Mums Getaway

Australian tours

Australia is a place that attracts many visitors each and every year, many heading ‘down under’ for a month, and ending up staying for a year! Such is the wealth of places to explore and things to do. Australia is totally unique. The world’s smallest continent has developed in isolation, and the amazing, varied wildlife is testament to this. But it is not only the nature which is unique and inspiring, it is the culture too. But what are the highlights? Which are the essential places to visit on a holiday? They are numerous and unbeatable!

Australia is huge, and you can’t ‘do’ the whole thing in two weeks. Nowhere near! So you have to pick and plan to get the most out of a holiday to Australia. One of the best ways to get a taste for the best of Aus is to take a week in Melbourne, and a second in Sydney. Melbourne is a wonderful city, where alfresco dining is king, and the shops and bars offer non-stop entertainment. It is also a city of sport, and nowhere does sporting events in the same way as Australia! Catching an AFL game is a must for any sports fan visiting Australia. Many hours can be spent milling around in the small streets and alley that make up the city centre, and trips out to the surrounding vineyards of he Yarra Valley, or hitting the beaches along the Great Ocean Road complete the Melbourne experience.

Sydney is home to the iconic images of Australian holidays. The Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge are far more spectacular in person, and the city beaches in and around Sydney are probably the best city beaches in the world. The walk across the top of the Harbour Bridge is not for the feint hearted, but you are harnessed to the bridge, and the views are genuinely worth conquering your fear for! The ferry across to Manley is a ‘must’ during a Sydney break, as the combination of beaches and bars is second to none. The famous Bondi Beach, a surfer’s paradise is also within the city limits. Just outside Sydney, in Australian terms, 2 hours outside for the rest of us, are the spectacular Blue Mountains. The Blue Mountains are generally agreed to be the most beautiful landscapes in Australia, and it would be a real shame to get as far as Sydney without taking a day trip out to the park. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage area, there are some one million miles of forest, canyons, bushland and waterfalls to discover.

Between the two cities is the Hunter Valley wine region, Australia’s oldest wine region, and home to the best wines that Australia produces. There are some 80 wineries to explore, many of which have excellent restaurants on-site in which to enjoy fine dining and even finer wines after a tour! You are not limited to a car when exploring Hunter Valley, with plenty of opportunities to take a horse-drawn carriage, bicycle or even a hot air balloon ride through the region.