything seem to taste better down here.

For more details of our stay, have a look at the website: www.australiantravel.us where we have inserted a program for your stay.