Uluru (also known as Ayers Rock) is the world’s largest monolith or rock formation. Situated in Australia’s Northern Territory, and set amongst the awe inspiring Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park, this enormous Sandstone wonder stands 348 metres tall and 9 km in circumference with two thirds existing below the ground. This spectacular creation is an Australian icon and major tourist attraction, enticing thousands of wayward travellers with its magical hues that change from fiery red to delicate mauve, blue, pink and brown, and when there’s rainfall the entire rock turns an amazing silver. Continue reading Uluru, Northern Territory Australia
Category: Australia
The Perfect Getaway in Byron Bay
Located on the north coast of New South Wales, Australia’s most easterly point, Byron Bay is quite the destination! Numerous beaches, untouched surroundings, and the ultimate in relaxed lifestyle, Byron Bay is a popular tourist destination. With average summer temperatures of 21C – 28C, and average winter temperatures of 15C – 21C, locals and visitors are able to take advantage of the various outdoor activities and party the night away at the many festivals throughout the year! Life’s a Beach Byron’s beaches are like a dream come true, which sounds cheesy unless you actually experience them! Look, Australia is known for the beach scene, but Byron’s are some of the best on offer. Stretching between the headlands of the northern New South Wales coast, many of these pristine beaches are sheltered from ghastly southerlies and offer the best waves if you’re a surfer dude. Clean, white fine sand that stretches for over 30km and clear turquoise-blue water that ranges in temperature from 18°C in the winter to 26°C in the summer, Byron’s beaches invite luxurious sunbathing and swimming all year around. Get your bathers! Call me Ishmael Get your Moby Dick on and head to Cape Byron for one of the best vantage points for whale-watching. From the June to August, these huge mammals migrate northwards to calve in the warm northern waters. Then, in September and October, they return with their new babies (cute!), sometimes stopping in the Bay for some whale parties and to teach their pups the laws of the whale. Most whale sightings are of humpbacks, with their distinct spinal shape, but it’s also possible to see other species. You can catch rays, turtles and dolphins, too. It’s like freakin’ Sea World out here! To market, to market! The Byron area is famous for its range of markets filled with produce, new age garb, great food and laid back atmosphere. The Channon and Bangalow have the biggest and best markets on the first, second and fourth Sundays of each month respectively. Beautiful things made by local people using unusual natural materials nestle amongst colourful imports from Africa and Asia. If arty-farty isn’t your thang, fill your bags with freshly-harvested and home-made produce. Food stalls and food trucks offer up a lavish range of goodies for chowing down on site or to take home and enjoy later. Spaaaaaaah! After taking in the surf and sand, the sea creatures and shopping, it’s time to give your aching body the attention it needs. Indulge in a full massage, have your neck and shoulders treated, or go the hippie path with some reflexology. The award winning Byron Spa and Wellness Centre exists solely to pamper YOU. With its six treatment rooms, a Vichy shower, steam room, spas and relaxation areas, this Spa has earned an international reputation as one of the world’s finest. Sit back and relax… Do Byron on the cheap with a Transfercar free rental car. Get in touch and find your relocation car now!
Opera in Da House: Why the Sydney Opera House is Better than You
So, I hear you think you’re pretty great, huh? Being the best you can be. Do you think you’re anywhere near as awesome as Sydney Opera House? I’m here to show you how you’re not in 10 points. Buckle up.
10. At Sydney Opera House, 1,600 performances happen every year. And it’s not just operas, but ballets, plays, pop music, symphonies, comedy, contemporary dance, and musical theatre.
(You go to Karaoke twice a year.)
9. Sydney Opera House supports the Vivid Sydney festival. This festival transforms Sydney with fantastic arrays of light, music and ideas. Here’s a menu: 56 installations by 140 artists from 15 countries, 80 Vivid Music shows by local and international artists, 200 events that showcase creative industries and 550 speakers sharing ideas.
(You have an iPod shuffle. Jealous?)
8. The Opera and Koalas tour gives you VIP access to Sydney Opera House and a guided tour of Taronga Zoo where you will all the weird and wonderful creatures of Australia. There are kangaroos, koalas, snakes, crocodiles and possums to name a few critters.
(You’ve got 5 cats.)
