September 2003 Newsletter
The Perth Update
Greetings again from Western Australia, what a great winter we are having it could not be better, Perth is finally receiving a good soaking of rain which our thirsty dams love. It is going to make for a great wildflower season this year. Our beautiful King’s Park in Perth has recently added a new feature of a raised walkway through the trees offering more magnificent views of Perth City and a great new way of seeing some of the flora and fauna in King’s Park. Don’t forget about the many free tours through King’s Park that are available for you to do. They are a great introduction to our flora, fauna, and culture here in WA before you head off into the WA wilderness.
In the North of WA Broome and the Kimberley’s have been having a bumper season, great weather about 35 Celsius and sunshine every day. With the introduction of many more flights to Broome, more people are making the journey, and experiencing the wonders and culture that the remote Kimberley region has to offer. A good bit of advice this year is to book ahead for all your accommodation and tours of the Kimberley region as many tours are fully booked and accommodation can be hard to find with limited notice.
Ningaloo Reef Saved hopefully to become new World Heritage Area
We have got some great news for you in this newsletter one being that the proposed development of a large marina and resort at Coral Bay on the Ninagloo Reef has been rejected. This is a great relief for all of us. In case you did not know there was a proposal to build a large marina and resort in the fragile surrounds of the Coral Bay area. It would have caused much dredging of sea grass beds that harbour Dugongs, and destroyed much pristine coral reef. As the slogan for the campaign went “Beautiful One Day Queensland the Next”. Hence we don’t want Western Australia to turn into a Queensland or a Miami (meaning we don’t want high rise resorts, we want to keep the individual remote West Australian feel to the place). So if you want to see and dive on one of the world’s last pristine coral reef systems that is not over commercialised get over here to Western Australia now and see it for yourself. The magnificent coral reef, rugged landscapes, beautiful beaches, open and remote character and extensive range of animal life that include the famous whale shark and the most diverse concentration of subterranean fauna in the world, are some of the elements that make this region so extraordinary. The state government is planning to list Ningaloo Reef as a world heritage site so it will be there in the future for all to enjoy. It’s ours and yours to see and enjoy so come have a look, enjoy, and respect one of mother natures marvels. Take a look at the following websites: to have a look at how the “Save Ningaloo Reef” campaign progressed and is continuing to progress go to the following site www.save-ningaloo.org/ . To see and comment on the governments public forum into how Ningaloo Reef can best be developed and managed go to www.ningaloocoast.wa.gov.au/ . Maybe if you have been there before you could comment on how you think the area could best be managed and developed, if not have a look and read up on this great area. Go to our Tour Search area of this site to look at tours available to this region.
We are the people to talk to on Ningaloo Reef, whether you want to Dive on the best sites, complete a dive course, go snorkelling, see the Whale sharks, dugongs, Manta Rays, or laze the days away at an eco retreat in Cape Range National Park. We can help you get the best out of this exceptional place in an environmentally friendly way.
West Australia gains another World Heritage Area
Western Australia has recently had another area upgraded to World Heritage Listing that being the world-renowned Purnululu National Park, better know as “The Bungle Bungles” in the Kimberley region. Purnululu National Park is internationally known for its exceptional natural beauty and rich biodiversity.
"The
239,723ha Park is home to the Bungle Bungles, which rise to 250m
above the surrounding plain and are recognised internationally as
being among the most spectacular landforms on earth.
"These
inherent values, combined with the important relationship between the
traditional owners and the natural environment, have made Purnululu a
unique and very special part of WA.
"This listing by the
World Heritage Committee acknowledges these facts and will ensure the
park's natural assets and cultural values are protected in
perpetuity."
The World Heritage Committee had accepted
the Federal Government's nomination for listing under the natural
criteria (i) and (iii) of World Heritage Listing requirements.
Though the park had been nominated for World Heritage listing
as a mixed property of both cultural and natural significance, the
World Heritage Committee has decided to inscribe the park on its
natural values, and defer inscribing it on its cultural value until
2005.
"The committee has requested further information
on management plans for the park - in particular, plans to sustain
Aboriginal communities within it. They have also requested an
appraisal of approaches to the ethnographic, sociological and oral
recording of Aboriginal cultural traditions associated with the park.
The State Government has already begun working towards these
and last year instigated joint management and granted two living
areas for traditional owners in the park.
If you are coming over to Australia and plan to go to the Kimberley’s and see the world heritage area of the Bungle Bungles don’t forget the area is affected by the tropical monsoon season between October and May it is what is known as the “Wet Season” where it is humid with very high rainfall and access to many areas including the Bungle Bungles can be inaccessible by road so it’s only aircraft that can get you in to have a look. Between May and October it is what we call the “Dry Season” (simple isn’t it), temperatures hover around 35 degrees Celsius with clear sunny days and access to all areas open, the perfect time to plan a holiday to this part of the country.
The Kimberley is one of the most spectacular and unusual regions in the country and is best seen on a road called the Gibb River Road between Derby and Kununurra. Most of the deep gorges found off the Gibb River Road are 4WD access only and consequently it is best seen on a tour, with a knowledgeable guide to show you around. The best of these tours will involve loads of walking, swimming and exploring as well discovering some of the oldest Aboriginal Art-sites in the world. Generally the smaller the group the more time you will have for these activities, and we will always try for the smallest group. This area is one of the most beautiful regions in the country. We have a large variety of tours and we will really need to speak to you personally to find out what is best suited for your needs. Tours vary in length from 8 Days to 13 Days depending upon how much you want to see and of course spend. For Kimberley tours click here.
