Uluru – Icon of Australia

by

At the end of May 2017, Uluru stood as a silent sentinel over an historic summit of the First Nations of Australia. They had come from across the continent and the Torres Strait Islands, 250 community leaders. At the end of 3 days of deliberation, they issued a powerful and beautifully crafted document, entitled Statement From The Heart.  It rejected symbolic recognition. Speaking from the  “ torment of powerlessness” it demanded a constitutionally enshrined Indigenous voice in government decision-making. It also called for a Makarrata Commission to supervise agreements with government and lead the way to a treaty.

This summit and the charter it produced added another dimension to the political, cultural and spiritual significance of Uluru.

Read more
Ningaloo Reef

Ningaloo Reef Australia for Women Travelers

by

How I came to swim with the sharks, giant turtles, stingrays, dugongs and endless schools of dazzlingly coloured fish in Ningaloo.

Everyone knows of the Great Barrier Reef off the east coast of Australia. Far fewer know of the magnificent corals that form the Ningaloo Reef off the west coast of Australia. This is surprising given that Ningaloo was awarded World Heritage status and recognized as one of the most spectacular and last remaining pristine coral reef systems in the world. It is home to 220 species of coral and 500 species of tropical fish.

Read more

Port Arthur, Tasmania

by

Port Arthur is a place full of contradictions. At first glimpse, it gives the impression of an English stately home set in rolling hills and lush gardens beside an idyllic harbour. In reality, it was one of Britain’s most fearsome penal colonies that enslaved, brutalised and killed convicts during the 19th Century. It was a place […]

Read more

Tasman Island Cruise, Tasmania

by

The boat is fast and the seas are often very rough. In the front rows, it’s the thrill of being on a roller coaster. The waves hurl you up and land you with a thump. From the middle rows to the back it is a more sedate ride – depending on the weather. So you get to choose what sort of ride you want, according to where you sit.

But wherever you sit, the views of the south-eastern Tasmanian coastline are spectacular.

Read more

Maria Island Tasmania

by

The boat pulled into the clear turquoise waters of a small cove. We were surrounded by rocks aged from 280 million to over 400 million years-old, pressed together in configurations seen nowhere else in the world. And then lunch was served.

Read more