Merry Christmas Oprah!

Merry Christmas Oprah!
I hope you have a lovely day tommorrow and enjoy yourself thoroughly.

Thank you for visiting Uluru and seeing for yourself why it's so special. I know that you will want to come back to visit it again - hopefully next time you will be able to stay a little longer and gain a little more depth into the stories behind Uluru and also explore a little futher afeild.
You could visit Cave Hill and learn the stories of the Seven Sisters or visit Mount Conner and you MUST get out to Kings Canyon. The whole region is brimming with history, beauty and stories.

So for your next trip, I will leave you with some images to think about for when you visit Australia again. Let me know and I can help out with your travel arrangements into some of the most remote and special places in Australia.

(NB: I took all the photo's myself...and I can't wait to get back to take more!)

 Yellow Waters - Kakadu

Kakadu Waterfall

Brolgas at Feathers B&B in Darwin

Stanley Chasm

Kata Tjuta (The Olgas)

Sunrise at Uluru

Sunrise at Uluru (look at the colours!!!!)

Storm over Goss Bluff

On the road again - Alice Springs to Uluru

Storm heading our way - Alice Springs

Ahhhh but then the sun broke through the storm clouds (Alice Springs)

Having fun in Kings Canyon!

Arnhem Land.....simply majestic, magical and amazing

Meery Christmas Oprah and happy New Year! May you come and visit the Outback again soon! (and hopefully I can get out there many more times in 2011 also!)

The little known gem that is Uluru's neighbour in the Red Centre....or should I say Green Centre?

I had the most AMAZING weekend recently. As you saw I was in Alice Springs for work and I extended my stay to include the weekend so I could travel out to Kings Canyon. As my work mates are spread all around Australia, we organised a 20 seater bus to take us out. I had travelled to Kings canyon four years earlier in a 4WD and "bush bashed" my way out there (not really, there a dirt road option which can be lots of fun), but this time, due to the numbers we headed out with our driver.
It was a long drive that afternoon and many of us found the opportunity to catch up on sleep as there had been some long nights through the week. As my colleagues found it entertaining to take photographs of the "sleepers" on the bus, I managed to stay awake the entire journey chatting with my neighbour Alex in fear of an "unflattering" photo to be taken.
The scenery sped by and Alex and I kept commenting on how green it was. "Aren't we meant to be in the Red Centre?" Alex asked, "Well yes we are, but it's been raining all winter and look at the result! It's quite amazing to see". My last visit had seen red red red!

It's quite different isn't it! We climbed the canyon in the morning before the heat of the day could press upon us. The first part of the 6km walk is the hardest as you climb upwards on the rocky "staircase" and I can tell you Oprah, I was happy to have hit the StairMaster the weeks leading up to it! But the two picture above is what welcomes you when you reach the summit. It's breathtaking isn't it.
The walk takes you around the "Lost City" which are red domes that seem dominate the landscape surrounding the cliffs of the canyon. You see Oprah, another thing you may not have known about Australia, and particularly within Central Australia is that this once was an inland sea and in this normally arid landscape, you can find remnants of this ancient marine history. There are crustation fossils and water ripples in the rock faces and ancient tropical ferns that have managed the adapt to this harsh landscape. Deep within the Canyon you will find the Garden of Eden which hails back to this more tropical history. You find in this crevice a haven from the harsh sun with deep water holes, lush vegetation and cool waterfalls. You forget you are meant to be in the desert and I found myself thinking of the "oasis" in the movies when the hero or heroine find themselves water and respite when they have been lost in the desert. This is such a lovely place and I wonder whether any early explorers stumbled upon this place and rested here.

A few of our fellow travellers went for a swim while we sat and enjoyed the peace of our haven. We trudged back up to stairs to continue on our way and was met by the most SPECTACULAR view! It is the one place on the walk where you can see both sides of Kings Canyon's walls.

and also to give some perspective on intensity of the size and the drop from the edge.

Kings Canyon is a hidden and lesser known destination in Australia and I implore that you try and visit it one day. It is not only extremely beautiful, but it is so interesting with it's geological history. I haven't done the walk with an Aboriginal guide as yet, but I know I will be doing that next time I visit. As yes, there will be a next time as my photo's prove, it will be different again!

