Off The Beaten Track In Australia

~ How To Get Off The Beaten Track In Australia

by Bruce Haxton

For many gap year travellers Australia may not seem to be, culturally, a million miles from home. The food, language and obsession with sport might remind you of home, but there are plenty of hidden sights and experiences here that will surprise you.

Famous sights such as The Great Barrier Reef, Uluru, Alice Springs and the rest are all worth visiting; the best sort of travelling is discovering something almost no one else has found. It's not guaranteed that you'll feel like exactly like Captain Cook, but this list should provide a way to escape the crowds and still have a great time.

1. Kangaroo Island, South Australia

A brilliant way to get away from the crowds on Bondi Beach, Kangaroo Island is (unsurprisingly) home to Kangaroos as well as wallabies, koalas, seals and penguins! The surrounding water has protected its fauna from decimation; native forest and bush fill the interior and only give way on the edges to rugged cliffs and deep blue waves. Don't miss out on the local delicacy of Ligurjan honey and jam made from the island's fruits, and maybe even a little homemade wine.

2. Cape York Peninsula, Queensland

This one really is for the most determined of explorers. The Cape York Peninsula is at the tip of Australia's coiled tail and certainly packs a sting. The long strip rising in the north of Queensland offers the best 4x4 driving in the country. Watch out (literally) for crocodiles, rainforests and the odd town (though blink and you'll miss them). If this sounds like your kind of adventure then take a look at Lonely Planet's Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef Guide and see what you're letting yourself in for, and make sure you get a good map!

3. The Great Ocean Road, Victoria

Hire a car or better yet a jeep and burn some rubber for the full open road experience. This particular route lies between Torquay and Warrnambool along the Southwest coast and offers nearly 300km of uninterrupted coastal beauty, from huge cliffs, raging surf, peaceful bays, lush rainforests, to an abundance of fascinating wildlife. Remember to keep your eyes on the road; it's a long way down! It's worth thinking about getting someone else insured so you can share the view and leave enough time to stop and explore en route.

4. Blue Mountains

The Blue Mountains have been literally a chill out paradise for years; the air cools as you rise and feels like the hiking equivalent of jumping in a swimming pool. It's not just the air that lures people up here; the area boasts incredible scenery and a bevy of rock formations, waterfalls and bushwalks. The eucalyptus oil evaporating from the carpet of gum trees here creates a blue haze which gives the region its name as well as its enduring charm. From the ground, the saddle, the harness or the canoe, the Blue Mountains seem a world away.

5. The Adelaide Hills, South Australia

The Adelaide Hills have remained pleasantly underdeveloped aside from the abundance of lush woods, walking routes and a rich covering of flora and fauna. Follow any road you like and you'll find dipping valleys, gently bobbing hills and vineyards. Great food is never far away from great wine and here is no exception; roadside fruit and vegetable stalls and fantastic restaurants will keep your energy up.

6. Nature conservation working holiday

It doesn't get more off the beaten track that heading off into the wilds of Australia. Volunteering with a company is a great way to see the best of Australia's natural wonders and make a difference too. Meaningful travel company i-to-i have recently launched a new trip that will give travellers the chance to spend a hassle free gap year in Australia. Not only will the company sort out al the paper work they'll give you a years access to their job placement service and a week working at a conservation project at any one of 20 destinations across the country. For more information, take a look here…

About the Author

Bruce Haxton writes: I'm totally passionate about travel, it's been my life and work for a good few years! My travel adventures haven't really been about seeing monuments etc but far more about people and getting off the beaten track. I would like to share my many experiences and offer a little advice if I can to fellow travellers or anyone who is just about to set off on a life changing trip!

Never to Old to Live and Learn

~ Yesterday, I signed up for a ten week Spanish For Fun and Travel course at an Adelaide based institution, the WEA. The Workers' Educational Association was founded in 1913, and is Australia's largest non-government adult community education organisation. It provides learning opportunities for anyone aged 15 years or older in its nearly 1800 short courses – for which the Association receives over 30,000 enrolments annually.

Using a concession card my ten week by two hour course cost me just AUD$112.00. That breaks down to a mere AUD$5.60 per hour! Even at the full price of AUD$124.00 the course is still incredibly cheap. Further down the track I may even sign up for a French or German language course. And why not? At the above prices, learning a language for ‘fun and travel’ is pretty much affordable to everyone.

I’ve decided to tackle Spanish first because next year I want to drive across America. I will probably start on the west coast at Los Angeles and either drive Route 66 to Chicago and New York, or drive across the south towards New Orleans and then up the east coast to New York.

After spending eight weeks in New York City last year, it quickly became apparent that a basic knowledge of Spanish would be very useful – not just in New York but wherever I happened to be in the United States. Of course it will be even more useful if I decide to take a side trip into Mexico during my road trip.

