Travel Weekly asked three leading operators to describe their favourite national park in Australia. Here’s what they said
ULURU-KATA TJUTA NATIONAL PARK
Allister Bruce, director of sales, AAT Kings
“HOW many times have I heard: ‘Surely it’s a long way to go just to see a rock?’ My answer is always: ‘Yes it is, but the rock will probably be one of the most amazing sights you will ever experience.’
“After the publicity that the Red Centre of Australia has enjoyed over the years, it is quite incredible how many people travel Down Under and miss out on seeing one of Australia’s great icons.
“Ayers Rock is one of the most incredible places I have ever visited. Steeped in aboriginal mythology, this sacred site has something for everybody.
“The base walk is one of the best ways to explore, as a guide provides you with a detailed history of the importance of this monolith to the aboriginal people, and gives you an insight into the famous rock paintings that date back thousands of years. If you’re feeling a little more energetic, you could try a walk up the rock but this is viewed disapprovingly by the aboriginal people and the walk itself is far steeper than most people expect. The small memorial plaques on the bottom of the rock bear witness to this and I would recommend climbing only in the early morning before it gets too hot, allowing around two hours for the climb and taking at least two litres of water.
“Having reached the top, the view is absolutely stunning – on a clear day you can make out Kata-Tjuta (The Olgas).
“I guess the major attraction for most visitors is either the sunset or sunrise over Uluru. Seeing the sunset here is a remarkable experience.
“After the coaches have converged and the madding crowd has jostled to gain the best position, it never fails to amaze me that, no matter how many people have gathered, a silence falls over Uluru the moment the sun starts to sink: it can be quite eerie.
“I’m not saying that a trip to the Rock should be the mainstay of your holiday in Oz, but there are plenty of remarkable places to visit in the Red Centre besides Ayers Rock.”
DAINTREE NATIONAL PARK, QUEENSLAND
Sally Pollitt, product manager, Jetabout
“THE DAINTREE National Park, part of a World Heritage area, has to be my favourite spot. I spent my honeymoon there, and loved its absolute beauty and natural diversity – and the fact that it’s next to the Great Barrier Reef. This is the only place in the world where two world heritage sites meet.
“Our holiday started in the laid back town of Port Douglas, a gateway to the reef with great bars and restaurants – it’s like an Australian Key West. We stayed at the Radisson Treetops Hotel before heading north to the Daintree River on a four-wheel drivetour with a local guide. This is undoubtedly the best way to experience the wildlife of the rainforest.
“From the quaint Daintree village we took a boat cruise of the ancient river, cautiously crocodile spotting, then crossed on a ferry to the Daintree National Park, one of the greatest wilderness areas on earth. It is mostly underdeveloped, with controlled accessibility. I’ll never forget the drive through the rainforest, a world unchanged for millions of years with an astonishing cacophony of cries from mostly unseen animals and insects. We drove to Mossman Gorge, bravely taking a walk over the swinging bridge high above the Gorge, before swimming in the cool waters below.
“A further drive through rainforests, passing beautiful secluded beaches, led us to Cape Tribulation and the Ferntree Rainforest Resort, a hotel resort totally immersed in rainforest. We then travelled south to what is probably one of the best beach resorts in Queensland, the Coconut Beach Rainforest Resort. It sits between the rainforest and an amazing white sandy beach, with obligatory palm trees and the clearest sea you’ve ever seen.
“This is a wonderful place for honeymooners. As you wander down the beach at sunset you have the spectacular Great Barrier Reef to one side and Daintree, one of the world’s oldest rainforests, to the other, with a magnificent array of birdlife.
I’m not easily impressed – I’m a well travelled Aussie girl. So take it from me that this part of Queensland is paradise, and it’s always far from crowded.”
WILSONS PROMONTORY NATIONAL PARK, VICTORIA
Jim Corcoran, sales manager UK/Ireland, Ansett Australia
“THE PROM, or Wilsons Prom as it is more formally known, lies about 150 miles southwest of Melbourne. It’s a National Park that also happens to be the southern-most point of the Australian mainland.
There are a few reasons why I think this place is a bit special. The first time I stayed at The Prom was in the 1960s, camping with a schoolfriend and his family. At the time it was the equivalent to hiking in the Himalayas. The second time was about 10 years later when my family rented a cabin there for two weeks. Suddenly, I discovered paradise – even in the occasional hurricane-strength storm for which all Australians know and love Victoria.
The best thing about The Prom is that it’s just the right distance from Melbourne to discourage day trippers. They tend to head for Mornington Peninsula or Philip Island. It has great beaches and good surf. There is a beach for every type of swimmer: pure white sand, stretching for miles.
There’s also plenty of roadside wildlife (of the non-flattened variety). In the early morning or towards dusk, you can almost always see kangaroos, emus, wombats and wallabies grazing within 50 metres of the road. Birdlife is prolific.
All in all, the landscape here is simply stunning and very different from much of the rest of Australia.
Despite all of the above, I’m not really sure what makes Wilsons Prom so memorable. It may be the feeling that even though cities like Melbourne, Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo have changed The Prom hasn’t. It is still reminiscent of the best things about the Australia of the ’50s, when a holiday in Sydney was considered exotic and ‘overseas’ was virtually unthinkable.”