The Great Barrier Reef in Australia is an amazing living mass of vivid colored coral that stretches over 2300 km (1400 miles). It begins just north of Queensland’s Cape York and continues down past the city of Bundaberg. The Great Barrier Reef lies between 15 to 60 kilometers just off of Australia’s east coast in the aptly named Coral Sea.

Interesting Facts About the Great Barrier Reef in Australia

When we last toured Australia, we not only visited the reef, we also did some amazing diving and snorkeling while we were in the state of Queensland. Unfortunately, we didn’t have a good digital underwater camera back then (GoPro’s didn’t even exist yet!), however we do have memories that will last a lifetime.

As our kids get older and their fascination with the land down under continues to grow, we put together a post on some of our personal memories of the reef and then tied it in with some fun facts about the amazing Great Barrier reef in Australia for your enjoyment.

Read on to learn more interesting facts about the Great Barrier Reef. They’re definitely a great reason to go visit!

The Great Barrier Reef is huge

At over 2300 kilometers in length (1400 miles) and up to 65 kilometers wide (40 miles) in some parts, the Great Barrier Reef is the single largest living structure on earth.

In all, it covers an area of 344,400 km² (132,973 m²).

How huge is it?

The Great Barrier Reef is the only living thing that can be seen from space.

It’s longer than the Great Wall of China and nearly half the size of Texas, plus it’s bigger than the UK, Holland and Switzerland combined.

How many islands are there?

The area known as the Great Barrier Reef also includes 600 continental islands, 300 coral cays and around 150 inshore mangrove islands.

How deep is the Great Barrier Reef?

The Great Barrier Reef has an average depth of 35 meters (115 feet) inshore while the outer reefs can extend down to depths of more than 2000 meters (6562 feet).

Personal Note: As we traveled down the eastern coast of Australia and checked out the small towns that dotted the sshore, signs for day trips out to the reef appeared everywhere. They must have worked, because we went out to the reef several times as we headed south down towards Sydney. All together, our six month Australian road trip was a ton of fun and of course, our best dive in Australia happened on the Great Barrier Reef.

The Great Barrier Reef has a lot of life

With over 3000 separate reefs, each with their own ecosystem, the Great Barrier Reef has a ton of diversity. In fact, nearly 10% of the world’s total fish species can be found within the Great Barrier Reef system itself.

What animals live in the Great Barrier Reef?

Curious to what lives there? Here’s a quick breakdown of the species you can find on the Great Barrier Reef.

The largest concentration of dugong on earth – The dugong is closely related to the manatee or sea cow and is a relative of the elephant.

6 species of sea turtle – Not only are six of the seven known sea turtles found here, the reef is also the largest green turtle breeding ground in the world.

15 species of sea snakes – Yes, they are crazily poisonous, but attacks are almost non existent.

30 species of whales, dolphins and porpoises – Everything from iconic humpback whales to playful bottlenose dolphins can be found at the Great Barrier Reef.

100 species of jellyfish – Including the very poisonous box jellyfish for which you need a special lycra suit to protect yourself with if they’re in season.

134 species of sharks and rays – The most common being the harmless white-tip or black-tip reef sharks.

300 species of soft coral – Over one third of all soft coral in the world exists within the area of the Great Barrier Reef.

330 species of ascidians or sea squirts – Small round shaped animals that attach to rock or coral and look like a tube swaying in the current.

400 species of hard coral – As hard coral dies, its skeleton forms the base on which the next hard coral builds for generations upon generations.

500 species of worm – Think colorful fan shaped ones as well as little spiraled ones rather than the earth variety.

1300 species of crustaceans – Besides for the ubiquitous crab, the reefs also contain the mantis shrimp, famous for it bullet fast punches that have been known to break glass.

1600 species of fish – From small Nemo inspired clownfish all to the way up to 8 foot, 800 pound groupers, the Great Barrier Reef is teeming with fish of all shapes, colors and sizes.

3000 species of mollusk and clams – Including the giant clam which can grow over four feet long and weigh more than 500 pounds and live over 100 years.

Personal Note: As we dove and snorkeled around the Great Barrier Reef, we saw some of the largest concentrations of fish in one area that we had ever experienced as divers. It’s amazing that an area can yield such a diversity. We also saw some enormous groupers and only found out that saltwater crocodiles can also be found out there after witnessing one swimming below us as we walked along the pier on the beach. Who knew!

*Icons made by Freepik via Flaticon

How old is the Great Barrier Reef?

At over 500,000 years old, the Great Barrier Reef has seen some crazy changes over the years. From droughts and ice ages to population booms and busts it has stood the test of time. That being said, this current “version” of the reef is only around 8,000 years old.

There was an ice age in the region around 20,000 years ago and the water levels dropped nearly 200 feet (61 meters) from today’s height. As the glaciers eventually melted and the sea water rose again, they left behind small dunes which helped form part of the Great Barrier Reef we know today.

Want to read more about crazy Australian facts and our trip there? Check out this post about interesting facts on Australia we wrote back in January.

Coral breeding on the Great Barrier Reef is synchronized

No, the Great Barrier Reef doesn’t have a clock but if it did, that would explain its yearly breeding event. During certain moon phases and for only a few nights a year in late October or early November, the Great Barrier Reef is home to the largest synchronized breeding event in the world.

On these rare low current nights, billions of red, white and pink coral eggs and sperm are all simultaneously released over the span of the reef. The entire Great Barrier Reef is literally alive as all the different coral species of egg and sperm find each other and begin life anew.

Each fertilized egg can theoretically start its own colony and the tiny coral joins the thousands of other minute fish species that comprise plankton as it matures and seeks it own home along the reef and beyond.

Personal note: We missed this event by only a few days when we were there and it’s still on my diving bucket list to witness the phenomenon firsthand.

The Great Barrier Reef is an UNESCO Heritage Site

UNESCO listed the Great Barrier Reef as a World Heritage Site in 1981. The reef has also been protected one way or another since the creation of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park in 1975.

These days, the Australian government spends over $200 million each year tending and protecting it. As such, it is one of the best protected environments on the planet with lots of rules and regulations delegating everything from no boat to no fishing zones.