With summer just around the corner I thought it would be best to go into some detail on the range of new tour products coming our way this summer.
Everyone has to try it at least once and Perth, The South West, and The Mid North of Western Australia has just got to be one of the best places to learn. We have lots of new tours that guarantee to get you standing up (on a board in the ocean on a wave that is) in a day.
There are day trips in and just outside the Perth region, where for around $90AUD you get a fully accredited surf instructor, surf board, wetsuit, lunch and transportation from your accommodation. They guarantee to get you standing up and surfing. Who knows you may become a local at one of our beaches. If you have more than a day and want to incorporate some sightseeing you can’t go past the following:
How much do reckon you can cram into 4 days? Try this on Camping in pristine South West solitude; feasting on hearty open fire Aussie tucker; downing a few ales at quaint country pubs; having a bash at beach cricket; snorkelling in crystal clear blue waters; walking between the tops of some of the tallest and most ancient trees in the world; climbing more than 70 metres to the top of the ‘Bicentennial Tree’; sampling the world famous wine, cheese and chocolates of Margaret River, and of course, heaps of ocean time on the coasts of Albany and Denmark to the capes of the Margaret River area.
Your Aussie guide for this Sou-West adventure is an accredited surf coach who will have you standing proud in the surf before the trip is done.
Surfing and camping gear are supplied on this 4 day/3 night Sou-West surfing adventure, including learner surfboards, wetsuits and snorkelling gear. Bring your sleeping bag along, or we can swing one your way for a nominal charge. Transport and accommodation are included, as are most meals as outlined in the itinerary below. Come experience a taste of the real Aussie surfing lifestyle…
Learn to surf in
the turquoise-blue waters of Lancelin; sandboard huge coastal dunes;
hike chiseled coastlines dropping straight to the pounding sea; trek
red earth gorges carved through ancient landscapes; wonder at the
‘Stromatolites’ - the first form of life on the planet;
sift your toes through a beach made entirely of tiny white shells;
camp beachfront in the World Heritage listed Shark Bay; snorkel
Ningaloo Reef only metres from the shores of Coral Bay; sail a luxury
catamaran on the waters off Monkey Mia to witness dolphins and
turtles in the wild; visit lighthouses, shipwrecks and tune your
surfing skills on the beaches of Exmouth.
YEP,
EVERYTHING IS INCLUDED! Take it all in, or just take it easy –
it’s up to you.
Your
Aussie guide for this North-West adventure is an accredited surf
coach who will have you standing proud in the surf before the trip is
done.
Surfing
and camping gear are supplied on this 5 day/4 night North-West
surfing adventure, including learner surfboards, wetsuits and
snorkelling gear. Bring your sleeping bag along, or we can swing one
your way for a nominal charge. Transport and accommodation are
included, as are most meals as outlined in the itinerary below. If
you’ve got a lust for adventure, the North West is where it’s
at and we’ve got the whole coast cased.
Perth city surrounds tours
We have many other new products around Perth city for half and full days that either Explore the coastline, taste the local produce, experience the culture, or have a look around the national parks surrounding Perth. They are a great way to introduce yourself to Perth and Australia if this happens to be your first stop in Oz.
If you are heading from Perth to Exmouth (Ningaloo Reef) and are in a hurry there is new trips that can get you up there to enjoy Ningaloo Reef in three days taking in the sights of the Pinnacles and Kalbarri National Park on the way. Perfect for the person in a hurry who wants to see some of the sights and get to Ningaloo reef.
Exmouth to Perth (Karijini national park)
It is now also possible to travel through the magnificent Karinijini NP on tours departing from Exmouth and coming back to Perth. The duration of these tours is five days taking in the sights, including lots of hiking in Karinjini National park, as well as some outback cattle stations, and the massive iron ore mining sites.
Great news for all travellers is the price of internal flights within Australia at the moment. On some routes it’s never been cheaper, for example Perth to Sydney which incidentally is roughly the same distance as London to Moscow, has been as low as $99AUD, (you would not get that price in Europe) and at the moment it is possible to pick them up from $149AUD. So if you’re arriving in Perth (which we reckon you should) and have a look around the region and want to head east it’s pretty cheap. On the other hand if you are in the Eastern states and want to come and pay us a visit to see “THE REAL AUSTRALIA” it’s not going to cost an arm and a leg to get here.
It’s coming up starting on October 10th the biggest international sporting event this year and it’s here in Australia. We have many England and South Africa games here in Perth. This event is going to be huge, with rugby fans worldwide converging on Australia to support their countries teams. We are doing our bit to help you out, if you need accommodation or flights around the country to get to the games speak to us soon as it’s going to be busy and dare I say a full house. We are going to organise some tours for rugby supporters in between their respective countries matches so you won’t miss the rugby or the great places your in. Drop us a line through the website to register your interest in the tours or accommodation packages and we will let you know what’s going on, (which may be Australia winning again, ha ha). For everything you need to know about the world cup tournament go to www.rugby2003.com.au . See you there
Well it’s time for me to sign off and head down to the beach to get a few waves with the whales and dolphins that are around Perth at the moment before the sun goes down on another perfect day in paradise. You know where to contact us for the best information on travelling around all of Australia. Give the Traveller’s Club a call on 1800 016969 (within Australia and a free call) or 61 8 9226 0660 for international callers, or send us an e-mail from the website www.travellersclub.com.au and we will respond pronto with only the best information on the ultimate travelling destination in the world.
Catch ya later
Pete
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