And just one for photo for you - as I love Yoga and find Central Australia so "centring" (ha ha please forgive the pun) here's some Dancers Pose from Hatha Yoga to help you find your inner peace.

Kings Canyon Photography Competition.wmv

Oh Alice, my dear Alice, you have my heart....

Hi Oprah,
I'm writing this to you from the heart of Australia in the lovely Alice Springs. I had to travel to Alice Springs for work this week and I practically jumped at the opportunity. I've been to this lovely outback town (or city depending on definitions) quite a few times and each time I visit I think I grow more and more enamoured.
I know I recently told you about Alice Springs from the perspective of the book that I was reading at the time. I felt that one of the main characters summed up the place pretty well. However this time, I would like to let you know in my own words.
I arrived at lunch time in the hot midday sun on a Tuesday. There was a slight breeze as I followed the yellow lines on the tarmac from my Qantas flight to the airport terminal. Unfortunately for me, I was then whisked away to our office on the other side of town. It's the bonus of my job and also the downfall as all I wanted to do was to go straight to the Todd Mall to see what was happening, as at the Todd Mall, there is always something happening...
You see, it's a pedestrian street that is littered with Aboriginal Art galleries, outback clothing stores, a few pubs with tourists and locals meandering the street alike.
When you one day visit Alice Springs, don't be drawn into simply visiting one or even two art galleries thinking that they are all the same. Trust me, they are not. The art galleries look after different regions and communities surrounding Alice Springs. As the town is pretty much in the desert, the immediate region around the town covers a lot of land. Therefore when you go into Mbantua Gallery, you will find artworks primarily from the Utopia. Whereas at Gallery Gondwana, you will find art primarily from the Central and Western Deserts. You can take your time in these galleries and if you ask the staff, they will take you on a small guided tour and explain the differences between the paintings and the stories they tell. You will always find at least one painting that you think is yours and you need to buy it and take it home straight away. I do this every time, but unfortunately I can never afford the one I want. One day Oprah....one day...
Each morning I have been getting up early and going for a jog along the Todd River. My friend and I run the same way each morning but we have always had something new happen to us. On Wednesday we saw wallabies and lorikeets’ plus we were almost giddy with the clean fresh air. As we both live in Sydney, I can describe the feeling of pumping pollution free air through our lungs as almost light headedness. We almost felt invincible as we jogged along describing "how great is this!" in between breaths. This morning's run was probably the best one as a storm is heading our way. The colours seem more brilliant as there are dark brooding skies against flaming red horizons, white river gums and presently the green river bed (there has been a fair bit of rain recently over the winter, so it's greener out here than normal). We stopped quite a few times to simply absorb the view. I must admit we had that little smug feeling that all our colleagues were sleeping, getting up and going to breakfast, whereas we were lucky (or smart) enough to experience this beauty.
Another part of the town that I love is you can dine and drink in the bars and pubs and experience it with the people who live there. You gain access to the locals and the ability to glean a small insight into what it is actually like to line in Alice Springs.
And finally, it is here that you wander the streets and you share them with a strong Aboriginal population. As I have been working in Australia Tourism for many years, the feedback I usually have from travellers from overseas is that they have no or little interaction with Aboriginal people. Well in Alice Springs, you have the chance to be among them and have access to extremely authentic tours where you can meet the people, ask questions and gain understanding of their culture.
Oprah, I really must implore that you visit the lovely outback town as I know, that it will steal your heart just as much as it has stolen mine.

Why the backpackers have the right idea when it comes to Australia...most of the time

Hi Oprah,
My goodness! Your name has been thrown about the media today! Everyone it going crazy with the announcement of tickets! I didn't get tickets, but hey, that's life. I'm sure you've see a HUGE spike of Australian visitors to your site today as I was having problems even loading the page with the amount of traffic slowing it down. Woah!!


Anyway, I am totally distracted from what I am going to tell you about today. So last Thursday I attended a conference for work and it was centred about issues facing the Backpacking segment of the Tourism Industry. It was pretty interesting stuff and I enjoyed seeing some great tourism operators talk about their tours, hostels and about some pretty amazing places they operate in. I also got to listen to Tony Wheeler who is the founder of the Lonely Planet talk about some of his travels and my oh my, that man has travelled! If I could swap lives with anyone, it would be him.


