Set in the heart of New Zealand’s southern Alpine region, Queenstown has reputation as the adventure capital of the world. Surrounded by stunning mountains, lakes and rivers, Queenstown is New Zealand’s premier alpine resort. Only 3 hours direct from Melbourne or Sydney, it is the country’s major tourist destination. The city provides perfect venues for all kinds of adventure sports and offers some of the world’s best skiing and snowboarding conditions.

Offering visitors the chance to indulge in almost every adrenalin activity, Queenstown will feed your imagination. Majestic Queenstown offers an incredible range of things to do no matter what the season. Queenstown will satisfy even the most ravenous appetite for the adventure alike. From skydiving, bungee jumping, rafting, and jet boating, breathtaking helicopter flights, paragliding in summer months to winter activities such as skiing and snowboarding.

The Barron Falls are located in the Barron Gorge National Park in Queensland, Australia. The Falls are some 900 feet wide and 825 feet high. Before getting to Kuranda the train stops so you can get off and view the Barron Falls. The once mighty flow is today diverted for hydroelectricity, so now the full Falls are only seen in flow during the extreme wet season.

The Barron’s headwaters start in the Crater National Park near Mt Hypipamee at an altitude of 1200m. Flowing north 65 km across the Atherton Tablelands, after passing under the Kuranda Range highway’s bridge down the 260 metre high Barron Falls and reaches the Cairns floodplains. The walk is well maintained, accessible to all, and is a wonderful way to view these huge falls.

The actual height of the falls is now ascertained to be about 600 feet, or four hundred and thirty-six feet higher than Niagara. From the edge of the precipice, the river falls 900 feet in half a mile. In order to see the falls in full spate (which is a very impressive sight), one would have to go during wet season.

Although many animals are nocturnal, in the morning bird activity is intense, Musky Rat Kangaroos and Cassowary stalk the forest paths. And gorgeous blue-winged butterflies emerged from the crevices of the rocks. You can take the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway which also has a stop at the falls.

‘Macca‘ rests at the ends of the earth. The remote wilderness is tucked away in the southeast corner of the Pacific, halfway between Australia and Antractida. A tiny fragment of land, it is of huge significance on a world scale, yet was only discovered by accident by Frederick Hasselbrorough in 1810 while he was looking around for new sealing grounds. Photo by: ailsa45

Under Tasmania’s wing, the only human inhabitants on this extraordinary wildlife sanctuary are from the Australian Antarctic Division, based on the north of the island. Over the centuries scientist have been endlessly drawn to this unsung wonder of the natural world. Each spring, around 3.5 million seabirds, mostly penguins, and 80,000 elephant seals pull themselves up on to the rocky shoreline to breed. There are pinguins galore – rockhoppers, kings, royals and gentooes. Rabbits are a less welcome sight and are literally eating away at this World Heritage Site. Photo by: cmg099

You have to work extremely hard to get to this island, but the rewards for true lovers of wildlife and wilderness are unparalleled. It’s cold inhospitable place at the best of times, but you don’t go there for the weather. Photo by: ailsa45

When to go: In the breeding season – over the summer months and early autumn. Even then the weather can be challenging. Population: Uninhabited ( expect 20 – 40 members of the Australian Antarctic Division who are based here every year). How to get there: Very unlimited access. Most visitors spending up to two days on the island and tourist boats. Photo by: esjohnson

Just one kilometre long and 500 metres wide, Daydream is always popular with its easy access from Hamilton Island. The resort is located in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef. The low rise resort buildings, pools, restaurants and sporting facilities blend seamlessly with the natural beauty of the island’s waterfalls, secluded beaches, lagoons, rainforest and  gardens.

Of its three beaches one is fringed by outcrops of coral and colorful fishlife.

It has a unique outdoor aquarium, with exotic sea life from the barrier reef. The aquarium has about 80 different types of sea life.

You’ll be able to snorkel directly off the beach to the fringing reef or go sea kayaking, water skiing or even windsurfing. Budding golfer’s can practise their putting skills on the 19-hole themed mini golf course.

You can fly direct to nearby Hamilton Island from most Australian cities and transfer to Daydream by launch. Or, fly to Proserpine on the coast, travel by coach to Shute Harbour, and then by launch. Helijet or seaplane also available.

