Australia’s Beautiful Theme Parks and Resorts

Australia is the largest island and the smallest continent on Earth. It fits, because Australia has all the benefits of both.

With the first transfer of prisoners to the state of New South Wales in 1786, Britain started exploring Australia. In the 20th Century the British government sent two air force pilots to assess the possibility of building more roads, because Australia was so vast, and the desert in the middle and reefs off the coast of east Brisbane made it difficult for ships to approach.

After these two pilots completed their mission, they retired and moved to Australia where they founded an airline company. They delivered mail between Darwin in the north (the present Northern Territory) and the tourist destination of Cairns (Queensland) near the Great Barrier Reef. Darwin back then was the only communications post using underwater cables drawn from Indonesia, enabling telegram service between Australia and Britain, and Cairns was the only port city where tropical plantation products, such as sugar cane and tropical fruit, were traded in Australia.

The airline company raked in a lot of money delivering mail and documents that had originally been sent in Morse code between Darwin and Cairns. The company’s name was the Queensland And Northern Territory Aerial Services, which was abbreviated to QANTAS. This is how the representative airline company of Australia began its business in Australia.

Brisbane, Similar to San Francisco-

Sydney is one of the three most beautiful ports in the world. It has an indented shoreline. The true look of the port can be fully enjoyed by doing a “Harbor Bridge Climb,” where people go up to the top of the arch-shaped metal structure that dominates the port. Standing on top of the arch 134m up off the surface of the water gives a full view of the sea and the city.

Brisbane is different from Sydney. If Sydney is compared with New York, Brisbane is like San Francisco. Brisbane’s river that flows through the city is marvelous. Downtown Brisbane has a retro-looking city hall (King George Plaza) and it looks classy and tidy. South Bank looks more like a park with a great view.

South Bank is where Brisbane can truly be felt. It was so attractive that the first day this reporter came here, I thought about living here after my retirement. Park Land is one of the landmarks of the area. As host city of the 1988 World Expo, a long row of cafes, restaurants and scenic walks greet travelers. During the weekend, many people come here to barbecue, which is easy as there are public barbecue grills and gas burners.

Brisbane has inclement weather. Unlike Sydney, which is in a temperate zone, the city’s subtropical weather keeps the temperatures pretty high, and is not affected by the seas that surround the city: Two islands, Moreton and South Stradbroke, block the wind.

Island Resorts near Brisbane-

There is Tangalooma Resort on Moreton Island, and Couran Cove Resort on South Stradbroke Island, and they are both eco-friendly. The island of Moreton is a national park that is in the shape of a sand dune, while the island of South Stradbroke is covered by a rain forest. Relaxing and engaging in outdoor activities are both possible.

The Tangalooma Resort is where the world’s only eco-tour featuring wild dolphins meeting with tourists is. Every night, seven or eight dolphins have been coming to the resort for more than a decade. When they make a visit, tourists get to feed them. The Couran Cove resort uses a natural ventilation system, instead of air conditioners, and checks how much energy is consumed in each room. At this waterfront hotel, guests can experience the rain forest, observe stars, takes a walk on the beach, and enjoy a sunset cruise.

Beautiful Long Coastline, Gold Coast-

About 70km south from Brisbane is another tourist destination: the Gold Coast. The coast is famous for its extended sandy beach. It is a must see for any tourist traveling to Australia. Surfers’ Paradise, in particular, should never be missed. Surfing is fun; watching it is even more delightful. Better yet, try enjoying both the coastline and the surf views on a helicopter tour.

Aside from the natural scenery, Australian theme parks are also very popular. Starting 10 years ago, people have been flocking to the city to visit Warner Brothers’ Movie World, Sea World, Dream World, Wet’n Wild Water World, and other parks that attract families with children. It is like Orlando, Florida where theme parks, including Universal Studios, Typhoon Lagoon, and Busch Gardens, form a theme park city.

At Movie World, visitors can see main characters, actors and actresses from Warner Brothers movies, try out its rides, and pretend to act in movies, similar to Universal Studios. The most popular ride is taken from a car stunt that was featured in the movie “Police Academy.”

Sea World is the Australian version of Sea World in San Diego. Dolphin and jet ski shows attract the biggest crowds. Dream World, Australia’s Disneyland, has a free-fall ride that drops people from 120m high above ground, and a roller coaster with a top speed of 85km/h. Wet’n Wild is similar to Water Park in the U.S.

Gold Coast: Golfers’ Paradise-

There are many first-rate golf resorts in Australia. Among them, the Sanctuary Cove Resort and the Royal Pines Resort--where Australia’s Women’s Masters Golf Tournament is held--stand out. They have exclusive piers that allow people to have parties on boats as well. About 200 golf courses are located near the Gold Coast, and some 40 of them are rated as championship-level courses.

summer@donga.com