When I think of Australia, I think of kangaroos, koalas, tropical beaches, bustling cities, a stunning coastline, dramatic landscapes, the great barrier reef, wine, amazing food, the great outdoors, and the list goes on, Australia has it all! Here are some of the highlights from my amazing trip to Australia!
Just off the coast of South Australia lies Kangaroo Island, a wildlife haven! It is home to Koalas, Australian sea lions, kangaroos, New Zealand seals and abundant birdlife. One magical experience for me was walking on the beach at Seal Bay conservation park with the Australian sea lions basking in the sun, just a few yards from us. We came across giant bulls sizing each other up for a fight, their babies playing just a few metres away from us.
What was really fantastic was when a mother sea lion surfed the waves, got to the shore and called out to her cubs. It was most endearing to see the famished cubs reunite with their mother! It felt wonderful and exhilarating to be amongst this endangered species-walking with a ranger into the heart of the colony, marvelling at the sea lions, white sands and stunning vistas! This is the only place in the world where one can experience this remarkable once- in-a-lifetime experience.
Australia has 65 wine regions and more than 2400 wineries, making it the eighth largest wine producer in the world. Some notable wine regions are Barossa Valley, Adelaide hills and Clare Valley. The Barossa is home to some of the oldest productive Shiraz in the world. We toured an array of high profile wineries and enjoyed the guided cellar door tastings of sensational wines, savoured delicious winery lunches using local produce and of course immersed ourselves in the history of wine making in the region.
We tasted our way through the Penfolds premium collection – notably Australia’s greatest wine ‘Penfolds Grange’ on the tour of Penfolds Magill estate. We also found ourselves immersed in the history, philosophy and spirit of the Henschke winery where we tasted their premium wines, including the famous ‘Hill of Grace’. Incidentally this winery is run now by the fifth generation of Henschkes.
This was just the first part of my holiday, filled with adventure and so many unique experiences that have made an impression of a lifetime!