Just a few minutes walk from Ebor are the Ebor falls. Situated in the Guy Fawkes River National Park some 40km east of Dorrigo. 45 minutes east of Armidale on the Waterfall Way and 1.5 hours west from the coast high on the New England, Australia.

Ebor Falls is where the Guy Fawkes River takes a spectacular plunge over basalt rock.

The Ebor falls are falling 115 metres over columned basalt rock in two falls, the upper and lower Ebor falls, into a steep forested gorge below.

Although not very high, the two part fall presents the visitor with some great views and some interesting walks. Walking tracks lead through Antartic Beech forests below the escarpment of this ancient, extinct volcano.

The largest of the 74 islands in the Whitsundays, located off the coast of Queensland, Australia. Located on Whitsunday Island is the magnificent Whitehaven Beach – 7 kilometres of dazzling, pure white silica sand. 99% pure silica sand, You can melt it down and get pure glass.

At the northern end of Whitehaven Beach is Hill Inlet, a stunning inlet where the tide shifts the sand and water to create a beautiful fusion of colours. Access is only by boat with most vessels choosing to anchor in Tongue bay and enjoying the pretty bush walk up the northern face of Whitsunday Island.

Cruise Whitsundays have created several different cruises, all featuring Whitehaven, island visits and the corals and fish life of the ‘inner reef.

Part of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area, the reefs contain an outstanding variety of corals. If you are lucky you may spot turtles, baby sharks, sea eagles and spotted stingrays..

Enjoy swimming, snorkelling, beautiful beaches and bays.

Cairns is a holiday town with mud frontage into a vacation paradise with a sandy lagoon face. It is a recreational area for people from all walks of life. The city since the city was founded in the late 1800s.

Situated on the waterfront, just seconds from Cairns Esplanade Lagoon and the departure point for Great Barrier Reef, Mantra Esplanade Cairns. Esplanade Swimming Lagoon project is the most exciting aspect of the entire development. The lagoon precinct spans 4 hectares, and is capable of accommodating 1000 swimmers at a time.

This 4800 sq meter salt water swimming pool offers Cairns visitors swimming all year round. The kids can enjoy the sandy edges, build sand castles and play in shallow water.

The lagoon is surrounded by scenic landscaped gardens with protective trees that provide shade from the tropical sun. There are several public BBQ areas available free of charge as well.

Outdoor activities: Jogging, rollerblading, bike-riding or simply just having a pleasant stroll along the pleasant 3km walking trail.

Even the local Pelicans enjoy the beach created with the Cairns Esplanade Development.

Jim Jim Falls is in the heart of the Australia’s Northern Territory’s Kakadu National Park. Situated about 240km east-southeast of Darwin.

It plunges about 200m off the escarpment and flows spectacularly in the Wet Season. But the amount of water flowing over Jim Jim Falls depends on seasonal conditions.

The nearest sealed road to Jim Jim Falls is the Kakadu Highway (47.8km away). The first part of the walk is a very steep climb up the side of the hill, but most of the walk is an easy stroll through the bushland along the top of the escarpment.

The walk from the car park to the plunge pools at the bottom of Jim Jim Falls is only 900 metres long. The plunge pools are a Natural habitat of the Saltwater Crocodile. Right at the top of the falls is another large deep plunge pool which is perfect for swimming.
 

Access to Jim Jim Falls may be seasonally impossible when you are travelling (November to May).

Dividing Australia from Papua New Guinea, the Torres Strait is one of the frontiers on earth and is sprinkled with stepping-stone islands. Of these islands, 17 are inhabited and Thursday Island is seen as the ‘capital’. This tiny speck of an island, just visible from the Australian mainland, was once called the ‘Sink of the Pacific’, reflecting the sheer variety of people who have passed through since its pearling heydays – Aboriginal, Malay, Chinese, Japanese, Melanesian and Anglo. In this now lies its charm. Photo by: bauplenut

In the 19th century, Europeans quickly discovered the Strait’s rich pearl beds and Thursday Island was once a thriving centre for pearl diving. For decades this was the only job on the island and Japanese pearl divers tragically lost their loves there, and are buried in the local cemetery. Most died of compression sickness. Photo by: ailanpair

