january-2010
january-2010
january-2010
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wallabies, freshwater and loggerhead turtles,<br />
as well as more than 200 species of birds. To<br />
spy dolphins and rays, drive north along 75<br />
Mile Beach. Between August and October,<br />
see humpback whales playing on their way to<br />
Hervey Bay.<br />
You’ll need three days to taste the island’s<br />
4WD trails. But beware — the soft sands can<br />
be diffi cult to cross. Always follow someone<br />
else’s tracks; don’t forge your own.<br />
Many hire companies specifi cally state<br />
Fraser Island is a no-go zone for their<br />
vehicles. The Adventure Centre at Rainbow<br />
Beach is an exception. Stay at the luxurious<br />
Kingfi sher Bay Resort, which sports<br />
swimming pools, a spa retreat and hotel<br />
rooms or self-contained options.<br />
Nearest airport: Sunshine Coast.<br />
Litchfi eld National Park,<br />
Northern Territory<br />
Litchfi eld National Park is<br />
the Northern Territory’s<br />
hidden secret, only 100km<br />
south-west of Darwin. It’s<br />
best driven as a loop from<br />
the town of Batchelor.<br />
Soon after entering the<br />
park, turn off to the bizarre<br />
magnetic termite mounds,<br />
then climb up a sandstone<br />
plateau. Numerous turnoffs<br />
lead to waterfalls and<br />
unusually crocodile-free<br />
swimming holes. The Lost<br />
City trail is a highlight,<br />
with its sandstone blocks and<br />
pillars resembling the ruins of an<br />
ancient metropolis.<br />
The trip takes two or three days, assuming<br />
moderate weather conditions. The best<br />
time to go is during the dry season (May to<br />
November), as many of the 4WD trails are<br />
impassable and closed during the wet.<br />
Sleep in cabins at the unique Batchelor<br />
Butterfl y Farm and Tropical Retreat, an<br />
organic farm and butterfl y sanctuary.<br />
Nearest airport: Darwin.<br />
Photo: Tourism NT<br />
FLY/DRIVE<br />
FOUR-WHEEL DRIVING<br />
JANUARY <strong>2010</strong> 57<br />
Photo: Tourism Queensland