Over 2 million people visit each year

With over 900 tour operators and 1500 vessels and aircraft permitted to operate in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, over two million visitors check out the area annually, bringing in over $5.6 billion each year to the Australian economy and creating over 70,000 jobs.

Personal Note: Just like everyone else, we were charged a daily fee (Environmental Management Charge or EMC) for visiting the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (it’s currently $6.50 AU for kids age four and up), however I can remember at the time that we truly believed our tour operator was swindling us. Turns out they weren’t!

The Great Barrier Reef exists above water too

What, you thought reefs only exist below the water? Turns out that the Great Barrier Reef is a complete ecosystem and that includes over 900 islands. Up on land and in the air you can find 215 species of birds (including 22 species of seabirds and 32 species of shorebirds) living or visiting the many islands as well as the giant blue skinned cassowary which can grow up to 2 m (6.6 ft) tall and weigh up to 60 kg (130 lb).

Like I previously mentioned, large saltwater crocodiles also live in mangrove and salt water marshes along the coast near the reef and some have been seen out on the islands. The islands also contain huge monitor lizards that feed on giant grasshoppers local to the area.

If you’re there in the sea turtle season, which runs from November to late March, you might also get a chance to see a sea turtle on shore laying its eggs or perhaps seeing the baby turtles fighting their way back to the sea after hatching. Either way, both can be a magical event.

Personal Note: Besides for seeing huge saltwater crocs in the ocean (we never realized that was a thing) we had the opportunity to see some baby sea turtle hatchlings in a local turtle hatchery. As much as we love sea turtles, baby sea turtles are even cooler.

The reef is in danger

A new study in the respected scientific journal Nature reports that a heatwave in 2016 caused severe mass death of coral.

The death came from coral bleaching, which happens when excessive heat kills algae that have a symbiotic relationship with coral. Without the algae, corals often die. The damage is a warning of what the future might hold if climate change continues to warm tropical reefs like the great barrier reef.

Best time to visit the Great Barrier Reef in Australia

Every day of the year is a great day to visit the Great Barrier Reef, however there are certain times it’s better if you’re hoping to see certain events.

Stinger season happens from November to May. During this time you need to swim inside designated stinger enclosures at the beaches or wear a lycra stinger suit. If you’re diving or snorkeling they’ll give you a suit to wear or a typical wetsuit will do you fine. Just be careful taking it off or rinsing it down after just in case you had a jelly fish encounter and didn’t realize it.

Turtle season runs from late November to late March. This is the perfect time to go if you hope to see a sea turtle on land. Go early and you might see a turtle laying, go in February and you might see some hatching.

Wet season generally runs from December to May and is considered the low season which means better specials, but it’s more likely to rain and the weather can get quite hot. Either is fine if you’re diving but you could get wet and you will get hot while exploring topside.

Dry season generally runs from June to November and has lower day time temperatures, humidity and less rainfall. This is considered high season around the Great Barrier Reef, so there are more visitors and less tour availability.

Coral spawning season happens over the course of 2 or 3 nights in late October to early November and depends on temperature, ocean currents and the moon phase. Its exact timing varies from year to year however they all involve one thing. Going out to do some night time diving and a little luck.

Whale season happens from May to September with many Dwarf Minke Whale encounters happening in June and July. Tours for the ever playful humpback whale typically happen in August and September and dolphin sightings happen year round if you’re likely.

No matter when you head there, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia has an amazing collection of underwater species that will leave you yearning to return time and time again.

Whether you’re a diver, a snorkeler or just love nature, if you’re planning on taking a holiday to Australia, you should definitely check out the Great Barrier Reef for yourself. You won’t be disappointed!

Since we regrettably don’t have many pictures of our time at the reef, some pics are courtesy of Tourism Queensland as well as Pexels.

When most visitors to Australia consider what cities to visit, generally the big cities of Sydney and Melbourne firstly spring to mind. But up north, closer to the cities of South East Asia, is a very different Australian city: Darwin.

If you’re wanting to head out on a road trip to Kakadu and Litchfield National Parks, exploring their natural beauty and Aboriginal culture, Darwin will be your launching point. But it’s also worthwhile exploring its attractions for a couple of days.

Six of the Best Things to do in Darwin

Some of Darwin’s top attractions explore its short but turbulent history, from being bombed in World War II to being destroyed by Cyclone Tracy on Christmas Day, 1974. Other Darwin activities and attractions take advantage of its beautiful tropical weather and surroundings. These are my top picks for what to do in Darwin.

Head to Mindil Beach Sunset Market

One of the favorite experiences of both visitors and locals in Darwin is heading to the Mindil Beach Sunset Market.

It’s held at Mindil Beach, just outside of the city center, next to Darwin Casino. The market runs during the dry season (from late April to late October), and is held every Thursday (kicking off at 5 pm) and every Sunday (starting at 4 pm). There’s plenty of stalls selling everything from Aboriginal artifacts and handmade souvenirs to dresses and clothing from Thailand and Indonesia, but the real highlight are the food stalls.

Perhaps start with some fresh oysters, before continuing on to a variety of dishes reflecting Darwin’s multicultural population. Options usually include Indonesian, Chinese, Thai and Indian. Plus there’s distinctive Australian dishes on offer, such as kangaroo and crocodile. Enjoy your dinner on the beach, hopefully taking in a beautiful sunset over the harbor, before wrapping up with dessert.

Visit the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory

Located along Darwin’s long waterfront just outside the city centre is the impressive (and free) Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, one of Darwin Australia’s points of interest. Don’t miss the chance to explore their large collection of indigenous art, from bark parkings to ceremonial poles, perhaps catching the yearly National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards.

Another highlight of the museum is the interactive display about Cyclone Tracy and the impact it had on the city, including a darkened room where you can listen to its monstrous sound. Don’t also miss the stuffed body of Sweetheart the crocodile. This mammoth 5 meter long, 780 kg beast was killed locally after it attacked several fishing boats. You can even see live crocodiles on a local jumping crocodile tour, though likely none as big as Sweetheart.

Visit the Darwin Aviation Heritage Centre

Just south of Darwin is the Aviation Heritage Centre. Due to Darwin’s isolation plus strategic military importance, aviation has always played a key role in Darwin’s history. The museum isn’t just for aviation buffs, but for anyone interested in history or just seeing an impressive collection of planes.

