The Purple Passport

Seasoned advice for British Travellers

Oceania

One Day in the Northern Valley

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Are you looking at checking out what’s beyond the bright lights of the big Perth City? With the help of the friendly team we have put together a great itinerary for this escorted day tour, exploiting the Northern Valley and travelling away from the hustle and bustle of the Perth City for its veiled beauty is where our journey begins.

Heading North West of the City is an untouched and lush region that stays hidden to the average tourist, this day tour with its varied experiences from untouched bushlands and wetlands, vineyards, orchards, spectacular wildflowers and stunning scenery.

Sightseeing through some beautiful countryside through Gingin with the sampling delights that will tantalise even the most discerning of taste buds as we onwards travel to the ‘Nectar of Gods’ – The West Coast Honey Farm. With its golden liquid of plenty and the humming of bees in its fully functional hive inside for all to view, is a truly remarkable visual experience.

Lunching at a character pub is a must do on any travel and with this day tour out of the Perth City is no exception, with a generous serve of country hospitality the Scottalian is a true cosy eatery. Though continuing onwards only 60km out of Perth into this lovely area with rolling hills is the Citrus Orchard with its multiple varieties of lemons, limes, grapefruit, oranges and mandarins where we sample more produce that is grown in this amazing state.

Though if you are missing the sweet tooth component of the afternoon, that will soon change as the tour proceeds into the indulgence of the Margaret River Chocolate Factory in the Swan Valley, with its free samples of their melt in the mouth drops of white, milk and dark chocolate is worth its weight in gold.

Though for the savoury tasters the Providore right next door is the place to stop and taste the huge range of preserves, chutneys, olive oils, award-winning wines and not to be missed chocolate liqueur.

With this, all-absorbing trail and delectable samples through the Northern Valley with its unspoilt beauty is a perfect day out for all ages and with a guided day tour is the perfect match.

Visiting Queensland – Why You Need To Plan It Now!

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The Gold Coast is actually a city in Queensland, only 66km from the state capital of Brisbane, which can be done on a day trip very easily, and with a population of 638,000 it is the 6th largest city in Australia. Getting in by plane requires that you land at Coolangatta Airport, which is interesting in itself because the New South Wales and Queensland borders run through the middle of the runway, meaning you will land in one state and then disembark in another at the terminal building!

Getting Around The Area

To get around Gold Coast itself, you can take the very convenient Light Rail which runs from 5.00am to midnight. Gold Coast has several districts, each with their own flavour: The Main Beach is essentially a high-rise residential area with a nice beach, while Surfers Paradise is infamous for it’s surfing and wild nightlife: Many younger people come to Gold Coast from all over Australia and New Zealand to enjoy the sun, the nightlife and surfing, especially those on vacation from university.

Things To See And Do

Broad Beach has a casino and some shopping complexes, while Burleigh Heads beaches that are very popular with families and to a lesser extent younger surfers. Just outside the city, you can explore the ‘Hinterland’, which spans from west of the Pacific Motorway and is a spectacular collection of national parks, which mainly consists of mountain ranges and rainforest, which will make a welcome change for those who have just spent a while travelling in the more arid areas of Australia!

The highlight of the Hinterland are the Tamborine Mountain, which is home to numerous local small businesses running excellent restaurants, fudge making shops and even some wineries.
Other things to do include beautiful destinations within the Hinterland include Numinbah Valley – which has abundant waterfalls, rainforest walks and cleared grazing land, and Currumbin Valley which commands panoramic views of of the rainforests and Mount Tallebudgera. Many of these areas also have wildlife sanctuaries you can visit.

So, the Gold Coast and it’s surrounding area has something for literally everyone. With family friendly beaches to be found amongst the surfing beaches, and with Theme Parks and Water Parks, children will be well entertained throughout their stay, while the legendary nightlife and surfing draws a steady mix of young party goers and beach lovers.

Further Afield

The best way by far to experience these natural wonders just out of Gold Coast is by car, as you can then do it all at your own pace, however there are a number of excellent tours that can be arranged ranging from bus tours to all inclusive 4×4 tours deeper into the Hinterland and usually come with camping options.

Just like the fact that Gold Coast has a little bit of everything for everyone, gold coast accommodation reflects that and is available from budget basic hostels and guest houses – which are popular with younger people – all the way to luxury hotels that offer swimming pools, room service, mini-fridges and wonderful views over the beaches via spacious balconies.

With so much to do and catering to all budgets it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Gold Coast continues to grow and grow in popularity every passing year.

Do’s and Dont’s of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef

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The Great Barrier Reef is an incredible example of nature’s brilliance and an attraction which sees thousands of tourists visit every year. The Great Barrier Reef is a huge collection of coral and underwater bio-systems which have been baffling and helping scientists, and fascinating visitors for many years.

Unfortunately with the Great Barrier Reef, as a result of the damage which humans are doing to the seas,  a process called coral bleaching has begun in the reef which slowly erodes this magnificent coral system. If you are planning on heading to the Great Barrier Reef, here is what you should, and shouldn’t be doing.

Do’s

Let’s take a look at a few of the things that you most definitely should be doing during a visit to this stunning tapestry of coral.

Snorkeling and Diving

To see the reef at its absolute finest, you should most definitely take a snorkeling ,or if you are up for it, a diving adventure. It is worth noting that you should understand the complexities of each area of the reef as it is not always easy to traverse across the corals. If you are an accomplished diver then you should have no problems but if not, seek professional help to find out which route is best for you.

Kuranda Scenic Railway

The Great Barrier Reef is not just the large collection of coral, but more the area surrounding it. One of the coolest things to do outside of the reef then is to jump on this spectacular railway which takes you through the Barron Gorge, and up as high as 1,000 feet above sea level. Getting in touch with nature here is about more than just what exists below the sea.

Hamilton Island

The reef exploration can get a little crowded with tourists so why not consider heading a few kilometers up the shore line to the beautiful Hamilton Island. This is not only an awesome place of you to relax and enjoy the midday sun, it is also a great jumping off point to explore more of the fascinating reef itself.

Don’ts

There are some things which you should most definitely avoid doing if you plan on taking a trip to the GBR.

Feeding Fish

Sometimes your dive master may have some natural food which you can give the fish but for the most part, you should never feed them. Feeding fish encourages them to come closer to divers and they could very well ingest food which is not good for them.

No Touching

Just the slightest touch can kill coral or at the very least, cause you some pain as many of the cells and organisms down below have sharp spines which could give you a nasty cut.

No Souvenirs

It’s actually against the law to remove anything from the coral and besides, doing so will kill it, so even if you are tempted, leave everything as you find it.

This is a truly once in a lifetime journey and you should do your bit to help the region, and the reef by treating it with the utmost respect.