Our travel journal of Austalia
Australia 23th May 1998
Circular tour of Australia
We reach Sydney (the city of Sydney has 52'000 inhabitants with the outlying Districts-Millions) on the 18th April. After a night in a hotel we take possession of a camper van from Hertz. It is a small bus including a extending roof that makes it possible to stand up in. It is complete with gas cooker, microwellen oven, table-ware, cutlery and other household articles., but without heating, which we will miss later on. The seating could be changed into sleeping facilities.
Our first destination goes south to Melbourne (3,08 million inhabitants) a beautiful city with remarkable historical houses, but also with modern shopping facilities. Further on we now reach central Australia and pass through the cities of Adelaide and Port Augusta.
The vegetation becomes more sparse and the scenery changes from forest and fields to steppe and eventually in a red desert sands upon which very sparse grass grows.
After a longer journey we reach Ayers Rock. This monolith is a religious sanctuary of the native inhabitants – the Aborigines. The rock stretches about 40 meters out of he desert sand and has handsome circumference of about 6 kilometres.
Our next destination was Alice Springs (14'000 inhabitants) that is possibly the hottest town in Australia, as it lies in the centre of this continent. We visit the Alice Springs of the Air School. from here children of the wide spread farms and camps receive their schooling per radio. The visit to the Royal Flying Doctor service was also very interesting, as we were informed about the efforts of the doctors and nurses in a area of roughly 500 square kilometres. We visited a camel and reptile farm which quite exiting, and we were able to watch the feeding of the snakes who live there.
Now our Journey continues east to Mount Isa and not north to Darwin. To travel to Darwin – roughly 2'500 kilometres – would have cost us a week and the roads are very bad. From Mount Isa we move on to Charters Tower where we have the opportunity on the 1st May to see a country music festival.
In Port Douglas we admire the beautiful beaches with turquoise coloured water, we also take from here a boat to the Outer Barrier Reef. We reached a platform from where one was able to snorkel and dive. The platform also had a glass window through which one could observe the fish and coral life.
Our trip then took us further south to Cairns. Here we travelled with a hundred year old railway through 19 tunnels and many bridges to the 30 kilometres high – lying jungle village Kuranda. We returned by cable – car and here had the pleasure of enjoying a performance of songs and watched films about the history of the native inhabitants – the Aborigines.
Passing through Sugar, Banana, Pineapple, Papaya, and Advocates plantations we arrive in Harvey Bay. In a day excursion we learn about the largest sand island of the World – Fraser Island. With a special ferry we land directly on the sandy beach. Subsequently we travel further over the sand with 4 wheel – drive vehicles.
Our next Stop was in a Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast. The Gold Coast earns it’s name through it’s large golden coloured beaches. It is really a surfers paradise here, then the waves of the South Pacific are just so inviting. Here one does not surf with a sail but with a surf – board, that one rides with the waves.
On the 17th May we reach Sydney after 9'625 kilometres of left-hand-driving, one notices the colonial past of the English. We take advantage of the time we have left before leaving for Japan on the 23rd May, to visit this great city of Sydney. We visit among other things the world – renowned Opera House, the Harbour Bridge, Sea World, the Maritime Museum, the Botanic Gardens etc.
On the 24th May we continue our world tour, our next stop being Japan.