The stand-out attraction of the museum is its B52 bomber. It was predominantly based in Darwin by the US Airforce during the Vietnam War era and has since been donated on permanent loan to the people of Darwin. It’s one of only two such aircraft outside of the USA, and it’s huge bulk looms above everything else in the air hangar.

Other aircraft on display are a mixture of military and passenger craft, including Spitfire planes, Tiger Moth biplays and helicopters. There are also interesting displays on the Australian Royal Flying Doctors service and aircraft involved in WWII and Vietnam.

Explore the Impact of World War II

Darwin was on the front-line during World War II, particularly after the fall of Singapore and the Japanese invasion of what’s now Papua New Guinea. The city was bombed multiple times and there are a multitude of sites around Darwin and further south linked to WWII. Examples include old airfields, military installations, bombing sites and memorials.

For a good overview of the WWII history of Darwin, visit the Defence of Darwin Experience and Darwin Military Museum. Both are located at the East Point Military Precinct. The Defence of Darwin Experience features numerous interactive, multimedia displays, culminating in a 20-minute show.

Another important site located just over 100 km south of Darwin on the main highway is the Adelaide River War Cemetery. It’s the only war cemetery on Australian soil, and includes a poignant memorial.

Chill out at the Waterfront Lagoons

Despite its tropical weather and large harbor, unfortunately the beaches of Darwin are largely a no-go zone for swimming, due to the presence of salt-water crocodiles and many sharks.

If you’re wanting to cool off, head instead to the Wave Lagoon and Recreation Lagoon located on Darwin’s waterfront. The Wave Lagoon produces 10 different wave patterns, with a 10-minute rest in between each 20 minute session. The Recreation Lagoon meanwhile has a sandy beach and stinger-filtered seawater. Both are patrolled by lifeguards. Entry is free to the Recreation Lagoon, while a fee is charged at the Wave Lagoon.

Go Wild at Berry Springs Nature Park

For a swim in more natural surroundings, consider heading to the Berry Springs Nature Park. It’s just over 50 km south of Darwin, located on the Cox Peninsula Road just off the main highway. Entry is free and there are multiple meandering pools to relax in, surrounded by natural forest. There’s also plenty of picnic tables and some short walking trails.

Before heading south during the wet season (from October to April), double check that the pools are open. They may be closed if conditions are deemed unsafe, including due to crocodiles (the rangers check for their presence each day).

Author Bio

Shandos Cleaver is an Australian blogger who is currently travelling around Europe with her Miniature Dachshund, Schnitzel. She blogs about dog-friendly travel (mostly) on her blog, Travelnuity. She first visited Darwin while travelling around Australia at the age of nine, and is looking forward to returning to Australia soon and exploring more of the country, this time with her dog. Follow her adventures on Facebook or Instagram.

Do you have any favorites for what to see in Darwin? Let us know!

Over the course of those six months, we learned just how big and just how awesome Australia is. We ended up put over 25,000 kilometers on our van, got up close and personal with some unique wildlife, met some interesting people, and saw the beautiful and varied landscapes that make up Australia.

As our kids get older, and we tell them tales of the land down under (like the termite mounds that were twice the height of our van!), the realization that we’re going to have to take them to Australia becomes clearer. It’s also what prompted us to dive into these interesting facts about Australia.

Interesting Facts About Australia

So without further ado, if you’re thinking of heading to Oz or have ever been curious as to what kinds of things await you down under, here are our interesting facts about Australia that will amaze you.

Australia is big. As in, really big.

We put on over 25,000 kilometers during our trip around Australia, took six months to do it, and we still only saw half of the country. As the 6th largest country in the world with one of the lowest populations per kilometer, most people fly from city to city. When we were driving in the Outback, we would go hours at a time before seeing anyone else on the highways except the occasional road train and kangaroos.

Due to it’s massive size and the fact that the entire country is an island, Australia is the only place in the world that is considered both a continent and a country. As such, it’s sometimes also referred to as the island continent.

via GIPHY

Beaches are everywhere in Australia

If you love beaches, there are over 10,000 beaches found around Australia. If you visited three beaches a day it would still take you over nine years to see them all!

We visited dozens of beaches along 3 coasts however we found the Whitsundays had the prettiest beaches of them all.

It also has over 25,000 kilometers of coastline where you can jump on a speedboat, a catamaran or even a sailboat and explore the over 8000 islands that circle the giant island. We visited almost every beach we could find, and even toured the Whitsunday Islands on a sailboat for four days. We loved every minute of it.

Australia has the largest sand island in the world

Just off the east coast of Hervey Bay, Australia lies the largest sand island in the world. Fraser Island, measuring over 120 kilometers (75 mi) long and 24 kilometers (15 mi) wide also houses the country’s only all sand highway/airport runway where you can drive 80 kilometers an hour on the beach only a few feet from the crashing waves.

Renting a 4×4 SUV for 4 days, camping along the beach and driving along the sand paths and the beach was one of our favorite highlights of the trip.

It has the world’s largest coral reef

Australia is home to the Great Barrier Reef, which is the planet’s largest living structure.

Diving the Great Barrier Reef was one of the highlights of our trip. Unfortunately, the reef is in trouble these day – scientists say that the reef is dying off.

Australia wildlife is unique, and often well… pretty darn weird

The kangaroo, the duck billed platypus, the dingo, the emu, the cassowary, and the koala are just some of Australia’s unique species that can only be found in Australia.

We spotted them all in the wild, including the shy platypus, however the little rock wallabies might be one of the cutest things alive.

Australian Aboriginal culture may be 65,000 years old

Australian Aboriginals first arrived in Australia 65,000 years ago marking them as some of the oldest known human cultures.

We saw rock paintings around Uluru (Ayers Rock) and near Darwin that are some of the oldest found anywhere in the world.

Australia was founded by inmates

Here’s one of the many fun facts about Australia: The first English settlers landed in Sydney in 1788 and the majority of that first fleet were inmates. Though most died off, a sizable number of inmates helped found Australia.

We’ve been to dozens of countries over the years, however I can truly say Australia is the only country we traveled to that I was ever held at knife point. Coincidence? Haha, probably not since the vast majority of Australians we met were super nice and helpful. Australia is also one of the safest countries in the world.