Many foreigners have influenced the island’s history. In the late 1800s the London Missionary Society landed on Darnley Island – and the advent of Christianity stabilized the community, but also led the demise of traditional life. South Sea Island teachers also came, and brought with them a new dance culture and crops, and intermarried with the locals. Photo by: ailanpair

Access to the smaller more remote islands is limited, but a few are little gems. Badu is fringed by mangrove swamps and is the centre of the Straits burgeoning crayfish industry. Saibai, just 16 km from New Guniea mainland is the only one place in Australia from which you can see another country. In many ways Thursday Island is the easiest and most interesting island to visit with the laid-back attitude and multifunctional mix. Here the hotel clock has no hands – paying homeage to the leisurely pace of life. Photo by: philippe_wt

When to go: Avoid the monsoon season. Population: 8,089 (2001). How to get there: Ferry from the mainland to Thursday Island. Access to other islands limited and more expensive. Flights form Cairns to Thursday Island via Horn Island – a few minutes by water taxi from Thursday Island. Small airlines operators service other islands. Photo by: ailanpair

Frazer Island is a World Heritage Site and much emerged as one of the Australian’s great natural treasures. From the Queensland coast, it appears cloaked in lush, deep green forest. But for all rainforests and lakes, Frazer Island is in fact the largest sand island in the world – 120 km by 15 km – with more sand than the Sahara Desert, and with dunes up to 224 m high. There is no where like it on planet Earth. Photo by: geoffman4242

The Buchulla tribe, who called the island K’gari, or Paradise, lived in harmony with their environment for thousands of years. In 1991, the island become part of the Great Sandy National Park and its future was secured. The east coast form the main highway, and other tracks criss-cross the interior and pierce the island’s wooded heart. Towering kauri pipes and cycads encircle the blue and even tea-tinted lakes. Lake turtles are joy to encounter, and will sometimes pester you for bread. The west coast is given over to mangrove swamps and, with its more treacherous soft sand, is pretty inaccessible. The real Fraser experience can only come with walking – and a three day hike, with camping overnight, reveals the hidden depths of this paradise island. Photo by: vogm@i

Fraser Island is one of the few remaining strongholds for a pure race of wild dingoes. Sadly, in recent years these dingoes have gained something of a reputation, but some of the blame for their aggression seems to point back to tourism. Visitors are just asked never to feed them and admire them from afar – to be ‘Dingo Smart’. Photo by: petes_pics

When to go: Anytime, but the whale watching months are rightly busier (August to October) so book ahead. Population: 1, 378. How to get there: Flights from Brisbane to Harvey Bay, then boat to the island. Day trip – fast ferry from Urangan Marina to Kingfisher Bay Resort. Or barge from Urangan Harbour for more serious exploration by vehicle. Photo by: shotleyshort

Unpolluted and untouched Lord Howe Island is the ultimate eco-destination. There is only one road, and everyone tends to get around by bicycle, boat or on foot. Just 11 km long this boomerang shaped beauty is topped by rainforest-clad Moun Gower and Mount Lidgbird and dips down into the cool Tasman Sea. Born of a volcanic eruption, it has the southernmost coral reef in the world – safe heaven for 500 species of fish and 90 species of corals.

The locals are laidback and often barefoot, and set the tone for any visit. On the more popular northern end of the island, there are endless walks and lookouts, an ideal places for a picnic along Old Settlement Beach. Bushwalking apart, there are fabulous swimming, snorkelling and diving spots. The insanely beautiful island never appears crowded – and if it is, with exotic flora and fauna not humman life.

Lord Howe Island was discovered in 1788 by Lieutenant Henry Lidgbird Ball of HMS Supply, while on his way from Botany Bay to Norfolk Island with convicts on board. Many government ships, whaling and trading vessels stopped there but a permanent settlement wasn’t established until 1834, at an area now known as Old Settlement. Photo by: gregba1

When to go: Cheapest to get there out of season but it can be wetter and windier and some places may be closed. From September to April huge numbers of exotic seabirds nest here. Population: 300. How to get there: By air from Sydney or Brisbane. You should know: Some rare mushrooms on the island grow in the dark. These growing mushrooms appear after heavy rain in the palm forests. If picked they glow for a number of days. The glow is so brigt that you can read by it in the dark.

