Discover the Heart of the Flinders

Air Adventure Australia has a four day air safari to one of the most amazing parts of Australia:  The Flinders Ranges.  They are one of the oldest land formations on earth and at one point, would have been higher than Mt. Everest is today - that is until time, and the elements, whittled them down to their present size.

My first trip to this region was not by air, but by coach and driver.  Among the surprises delights in store for me was a couple of nights at Arkaroola Station, owned by Renaissance man Doug Sprigg.  Pilot, astronomer, geologist, and raconteur, Doug has the largest privately owned telescope in the Southern Hemisphere.  That, along with no light pollution, means Arkaroola is a perfect place for sky-watching. 

In August, 2003, Mars was the closest it had been to Earth in 50,000 years.  What better place to see it then from Doug's telescope? Except, it was too cloudy to see anything.  So we sat around long after dinner was over, listening to Doug tell story after story (including a massive engineering project he was consulting on to create electricity from superheated underground water.).  Finally, exhausted (late) I said good night and walked out of the dining hall.  And immediately ran back in screaming "There aren't any clouds!" 

We loaded up into Doug's Ute, drove to the telescope, he fixed on Mars and we all got a view.  It was quite amazing, mystical, powerful.  Time - at least our human time - is so insignificant when put into the lense of our expanding universe.

The next morning, we went out on the Ridgetop Tour, a hair-raising drive along narrow dirt tracks with hair-pin turns in this great expanse of red pocked by silvery-green scrub grasses.  Vast doesn't begin to describe it.   I mention this because Air Adventure has several itineraries to remote parts of Australia - places that would take months to see by land.  Places that are barely accessible, hardly seen by humans, places of such rare beauty that we can barely find words.  The Flinders Ranges are only one option they, and other air operators, offer.

The opening photo is of The Prairie Hotel in Parachilna.  The town has an official population of 7 people, which actually went up by one when I was there (someone gave birth.)  I love this hotel.  Really, it's amazingly bizarre, beautifully put together, and a great restaurant.  They feature Flinders Feral Food - yes, feral - Bush food or Australian native cuisine or as they call it in the Flinders Ranges, Flinders Feral Food - kangaroo, emu, yabbie, quandongs, native limes and bush tomatoes are just some of their fresh ingredients.  Just because you're beyond the back of beyond, it doesn't mean you don't get to eat well.

There are so many places in Australia I'd love to send you - please contact me for your own experience.

Wildman Wilderness Lodge

Welcome to the best example of recycling in Australian Tourism.    Wildman Wilderness Lodge is set to open in April, 2011, and I can't wait to see it.  Set in the lush Mary River Wetlands of the Northern Territory, the lodge is the remains and rebuild of Wrotham Park Lodge.  Wildman Wilderness Lodge is owned in partnership with Anthology and Indigenous Business Australia (IBA), bringing the best of tourism together. 

The Anthology Collection is passionate

about connecting remarkable Australian places - wilderness, outback, heritage - with the dreams and desires of travellers to this country.

And IBA says

Our vision is for a nation in which the First Australians are economically independent and an integral part of the economy.

This region, the Top End of the Northern Territory, is impossibly beautiful.  Each time I've been in the region, my heart feels full and I weep like a baby when I leave.  It's as if I lived there in another lifetime, somehow I'm deeply connected to this land.  The Wetlands are a haven for incredible wildlife, history, and Indigenous Culture.  Mary River Wetlands is remote, but easily accessible year round.  While the dry season (May to September) is more comfortable, the wet season brings a plethora of rare birds - it's a brilliant destination for bird watching.

Back to Wildman Wilderness Lodge.  In November 2009, the buildings that made up Wrotham Park Lodge were dismantled and trucked from their location in Queensland to the Northern Territory.  And then, they were rebuilt and added to to create this new lodge.  Comprised of 10 cabins called Habitats, and 15 Safari Tents, the lodge promises to deliver a pampered wilderness experience.  It looks great, I hope it delivers!

Are You Watching Oprah's Ultimate Australian Adventure?

Oprah and 92 ultimate fans experienced the wonders of Australia.  Watch her show this week to see every "pinch me, I'm dreaming" minute as they traverse all six states and two territories.  After you've watched, call a Premier Aussie Specialist to plan your own ultimate experience.  I can help.

Australia Flooding Larger than France and Germany Combined

Australia flood zone bigger than Texas.  The area in Queensland is affecting over 200,000 people, with more flooding expected.  Queensland has set up a disaster relief program, and we can probably help via the Red Cross.