Camels, camels, camels … and more camels

The are more than half a million feral camels wandering around Australia’s outback.

We saw some wild camels more than a few times while driving and even considered riding a few that had been tamed. Unfortunately, the camel smell was only matched by the heat of the sun that day.

Are we sad we didn’t do it? Nope, we did rode camels in the Sahara desert instead.

In a country that’s mostly desert, water can be a problem

To secure a constant potable water supply, the first settlers built water tanks along the stream leading into Sydney Cove they called the Tank Stream. However, due to early pollution, the tank stream eventually became a stormwater drain that still protects Sydney from flooding.

We were in a few heavy rainstorms while in Sydney so can attest to their ability to protect the city from flooding. Rain or shine, Sydney is a gorgeous city.

Everything will kill you

Australia probably has the largest collection of dangerous things on the planet. From the box jellyfish to poisonous snakes like taipans, death adders, brown snakes and tiger snakes. Not to mention they have funnel spiders, blue ringed octopuses and even huge jumping bird eating spiders!

We swam in special Lycra bodysuits up north to protect us from jellyfish stings and only swam in beaches with shark nets down south.

However, we never shied away from walking trails or going on hikes, even at night. We had a few close calls with spiders, however we never saw a snake in the wild without being on a guided tour.

Interestingly, deaths from spider bites are extraordinarily rare.

Egg laying mammals are found here

There are only two egg laying mammals left in the entire world, and both can be found in Australia. These include the platypus and the spiny anteater echidna.

One of our favorite rare and unusual animal sightings ever was the platypus.

Since the platypus is known as hyper reclusive, we feared we wouldn’t be able to spot one. In truth, we found one the first place we looked and then spotted several more at different places the following days. Who knew?

That being said, our son’s favorite animal has always been the platypus, so you know we’ll be searching them out again next time we go.

Lifeguards are incredibly important

Bondi Beach in Sydney, was home to the world’s first and longest running life saving club, the Bondi Surf Bathers’ Life Saving Club, that started in 1907 when several groups routinely patrolled the beaches around Sydney.

Though Bondi Beach wasn’t our favorite beach in Australia, it was definitely the most happening beach we came across. If you want to see and be seen, Bondi is definitely the place to be.

The world’s tallest birds live here

There are some amazing birds in Australia, however, the red eyed emu and the blue feathered cassowary definitely top them all, at least when it comes to size. Some emus stand over 6.2 feet (1.9 meters) while the sometimes dangerous cassowary can grow to nearly the same size.

We saw a lot of emus while crossing the center of Australia, however the huge blue feathered cassowary is both an endangered species and supposedly impossible to find.

After talking to some locals, we drove into a national park and, as we got out of our van, there happened to be a big cassowary only a few feet in front of us. They’re known to be a little dangerous, so we got back in the van and watched him strut around for 15 minutes before he suddenly turned and disappeared back into the forest.

The reptiles will eat you

Australia is home to over 750 different reptile species, which is more than any other country in the world.

Though we saw them numerous times, the huge saltwater crocodiles were always intimidating to us.

Well, they have been known to eat people! The turtles on the other hand, were always fun to watch.

It’s really, really, dry in the Outback

For all the water Australia gets along the coasts, the lack of water in the central outback of Australia makes it the driest continent on the planet excluding Antarctica.

Though the outback wasn’t as dry as we originally expected, we covered huge distances across the Australian outback with only a few scraggly trees and the occasional hopping kangaroo seen in the distance. To put it simply, it was dry enough to make me happy we always had spare water on hand.

The Outback is fairly empty

How isolated is the Outback?

And this is where our Australian facts get really weird. The Outback is so isolated that an obscure, but well bankrolled, Japanese Cult may … or may not … have detonated a nuclear bomb at Banjawarn Station, Western Australia back in 1993. No one knows for sure, because it just registered as a small 3.6 earthquake.

Not only is there not much flora in the Outback, but there aren’t many people either.

Here’s one of the most weird facts about Australia: with nearly 85% of the population in Australia living 50 miles or less from the coast, you can literally be the only person within a hundreds of square miles in the outback.

When we exited from the tanned emptiness of the outback, the greenery of the coastal areas shocked us every time.

Birds be crazy in Australia

Besides for the big birds of Australia, there are some regular sized Australian birds that are a both a joy to watch and hear. The parrots in the north are gorgeous and the silly antics of the widespread galah or rose-breasted cockatoo are fun to watch.

While the laughing call of the kookaburra is definitely a bird call you’ve never heard outside of Australia, one of the most haunting sounds in Australia has to be the cry of the Green Catbird. It sounds like a cross between a baby crying and a cat meowing.

Micki and I both nearly ran into the bush looking for this poor crying baby the first time we heard it. It wasn’t until we talked to some locals, who explained it was only a bird, that we relaxed. That said, it still made us look around every time we heard it.

There are cattle ranches bigger than Belgium

The Anna Creek Station in South Australia is the largest cattle ranch in the world. Bigger than either Israel or Belgium, it’s also 7 times as big as the famous King Ranch in Texas. It currently holds around 10,000 head of cattle and is run by only eight workers.

We drove through part of the Anna Creek Station when we took the offroad Oodnadatta Track to Coober Pedy. Our van wasn’t really outfitted for it, and we nearly got stuck a few times after a rare rainstorm, but it definitely gave us an appreciation for anyone living out there on their own.

Australians love their wine

There are over 2,000 wine producers throughout Australia and they export over 750 million liters a year to world markets. They also drink their fair share domestically.

Some of our favorite wines ever come from Australia and we spent weeks going from one winery to another tasting a bunch for ourselves. Unfortunately for the rest of the world, they don’t export their amazing port so, if you want to try some out for yourself, you’ll just have go to Australia yourself.

Australians love to abbreviate everything

Don’t believe us? Check out this video.

Ayers Rock, or Uluru to the local Anangu Aboriginal people, is a large sandstone rock formation in the southern part of the Northern Territory in central Australia. It’s about 3 and a half hours south west of the nearest large town, Alice Springs.

The area around the rock outcropping includes a few water springs, waterholes and rock caves with some ancient paintings. There are numerous guided tours and seeing the rock is a great way to learn about its Aboriginal history.

Truth be told, it may seem like a long way to travel just to see a giant rock, but the entire experience can be quite memorable.