Firstly though, I should take you over what a 'backpacker' is...(little disclaimer here - totally my opinion, not a definition from a dictionary), they are travellers who travels extensively throughout their chosen destination over a longer period of time. They generally stay in budget accommodation and spend their money on experiences. Particularly here in Australia and in the UK, take a year break between Study and beginning your career is the norm with many young people going through this 'right of passage'. Pretty much their mantra is, "how can I stay away from home for as long as I can and spend as little as I can".


So why, you may ask (and ask away, you're more than welcome to ask me anytime...) do I think Backpackers have the right idea?
Well Oprah, I love how they can be more adventurous and daring in where they travel to. One thing that they do spend money on is experiences. If they think it is truly worth their hard hoarded cash then they are willing to part with it.


So, where do they travel? Most backpackers do the "Backpacker Highway" travelling up the east coast of Australia from Sydney to Cairns BUT the more adventurous backpackers go inland in search for the outback. As you see the outback is what draws most of them to Australia in the first place. The big blue never ending skies, beautiful rugged scenery, outback characters and the unknown adventures that it brings.
They buy run down old cars and decide to drive from Adelaide to Darwin, or Alice Springs to Cairns. These routes takes you along never ending roads and tiny outback towns. One of these tiny towns they often end up is in Tennant Creek. Tennant Creek is the halfway stop between Alice Springs and Darwin. I often have people asking me whether you can drive from Darwin to Alice Springs in a day and the short answer to that is "No."
It takes a good 8 hours of solid driving to get to Tennant Creek from Alice Springs and this is desert country. But once you reach there you find a welcoming community that is quite proud of their gold mining history and strong aboriginal culture. Most people stop to have a look at the Devils Marbles (also known as Karlu Karlu) which is spectacular rock formations. (I've included a photo below, as this explains it better than I  can!)

But, what these backpackers find out when they arrive, is that there is more to Tennent Creek than the Devils marbles (Karlu Karlu).
That the drive itself is quite beautiful where the road side scenery is broken up by patches of unexpected but very colourful wild flower displays along with numerous bird species and lizards. Along there road there is a turn off for the option to visit the Arlpwe Art Gallery. The gallery is located in Ali Curung, an Aboriginal Community 350kms north of Alice Springs and although the well signed posted turn off to the community seems to steam out of nowhere. It's only an easy 15 minute drive off the Stuart Highway and you’re there. The diversion was well worth the time as the gallery showcases some fantastic local artworks including paintings, pottery and artefact's, all of which are professionally arranged and labelled with the artist’s story and background. 
These travellers who have plenty of time, also get to experience the Battery Hill Mining Centre, Nyinkka Nyunyu Cultural Centre, Lake Mary Ann and of course Karlu Karlu (the Devils Marbles) and Kunjarra (the Pebbles). For those a little more adventurous, they head out to Kelly's Ranch were they can learn how to ride a horse and for those with a little more experienced, can do a Bush Tucker Trail ride. Fun AND educational!

Now I know that most Australians themselves haven't travelled to such places and that these backpackers get a more in-depth into Australia than most people who call this place home.
So, I'm sure you can see Oprah why I think they have the best idea when it comes to travel. To immerse yourself into a destination is the only way one can truly learn and appreciate the people and culture they have sought to visit.

So Oprah, I don't expect you to grab a backpack and an old Holden Station Wagon on your travels, but i hope you think about the philosophy behind the 'backpacker' and seek out these outback communities that make Australia such a special place.

