At the tip of the Great Lakes of New South Wales, Tuncurry is one of a pair of twin towns, and is joined to its sibling Forster by a record-breaking bridge. When it comes to sheer variety of things to do, Tuncurry is hard to match. There’s the pure waters of Wallis Lake, abounding with …
In 1878 this city on the Upper Spencer Gulf became the southern terminus for a north-south railway intended to reach Darwin. Even now, Port Augusta is seen as an entry point for the vastness of the Outback. To back that up, there’s a world-class botanic garden showcasing low-rainfall species, and the city’s visitor centre hails …
In the Sunshine Coast’s hinterland you’ll find the town hailed for saving Queensland from bankruptcy in the 1860s. Alluvial gold was discovered in the area in 1867, triggering a gold rush that turned Gympie into a fully fledged town in a matter of months. As you wander Gympie it’s fun to remember that the central …
The last reach of the Camden Haven River is commanded by a lone mountain wrapped in rainforest. This is North Brother Mountain, the northernmost of the Three Brothers, running parallel to the Mid North Coast of New South Wales. By amazing coincidence, the Aboriginal name for these peaks, relating to three brothers killed by a …
This growing suburb in the Hunter Region is near the west shore of Lake Macquarie, a vast saltwater lake and a Mecca for recreation. The story of Cooranbong is entwined with the Seventh-day Adventist denomination, which moved here in the 1890s during their mission to Australia and the Pacific Islands. Avondale University College, an absorbing …
This small town neat the Manning River Estuary is a regional centre endowed with an excellent gallery and performing arts stage. Taree is a creative kind of place, with a lively arts and crafts centre and an attraction called Artisans on the Hill, combining a gallery, workshops and accommodation. The Manning River will be a …
The town of Bomaderry lies on the north bank of the Shoalhaven River, across from Nowra, which is the major settlement in the City of Shoalhaven. Bomaderry and Nowra are practically contiguous, and attractions like Shoalhaven Zoo, the historic house museum Meroogal and the sheer cliffs lining the river are all a few minutes away. …
In the dry and distant Queensland outback, the city of Mount Isa was founded in the 1920s when a lone prospector came across one of the world’s largest metal deposits. Within a few years, Mount Isa would be a fully fledged town hooked up to the coast by railway. Mount Isa Mines has brought record-breaking …
In the middle of the 19th century this coastal town at the mouth of the Richmond River was a centre for shipbuilding, and serviced whaling vessels on their way up and down the east coast. Whaling is long consigned to history, but humpback and southern right whales still bring people to Ballina, and you can …
The far-flung township of Alice Springs is a trifling 1,500 kilometres from the nearest city. You could not pick a better place to feel what it means to be in Australia’s Red Centre. The Arrernte Aboriginal people have made it work for tens of thousands of years, and discovering their culture and age-old survival methods …