There are several options that a vacationer can choose from.  One is to cruise to Australia from North America, a trip that usually takes anywhere from ten to fourteen days and requires several days at sea.  Some vacationers choose to make this part of an extended or world cruise.  Still others will cruise to Australia, spend some time enjoying the country, and then fly home, or vice versa.  If you choose to cruise to Australia, be prepared to do so during the fall and winter months.  You’ll be crossing the equator which means that North America’s winter is Australia’s summer, making it an excellent time for cruise travel.  One option is to take a repositioning cruise at the end of the season.  Cruise lines need to move their ships to different parts of the world, depending on the time of year, so it may be possible to take a ship home from Australia that is being repositioned to North America.  These cruises can be slightly more affordable, but can also require more days at sea.

Another excellent option is to fly to and from Australia, but enjoy a cruise while you are there.  There are many cruise lines offering a wide variety of trips, from simple three day jaunts to a trip around the entire continent of Australia.  These cruises often also feature New Zealand, Fiji, and other areas in the South Pacific.

If you are thinking about holding your wedding in Australia, there are some very important considerations that must be thought out well in advance of your big day. First and foremost, you’ll need to ensure that you are meeting all the legal requirements – both in Australia and at home. The last thing you want is to get home from your trip only to find out that your marriage is not legally valid! Check with your local laws first, and find out what you will need in order to legalize the marriage. This may require getting a marriage license from your local authorities prior to your actual wedding.

You’ll also need to follow the legal requirements in Australia. First, settle on the marriage celebrant that you plan to use. Be aware that the fee to perform the wedding will be different from one officiant to another. Once this has been decided, you’ll need to provide them with a Notice of Intended Marriage form, within eighteen months of your wedding day, and no later than one month and one day prior to the day. Birth certificates will be required, as well as proof that any previous marriages have been dissolved.

Same-sex marriages are not legally recognized in Australia, so if you are looking to have a same-sex wedding, be aware that in Australia you may hold a commitment ceremony but it can not be purported to be a legal union.

In order to qualify for the TRS, you must purchase at least $300 worth of goods, including the GST, at one location and ask the cashier for a single tax invoice.  Goods must not be purchased more than thirty days before your departure from Australia.  All items that you are claiming must be worn on your person or carried in your carry-on luggage, unless security measures prevent them from being brought on board the plane.  Goods and services that have been consumed or used while in Australia (ie chocolate, hotel costs) are exempt from the refund.  You must make your claim at the airport at least thirty minutes before boarding the plane.

Upon arrival at the airport, you will first pass through Customs and Immigration, after which you will be able to approach the TRS counter to make your claim.  You must have the goods, your single tax invoice, passport, and proof of travel, such as your international boarding pass.  The refund will be paid by cheque, deposit to an Australian bank account, or payment to a credit card.

Items such as beer, spirits, and tobacco are not eligible for the TRS, however can be purchased at a duty-free store to save on cost.  Wine is acceptable for a refund.  Since customs must confirm that the goods are leaving Australia with you, eligible goods must be on your person, therefore items that do not fit into your carry-on luggage or worn on your person are not eligible for a refund.

For more information, contact the Australian Customs Service.

The most popular park in the region is Eungella National Park.  This is Queensland’s most ecologically diverse park, and is a great place to visit because many of the walking tracks are relatively short and easy, allowing everyone to enjoy the scenery.  There are also two scenic drives and a multitude of picnic spots.  Be sure to visit Sky Window for the exceptional views and the Broken River viewing platform where, if you’re lucky, you might spot a platypus!

Cape Hillsborough National Park is another popular place, mainly because its resident wallaby population is inordinately friendly and makes a morning trek down to the beach. For your safety and theirs, please don’t feed the wildlife, no matter how friendly they appear.  Here the rainforests cover the mountains and extend right up to the sandy edge of the beach and in the water beyond lies the Great Barrier Reef. 

The city of Mackay itself makes a great stop as well, with a new modern art centre and their local botanical gardens.  With excellent accommodation and dining, it is a great place to start your exploration of this remarkable area.

Australia’s quarantine laws protect the country from foreign diseases and insects.  Be prepared to declare all food, dairy products, animal products, fruits and vegetables, and seeds or nuts.  You will be given a legal document called the Incoming Passenger Card prior to arrival at the airport, and here you must declare any of the above items that you are carrying with you.  Once arriving at the airport, quarantine officials will let you know whether your items can safely be taken into the country.  If not, you may have several options, including paying for the item to be treated, storing the item at the airport until you are leaving the country, or disposing of the item in a quarantine bin.  Your baggage may be x-rayed or subject to detector dogs, and if you are found to have prohibited, undeclared items, you will be subject to an immediate fine and could even risk jail time.

There are also important security measures undertaken at Australia’s airports, as with airports all over the world.  Any containers of liquid, gel, or aerosol, must be under 100mg to be taken onboard in your carry-on luggage.

Prior to western exploration, Aboriginal people lived throughout the continent in culturally diverse groups.  The first European contact with Australia came in 1606 with the Dutch explorer Willem Janszoon, however it wasn’t until 1770 when Captain James Cook led a scientific exploration to the area that it was claimed as part of the British Empire.  Britain used Australia as a penal colony, sending convicts as indentured labour to the new country.  It wasn’t until the 1850s, with the gold rush, that the first settlers of Australia began to make their way there under their own free will.  The Commonwealth of Australia was created in 1901 and it gained its independence in 1931.  A major civil rights action occurred in 1967 when Australians voted overwhelmingly to allow the government to pass legislation to improve the lives of Aboriginal people throughout the nation.