A day at the races

Hi Oprah,
So yesterday was Melbourne Cup day. This is a day where the entire nation stops for 3.5 minutes to watch a horse race. Betts are laid and champagne is drunk. Men dress up in their best suits and women in their best frocks, heels and hats. It's a fun day where the most important decisions are around where to have lunch and what horse to bet on.
Now I'm not sure how popular attending the races in the US, but here in Australia it's quite popular to head out to Randwick Racecourse for the day throughout the Spring Carnival season.
However, these race days aren't restricted to the cities in Australia, but many rural areas also hold their own race meets. These country races end up being quite a large affair with whole communities coming together to enjoy a beer and a punt.
You must understand that some communities throughout Australia are pretty remote. There are some tiny country towns with a few hundred people living in them and are surrounded by farming & cattle stations. So a race day is a good way to get everyone into town and socialise. My town where I grew up was like this and people would travel quite far to attend race days.
Some of these small towns now have race days that are quite popular where people travel from around Australia to attend. Famous ones include the Birdsville Races (Queensland), Brunette Downs (Northern Territory) and one that is becoming more and more famous, though not really a small town but our northern most city is the Darwin Cup.
It's held every July, when the weather is warm and there is no chance of rain (it's the Dry Season). So what makes it so appealing that all the southerners, who are in the depths of winter, escape up to Darwin for a week of frivolity.
One thing that has become more apparent is that the Fashions on the Field competition is getting quite serious in Darwin with some of the most amazing creations that I think, challenge Melbourne in the fashion stakes. It's become quite competitive that even one of my friends who lives in Sydney travels to Darwin each year to enter Fashions.

If you don't believe me, have a look at Darwin Cup Fashions 2010

There are some seriously talented people living in Darwin who are milliners & dress makers which are causing the competition to get so hot!
Even though the Darwin Cup isn't on while your visiting, be sure to ask your organisers to check what Country Races are on and see if you can spend a day at one. But make sure you pack a hat or fascinator as there is a dress code. If you can't make a country race meet, then attend one at Randwick Race Course. I KNOW you will have a good time!

A Town Like Alice

Hey Oprah,

I just wanted to go over some other things that I think you should know before you visit. Now I know most people will be rushing to go and buy their Lonely Planet Guide Book before travelling anywhere, and these books usually give you quite a good run down on the general history of the place, but to be honest I skim these parts and try to get to the "fun" stuff that I can do while there.

I think that for your visit, that for you to understand Australia and to fully appreciate the people and the place, that some more in-depth research will need to be undertaken. Oprah, please don't worry, I am not going to suggest text books for you as we are luckily enough to have some excellent novels and movies that will not only educate but entertain.

So, for some movies I'd recommend for you.
Rabbit Proof Fence
Sampson & Delilah
10 Canoes
Priscilla Queen of the Desert
Australia
Their a weird mob
Charlie & Boots
Gallipoli

Some books to read
A Town like Alice (this is also a movie) by Nevil Shute
S'pose I Die: The Evelyn Maunsell Story by Hector Holthouse
Fortunate Life by Albert Facey
My place By Sally Morgan
No place for a Woman by Mayse Young & Gabrielle Dalton

There are a few more that I will advise of as we go, but these movies and books give quite a good insight on Australian culture.

Why did I think to bring this up? Well I'm reading A Town Like Alice at the moment and I am hooked. I can't stop reading nor stop thinking about it. The book is written in a language from a time gone by, that kind of English that our grandparents spoke and also the was society presented then. The way men and women interacted and how World War II affected people’s lives and in come cases, bought the best out of people. One major aspect of this book that adore is that how one encounter can change your life. The two main characters (He's Australian and she's English) meet briefly in terrible circumstances in Malay in WWII.  But this encounter leads to a bond that neither can escape as they then try to find each other from across the globe.

I also love how Joe (the Australian) describes Alice Springs as his "happy place" - when the times are tough and he is a prisoner, the Alice is where he dreams of.
After Jean (the primary character) enquires about what 'the Alice' looks like, Joe replies:

"It's red,' he said "Red around Alice and where I come from, red earth and then the mountains are all red. The Madonnells and the Levis and the Kernots, great red ranges of bare hill against the blue sky. Evenings they go purple and all sorts of colours. After the wet there's green all over them. In the dry, parts of them go silvery white with the spinifex.' he paused 'I suppose everyone likes their own place," he said quietly "the country round about the Springs in my place..." (pg 100, A Town Like Alice)

As I have been in Alice Springs numerous times I can understand the Joe's longing for the lovely outback town. When life gets super busy and stressful, the Alice can take you back to "reality".

