Looking For Aussie Adventure

One of the places that many tourists would want to go is Australia. The country has plenty wonderful places to go to and things to do. And there are things that will suit every adventurer's wants. Thus, one will surely have a great time exploring the country.
So what does Australia has to offer? Well, for starter (or for those who don't want to get out in the sun) the major cities have plenty of places to visit. Sydney, in particular, has the has the breath taking Sydney Opera House and the Harbor Bridge, and if you want to have a bit of adrenaline rush, you can actually try to scale the bridge.
For those who are more into art and sight seeing, there are plenty of galleries and museums that you can visit. These cover anything from high class art to those made by indigenous artists. And there are plenty of monuments to visit, each chronicling a part of Australia' wonderful history. To witness these Aussie Adventure, apply for Australia tourist visa. However, Australia's true allure for tourists is not in its cities. Rather, you need to get out (and a bit dirty) to experience the Australian outdoors. And luckily, there are plenty of things to do here that will surely satisfy your craving for adventure.
For starters, the country has plenty of nature parks that you can visit. In fact, most of the major cities have at least one nature park near it. And they are quite accessible too, this means that you really don't have to go far to get in touch with nature. Here, there are plenty of things that you can do in one day, from having a picnic to actually hiking up the numerous trails scattered in the parks. One such park worth visiting is Blue Mountains National Park near Sydney. One thing that hikers will definitely like about the park is that it has plenty of camp sites for them to stop in.
And speaking of hikers and backpackers, Australia is definitely one of the best places for them to go to. One of the most popular adventures that they can try here is traveling the whole country on foot. The best thing about doing it this way is that you have greater freedom in exploring Australia as you like. And this will surely be an interesting trip, as it will take you to many places. You will also be able to encounter some interesting wildlife along the way, like kangaroos and camels (yup, the country does have plenty of camels). One of the trails worth trying out for this one is the Bibbulmun Track near Perth. This is a thousand kilometer trip that will take you across the continent.
And lastly, no Australian adventure will be complete without taking a dip in the country's waters. Fishing is one recreational activity you can try out first, the many rivers and the surrounding seas have plenty of game fish that you can target. And if you really want to get a little closer with the marine wildlife, then you can get on your wetsuit and go diving to explore the Great Barrier Reef.
As you can see, Australia has many things to offer the adventure seeker. All you have to do is look and you will surely find one that will surely fit your taste. 

Sources:
100 Things You Can Do In Australia
http://www.australia.com/campaigns/100_things/aus-traveller/index.html
Tourism in Australia, Wikipedia article
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourism_in_Australia 
Image Source:
http://www.fishquest.com 

The Heart And Soul Of Australia

When going to Australia, tourist visa holders frequently would want to get to Central Australia. The region is indeed packed with attractions, making it an interesting place for tourists. In fact, it has become very popular now that many people have dubbed it “the heart and soul of Australia”.

One thing that you might not know is that there is, in fact, no area in the country officially called Central Australia. Rather, it is a common designation used by locals in referring to the city of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory and its surrounding areas. Oddly enough, recent calculations have shown that the exact center of the Australian continent lies some 200 kilometers off the south of Alice Springs, making the name still pretty much appropriate. In fact, Alice Springs residents often refer to themselves as Cetralians, further referencing this one.

So what is there to see in Alice Springs? As have been said, there are a lot of attractions that tourists can go and activities that they can get their hands on. The city itself offers many places that you can go to. The Aboriginal Art and Culture Center is the best one to start if you want to appreciate the aboriginal people more. In fact, aside from the center, aboriginal culture is very much celebrated in the city (as is in all of Australia). There are numerous festivals celebrated each year in commemoration of the Aboriginal people.

One place that you would definitely want to go to here, especially if you are bringing the kids along, is the Alice Springs Reptile Center. The sanctuary features the largest reptile collection in the Northern Territory. You will be able to see familiar types here, likes snakes, some unusual ones such as horny devils or the gigantic perentie goanna.

However, the true allure of Central Australia lies in the outskirts of the towns. Here, the large open plains serves as an inviting attractions for tourists to explore. Hiking is the preferred way of travel when going out to see Alice Spring's natural wonders. One of the most popular attractions here is Ayers Rock, located some 300 kilometers from the city. It is frequented by visitors yearly, who tour around with the help of Aboriginal guides. Another famous attraction nearby is the famous Devil's Marbles, with its vast amount of boulder formations.

For car enthusiasts, the Finke George National Park will be your right stop. Here, you will be able to hone your driving as you take on the various off road tracks located in the park. You might also be lucky enough to catch the Finke Desert Race held annually in the region.

And there is yet more to discover in Alice Springs. And after having a great time, you will certainly agree that it indeed is the heart and soul of Australia. 

