Kosciuszko National Park, NSW
We did the main range walk 20 km in less than 7 hours and reached the highest point of Australia - Mountain Kosciuszko - 2228m.
Our first View: https://youtu.be/1yEE8lBIlcw
Photo Credit: Anatoly Patrushev & Elena Levkovskaya
The Jenolan Caves are limestone caves in the Blue Mountains, eastern Australia, the most ancient discovered open caves in the world.They include numerous Silurian marine fossils and the calcite formations, sometimes pure white, are noted for their beauty. The cave network follows the course of a subterranean section of the Jenolan River. It has more than 40 km of multi-level passages and over 300 entrances. The complex is still being explored.
2. The Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Credit: ESA
This satellite image, acquired by the Landsat-8 satellite on 23 August 2013, takes us off the east coast of Australia where currents swirl in the water around corals.The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest coral reef system, covering more than 344 000 sq km. The reef’s diversity of life faces numerous threats such as climate change, pollution, fishing and outbreaks of the coral-preying crown-of-thorns starfish.
3. Saint George Basin, Australia. Credit: ESA
This satellite image over the Kimberley region of Australia captures the Saint George Basin along the country’s northwestern coast.The basin is a deep harbour connected to the sea by a narrow strait. It is bounded by steep cliffs with large expanses of tidal mud flats and mangroves.The Prince Regent River flows into the basin from the lower-right corner, and the land north of this river is part of the Prince Regent National Park – a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The Aboriginal Worora people are the traditional owners of this area, which is one of Australia’s most remote. It is mainly accessed by air or boat, since there are no roads.The Japanese Advanced Land Observation Satellite captured this image on 16 June 2009. ALOS was supported as a Third Party Mission, which means that ESA used its multi-mission ground systems to acquire, process, distribute and archive data from the satellite to its user community.In April 2011 the satellite abruptly lost power while mapping Japan’s tsunami-hit coastline.
4. The Great Barrier Reef. Credit: ESA
This Envisat image features the southern part of the Great Barrier Reef off Australia’s Queensland coast. It is the world’s most protected marine area, one of its natural wonders and a World Heritage site. Spanning more than 2000 km and covering an area of some 350 000 sq km, it is the largest living structure on Earth and the only one visible from space. This image was acquired by Envisat’s Medium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MERIS) on 8 November 2010 at a resolution of 300 m.
5. New Caledonia. Credit: ESA
The New Caledonia archipelago, 1210 km east of Australia, is captured in this Envisat image, acquired on 5 July 2011. The main island, Grande Terre, dominates the image, stretching 350 km long from northwest to southeast. A mountain range runs the length of the island – its highest point reaching over 1620 m – and divides the land’s lush east from the savannahs in the west. A coral reef surrounds the main island and stretches into the Coral Sea to the northwest. The reef provides an important nesting site for green sea turtles and is home to endangered dugongs.
6. Kimberley Region, Australia. Credit: ESA
Western Australia’s Kimberley region, with a coastline along the Timor Sea, is pictured in this Envisat image. Off the coast in the lower left we can see a group of three coral reefs, known as the Rowley Shoals. Near the centre of the image is King Sound – a large gulf measuring about 120 km long and 50 km wide. On the upper-right side is Australia’s largest artificial lake by volume, Lake Argyle, on the Ord River.
7. Lake Amadeus. Credit: ESA
Sentinel-2A captured Lake Amadeus in Australia’s Northern Territory on 19 December 2015.
8. Uluru Ayers Rock. Credit: ESA
Uluru/Ayers Rock in the Australian outback stands over 340 m above the surrounding desert and measures about 9 km around. The rock formation is an Inselberg– German for ‘island mountain’ – a prominent geological structure that rises from the surrounding plain.
9. Australia's Red Center. Credit: ESA
This Envisat image highlights the Lake Eyre Basin, one of the world’s largest internally draining systems, in the heart of Australia. White cloud streaks stand in contrast to the Red Centre’s vast amounts of crimson soil and sparse greenery.
