Oz Travel-Bytes #9 |
(Feb 2001) |
| G'day everybody and welcome to the New Year, a year I hope is full of great Aussie Travel with the wizards of Oz, the Travellers Club. Currently here in Perth the weather is a balmy 35 Degrees but a swim in the cool ocean will wash away the summer sweat. Itchy Feet I want to talk to you about one of the tours I went on last month, namely the Itchy Feet Adventure tour. The tour is a 4 -Day tour and covers the beautiful South West of WA in camping style. The thing that I liked about this trip was the amount of activities that were included, from learning to surf in the Margaret River to Sand-boarding on the famous sand dunes of the West. The snorkelling in the iridescent waters of the Green Pools near Denmark was fantastic, as was the stiff climb of Bluff Knoll (highest peak in the area) in the gorgeous Stirling Ranges. Although this is not my first visit to the South-West it was the first time I have seen it through the eyes of Wally, our tour guide and owner of Itchy Feet tours. Wally really made the tour. His information was put forward in an unusual and interesting way and the long drives were made into a laugh with his wit and humour. The food was top notch and ranged from a big Australian BBQ to Kangaroo Stir-fry. I had a good look at the Ancient Forests in Walpole, which was the highlight for me. The WA Govt has built a Tree Top Walk which allows you to walk 45 metres above the tree line in the canopy of these monstrous Tingle trees, 3rd largest in the world according to Wally. All in all it was a killer tour and a must for those of you who would like to see the South and have a laugh at the same time. For more info click
here. However since the last ice age created a period of isolation Tasmanian plants and animals have evolved into some the most fascinating and unique specimens in the world. Animals like the oh so famous Tasmanian Devil are known around the world while less well known critters such as the only worm in the world with legs and other unique rain forest species amaze scientists world wide. The aboriginal history is tainted by the dark history involving the colonisation of the area by the English but still holds many opportunities to discover this amazing culture. After colonisation Tasmania was the "Alcatraz" of Australia and in Port Arthur on the East Coast who can go back in time and discover some of the secrets of this time. I was amazed by it. The prison in those days was one of the first to offer inmates there own cell, however at a massive 2m by 1m it was designed to send you around the bend. With no heating in the bitter winter and unbearable heat in the summer it was a tough way to spend your days. All this and we haven't even touched on the natural beauty that surrounds Tassie. From the Wilderness areas in the South West which host some of the most pristine and beautiful wilderness in the world, to the lakes and mountains of the central highlands with superb fishing and camping, to the East coast with its white beaches and fine weather. Really Tassie has it all and with only a small proportion of well advised travellers making it part of their journey it's destined to become one of the great destinations. I took a 6-Day tour there last year and had one of the most amazing times I have ever had. It truly was an eye opener. The tour cost $630.00 and went from Hobart (the State capital) back to Hobart. All meals and some superb accommodation where included, as well as canoeing and mountain biking. You can see it on the website if you want more info. This tour rates as one of the best and should be booked well in advance.
Click here for more info. |
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