I know there are regional differences between Spanish as it is spoken in Spain as compared to Mexico (and indeed throughout Latin America), but I figure the little I learn during this course will be better than the complete lack of knowledge I now have.

From the USA I will be going to Europe, and since I have never been to Spain, I am considering a trip to that beautiful country too.

Life is for living and learning, folks, and now that I have the time, I plan to live and learn and travel as far and wide as my finances will allow.

By the way, the WEA is not unique to Adelaide. There are similar institutions elsewhere in Australia and overseas, so if you want embark on a journey of life-long learning, check out the sites below, or ask at your local public library for information about similar organisations in your city.

Links to Associated Sites

• WEA Sydney
• WEA UK
• WEA Illawarra
• Council of Adult Education Melbourne
• Adult Learning Association
• International Federation of Workers' Education Associations (IFWEA)

Overseas Road Safety for Australians

~ As the northern summer holiday season gets into full swing, my post today comes courtesy of the Australian Government's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade 'Smartraveller' website... While targeted specifically at Australian’s travelling overseas, much of the information and advice is equally useful for all travellers to consider. As you read this, just substitute ‘Australian’ for your own nationality.

More than 3000 people die on the world's roads every day. Tens of millions of people are injured or disabled every year. Approximately 90 per cent of these deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries.

The World Health Organization also reports that road-crash casualties will increase by 67 per cent from now until 2020 as more cars and trucks compete for road space with pedestrians and bicyclists.

Young adults are particularly vulnerable. Traffic accidents are the leading cause of death among young people between 10 and 24 years. Each year nearly 400,000 people under 25 die on the world’s roads – on average more than 1000 a day. Most of these deaths occur among vulnerable road users – pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and those using public transport.

The number of Australians involved in traffic accidents overseas is likely to increase, as more Australians travel overseas. If you are not covered by travel insurance, the cost of medical treatment as a result of traffic accidents can result in long-term financial burden for you and your family.

Motorcycle accidents involving Australians are very common in South-East Asia, particularly in areas such as Bali, resort areas of Thailand and in Vietnam. Australian travellers should ensure they wear helmets and other protective clothing when riding motorcycles overseas in order to minimise the risk of injury.

Dangerous drivers in unsafe vehicles and ill-designed and poorly maintained roads make a lethal cocktail. Inadequate medical and emergency services, ineffective law enforcement and an often startling array of human and motorised traffic moving at different speeds add to the risks. In some countries, drivers flash their lights to indicate you should yield to them; in others, they don’t use them at all at night under the (mistaken) belief that turning them on will drain their batteries. Road travel, particularly at night and outside major cities, in countries with poor safety records and/or mountainous terrain can be very dangerous.

Australians should learn about their travel destination's road conditions and “traffic culture” in all travel destinations. It is important to be aware of local laws and security conditions when driving overseas. Driving under the influence of alcohol or other intoxicants can have severe criminal penalties in many countries.

Ask about your tour group's safety record and follow safety precautions such as buckling up and not drinking and driving. The safety standards you might expect of transport and tour operators, including for adventure activities, are not always met. Sufficient safety equipment may not be provided and recommended maintenance standards and safety precautions may not be observed.

Avoid riding with drivers who seem to be under the influence of alcohol or medication, or appear over-tired, irrational or distracted. If you’re renting a car, before you start driving, make sure it’s equipped with appropriate safety features, and check the tyres, headlights, seatbelts and wipers before you leave the lot. If you’re using commercial transportation, avoid taxis without seatbelts and overweight or top-heavy buses, and speak up any time you feel you’re at risk.

Many countries require Australians to have an International Drivers Permit (IDP), in addition to a valid Australian driving licence, to legally drive a car in that country. An IDP is a widely recognised document that can be issued by associated members of the Australian Automobile Association (AAA), including the NRMA. Before driving overseas, Australians should contact the appropriate foreign mission in Australia for information on drivers licence requirements.

Always insure yourself to drive a vehicle overseas and carry the insurance papers with you. If driving a friend’s car overseas, check before you drive that you are appropriately covered by their insurance to drive their car.

Pedestrians should look carefully in all directions before crossing the road. Remember that in many countries traffic travels in the opposite direction to that which Australians are used to. You should not take it for granted that drivers will stop at zebra crossings. When walking along the roadside, it is recommended you face the oncoming traffic so that you can better see approaching vehicles.

For more detailed information, the Association for Safe International Road Travel (ASIRT) offers regularly updated Road Reports for approximately 150 countries. Available via e-mail or download (fees may apply), each report covers general road conditions, local driving style, and the realities of dealing with the police, public transportation and emergency situations. Other useful features include capsule summaries of especially dangerous roads and phonetic translations for use in unsafe or emergency situations.

While every care has been taken in preparing this travel information for travellers, neither the Australian Government nor its agents or employees including any member of Australia's consular staff abroad, can accept liability for injury, loss or damage arising in respect of any statement contained therein.