The basin covers about 1.2 million sq km (about the size of France, Germany and Italy combined), including large portions of South Australia (bottom), the Northern Territory (upper left) and Queensland (upper right) and a part of western New South Wales (bottom right). This image was acquired by Envisat’s Medium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer on 3 July 2010 at a resolution of 300 m.
10. Northwestern Australia. Credit: NASA
During an International Space Station flyover of Australia, NASA astronaut Jeff Williams captured a colorful image of the coast and shared it with his social media followers on March 29, 2016, writing, "The unique terrain of the northwestern Australian coast."
"Explore Australia" is a kind of photographic magazine about beautiful places, vivid events in Sydney and beyond. Also, you will find some short stories included facts, personal impressions, and 'to-do' lists in one place, monthly.
Read “Explore Australia”, October 2016 by link http://bit.ly/2e3OzlQ
and let us know if you like it and/or what to do better.
We welcome your feedback.
Sculpture by the Sea returns to the Bondi Beach to Tamarama Beach coastal walk. See the coastal walk transformed into a 2km long temporary sculpture park featuring over 100 sculptures by artists from Australia and across the world.
Located in Sydney’s south-east, the La Perouse peninsula forms the northern headland of Botany Bay. Botany Bay National Park constitutes a large portion of the area. You could easily spend the day exploring the cliffs of the peninsula and historic Bare Island.
Explore the Bare Island Fort, built in 1885 to protect Sydney from a perceived Russian threat. Guided tours of the island are available.
The La Perouse Museum and Visitors Centre now stands on the site of the spot of the First Fleet’s first landing in 1788, featuring exhibitions of Australian history. From here, follow the Henry Head Walking Track, a dramatic coastal walk to the Endeavor Lighthouse.
Learn more about the prolific history and culture of the Aboriginal Kameygal people, traditional owners of the land, in a half day guided tour of the area. The monthly Blak Markets provide another vibrant excursion into local indigenous culture, where you can also participate in art and craft workshops.
La Perouse is also home to three golf courses at St Michael’s Golf Club, The Coast Golf Club and Randwick Golf. All three courses enjoy stunning panoramic ocean views. All three golf clubs have great restaurants.
When we told our Aussie friends that we’ll spend a long weekend in Canberra they were surprisingly asked us: “WHY?!”. We heard many times that “there’s nothing to do in there”, “Canberra is sooo boring as a hell” and so on. However, we decided to visit Australia’s capital for the very first time and to form our own impression. So, check out our “dos” and what we’d explored.
On the way to Canberra. Lake George. Photo: Elena Levkovskaya
First Impression
At the first blush, nothing’s special that could catch our eye, but unusually solitary and uninhabited city, quiet and easy, as if in a village. No crowds, no traffics. Even in CBD. And it doesn’t matter if it’s a day or a night time. So, it’s better to be prepared and to have your own “to do” list. And, first of all, read about upcoming events here if it worth your attention.
Photos: Elena Levkovskaya
Discover Major Events
Floriade Flower Festival in October - Australia’s biggest celebration of spring. Major flower festival held annually in Canberra offering entertainment, regional food and wine, workshops and educational demonstrations. And endless garden beds of tulips! Free entry.
At Floriade. Photo: Elena Levkovskaya
Explore amazing outdoor lighting design and production at Floriade Nightfest. Impressive lighting installations for 27AUD (general admission, better to buy online). More photos by link.
Floriade Nightfest. Photo: Elena Levkovskaya
Art
Сatch sight of a big amount of public art sculptures in. For example, this big donut - Keizo Ushio’s “oushi zokei, dream lens for the future”. It revealed that almost the same “donut” you can find in Japan by the same artist, but it has three twists instead of the one in Canberra.
Oushi Zokei, aka the Donut of Nortbourne Ave. Photo: Elena Levkovskaya
Photos: Elena Levkovskaya
We found the full list of public art in Canberra, if interested check this link: http://www.arts.act.gov.au/arts-in-the-act/public-art/list
Make a stop at the nearby National Portrait Gallery to see works on the people and identities who have shaped Australia’s national identity.