7. The Royal Botanic Gardens has 18 feature gardens showcasing herbs to Begonias to Rain Forest plants. The Rare and Threatened Plants Garden is a must for green thumbs. The Palace Rose Garden has more than 1800 roses. It’s a feast for the senses.
(You have dandelions in your garden. You also get hayfever.)
6. The architect Jorn Utzon was rejected by three judges in the 1956 competition to design Sydney Opera House. Remarkably, his entry was then singled out as “outstanding” by the renowned American architect Eero Saarinen, who was the fourth and final judge. Utzon beat 232 other entrants and won 5000 pounds. Go underdogs!
(You designed your garden shed and won nothing.)
5. The Cloudy Bay Fish Co features sustainably caught seafood from the Marlborough Sound in New Zealand and an outstanding menu which showcases seafood in a contemporary, delicious way.
(You like greasy fish ‘n’ chips from the local Chinese takeout.)
4. The star of Opera Kitchen is a sushi and sashimi restaurant by Kenji Nishinakagawa, Australia’s foremost sushi artist offers a variety of sushi and sashimi ranging from traditional to modern taste.
(See #5.)
3. Sydney Opera House’s construction cost $AUS 102 million.
(Let’s not even talk about how much money you have.)
2. Work started on Sydney Opera House in 1959, with a whopping 10,000 builders employed.
(It only took 2 people to make you.)
1. The building is 185 metres long and 120 metres wide.
(You’re only 5’9”. Size matters.)
But don’t take any of this personally, because the Sydney Opera House is better than everyone. An absolute masterpiece of late modern architecture, Sydney Opera House has earned a reputation as a world-class performing arts centre and is a symbol of the Australian nation.
Transfercar wants to be the one who gets you there. This is how we do: ride with us.
Fantasy Trip #1: Backpacking through Australia
The idea of backpacking through Australia is enough to get me saying: Aussie Aussie Aussie Oi! Oi! Oi!
But man, this country is big. Where do you even start when planning a trip through OZ? We’ve compiled some easy steps and if you listen to us, everything’s gonna be fair dinkum.
Planes, Trains and Automobiles
First, if you’re not already there, buy a ticket. And then hand the rest over to us! There is no better way to see Australia on your own terms than by car but it can be expensive. With Transfercar, the fees are so low that you’ll be able to spend most of your damn heavy Aussie coins on things that matter, like beer and barbeque. Do you really want to spend your days on a cramped bus? Do you want to miss the breathtaking scenery by flying? No, you don’t. So man up! Or lady up and take your trip into your own hands by driving one of our cars!
Pack It Up
Australia is hot so tank tops, board shorts and flip flops can take you a long way. Pack for comfort and not style. You’re not a runway, sweetie and I don’t see a modelling contract so stock up on some light, easy drying comfy clothes. When you hit the big cities like Sydney and Melbs, you can trawl the multitude of shops and fix yourself up real pretty. Be sure to pack some essentials like a flashlight, first aid kit (there’s a lot of critters that bite over here!), a quick-dry towel, and a tough water bottle.
Money Talks
Make sure you’ve got enough money to take you through to the finish line. If you’re planning on backpacking for more than 3 months, look into getting a work visa or even do some woofing on farms. And I don’t mean barking.
Sleep is for Suckahs
But you want to be well rested in order to fight off all those crocodiles that’ll be hunting you down. I mean, so you can have an enjoyable trip… YHA or HI hostels are always the way to go. Camping is a possibility if you’re not fussed about all the wild animals, especially the poisonous ones. Hostels are great places to meet other like-minded travellers and, of course, to pick up hotties.
FOOOOOD
One of the best parts of travelling is the food. But, restaurants can be expensive so you might want to hit the grocery store instead. Cooking your own food is the best way to save money while backpacking and good hostels have well stocked kitchens with the frying pans and plates needed to make a good meal.
Wolf Creek
So, um, DON’T watch this movie before backpacking through Australia. Like seriously, don’t. But if do watch it and you get stuck in Wolf Creek, give us call and we’ll get you outta there pronto.
