The Wintersun Festival is an annual 10 day retro nostalgia festival featuring over 1500 pre 1974 hot rod, classic and custom cars. It has more than 100 local, national and international bands and performers, many of which are free. There 250 special interest and market stalls, displays, plus dancing and family entertainment. Almost 90000 visitors from across Australia, New Zealand and beyond converge on Coolangatta each year for this very family friendly event.
Most Brits associate Christmas with cold weather, little sunlight, snow, families cosying up indoors and traditional Christmas cuisine such as turkey and mulled wine. But if that all sounds as appealing as that knitted reindeer jumper re-gifted through the family since time memoriam, Australia can provide an alternative Christmas holiday with things to see and experience to suit anyone’s tastes - whether you’re looking to experience the cities, beaches or the many natural sights.
The most popular city among tourists visiting Australia is Sydney, and it’s not hard to see why. As one of the most iconic cities in Australia it's most well-known attractions include the Sydney Opera House, the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Royal Botanical Gardens, Luna Park, Sydney Tower and its many beaches. Bondi Beach in particular has proven to be popular with British and Irish tourists looking to spend the holiday in the sun and the beach has many cafes, restaurants and hotels, giving spectacular views of the beach. Other major cities in Australia offering a similar experience include Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth.
No trip to Australia would be complete without visiting the Great Barrier Reef. It is the largest coral reef system and the biggest single structure made by living organisms in the world. It composed of roughly 3,000 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for 1615 miles over an area of approximately 132,974 sq mi. Due to its vast biodiversity, warm clear waters and its accessibility from the floating guest facilities, the reef is a very popular destination for tourists, especially scuba divers. The reef is accessible via boat tours and cruises, from single day trips to longer voyages. Glass-bottomed boats and underwater observatories are also popular, as are helicopter flights.
Ayers Rock (or Uluru) is one of Australia's most recognisable natural icons. The sandstone formation stands 1142ft high, with a circumference of 5.8 mi. It has great cultural significance for the A?angu landowners, who lead walking tours of the area, informing visitors of the local bush foods, flora and fauna and Aboriginal dreamtime stories. The sandstone formation is notable for appearing to change colour throughout the day and year depending on the light and weather, glowing red at sunset and silver-grey when it rains.
In addition to the mainland there are several islands to check out, including Tasmania. Promoting itself as the Natural State and the Island of Inspiration, almost 37% of Tasmania is in reserves, National Parks and World Heritage Sites. Despite its small size, there are plenty of sights to see, and Tasmania attracts many tourists for its trout fishing possibilities and the iconic Overland Track bush walk.
So if you’re looking to skip the cold climes of the UK and spend Christmas in the sun, a festive holiday in Australia is an ideal destination.
