10 Things I Love About Australia

Posted by Lynn on February 21, 2015 in Advice + Tips, Australia, Beaches, Bruny Island, Canberra, Coast, Inspiration, Melbourne, Sydney, Tasmania, Waterfalls, Wine | 8 comments

Australia is awesome! I know that word is overused and trite, but this is a case where it fits. After two months in Australia, I’ve barely scratched the surface, but here are 10 reasons you should consider going down under to Oz…

Faces & Places 

1) The people – Amanda & Maurice, Lenore & Lindsey, Soraya, Clare, and Derek, took me into their homes and their lives, and shared their country with me. Australia is full of good-hearted, friendly, helpful people.

2) The scenery – whatever your favorite scene, waterfalls, sandy beaches, calm lakes, or rocky shorelines, Australia has something to please your eyes.

3) The flora -Agapanthus, Grevillea, Bottle Brush, Sturt Pea, Kangaroo Paw, both red and gold, Banksia (alien-looking flowers), Christmas bush, Red tower ginger (that look like they have yellow beaks), Australia is chock full of exotic plants.

4) The fauna – kangaroos & koalas, pademelons, platypus & penguins, wallabies & wombats, cassowaries, cockatoos & echidnas, not to mention Tasmanian devils, they’re all here down under.

5) The food & wine – markets full of fabulous fruits, Peruvian restaurant Pastuso in Melbourne, Amanda’s pavlova, wine tasting (Yass, Yarra & Tamar regions, as well as the more famous Barossa), Bruny Island, Tasmania for local artisan producers, and the list goes on and on.

6) The accents – the way they call everyone dah-ling, and they might ask you to stand over he-ah…

7) The signs – when is a bowler hat not a bowler hat? When it’s actually a sign for a speed bump. And lots of the animal signs you won’t find in too many other countries.

8) The ocean – above & below, from water or land, it’s beautiful.

9) The art & architecture- classic and contemporary, whether in Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne or Hobart, there’s bound to be something you love, or at least you’ll want to express an opinion on.

10) Iconic places- tourists flock to these places, but for good reason. The Great Barrier Reef, Uluru, the Sydney Opera House, Parliament House in Canberra, wine country, Melbourne, Tasmania/Cradle Mountain, all are enriching in beauty, culture  and history.

These aren’t necessarily in any particular order. And it’s not definitive. You’ll just have to go visit yourself and create your own list!