Photos by: dexodexo

The Twelve Apostles are giant rock formations lies along the majestic coastline of Port Campbell National Park, app.230km from Melbourne, Australia. It is Victoria’s second largest marine national park and covers 7,500 hectares including some of the most spectacular underwater scenery – incredible underwater arches, canyons and caves.

Millions of years of constant sea erosion and blasting winds have battered the soft limestone cliffs, creating grottoes and gorges, arches, caves and sea-sculptures. The caves eventually became arches and when they collapsed rock stacks up to 45 meters high were left isolated from the shore. The Twelve Apostles have been created by erosion that began 10–20 million years ago. The cliff top road gives occasional glimpses of the drama below – the Australia’s most famous rock attractions.

Tasman Peninsula is located around 75 km by road south-east of Hobart , at the south east corner of Tasmania, Australia . The Tasman Peninsula is easily accessible by road from southern and eastern Tasmania. The peninsula comprises three arms bounded by Storm Bay(west), Norfolk Bay (north), and the Tasman Sea .

There are some beautiful bays around the peninsulas, as well as some unique and amazing rock formations. The cliff height on the east coast averages 250 metres.

One island, the diversity and abundance of wildlife and plant-life is truly remarkable.

To the south of the Tasman Peninsula is Remarkable Cave and the pretty Tasman National Park. The Park comprises most of the eastern coastline of the Tasman. Waterfall Bay is considered the best boat diving area.

The most famous attraction of the Tasman Peninsula is the Port Arthur historic site.

Cruising An unforgettable way to view the sea cliffs on the 3 hour eco-cruise by Tasman Island cruises or Sealife experience, departing daily from Port Arthur and Eaglehawk Neck.

Kangaroo in both, name and nature, this large island just 13 km off the South Australian mainland is relatively untouched for thousands of years. Towering cliffs protect the northern shores, giving way to more exposed sandy beaches in the south. Bushwalking is pretty compulsory and trails meander across the national parks that cover the third of the island.

Wild koalas hug the trees and kangaroos hop down the island. Isolated form the ravages of European diseases and introduced species that afflicted their near neighbours, the native animals and plants have flourished – echidnas, platypuses, possums and penguins are all on the wildlife fanatic’s list.

Experienced divers may discover one of the 50 or so wrecks that litter the rocky coastline. Following the earliest recorded shipwreck in 1847, the first light house in South Australia was built at Cape Willough by and stands to this day – 27 metres high and a healthy climb to the top. Ferries landing at Penneshaw on the eastern tip make it a hotspot for tourists, but it is easy enough to get away into the wilds and delight in this well-preserved refuge.

When to go: June, though to August is fabulous. The countryside is lush ans wildlife active during the day. September to October sees Kangaroo Island in full bloom and eucalyptus oil in full production. Population: 4,500. How to get there: By regular ferries (45min) from Cape Jervis to Penneshaw. By air – from Adelaide (30min). You should know: Surfing and swimming at Vivonne Bay – Australia’s top beach for clear, clean waters and privacy. On Kangaroo Island you can taste honey from the only known pure strain of Ligurian bee in the world.

Photos by: Charlie Lawrence

A sacred island in a lake, Mokoia is a green lava dome rising 180 m above the still waters of Lake Roturua in the heart of North Island. Stepping ashore, its deeply spiritual nature seems to reverberate through the air. This natural sanctuary for wildlife belongs to the Te Arawa people and was once known as  Te Motu Tapu a Tinirau – the Sacred Island of Tinirau. Isolated for hundred of years, it holds unique  kumera (sweet potato) plantation, which meant it was once hotly contested by warring tribes. Photo by: sam&onny

It is said that Makoia was home to Tutanekai, a young warrior. The shores of Mokoia hold geothermal springs and Roturua is New Zealand’s most dynamic thermal area – with geysers, hot springs and bubbling mud pools. The area is also the epicenter of Maori culture, with one-third of its residents being Maori. ‘ Sulphur City’ as it is known is a much – favoured spot tourists and backpackers; so to find more spiritual solace, cruise out to the hidden island of Mokoia. Photo by: marsh.hayley

When to go: Best to avoid the really busy summer months of December and January. Population: Uninhabited. Photo by: marsh.hayley

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