National Gallery of Australia. Visit Gallery (virtual tour) to view Australia’s national art collection, which has more than 165,000 works and includes the world’s largest collection of Indigenous Australian artwork. We found interesting stories about aboriginal art here (and yes, there are free tours in Gallery hourly so wai for it).
Photo: Elena Levkovskaya
Museums, Museums and Museums
There’s no better place to discover the Australian story than in Australia’s capital, Canberra.
Parliament House No.1 place of interests in Canberra. See where Australia’s political decisions are debated and decided. We were so impressed by its simplicity and it’s still a question why its development cost 1.1 billion AUD?
The principal design of the structure is based on the shape of two boomerangs and is topped by an 81-metre flagpole.
Photo: Elena Levkovskaya
Royal Australian Mint
This year RAM celebrates 50 years of decimal currency. It’s always interesting to know the process. Take a free tour that runs seven days a week (Mon-Fri: 10 am and 2 pm, Sat, Sun and Public Holidays: 11 am, 1 pm and 2 pm) RAM is not offering public tours during Floriade.
We love the place!
How do you think why is kayak here? o_O Photo: Elena Levkovskaya
Questacon
Perfect place for children, though it’ll be interesting for adults as well. Questacon – the National Science and Technology Centre, is located on the southern shore of Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra, Australia. It is a large center with more than 200 interactive exhibits relating to science and technology.
Photo: Elena Levkovskaya
Australian War Memorial. Hear the stories of the people and events that have shaped the nation. It’s good to be here at 5:45 P.M. not to miss the Last Post Ceremony. We were truly impressed.
Photos: Elena Levkovskaya
Food & Drinks
Try shakes at Patissez (21 Bougainville St, Griffith ACT 2603) by 4 P.M.
Our company. Photo: Vasyl Zubach
There are many restaurants of Asian and Indian cuisine in CBD. You may find a restaurant in other suburbs, e.g. in Manuka, with live music.
What else?
1. Stay the night in Braddon (use airbnb service) and have a breakfast here.
2. Watch a movie in Capitol Cinemas Manuka. (What else to do after 6 P.M. if everything’s closed?). A nice suburb for lunch, 10AUD tickets in cinema for “Sully” movie.
3. Take a walk at night through Lake Burley Griffin.
Photo: Elena Levkovskaya
4. Go to Black Mountain, Telstra Tower to have a view (but it’s not must do)
Photo: Vasyl Zubach
5. Stay for couple minutes to enjoy cherry blossoms or do a BBQ in Black Mountain Peninsula Park
Photo: Elena Levkovskaya
6. If you are by car, visit National Arboretum and Bonsai Park. Impressive!
Photo: Elena Levkovskaya
7. Be attentive and behold - you’ll never meet these beautiful red & blue parrots in Sydney, but in Canberra they are everywhere
Photo: JJ Harrison
So, in Canberra may be interesting if you go with friends, like museums and contemporary art. Of course, it’s good to visit a Parliament and to find out more about Australian history. 1-2 full days will be enough. And don’t forget to use sunscreen and smth warm to wear ;)
The Blue Mountains is about 2 hours west of Sydney, easily accessible by local train or car. The walk is mostly along well-marked tracks and trails, with occasional steeper sections, either ascending out of or descending into the gorges and valleys below. It’s a great combination of easy going, moderate and more challenging walking terrain offering something for every level of experience.
We chose a hard grade - Wentworth Pass/National Park combined with another routes. So, our bushwalk was about 12-15 km overall in a day.
Find your route by this link
Check List for Walkers:
• KEEP WELL BACK FROM CLIFF EDGES.
• Do not climb safety fences.
• Supervise Children Carefully.
• Always carry water for drinking.
• For longer walks warm, waterproof clothing is advised. Weather changes can be
dramatic and swift in the mountains
• Know your route - and advise friends where you are going and what time to expect you back
• Wear sensible walking shoes (boots are not essential)
• Carry a bag for rubbish and encourage others to do likewise
• Wear a hat and protect skin from sun
• Keep to the tracks
For more photos, please, click here:
https://www.flickr.com/gp/levkovskaya/u7hkMU
Photo credits: Elena Levkovskaya
P.S.: Thanks a lot for all participants. It was a great day!
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