Sources:
Central Australia Tourism
WikiPedia
Image Sources:
www.wayfaring.info
www.australiantouristpublications.com.au

 

Australia's Past and Present Sporting Greats

Aussies are known as sports lovers. And when the hosting of Olympic games was first awarded to Australia in 1956, people just went crazy. Also, many nationals acquired visa for Australia to witness the world's premier competition. Because of people's support for sports, they again hosted the Olympics in 2000. Most people go to many game arenas to hoot for their favorite teams. And people doesn't just concentrate on single sport. In fact, each type of sports have their fair share of popularity. Some of the famous of Australian sports are football, baseball, cricket, golf, horse racing, rugby league, rugby union, soccer, swimming, tennis and basketball. And from this sports, many Australians excelled and gave Australia the honor and recognition in their own fields. They are now called the Greatest Australian Sports Legend.

• Sir Donald George Bradman is considered as the greatest cricket player of Australia. Bradman is a batsman and achieved an incredible batting average of 99.94 in Test matches for Australia. This number is hailed as the greatest achievement in any sports. His first Test match debut against England in 1928. In recognition of his contribution on sports, in 2001, Australia's PM John Howard called him “the greatest living Australia”. His image appeared on many postage stamps and coins. And on that time, he was the only living person to have a museum dedicated to his life.
• Cathy Freeman is an Olympian, a sprinter, who bagged home the gold medal in the 400m of the 2000 Sydney games. Before the Olympic event, she was already a two-time World Champion in the same category. She was an aborigine and was the first aboriginal to win an Olympic gold. She retired in 2003.
• Edward Trickett is a rower and the very first Australian to be recognized as the world champion in any sport. He won the World Sculling Championship in 1876 and held it for another four years. After he died, several streets at Surfers Paradise was named after him.
• Dawn Fraser is another Olympian who won a gold medal, this time, for swimming. She is one of the only two swimmers to win the same Olympic event thrice, the 100 meters freestyle. She participated and won on four Olympic games held at different cities. She was named Australian of the year in 1964. She was also named Female Athlete of the Century by the Sport Australian Hall of Fame.
• Evonne Goolagong Cawley is an Australian who earned international fame because of his excellence in tennis. She won 14 grand slam titles in 1970s and 1980s. In 1988, she made it to the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
• Lionel Rose is a boxing international superstar. He was the first aboriginal to win a world title in boxing history. He was the Australian of the year in 1968, first aboriginal to get that honor. A tribute for him was a documentary film in 2008, shown at the Melbourne International Film Festival.

Image Sources:
GraphicsLib
WaToday
RadioAustralia
World-Guides

Good Colleges/Universities In Australia

Studying in a foreign country is definitely an opportunity any student would not want to pass. And this is especially true if the country you are considering is Australia. After all, it has some of the best educational institutions in the world.

However, with all the myriad of schools in Australia, it can be quite hard to choose where you will actually study. This is actually the first thing that you need to consider even before you get your Australian student visa. In fact, you need to plan out well if you want to get into a good school.

So where do you start your search? You begin with deciding on what you are actually going to study. This is very important, as it will help you to narrow down your choices. If you plan on taking up advanced studies, then it would be a good idea to get application forms from universities, like the Australian National University (ANU) or Curtin. However, if you are bent on taking up vocational or short technical courses, then you have a wider choice. You can either go for programs sponsored by the universities and colleges or enroll in an independent school.

For those planning to take up higher level studies, another thing that is worth considering is whether schools offer the course of your choice. ANU, for instance, covers most of the major disciplines, including engineering, the sciences and law, as well as offering advanced courses on such topics as astrophysics. On the other hand, Curtin primarily focuses on technical courses, though they do offer some subjects relating to other fields as well.

Another major factor in choosing the school to go to is cost. Luckily for you, Australian education is actually quite affordable compared to other countries. One thing to note, however, is that you, as a foreign student, would actually pay a higher rate than local students. You can also cut down your fees by trying to get a scholarship.

Looking for information about schools can be quite easy. Brochures and flyers are readily available from the school, as well as other materials which can give you a good idea of the courses they offer. Also you can check out the schools' websites for more information, as well as updates regarding their courses.

Another way that you can go is by checking out sites that serve as databases for various universities and college. These are quite good, since they give very detailed info on the schools of your choice. Some also have added functionality, like a cost calculator, which can give you a rough estimate of how much you are going to spend during your term in Australia. This will be quite helpful in assessing whether you can actually afford to study there.

Lastly, you yourself should whether you are indeed qualified to study in the school. Remember that no matter how good the school is, it would be totally useless unless you are able to enroll in it. Thus, be sure to check the qualifications that you have for the school you are gunning for. Remember to also take the necessary exams in order for you to qualify for enrollment.  

Sources:
StudyLink
The Good Universities Guide