SYDNEY AND WORLD HERITAGE SITES OF AUSTRALIA
A Natural History Tour
of
AUSTRALIA
June 25 - July 14, 2002
I had been lying on a sunny bank, and was reflecting on the strange character of the animals of this country as compared with the rest of the world. An unbeliever in everything beyond his own reason might exclaim, "Two distinct Creators must have been at work: their object, however, has been the same, and certainly the end in each case is complete." - CHARLES DARWIN, in The Voyage of the Beagle (1839)
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I am intrigued by Australia's expansiveness, the uniqueness of its natural history, and the variety of things to see and do there. I will introduce you to five of my favorite areas of Australia. We will have the opportunity to visit one of the most beautiful cities in the world (Sydney), as well as four different UNESCO World Heritage sites in Australia.
Landing in Sydney, we will have the opportunity to use the ferries to visit some of the lovely parts of Sydney, including the award-winning and world famous Opera House - perched on the edge of Sydney Harbor.
A flight to Cairns will take us to a "double" World Heritage area. A trip north will include a taste of the Queensland Wet Tropics site, a lovely tropical rain forest. On that trip, we will spend a day on the Great Barrier Reef (another natural World Heritage site). Another day will include a train trip west through the wet tropics, as well as a return trip on a tramway over the same area and a visit to an Aboriginal Cultural Center.
Landing at Darwin on the north coast of Australia, we will take land transportation to Kakadu National Park, a cultural and natural World Heritage site. It is a cultural site for the Aboriginal rock art and it is a natural site for the remarkable variety of wetland plants and animals. We will experience both the cultural and natural sites there.
From Darwin, we will fly to Uluru (Ayers Rock) to enjoy the striking beauty of this natural formation, to view its rock carvings, and to learn of the cultural significance of this site for the Aborigines. Uluru is another cultural and natural World Heritage site - it is a soulful and spectacular experience. A flight to Sydney will give us another look around there before our return flight to Los Angeles.
Stan Kruschwitz has visited Australia three times and has been taking groups on trips since the 1980s. He has a special affinity to Australia and the Pacific. Additionally, local naturalists and guides will lend their expertise and assist participants in understanding the unique fauna, flora, and culture of Australia.