I know you may be thinking, 'what do you mean my reality?' and what I mean is, that sometimes we get so weighed under the worries in our lives. Sometimes these worries can be as small such as....will I get through all my emails, I have $20 to last me for 4 days until pay day, my bus pass has run out and I need to buy another one, I hope I can buy another one on the way to the bus and I'm sick of going to the gym but know I need to...blah blah blah. You know it's small but they all add up and then you get out to a place like Alice, where the living is a little simpler and the beauty of the landscape is humbling. It makes you stop and reflect and actually appreciate the fact that you have a job, you can afford a bus pass, you can afford and enjoy a gym and that you have $20 in your pocket.

I know that isn't the premise of the book, but that's how the 'Alice' speaks to me when I visit it.

Have a read and watch some of these movies. I know you will enjoy some interesting stories...

Uluru (aka Ayers Rock), you really want to visit it while in Australia... I know that you'll regret it if you don't...

Hi Oprah,
I know that a lot of people will be talking about visiting Uluru (Ayers Rock) and yes, I will be agreeing with all of those people. I'm not going to tell you about what hotel to stay at or even what tour to do, but I am going to tell you why I think it's one of the most sensational places on this planet.
I have travelled to Uluru twice and would go again in a heart beat. Now I know that a lot of people say "so what do you when you get there, seriously once you've seen it….you've seen it. What am I going to do the other 2 or 3 nights I'm there?" This is my response to them:
Uluru is not simply a "rock" it is a feeling, an emotion that is almost impossible to describe. The first time you see it on the horizon you will fall silent. The company you are travelling with will also fall silent as you grasp the magnificence of actually seeing it. Over the next few days you will be driving around to visit other places such as Kata Tjuta (The Olgas) or perhaps going to do a workshop and as you drive around you find your eyes scanning the horizon, constantly searching for Uluru and once you do find it, your eyes are locked. I find the feeling is like a connection to the land and you place in it. The closest I can to describe my experiences there is that is takes me back to the place I consider home. The place that Uluru had me reflecting upon was a place on my parent’s farm where I grew up. There is a hill called Lone Pine Hill (as there is...suprise suprise, a lone pine tree on top of the hill) and that it the place I always walk to when I am visiting my parents. You gaze out over the view and listen to the wind whispering through the pine needles of the tree and just simply…exist. It may not be considered to be the most beautiful place to other people, but for me it is a place of complete happiness, reflection, comfort and where I feel connected to this earth and an understanding of my place on it. Well, that is the feeling I get when I visit Uluru. It is something that is so personal and can only be derived from your own experience which is why I think it could be different for everyone. I can understand why the Aboriginal people (the Anangu) live there and why it draws so many people to gaze upon it and feel it's amazing power.
I have heard from people that Uluru is meant to be a place where energy lines meet. I really don't have any idea about this, but I kind of understand it as so many times I have tried to explain why Uluru is so special and being short of finding the right words.
Oprah, I really don't want you miss this experience when you visit because I know you will regret it if you do. To put that on your list of "must dos" and make sure you see it at sunrise. When the first rays of sunlight hit the red earth of the rock, it turns a vibrant red and is something spectacular to see for yourself. Once you see it, you will lock it away in your memory cabinet that is reserved for only the really special memories.

I've included a photo I took when I was visiting last year. When the rainbow extended right across Uluru, my jaw literally dropped.

Generation One...a new beginning? I hope so......

Hi Oprah, I want to keep you up to speed about something that happened here in Australia last night that you may find interesting. On TV across all free to air channels as the same time, we were addressed by a 13 year old Indigenous girl names Madeleine Madden from Sydney. She told the people her dream that there would be equality in Australia for Indigenous Australians by the time she is 30. Her key message was that we have the power to change attitudes and opportunities for the aboriginal people in one generation. Her message was delivered on behalf of Generation One.
The whole goal of this organisation is:

 “Our goal is to bring Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians together to provide equal and real opportunities in education, training, mentoring and employment. All Australians have the chance to make a difference and be a part of the generation for change.”Why I wanted you to know about this as it is something that is close to my beliefs and something that I have been trying to assist in doing through my job.
An example is that lately I have been developing with my team an itinerary for High School students to tie in with the subject of Aboriginal Studies. I also am looking after other subjects however I am weaving cultural content through these interaries regardless if it Visual Arts or Biology, and trying to ensure that there is an element of access to Aboriginal communities and learning about their way of life. I am hoping that the more young people we educate about Aboriginal Culture the more understanding can be fostered in our society.
This is part of my dream and actually one of the reasons I come to work each day. I feel like I have the unique opportunity to contribute to change and really assist the local Aboriginal Tourism operators in developing their businesses as well has giving them the opportunity to share their story.

