Things to Do in Australia And The Pacific

Part of the draw of any visit to Australia is to see some of its much-heralded rustic beauty. Ayers Rock has its fan-base, as does Byron Bay, but to many a Aussie, there’s nothing more beautiful than watching the sun set over the pristine beaches of Wilson’s Promontory.

Lovingly referred to as “The Prom” by locals, this coastal outcropping is the furthest south one can go on Mainland Australia and features 50,000 hectares of untouched granite peaks backed by white sand beaches . Miles of walking tracks meander all through the pristine coastline, and hikers get to see the Australian wilderness as nature intended it. Teams of kangaroos, koalas, emus and wallabies scurry about the brush and grasslands, while penguins come to roost along the beaches at nightfall.

Though Wilsons Promontory is a widely beloved spot, it is famous for its short-yet-seemingly long distance from civilization. The Australian’s designed it this way in order to keep it a habitation for only those critters who originally found the coastal wilderness. A short trip here feels miles away from the bustle of nearby towns, and the silence lets visitors hear the ocean, the breeze, and even the unique “squeak” that comes from walking barefoot on the Prom’s own Squeaky Beach. A unique experience to be sure.

Williamstown is a historic port village at the mouth of Melbourne’s Yarra River. The town has rich colonial history and makes a charming Sunday excursion from the city.

Melbourne’s original sea port is characterised with heritage landmarks that have endured more than 150 years on the salty edge of Hobsons Bay and Port Phillip Bay. The Old Morgue is made of bluestone and was built by convicts in 1859. The Timeball Tower at Point Gellibrand was built in 1855 as a lighthouse and timeball, and continues to keep time today. The Mechanics Institute built in 1860 now houses the Williamstown Historic Society and is open to the public every Sunday between noon and 4pm.

Williamstown is also a scenic spot for a walk along the promenade, some fish and chips by the pier and a view of the Melbourne city skyline. Finer dining and boutique browsing amongst Williamstown’s beautiful old buildings is another appealing way to spend an afternoon.

Spread out over four spacious floors, Sydney's trendsetting White Rabbit Gallery is the largest collection of Chinese contemporary art found outside of China. Privately owned by Judith Neilson, the gallery features work from hundreds of artists and completely changes every six months to feature a new collection.

The Yasawa Islands are unlike anywhere else in Fiji. Taller and more grandiose than the neighboring Mamanuca Islands, the remote Yasawas are less developed, less commercialized, and closer to the heart of traditional Fijian culture.

Up until 1987 village life on the Yasawa Islands existed much as it had since the area’s original settlement. Handfuls of tourists began visiting the Yasawas in the 1950s, but it was forbidden to spend the night on shore and they were required to return to their ship. With the opening of the Yasawas to tourism, however, villagers opened up budget accommodations and entrepreneurs erected luxurious resorts. Despite the moderate growth, however, the Yasawas remain a secluded chain of 12 islands which are further from Nadi in both distance and mindset than the popular shores of the Mamanucas.

Reaching the Yasawa Islands is easy and straightforward for passengers on the Yasawa Flyer “yellow boat”, which departs from Denarau Marina daily at 8:30 a.m. Once on shore on the island of your choice, the two largest activities in the Yasawa Islands are hiking to the summit of jungle-strewn peaks and scouring the corals of the offshore reefs. At night, take part in a traditional kava ceremony or dance the night away with late night entertainment. For accommodations, unless you’re staying in an ultra-luxurious privately owned resort, many of the hotels in the Yasawa Islands are of the budget backpacker variety and feature mosquito nets, rain catchment systems, and the sound of waves lulling you to sleep each night. The Yasawas are developing quickly, however, and more moderately-priced accommodations are becoming available every year.

For many, the Yasawa Islands represent the white sand beaches of Fiji they had dreamt about, without the price tag their friends had warned them about. Despite only being two to four hours by boat from the Mamanucas, a visit to the Yasawas is a cruise back in time to when life was simpler and days were slow. It’s an oceanfront hammock, a blank to-do list, and a verdant mountain peak exploding from a lagoon where you start your day with a swim each morning. Even though the islands take a bit longer to get to, the hardest part isn’t arriving in the Yasawas, it’s getting up and trying to force yourself to leave.

The Woolloomooloo Wharf (also known as ‘the Finger Wharf’) is the largest timbered-piled building in the world. It was built in 1915 and for the next 70-odd years handled the export of much of Australia’s wool, as well as served as a disembarking point for new migrants arriving to the country.

By the 1970s usage of Woolloomooloo wharf was on the decline and by the 1980s it had become derelict and empty. The state had planned to demolish it, but when demolition work was set to begin there was such a strong public outcry that it was decided that the wharf would instead be renovated into a boutique hotel. Today, the wharf has been converted into a fashionable complex, housing some of Sydney’s finest restaurants and most stylish residential flats.