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Top 10 Australian Festivals for 2014
There’s an Australian festival to suit everyone this year, so make it your new year’s resolution to try and get to at least one of these spectacular Top 10 events.
Perth International Arts Festival
Held from February 7th to March 1st at various locations around Perth, this annual event showcases the work of the best local and international artists, writers, dancers, actors, musicians and film makers. This year’s festival has a distinctly digital theme.
The Rainforest Skywalk at the Gold Coast
If you’re staying on the Gold Coast, you owe it to yourself to visit the Tamborine Rainforest and take a stroll along the incredible Skywalk through the treetops. It’s a multi-million dollar structure that lets you see the rainforest in all its beauty from a spectacular bird’s eye point of view.
You start out at the Visitor’s Centre, which has a lot for you to see and do before you even head off. As well as a gift and souvenir shop, there’s the Birdwing Café where you can enjoy light refreshments on the deck with scenic views of the rainforest.
What’s on in Melbourne
Summer is a great time of year, especially in Melbourne. No matter if you’re visiting from overseas or interstate, there is something for you.
Designing 007: 50 Years of Bond (01/11/2013-23/02/2014)
Designing 007: Fifty Years of Bond, is an exhibition at the Melbourne Museum that is dedicated to the James Bond franchise.
The exhibition has props, images, design sketches, costumes and a selection of Q’s gadgets from the official James Bond films. The jewel in the crown of this exhibition is the 1964 Aston Martin DB5.
The exhibition boasts a replica of the room where Ian Fleming wrote the novels. The exhibition also has Q’s laboratory, complete with the briefcase from the film From Russia With Love.
Caribbean Pirates at the Polly Woodside (06/01/2014-25/01/2014)
Caribbean Pirates at the Polly Woodside is an hour-long interactive theatre production performed on the shoreside and atop the decks of the Polly Woodside. This high seas adventure comes to life on the Polly Woodside. Learn to sing pirate songs and talk pirate talk. There is even a treasure hunt you can participate in.
Don’t be a landlubber – get your family down to Polly Woodside this summer.
Funfields
Funfields, a staple for families in Melbourne located 40km from the CBD, is open for another season and as the name suggests, is just it is a whole lot of family fun.
This year has a new addition to the park, The Typhoon, a two-person waterslide. The ride features an almost 60 ft drop. Those who choose to take on the ride will experience speeds of up to 30km/h as they make their descent down the ride’s 450 ft double tube water slide.
What to do in Melbourne
Melbourne has so many things for visitors to do and see, year round. If you’re planning a trip down to this fair city, here are a few things for you to check out while you’re in town.
Great Ocean Road
The Great Ocean Road is one of the greatest driving experiences in the world. This 242 kilometres of road officially runs from Torquay to Warrnambool along the Victorian coastline and offers those taking the trip majestic views of the 12 Apostles.
Melbourne Tops Australia Traveller’s Best City List
A survey of more than 1,000 travellers chose Melbourne as the best city in Australia. Respondents to the annual Australia Traveller query voted Melbourne the crown, dethroning the 2012 champion, Sydney.
The survey had a variety of criteria’s. Winning cities were judged on their merits in a number of categories, and the results then compiled to determine the overall winners. Melbourne’s win hinged on such strengths as its growing economy, lively art scene, and world-class culinary offerings.
Defining Five-Star
The problem with rating hotels is that there is no universal, agreed standard or framework for determining how stars are awarded. For instance, AAA Tourism has rated only six Sydney hotels and nine hotels in Melbourne with a five-star rating.
Essentially, the number of stars given really depends on who is awarding them. For example, a motoring association may assess a hotel quite differently to the way a hotel assesses itself.
Seeing Brisbane on a Budget
Brisbane is a great city to visit on any budget.
One cost-effective way to see in Brisbane city is to take advantage of the cities bike share scheme. There are also free walking tour that takes in the city precincts, public art, nature and heritage.
Foodies in Heaven in Tasmania
For those whole love fine food, there is no better destination than Tasmania.
In this beautiful part of Australia, amazing produce and delectable food such as Black Devil cherries, fresh cracked oysters, goat and cow cheeses, and fillets of wallaby are readily available.
Women Choose to Travel without Men
Increasing numbers of women are choosing to travel without their male counterparts.
Women are opting to travel without men for a wide range of reasons. Some women travel independently following a break-up, while others desire shopping holidays that do not require apologies or guilt over spending habits or time dedicated to retail.
Anne Fulwood’s Most Loved Places
According to television personality Anne Fulwood, who grew up in the country, the beach was a source of pure delight during childhood.
Fulwood recalls leisurely days at Adelaide’s beaches that concluded with fish and chips for dinner as the sun set.