So today Oprah, I am going to tell you another place I think you should visit. I think you should go out to some of the remote communities in the Northern Territory (such as Santa Teresa, Black Tank, Utopia in Central Australia or one of the many communities in Arnhem Land) and actually meet the people and learn their stories. I can only contribute a small amount to change, but you Oprah, can really make a difference. You can spread the word; stimulate interest in people wanting to know more and get them out here to learn for themselves.
And that, for me is the key.
Knowledge grows understanding.
Understanding facilitates change.

You can have a look at Madeleine's address here http://generationone.org.au/

Why I am completely taken by Arnhem Land and why I am doing everything in my power to get back there....

So today Oprah, I am going to go tell you about a  place is special not only to myself but to many Australians. I am going to tell you about Arnhem land. I know you may be questioning where this place and is and why it is special, and I am going to tell you why.

Arnhem Land is in the top most part of the Northern Territory band is Aboriginal owned land. It is vast in its landscapes and deep in history. More than 16000 aboriginal people live in the land and live their lives as close to the land as they can.

In case you are a visual person, here are some maps to give you an idea of the magnitude of this place.

Why do I think it’s special?

I was lucky enough to have a taste of Arnhem Land last year and it has been on my mind since, particularly in the “how do I convince my boss that I need to go back” category. Not only is the natural beauty of this place astounding, but the history of the people is spellbinding.

I was taken there as a host on a famil trip (I was taking my best UK client around) and we visited Gunbalanya which is a small community not to far from the border of Kakadu (it listed in the map above). We stopped at the Injalak Arts & Crafts centre and I got meet some of the artists who were shielding from the harsh sun under the veranda. Now I have seen quite a lot of aboriginal art, but the piece I saw that day was the most impressive I have ever seen. It had a series of bats hanging upside down along a gum tree branch. The artist told be that he was painting the branch over there while pointing at a knobbly old gum tree not less than 20 metres away. The bats, he explained, “flocked there each night and make such a noise”. His hand was so steady as he drew intricate white lines impossibly thin on the black background. Between each bat he detailed twigs heavy with gum nuts. I was mesmerised but the beauty of this piece of art being created before my very eyes. He told me that a big gallery down south was paying him to create this piece. I stared intensely at this masterpiece knowing that I probably wouldn’t see anything like it again in my lifetime.

I was soon in the 4WD heading back out of town. We stopped at the base of a steep hill and was met my Wilfred, a traditional owner. On this very hot day we began our ascent up Injalak Hill. 

Now I have seen my fair share of rock art on my travels, but nothing prepared me for what I saw. The rock face was filled with clear intricate paintings - of turtles, barramundi & kangaroos! No matter where you looked on that sheer wall you found something new to engage you in wonder. I was completely spellbound. Wilfred explained "This was a place of learning. Where we would teach our children stories of the ancestors". This is just like a classroom, I thought to myself, and what a view!

In the distance I could see a plume of smoke from the edge of the billabong. I asked Wilfred what it was. "The women are hunting for turtles" he explained, "What they do is light a fire along the edge of the banks of the billabong. The turtles are buried deep in the mud and the fire fill their air holes. The turtles have no choice but to come to the surface for air where the women are waiting. They then spear them and take them home for dinner. The women all hunt together as they will feed the whole community". I asked "Do you eat the turtles? What are they like?" Wilfred replied "Turtle is my totem, I can't eat him". I found this intriguing that this was the case. Similar to the Native North Americans that they had a similar value system with totems to assist in sustainability of particular species.

