Check out these fun and interesting facts about Australia. How many did you know? How many have you been to?

1. The Australian Alps get more snow than the Swiss Alps. If the current cold snap is a sign of things to come, then perhaps we should be booking our snow escape now!
2. 90% of Australians live on the coast. No wonder we are water babies… It would take around 29 years to visit one new Aussie beach every day – there are 10,685 of them! When that cold wind blows, do you head for Far North Queensland or Dark Mofo in Tasmania?
3. Tasmania has the cleanest air in the world. No wonder the winters are cold, and sightings of the southern Aurora Australis are magical.
4. The Great Barrier Reef is the largest ecosystem in the world. It is made up of nearly 3,000 individual reefs and can be seen from space. Snorkelling is fantastic, and last year one day, I saw harmless white pointed reef sharks, turtles, stingrays, coral and, of course, wonderfully coloured fish, including Nemo! Where? Lady Musgrave in the southern Reef and fabulous Lizard Island northeast of Cairns. Enjoy a reef escape on Lady Elliott or Orpheus Island off Townsville.
5. Australia has over 60 separate wine regions. Apart from our own Tamborine Mountain wineries, there are so many tempting cellar doors. I am writing from South Australia, and nearby are the Adelaide Hills, The Barossa, McLaren Vale, and where we are heading: the Clare Valley.
6. K’Gari or Fraser Island is the largest sand island in the world. This World Heritage site has fantastic forests and an inland lake that is a remarkable translucent blue, and if the tide is right, you can head up the oceanside river area and see more stingrays than you can possibly imagine before heading to the white silicon beach for a swim.
7. The Indian Pacific train has the longest straight section of train track in the world. No wonder the train stops to visit the sights. Otherwise, the passengers may all be rocked off to sleep. 
8. 5 km of Uluru is underground. This extraordinary monolith in central Australia really must be visited by all of us. Don’t miss nearby Kata Juta and the beautiful Kings Canyon.
9. The first Police Force in Australia was made up of the most well-behaved convicts. I was recently in Sydney and took a guided walking tour around The Rocks – what fun tales Michael told while we learnt so much of Australia’s early history.
10. Australia has 19 World Heritage Listed sites. How many have you visited?

Well, the borders are open, and we are all travelling. Interestingly, according to Deloitte Economics, about 40% of Australians are keen to head off overseas – and we are. International flights are busy. Most of us, though, is keen to stay close to home. If you are planning a trip near or far, I urge you to book sooner rather than later. I can’t tell you how many people are leaving it until the last minute and finding out everything is full.

Contact Travelling Places PH: 07 5545 1600 
 E: travel@travellingplaces.com.au