Exploring Your New Home

Since you will be living in Adelaide, Australia, for a few years it is a good idea to get out of the city and explore some of south Australia and you may even find the time to explore the rest of this great country. You can go on an organised tour, or travel independently. For information the best places to look are in tourism offices, on the Internet and in travel guides such as the lonely planet. Maps are available at petrol stations and from the royal automobile association (RAA) of SA, which has a bookshop at 41 Hindmarsh Street. 

PLACES TO SEE IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA

The Adelaide Hills
The Hills are a great destination for day trips from Adelaide. There are historic villages (Hahndorf, Strathalbyn, Norton Summit, Lobethal…), bush walks (the 1200km Heysen trial goes through Mount Lofty on its way north), wineries, gardens (Mt Lofty, Willunga, Beechwood and conservation areas (Belair, Morialta, Cleland…). 

The Barossa Valley
This wine area, just north of Adelaide, produces some of the best wine in Australia. The German heritage, the buildings and the food are other point of interest. You can make a day trip here by bus or car or stay overnight. Either drive around the wineries and villages or you can hire bikes.

The Fleurieu Peninsula 
The Fleurieu Peninsula provides great destinations for day or overnight trips. McLaren Vale is a wine region worth a visit for a tasting a nice lunch, or a bike ride. There are historic villages to visit (Old Noarlunga, Willunga..), beautiful coastlines for sightseeing and water sports (whale and penguin watching, surfing  and fishing in the south near Victor Harbour, and swimming in the beautiful beaches of the Gulf of St Vincent) and conservation areas to explore (Onkaparinga, Deep Creek, Newland Head Conservation Park). 

The South East and Mid North
The South East has a long coastline, the wineries of Coonawarra, amazing birdlife (the Coroong and Bool Lagoon) conservation parks (Ngarkat, Canunda), caves (Naracoote), extinct volcanoes and interesting ports within reach of Adelaide. The Mid-North the Clare Valley wine area, old mining towns (Kapunda, Burra), colonial buildings and the mangroves of St Kilda to make a visit worthwhile. 

Kangaroo Island 
The Sealink ferry departs from Cape Jervis several times a day. You can take your car or bike over and explore yourself or go on a tour. Kangaroo Island offers sports (scuba-diving, swimming, surfing, fishing, walking, biking, horse riding) island atmosphere, conservation areas (Flinders Chase, Gantheaume) wildlife (sea lions, kangaroos of course, penguins, koalas, birds), and towns (Kingscote, Penneshaw), food and wine. 

Murray River
The greatest river in Australia reaches the sea in South Australia. It is worth a visit if you are into nature, bird life, river cruises, houseboats and water sports.

The Flinders Ranges
These spectacular northern and southern ranges have wonderful scenery, flora, small towns, abandoned settlements, natural features (the basin of Wilpena Pound, gorges, valleys, peaks) and Aboriginal culture (including rock paintings and carvings). You can explore by foot, bike, horse, 4WD, car or even camel. The Pichi Pichi tourist train is another option. Conservation areas include Mt Remarkable, Flinders Ranges, Arkaroola Wildlife Santuary, and Gammon Ranges. Port Augusta is the transport hub for travels, you can organise tours and bus trips.

Yorke Peninsula And Eyre Peninsula
Yorke Peninsula has more mining towns (Moonta, Kadina and Wallaroo), beaches for fishing, surfing diving, swimming and relaxing and sanddunes. The Innes National Park is a treasure. Yorke Peninsula has resort towns with port histories, a rough coastline with whales and sharks, and a fishing industry at Port Lincoln. At the start of The Great Australian Bight is the popular Coffin Bay with its coastal National Park. You can journey westward and experience the Nullabor Desert (this means no trees in Latin). 

The Outback
The wide, solitary open spaces of the Outback give you a feel for the size of Australia. The opal mining towns like Coober Pedy (where people live underground) and Andamooka, the the Strzelecki and Simpson Deserts and the Oodnadatta track (with all its history) and the conservation areas of the Outback are worth visiting. A 4WD tour is recommended. 

THE REST OF THE COUNTRY

New South Wales
Sydney is the premier city of Australia in many respects. Its location on Port Jackson makes it visually stunning. Visit the Opera House, the Harbour Bridge, the beaches and shops. In New South Wales you can visit the Blue Mountains and the Snowy Mountains where you can hike, horse ride, ski and snowboard. Byron Bay is a great place to visit for surfing and alternative lifestyle. 

Victoria
Melbourne is the second largest city has great shopping, cafes and restaurants, culture and sporting events. Places to visit in the area include Wilson’s Promontory and Phillip Island. It is also terrific to drive to Melbourne along the Great Ocean Road. You can go whale watching at Warrnambool. 

Queensland
Brisbane is Australia’s third largest city, and the capital of Queensland. It is a lively city with cafes, culture, nightlife and a good climate. The amazing Great Barrier Reef runs along the coast of Queensland and is the most extensive reef on earth. The snorkelling and diving in along the reef are breathtaking. Travellers frequent Cairns because it caters to tourists and acts as a base to visit places such as the reef, Green Island, Fitzroy Island, the Atherton Tableland, the town of Kuranda, wonderful beaches, Port Douglas, and the rainforests of Cape Tribulation. 

Northern Territory
Darwin, the capital of the Northern Territory, is located closer to Indonesia than Canberra. Darwin has a relaxed topical feel. You can visit the spectacular Kakadu National Park from Darwin. Uluru (formerly Ayers Rock) is an enormous red rock that rises out of the middle of the desert is a deeply significant culture site for the Aboriginal people associated with it. You can walk around it, see rock art and caves, and visit the nearby rocks, Kata Tjuta (the Olgas). 

Western Australia
Perth is the capital of Western Australia. It is isolated from the rest of Australia. It is located on two rivers and has great beaches for swimming and surfing. Fremantle is worth a visit. Rottnest Island is a nice trip. 

Australian Capital Territory
Canberra, the capital city, has the National Museum of Australia and the Parliament House. 

Tasmania
Hobart is the capital of Tasmania, (the island off the southern end of Australia). This small city has culture, craft, cafes, a river, a harbour, and mountains in the background. It is worth exploring the natural wonders of Tasmania. It is a great place for bush walking and white water rafting.

Travelling There
The mode of transport depends on where you want to go of course. Since Australia is so big if you are planning to head off to somewhere far it is probably best to keep an eye out for a cheap airfare. Otherwise you can go by bus on the Greyhound Pioneer Australia Bus Company or another bus company. Trains connect the major cities but it pays to weigh up the time and money against other modes of transport. Of course you can go by car if you have one, share a car with friends, or hire a car.

Accommodation
Of course if you have the money you can always stay in a nice hotel or motel, or a bed and breakfast but if you are a typical poor student then the most economical choices for accommodation are staying in hostels, camping and staying in caravan parks. Camping in the bush is a particularly great way to get in touch with Australia and don’t worry if you don’t have a tent just use the yellow pages in your phone book to hire one. Campsites can cost from around $3 to $10 per person. Hostels are another option (and the better option in the city!). YHA is a chain hostel which you can join that has small dormitories, twin rooms and facilities for $12-$20. You can contact YHA offices or go to <http://www.yha.com.au> to find out more. There are many other hostels, most of which have dormitory beds for between $14-$35 and twin or double rooms for $35-$50. There are even places where you can live on a farm and work for your board for a period.