We moved further into the hill to where Wilfred became quite sombre. "No photo's in the next place that I take you, it's a burial place". He took us to a dry cave where scattered on the ground was remnants from the burial ceremony. The body was wrapped up and placed deep into one of the crevices (you couldn't see it). Wilfred didn't know how long it had been there, before his lifetime though. He explained that the burial ceremonies were different in each region depending on the landscape. Some places where there were lots of tall trees, the people would place the bodies of the dead high up in the trees for the ancestors to welcome them. But in his country, where the landscape was littered with craggy hills, so this was the way for his people.

We moved on quietly. Soon we began to clamber over some rocks and around the other side of the hill to be met by Sab, our guide on our trek who had bought lunch with him (talk about luxury!! - Notice that you can see the plume of smoke from the turtle hunting in the background).

After lunch we ambled back down the hill before driving Wilfred back into town. We had to head back to Darwin that night so we turned back towards Kakadu to begin the drive back. Can you see now why I am desperate to get back there? I learnt so much about Aboriginal culture and history in that one day than what learnt at school! I keep seeing images of other places in Arnhem Land such as Mount Borradaile and Gove that look just as intriguing and beautiful. Some of my colleagues from work have been lucky enough to travel to these places and they have all come back with such praise and love for these destinations that I know, that I must get there too!
So Oprah, that is my story on Arnhem Land and why I have this compelling desire to get back there. The access to Aboriginal culture and history is a must do and probably Arnhem Land is one of the most authentic places in Australia to actually meet the people and hear what they have to say. So there you go, pop Arnhem Land on you list for "must do's" for your upcoming trip to Australia. Be sure to say "Hi" to Wilfred for me when you get there. 

Where do you think Oprah should visit?

So it's count down time to when Oprah herself will visit these lovely shores of Australia. So let’s see, what immediately springs to mind when you think of Australia? Hmmm lets see - Bondi Beach, Sydney Opera House, Great Barrier Reef, Uluru (Ayers Rock), Barbeques, Thongs (Flip Flops to everyone else out there!) and what else? Beer maybe?
Now for me, being an Australian and luckily enough, one who has travelled extensively in this country, when asked this question my mind springs to hot sunny days, four wheel driving along dirt tracks, weekends at the beach, ancient rainforests and ancient rock art, landscapes that go on forever and ever and ever and ever, feeling the breeze in your hair watching the sinking sun and taking a moment to realise that what you are seeing is real, and not a picture.

So, you may wonder why I started this little blog – well, having worked in tourism my entire career I have learnt that to really get into a destination, you need to dig a little deeper. You need to look beyond the brochure and find those experiences that can truly showcase the stories of the people and the land. Many of these little gems are small tourism operators who live in the destination. They have started their business as they are proud of where they live and have a genuine desire to share their home and history with visitors. But how do you find these places? Normally you need to sift through google (as they are small operators, if they do have a website I can assure you they don’t optimise their site nor pay the big dollars for search engine marketing) Or you can find travel companies who specialise in destinations that look after these small tourism operators.

For example; I grew up on a sheep farm in south west New South Wales. My dad is a farmer and we sell wool. Each year during our shearing season we would have at least one group of people from the USA who would visit the shed. They were interested in seeing a working shearing shed which can be viewed as an authentic Australian experience. There was no “tourism showcase” here at all and trust me as I was a 16 year old girl standing in my grubby farm clothes dying of embarrassment at the time.

The great thing is most regional tourism offices have the ability to build a website for their community and develop marketing plans to include all these great experiences allowing greater access for travellers. That’s what I do in my job now, only I specialised in a big chunk of Australia, that being the whole of the Northern Territory (useless but interesting fact:  Australia’s Northern Territory is six times the size of Great Britain, two and a half times the size of Texas). Yep…big, I know!

So, Oprah, I am going to give you some suggestions on where I think you and your audience can gain some insight into our beautiful land. I specialise in the outback but I know this is there is some great and different experiences in the other states in Australia also. I hope people from around Australia feel free to add on this blog suggestions of their special places that they think showcase their hometown. Oh, and Oprah, if you’re interested? My dad is shearing in December while you’re here, so feel free to pop in for a visit!