Whether you’re enjoying the sunrise or sunset views (the only time the rock truly looks red) with the traditional glass of champagne or hiking around the 9.4 km trail at it’s base, Uluru needs to be seen from different angles throughout the day to be fully appreciated.

The color and texture change so much depending on the time of day you would almost believe it was alive. The nearby domed rocks of Kata Tjuta (the Olgas) is equally captivating, has a few walks of it’s own and will leave you with a feeling of wonder.

The drive there can get a little boring, however, the occasional kangaroo and emu sightings, the red dirt and scrub bush, the camel ranches and the beautiful Australian outback sky are all interesting things to see along the way. They have a nice resort/campground in nearby Yulara (Ayers Rock Resort) where you can stay for a few days. If you go you’ll definitely want to see at least one sunrise or sunset viewing and I would recommend against any extended driving in the dark when you’re new to the outback.

Here’s a travel tip: If you’re driving in the outback by wary of kangaroos. For whatever reason when they’re on the move they rarely stray from their path.

When we drove up the Oodnadatta Track and the Stuart Highway in our van from Adelaide to Darwin and then across from Darwin to Cairns we saw countless kangaroos and even more carcasses along the highway. More than once we had to stop the car to let a kangaroo jump across.

The funny part is that in a lot of places you can see the kangaroo coming from a mile away. They’re usually bouncing perpendicular to the road and traveling at a decent speed. Even though you’re 10 times they’re size and are quite visible they don’t seem to notice that you’re there. They’ll run right into the side of your vehicle if you’re at the wrong spot at the wrong time, even if you’re at a complete standstill!

Next to the zigzagging road trains, the kangaroos are the biggest threat on the roads in the outback and aren’t so easily dismissed.

The islands are best known for white sands and crystal clear water, so we were surprised to discover a great mix of fun, offbeat things to do on Fiji.

Unusual Things to Do in Fiji

Sure, you can still enjoy the relaxed island life, but it’s also nice to know that Fiji has enough to do that you can mix it up a bit when you get tired of sunning in your beach chair.

Here are our picks for 10 of the most fun and unusual things to do in Fiji.

Poseidon Undersea Resorts

Though it’s not yet open, and has been plagued by ongoing delays, the Poseidon Undersea Resort promises to be one of Fiji’s most unusual attractions. When it opens, not only will it be located on a private island in Fiji, it will be the world’s first sea floor resort. You might want to save up before you book a spot though; it’s rumored that rooms will cost $30,000 per couple per week.

Holi Festival

Each February or March, Fijians break out their colored paints and powders to celebrate the Holi Festival. Also known as the festival of colors or the festival of love, Holi is an ancient Hindu religious festival that Fiji has embraced with great enthusiasm. Holi isn’t a public holiday in Fiji, but Fijians of all religions get in on the fun.

Sabeto Hot Springs and Mud Pool

Definitely not overly commercialized, the Sabeto mud pools are not much more than a heated mud bath in the ground with a distinct smell of sulfur. That said, they’re a nice taste of island life outside the commercialized resorts.

Visit one of Fiji’s 333 islands

When most people think of Fiji, they think of the largest and most visited island in the chain (named Fiji as well). In fact, Fiji is made up of 333 tropical islands, many deserted and private like Castaway Island Fiji (also known as Qalito island). With 333 islands to choose from, you’re bound to find one that’s perfect for you.

Firewalking at the Mariamma Temple

Every July or August, you can watch men walk across red hot coals at the South indian fire-walking festival at the Mariamma Temple. Indigenous Fijian fire walking (known as vilavilairevo) was originally practiced only on the tiny island of Beqa, but today you can also see fire walking year round at the Pacific Harbour Arts Village, in many major resorts, or at Suva’s Hibiscus Festival in August.

Fijis underwater caves

The limestone caves of Sawa-i-Lau are famous for being one of the locations for the movie The Blue Lagoon. The inner limestone cave of Sawa-i-Lau is only accessible by swimming under a rocky veil so getting there isn’t for the faint of heart.

Sigatoka Sand Dunes National Park

These vast sand dunes set against a deep blue sea are well worth the two hour hike that takes you along the dunes and through a mahogany forest. If you ask, the rangers will tell you a little bit about the ancient burial site in the park that has evidence of human habitation from almost 3,000 years ago.

Naihehe Caves

The Naihehe Cave was once a fortress for a cannibal tribe, and still houses a cannibal oven. Even today, the cave is secluded, and only accessed by a 4×4 drive through the limestone mountains.

Colo-i-Suva Forest Park

The Colo-i-Suva (pronounced tholo-ee-soo -va) Forest Park is a true lush rain forest. If you’re lucky, you may spot a sulphur-breasted musk parrot, Fiji warblers or goshawks. There are natural swimming holes along the walking trails, with a rope swing in the Lower Pools to bring out your inner Tarzan.

Luckily, we’ve always emerged unscathed however these moments have taught us a few lessons about ourselves, the world in general and of things to watch out for while on the road. At a minimum, I hope they make for an entertaining story.

Without further ado, here’s our first officially crazy moment on the road and the lesson we took from it.

That crazy Outback

While on our first year long RTW in 2003, Micki and I had the opportunity to spend nearly five months touring Australia. On that trip we bought a van and crossed through the center of the Outback twice. First vertically from Adelaide to Darwin and then horizontally from Darwin to Cairns.

It was a great drive and we had the opportunity to meet tons of awesome, unique and interesting locals and visitors alike.

While near the center just outside Alice Springs, we made friends with a young couple from the UK. They also had a van they were traveling in and after a long day checking out the sites together we cracked open a bottle at our campsite and settled into a long night of drinking and story swapping.

At some point during the evening, our new friends invited another fellow (a Queenslander in his early 30s) to join us in our conversations. The fact he was camped right next to us and had a wife and two young kids (who were all already asleep) seemed proof enough that he was a decent fellow to our new friends, but something about him made Micki and I distrust him from the get go.

A long evening

As the night wore on, we listened to this newcomer continuously trash the local Aboriginals, rattle off false facts about Australia (we actually had a guidebook on the table in front of us) and pretty much every other word he said was rude and bigoted. Perhaps it was the JD and cola we were drinking, but we argued with him a little more than we probably should have.