Things to do in Melbourne
The world’s Most Liveable City has quite the reputation to live up to, but Melbourne delivers on all of the expectations placed upon her. Voila a short list of the Things You Must Do or Die in Melbourne. They’re very easy, don’t be scared…
First things first, you’ve just driven miles to get here so you probably need a COFFEE. If you don’t like coffee, then just leave now, because Melbourne is basically the Coffee Capital of Australia. It’s a city built on café culture, like her great European counterparts Paris and Rome.
Melbourne has hundreds of sexy, independent cafes who each have their own unique design, beans and sweets. The cities best cafes can be found in every suburb and in the downtown concrete jungle. But where you really want to be is in…
…Melbourne’s laneway cafes and bars. The laneways of Melbs are like a sneaky-styley underground labyrinth of cool. Whatever it is you’re into, you’re going to find it in the lanes. These incredible art-bombed alleys are covered in exquisite graffiti and sculptures that often serve as addresses for hideaway bars and shops. Amongst the caffeine dens and cocktail bars, you’ll be dropping your money on the most glorious food in all of Australia. Old faves like Pellegrini’s snuggle up against trend setting restaurants like Movida. Hardware Lane and Centre Place are dying to feed you: give in. Eat all of the foods. And once you’re done, keep moving down the lanes, pop into a few galleries and try to fit yourself into some clothes from Somerset Place and Rankins Lane. But they won’t fit. Because you ate all the foods. The best thing for you now, and for your new-found curves, is to take a long walk to The Queen Victoria Market.
Yes, there is much more food here, and you’re full, but you’re also on vacation so stop whining and get eating! This is the largest open air market in the Southern Hemisphere and it’s that fabulous that it’s been listed on the Victorian Heritage Register. ‘Queen Vic’ is the beating heart of Melbourne for a reason. Spread out over two entire city blocks, it’s a vibrant and bustling inner-city Market where you’ll find anything from Aussie fruit and veg, diverse arrays of local and imported gourmet foods, to clothing, cosmetics and souvenirs. Melbourne’s Queen Victoria Markets is the Queen of all markets so… bow down.
Right about now, you’ve rested and digested and it’s time to see some nature. Hit the Great Ocean Road. Rightly called the most stunning drive not only in Australia, but the entire WORLD, (and therefore maybe the UNIVERSE), don’t even think about not seeing this road, ok? It’s 243km of pure, eye-melting beauty along the Victorian Coast. The vistas and views will not only kill you with their staggering beauty but the sunset, voted one of Australia’s Top 10 Sunsets (yes, it’s a thing), will destroy you with its awesome power. You’ll never look at the sun in the same way again. Be prepared for complete transformation, baby, you’re under Melbourne’s spell now.
Destination Australia: Coober Pedy, “The Opal Capital of the World”
Things looking dull in the city? Or maybe you’re looking for somewhere stunning as you visit Australia? The opal city of the world, located in the Australian Outback, is sure to brighten up your life.
Coober Pedy’s shining history
In the early 1900s a team in search for gold came across something more extraordinary. While wandering in the painted desert looking for water they stumbled upon traces of Opal. Reacting quickly and laying claim to the area, the Stuart Range Opal Field was constructed. Before the great depression of the late 1930s the area was renamed Coober Pedy, and since then saw a slew of ups and downs. Both in the 1940s and 1960s the Opal industry boomed dramatically, bringing Coober Pedy back from the brink of being wiped out.
Now you can explore this fascinating Opal themed town, making the most of their underground homes which were used to survive the harsh desert conditions.
Heading down under…ground!
Books & Goanna Land
– Outback maps, books, guides and postcards can be found underground at the B&G Land store. Take something home to remember the underground experience by.
Art Gallery – A collection of Australia’s finest artists have works at the underground gallery at Coober Pedy.
Faye’s Underground Home – Enjoy the snug and beautiful underground houses that Coober Pedy residents take shelter in. You’ll be surprised at how magnificent a subterranean home can be.
Crocodile Harry’s Underground Nest – See how the fame of Coober Pedy passed his days by visiting his home. Now passed, Crocodile Harry was notorious for having a wacky underground abode and even wackier personality. His home is filled with hoarded wears that are sure to make you smile, like his various sculptures of people in odd poses.
So if you’re looking for somewhere a little bit precious or you want to experience life underground, Coober Pedy is an outback experience you’ll not want to pass up.