Australia has a wide variety of climates, with desert, tropics, subtropics, plains, and rainforests, not to mention mountains and snowfields.  Tourism is major industry in Australia, and visitors from all over the world are flocking there to enjoy the warm hospitality, tropical weather, and unique natural features.  Natural resources are also important to Australia and make up a large proportion of their world exports.

With warm, tropical temperatures, crystal clear water, and an incredible array of sealife, it’s no wonder that this area has so many resorts.  If island life suits you, try the five star boutique hotel, the Beach Club, on Hamilton Island, the area’s largest inhabited island.  Looking for something a little more private?  Check out the Hayman Island Resort.  As the only facilities on the island, this five star resort offers luxurious rooms, lovely gardens, and a unique swimming pool.  There is no end of things to do on the island, both outdoor and water activities as well as in the resort’s spa.

If staying on the mainland seems more your speed, the resort town of Airlie Beach offers no end of fantastic accommodation.  The Martinique Whitsundays resort is known as one of the best, and its unique architecture was inspired by the French Caribbean style.  Just entering the resort is a journey in itself, as guests make their way into the lobby via a walkway over the pool.  The exclusive Coral Sea Resort is another fantastic facility with luxury apartments and penthouses, two swimming pools, and unique dining.

Travelers can also enjoy trips to the Great Barrier Reef in utter luxury due to the wealth of luxury cruises available in the area.  Whether you wish to travel by yacht, catamaran, or on the fastest vessel in the harbour, the ReefJet, you’ll find what you are looking for here.  Helicopter flights over the region are also popular.

The Min Min Encounter, in Boulia, gives visitors a show unlike any other, complete with fibre optics and special effects. It tells the true story of the Min Min light, a ghostly light that residents of the area have claimed to have seen for more than seventy years. If traveling with smaller children, the Tambo Teddies workshop may be more appropriate. Here you can watch the famous teddy bears being made from scratch. The Bilbies Centre in Charleville is home to Queensland’s most endangered species, a loveable little marsupial that is being bred at the centre as part of the effort to save the animals.

Older children will enjoy the Cosmos Centre and Observatory in Charleville, where they can enjoy films about the universe and at nighttime view the skies up close. The Qantas Founders Outback Museum in Longreach is an aviation museum full of interactive displays that are sure to please children of all ages.

Because it was once part of a huge inland sea, the Outback is particularly rich in dinosaur fossils.  Vacationers looking to experience Australia’s ancient past will want to head out on the Dinosaur Trail, a tour of the area that hits all the major prehistoric attractions.  Visit museums in Hughenden, Richmond, and Winton, as well as the Riversleigh Fossil Centre in Mount Isa.  The Lark Quarry Trackways is home to the largest fossilized dinosaur stampede.  In certain areas you can even dig for your own fossils or, if you are interested in a truly unique experience, join an organized dig.

Another outback must is a visit to a local pub.  Long known for their quirky atmosphere and colorful regulars, these pubs have been immortalized in movies and popular culture and are a great way to really get to understand the local culture of the Outback.  Another fantastic way to enjoy Outback culture is on a station stay.  Similar to a dude ranch, these stations raise cattle and sheep, and offer visitors a chance to try their hand at such chores as sheep shearing, mustering, and fencing.  Most offer extensive horse-back riding as well, allowing visitors to explore the land in a unique way.

Those who enjoy four-wheel-driving and fishing will find an abundance of possibilities in the Outback.  The area is home to more than twenty national parks, giving visitors an excellent opportunity to explore the outdoors.  Alternatively, the area can be toured simply for its heritage attractions.  In any case, making the trek into the Outback has never been easier and once there, visitors will be sure to find a unique Australian vacation experience.

Australia luxury travel is what awaits visitors to Lady Elliot Island, a coral cay island in the Great Barrier Reef.  The island is home to many species of wildlife, including a large Manta Ray population.  Because of the fragile nature of the ecosystem, the only accommodation is a world-class eco-resort that offers visitors several beaches, restaurants, and activities include reef walking, tours of the reef, diving, and stargazing.

For a more affordable Australian vacation that includes intimately experiencing the Great Barrier Reef, try visiting Lady Musgrove Island.  Visitors can take boat cruises in order to explore the island for the day, or spend a few nights camping on the beach.  Only fifty campers are allowed at a time, and campers must bring all equipment, including fresh water, with them.  Since the island is a very sensitive ecosystem, all precautions must be taken to ensure a light footprint.  However, this can be an affordable way to truly explore the wonders of the reef on your own terms.

Bundaberg is the main city in the area, and offers visitors a wide range of activities besides cruises out to the Great Barrier Reef.  Local attractions include the Alexandra Park and Zoo, the Fairymead House Sugar Museum, and of course, no visit would be complete without a trip to the Bundaberg Rum Distillery and a taste of their world-famous liquor.  There are also several local parks and gardens, and only a few miles from town is the Sloping Hummock, a dormant volcano that offers beautiful nighttime views of the area.