Disgusted with us clueless idiots, he finally had enough of us and bid us goodnight in a not so pleasant fashion. Happy to be rid of him, we let him leave and good naturedly wished him a pleasant journey on the morrow.

To our amazement, a short while later, we noticed that he was returning. As he entered our camp, we quickly noticed the unusually large knife he was now carrying. To make a long story short, we spent a few minutes in an awkward holding pattern. That is, he was holding the knife while the scene from Crocodile Dundee continuously replayed in my head.

You know, the one where he pulls out this huge knife and says “That’s not a knife. That’s a knife.”

All joking aside, we finally talked the guy down (it seemed he hated me most of all), however to say he put a damper on the evening would be an understatement.

Nothing thicker than a knife’s blade separates happiness from melancholy.Virginia Wolfe

A long night

As he returned to his campsite, we all called it a night and we made sure that our new friends (who were severely inebriated by this point) were safe in their locked van before we headed to ours.

Seeing that we were in the middle of the sparse Outback, we had a clear view into his camping spot and we watched him clutching his knife and eyeing our van for over an hour before he finally went to bed.

I won’t lie, it was one of the longest nights of my life.

The good news is, by the time we got out of the van in the morning, they were already striking up camp and preparing to leave. We half expected a slashed tire or worse however all was good.

Wait, there’s more!

I wish that was the end of story however, almost comically, a few nights later we pulled into another camping spot up at Tenant Creek and wouldn’t you know it, we were parked right next to the Crocodile Dundee knife wielder once again.

Not willing to go another sleepless night, we quietly backed out (before he noticed us) and took another spot on the other side of the campground. We saw him a few times that night, however we’re not sure he recognized us. Needless to say, we didn’t go over and re-introduce ourselves.

Lessons learned: Trust your instincts and never get into a heated discussion with a Queenslander.

If you learn nothing else from this story, remember this: The wilder the situation, the better the story will be so get out there and learn your own lessons. Just remember to get a picture of it or it never happened.

If you’ve have any crazy on the road stories we’d love to hear it! Leave us a comment below and we can trade badges. I’m sure no one can beat our threatened with big ass knife badge. That one was definitely hard earned.

For those of you thinking of checking out this world famous city, here’s a quick list of 10 great things to do in Sydney.

1. Head to the beach

That’s Bondi Beach, baby. It might be ridiculously crowded on a hot summer day, but Australian locals and tourists alike flock to the water when the temperature soars. Located on the eastern side of town, Bondi is far enough away from downtown to feel like you’re in the suburbs, but it’s only a few minutes train ride away. Definitely the place to see and be seen.

2. Take a cruise

Being right on the ocean, Sydney is a hub port for a lot of cruise ships in the area. When we were there, we had the opportunity to see the largest ocean liner in world, the Queen Mary 2, docked in town.

3. Get iconic

The famous Sydney Opera House can be found on everything from postcards to paintings to clam shells. Even if you don’t get a chance to sit inside and listen to the wonderful acoustics, no trip to Sydney would be complete without checking it out first hand. It’s free to walk around outside and there are tons of great restaurants close by to fill up. Even if it’s not sunny, don’t forget your camera, because although the opera house practically glows when the sun is out, it still makes a nice backdrop to a gorgeous city on those cloudy days.

4. Ferry riding

Being right on the water, sometimes the easiest and most picturesque way to get across the city involves jumping on a ferry. Take off just a stone’s throw from Sydney’s iconic bridge and opera house at Circular Quay Station. Not only are the tickets affordable, but it can be a great way to see the city from a different angle.

5. Climb time

Feeling adventurous? If you haven’t gotten enough views of the opera house, how about from 134 metres (440 ft) above the waterline? Climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge is a classic Sydney attraction and a great way to get a workout while also seeing the best that Sydney has to offer.

6. Go botanic

The Royal Botanic Gardens are just a leisurely stroll from the Opera House and Circular Quay Station. They offer a quieter view of Sydney, and the vast gardens will insure that something is in bloom while you’re there. With its beautiful surroundings you’ll feel like you’ve been whisked to an oasis after fighting the crowds in the more popular venues.

7. Choo chooing

Sydney has great in town train service with routes zigzagging all throughout the city. Just like all roads lead to Rome, all trains lead to Sydney. If you find yourself close to a station, all lines go to a City Circle Station where you’ll find great shopping and restaurants. The City Circle Stations are Central, Circular Quay, Museum, St James, Town Hall and Wynyard.

8. Grab your hiking shoes

Whether you’re in Sydney for a while or only a few days, getting a little exercise and stretching those legs is a fun, affordable option. Whether you’re checking out Sydney Harbour on foot or hiking the six km gorgeous coastal path between Bondi and Coogee Beach there are a lot of ways to take in the scenery and get your heart rate up. The Manly Scenic Walkway and the Cronulla Beach Walk get great reviews.

9. Chowing down

Sydney has hundreds of great places to eat, however if you”re feeling a little nostalgic and hungry at the same time, you should check out The Rocks. History abounds in this ancient area of the city that has been uplifted to trendy status with its array of delicious restaurants, chic boutiques, old style pubs and hot dance clubs.

10. Artistic impressions

If galleries are more your thing, you can’t go wrong with the Art Gallery of New South Wales.  From traditional art to contemporary indigenous works, the Art Gallery of NSW is all around world-class. It’s also free, so it should be on your list if you want to discover Australia’s past for yourself.

Does all this sound like a lot of work?

We’re big fans of Viator tours, and they have some fantastic tours and things to do in Sydney.

Have any must see activities not listed here? We’d love to hear about them in the comments below and we’ll add them to our to do list the next time we’re there.

And we almost missed it.

When you think of Australia, what comes to mind? Probably the Outback, Ayer’s Rock (Uluru), the Great Barrier Reef, the Sidney Opera House, Bondi Beach, and maybe, maybe Kakadu. But Fraser Island, perched off the eastern coast of Australia, likely isn’t one of the first things that comes to mind.

And it’s a shame.

Fraser Island certainly wasn’t on our radar when we visited Australia, and it was only on the advice of a backpacker that we met in Bundaberg that we decided to make a last minute trip to Fraser Island. Turns out, it was one of the best places we visited in Australia.

So what’s so great about Fraser Island?

In a sentence? Shipwrecks, airplanes landing on the beach, towering sand cliffs, champagne tidal pools, wild dingoes, migrating humpback wales, a freshwater aquifer, camping on the beach, 4×4 sand tracks, sandy beaches, and a fascinating Aboriginal history. Here’s a overview of all the great things we found to do on Fraser Island.

Visit the rusting Maheno shipwreck, beached in a cyclone in 1935.

Drive by the towering sand cliffs of the Cathedrals, colored bright orange from years of erosion.

Watch planes land on the island’s only runway directly on 75 Mile Beach.

Tour the island by 4×4 on hundreds of miles of sand tracks. You can take a guided tour, or rent a 4×4 and explore at your leisure. We spent three days touring Fraser Island in our rented little 4×4.

You can visit rainforests and shifting sand dunes all in one place. How many places boast a tropical rainforest, with 100 year old trees up to 50 m tall, growing on sand dunes? The Island’s so unique that it’s been named a Unesco World Heritage site.

Check out the 100 freshwater lakes, some the color of tea from tannins leached in from falling leaves, and some as clear as any Caribbean beach. Fraser has 40 of the world’s 80 perched lakes (lakes nestled among sand dunes above sea level).

Fraser Island  is also rich in Aboriginal history, with Aboriginal campsites at least 5,000 years old. The Butchulla are the indigenous people of Fraser Island (who named the island K’gari, meaning paradise).

Float in Eli Creek, which pours 80 million liters of fresh water a day from the heart of the island into the ocean. The water comes from the world’s largest unconfined aquifer on a sand island.

Tour the 250 km of sandy beaches, and take a dip in the Champagne pools at low tide. The ocean’s beautiful to look at, but filled with man-eating sharks and vicious undertows, so save your swimming for the lakes.

Get up close with nature. Fraser Island is a great place to see migrating humpback whales (August to October), monitor lizards or freshwater turtles lying on the shore of Lake Allom. See over 300 species of birds, including the ground parrot, or search for kangaroos, wallabies and flying foxes. We loved watching turtles and sharks in the ocean below from beautiful panoramic Indian head.

If you’re very lucky, you’ll see one of the island’s shy and elusive wild dingoes slinking through the forest.

We got close to nature by tenting just off the beach or sleeping under the stars on the beach itself, but you can also sleep in luxury at the Kingfisher Bay eco resort.

Fraser Island Tips

Where: Fraser Island, the longest sand island in the world, is about 300 kilometres north of Brisbane, on Australia’s East coast.

How to Get there: The nearest airport is in Brisbane. You’ll need to take a ferry. Ferries run daily from Inskip Point at Rainbow Beach and River Heads at Hervey Bay.

When to go: You can visit anytime, although April to October has the best temperatures. Fraser Island can get very busy during Australian school holidays.

Getting around: You’ll need to either travel with a tour, or rent a 4×4 on your own to travel around the island. There are no paved roads on the island. All roads are sand tracks. Most people sign up with a guided tour or rent a vehicle at Hervey Bay.

How long: You could visit Fraser Island in a day, but two days is better, and three days is ideal to see all of the sites.

Where to stay:  Accommodation on Fraser Island ranges from the upscale  Kingfisher Bay resort, to camping on the beach, to backpacker hostels and B&Bs.

Safety: Fraser Island hosts wild dingoes, which can be dangerous, especially to children, people traveling solo and even small adults. Tragically, a child was killed by dingoes on Fraser Island and several attacks have been reported over the years. Read the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service’s information sheet on dingo safety before going.

Fraser’s beaches can also be exceptionally dangerous, as the waters surrounding the island are shark breeding grounds and there can be wicked undertows. Luckily, the lakes are great for swimming and there’s always the Champagne Pools to play in.

More information: The Queensland government’s website on Fraser island is packed full of useful information, including a detailed visitors’ guide with helpful maps.

This post is part of our flashback series, where we brave jumping crocodiles, and cruise Australia’s Outback on the historic Oodnadata Track.

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We decided to brave the track, sometimes notoriously rough and difficult, in our 14-year-old, 2-wheel-drive, Toyota HiAce van. We are prepared for the trip:  the van carries enough water to float a small navy, food for a few weeks, spare tires and a jack. Still, I’m worried that our van, which we’ve owned for barely two weeks, won’t be up to the trip.

That morning, we watched, disappointed, as rain turned the start of the track into a muddy mess. Locals at the Oasis Cafe in the small Outback town of Marree warned us against heading out, muttering something about it being “suicide” to take the track in the rain. That was all that I need to hear, and we decided to wait it out. Three hours later, the rain stopped, and we were clear to go.

At first, the road was smooth, but the surface quickly turned to red ooze as we made our way from Marree towards the small town of William’s Creek. Now, we slip and slide in the red muck, past rusting hulks of abandoned railway sleepers from the Old Ghan Railway. Skeletons of unlucky road kill, bleached white by the relentless sun, line the roadsides. The scenery only gets more surreal as we travel past a bizarre collection of enormous metal sculptures by some unknown Outback artist. One sculpture is of an airplane suspended precariously on its tail.

After hours of slipping through the mud, Lake Eyre South appears to our right, an enormous salt-water flat that rarely floods. Today, the salt crust of the lake shimmers with heat, and the lake is bone dry, despite the earlier downpour.

As we pull a few hundred meters off the main road to get a closer look, we notice that our van is starting to puff out black smoke, and backfire ominously. This is not a place where you want to break down. Tourists die out here. All the time. We must be a hundred kilometers from the nearest town, and the sun beats down mercilessly, even in the middle of the Australian winter. Disturbingly, I start to recall tales of travellers who have broken down in the Outback and died of dehydration.

We pull back onto the track, and the van, now coated with about 100 kgs of brick-red mud, mercifully makes it to William Creek, population:  ten hardy souls. The main street doubles as an airplane landing strip, and the gas station, pub, hotel, service station, and local restaurant are all housed in a building that looks about the same size as my parent’s garage back in Canada. William’s Creek is the hub for the Anna Creek Station, the biggest cattle station farms in Australia, with an area larger than Belgium.

The William Creek Hotel is everything that the Lonely Planet said it would be. The walls, ceiling, and bar are covered with business cards and driver’s licenses, and photos of spectacular 4-wheel-drive accidents. Gas is pricey this far from civilization.

As the van continues to cough and sputter, we decide to forgo the hundreds of kilometers remaining of the Oodnadatta Track, and make our way on the 164 km, relatively short, dirt road that leads to Coober Pedy. Leaving William Creek, the track quickly turns to corrugated washboard, and our poor van creaks and groans as we creep along at 50 km/hour. I am sure that pieces of our muffler and engine are being smashed off from the brutal impact of the ruts, but by some miracle our faithful van keeps moving forward.

I catch glimpses of the road, as I’m jolted up and down on my seat. Cattle from the Anna Creek Station appear suddenly around corners, forcing us to stop. There is nothing but red dust and corrugated road for miles, until we pass by a dusty and faded sign that points out the famous Great Dingo Fence. The fence is over 4,000 kilometers long, and built to keep dingos from preying on sheep in the Southern Australia.

I’m starting to feel like I can’t endure another second of the tooth-rattling impact when we first see the bitumen that leads the final few kilometers to Coober Pedy. We pull onto the smooth highway, and the desolate, surreal landscape of Coober Pedy, where Mad Max was filmed, seems like a lush, welcoming oasis.

This post is part of our flashback series, based on emails to friends and family from our first trip to Asia and Australia in 2003.

Check out this cool time lapse of the Oodnadatta track route:

More Info

The Oodnadatta Track, still unpaved, runs 671 km from the town of Marree to Marla in Southern Australia, passing through the outpost of William Creek. It was the original route of the legendary Ghan rialway. Before the Ghan, the track was an Aboriginal trading route. Today, it is much better maintained and traveled upon than when we were there however it is still considered an adventurous route.

If you’re planing to drive the Oodnadatta, you can find information on closures and warnings at the Department of South Australia. There’s some helpful information on driving the track at both Rita’s Outback Guide and Travel Outback Australia, and there’s a printable and mobile friendly guide on TripAdvisor.

Safety!

While the Oodnadatta is said to be one of the easier off-road Outback routes, it’s still very remote, and the track is badly rutted in some sections and slippery when it rains. If your vehicle breaks down, you’re a long way from help, so make sure you have plenty of water and food and stay with your vehicle at all times.

Where to stay

On the track, the only real accommodation option is the truly atmospheric William Creek Hotel. Check out the William Creek Hotel TripAdvisor reviews and the William Creek Hotel website.

How to get there

The nearest airport is in Adelaide, South Australia.

Like this? It’s no secret we love the road trip! You might like our fun road trips in Oahu, Costa Rica and the Canadian Prairies.

Nicknamed Hannibal, the croc was over 15 feet long and a predator from nose to tail. Hannibal was our spectacular introduction to a jumping crocodile cruise on the Adelaide River just outside of Darwin in the Northern Territory of Australia. Plan your visit to Darwin’s best things to do and go check out the jumping crocodiles. They are an amazing sight to see.

Within moments of his previous lunge, our petite female guide casually dangled more meat from a long pole into the river to lure Hannibal to jump again. Using quick tail movements, Hannibal slowly powered himself up out of the water, grabbed the bloody treat from its fragile string, and slowly sank back into the muddy river.

In the background, the boat captain gave a commentary in a surreal and cheery voice that reminded me a bit of Mr. Rogers. He explained that Hannibal was an estuarine croc, commonly called a salty. He calmly noted that saltwater crocodiles have occasionally taken an unfortunate person off the banks of the river and can reach up to 20 feet in length.

Right about then, I was more than happy to be on a huge boat, with a couple of tons of steel between the crocs and myself.

Cool and calm behind her dark sunglasses, our guide showed no signs of fear as Hannibal repeatedly lunged out of the river. Curious, we asked if she’d ever come close to being pulled into the water. Smiling, she said that she’d once panicked and held on to the pole as a croc tried to pull both the meat and her into the river. Luckily, an American bodybuilder on the cruise grabbed onto her T-shirt just before she was pulled over the railing.

As the boat glided down the river, our captain announced, in his chipper Mr. Rogers voice, that he’d spotted another croc to the right. Straining, I could barely make out what seemed to be a log floating on the edge of the riverbank. Eventually, the log began to move smoothly toward the boat. As it came closer, I could see the croc’s clear yellow eyes focused sharply on the dangling meat. Nearly 20 feet away, it disappeared below the brown water. Suddenly, the croc reappeared about five feet from the boat and lunged at the tempting treat. Just as fast as it attacked, it disappeared under the surface with barely a ripple.

By the end of the day, we were lucky enough to spot almost a dozen salties, ranging in size from barely three feet long to the huge Hannibal. Each time, the guide chatted calmly with us as the beasts snatched the meat dangling only a few feet from her sandals. With observation spots both on the lower level near the water and from above on the open canopied deck we always had great views of the saltwater crocodiles.

As both the afternoon and the cruise ended, we waved goodbye to our fearless guide and drove toward Kakadu National Park. Reminders of our time with one of natures greatest predators followed us throughout the day as we saw signs warning against swimming in the local creeks and watering holes all along the highway.

As we drove past the many creeks, I couldn’t shake the image of Hannibal hurtling himself out of the Adelaide River. After our amazing jumping croc cruise, the only swimming I planned in the near future was in the safety of a nice, clear swimming pool!

Fun saltwater crocodile facts

• Salties can jump out of the water so far that only one third of their tail remains underwater
• Salties can, and do, prey on humans
• They grow new teeth as and when they are needed
• Crocs swallow stones. This is thought to help both with digestion and buoyancy.
• They can swim up to 15 to 18 mph in short bursts (24 to 28 km/h)
• Crocodiles bask in the sun with their mouths open to regulate their body temperature

More information

Where: The Adelaide River crocodile cruises are 65 km from Darwin, Australia, on the Arnhem Highway on the way to Kakadu National Park. Turn left onto Window on the Wetlands.

Tour Operator and Cost: We booked this tour with the Spectacular Jumping Crocodile Cruise, still in operation. Cruises are $35/adult and $20/child. Check out reviews on TripAdvisor.

This post is part of our flashback series, taken from emails and letters written to our friends and family from our year long trip to Asia and Australia in 2003.