THE LAND DOWN UNDER, AUSTRALIA Traveldriven was born, raised and has always lived in Australia. For foreigners visiting or thinking of living in Australia some things are good to know. Things Australian's regard as common knowledge. Ask an Australian directly for the right answers. There are quite a few travel blogs written by non-residents of Australia and these all say similar basic things. These may or may not be hearsay. As an Australian living in Australia. ON A VISIT TO TRAVEL AUSTRALIA For the record: The term Down Under is never used by Australians in general conversation and is not always liked. The phrase is used by foreigners. As far as we are concerned, we are on top of the world. It's all about one's perspective. The wildlife . Australians are quite fond of their native fauna. These include crocodiles, sharks, red back spiders, snakes, kangaroo, emu, birds etc. Even our stingrays. We know the deadly and dangerous one's and don't need to be reminded. As for visitor's all would be very unlucky to cross paths with the most dangerous. If, however, a person is in a particular fauna environment be mindful encountering something. For example, don't walk in long grass in hot weather, pay due attention to roadside and pathway warning signs etc. Don't approach any wildlife. Safe and simple. Australia is not expensive . Look at the money exchange rate. For example: The United States Dollar is always valued more than the Australian dollar. Usually between 65 to 80 cents for every Australian dollar to one US dollar. The British pound generally is twice the value of one Australian dollar. Visitors from English speaking countries should think that's good. Air fares are reasonable for distance travelled. It is not always hot . Even in the tropical north nights may be cool. Ask a Victorian or a Tasmanian about the cold. Often most months of the year may be cold. Down to zero overnight and a high of single digit Celsius in the daytime. Or 32 to 50 Fahrenheit. Australian's all use a little slang . G'day and Mate are probably the most common. Be careful with slang. For example. Many American words have a rude Australian slang term for the same word. For example: we never root for our team. That would mean we have sex for or with our teammates. This one is a bit tricky. After some light banter back and forth we may insult you to your face. If we have a smile on our face, we may intend it as a way of showing we like you. Don't assume the opposite. Australia is safe. There are no off-limit areas to any particular group of Australian's. A few places may be seedy or high end but if walking or driving through these neighbourhoods it's not a problem. Permits may be required in remote indigenous communities. Anywhere else the use of common sense and respect for locals goes a long way. Do not view Australian's and New Zealander's as almost the same people. This is insulting to both. A friendly rivalry exists between the two countries. Although both get along with each other, significant differences remain in sport and culture. Australians as a rule don't tip for service. We see this as rather odd. People earn enough to cover bare basics. If payment is in cash sometimes saying keep the change is ok for convenience's sake. All Australian's love vegemite and having a BBQ in the backyard or in parkland. Often with a cold beer in hand. (not Fosters). We do not drive on the wrong side of the road . Right hand drive is great for us and safe. Holidays Australian's do not go on Vacation. We go on Holidays. It means the same thing. Generally, working Australian's get at least four to five weeks annual holidays and many choose to break holidays into weekly or fortnightly periods throughout convenient times of the year. Weekends are important to Australians. Viewed by many to enjoy time with family and friends outside of the usual Monday to Friday working week. Keep In Mind Flying to Australia and visiting Sydney, Uluru, Gold Coast and a few islands of the Barrier Reef is a convenient tourist packaged way to see Australia. However, much more of value can be obtained to include a few days in "normal Australia". This might include suburban retail strips, local sport or a visit to a country town or seaside town. Enjoy a meal at a local hotel or a morning breakfast at a coffee shop. A chance to meet and see local people. Frequent not just the well-known internationals and large resorts. Traveldriven RIVERSIDE SWIM IN AUSTRALIA HOMEPAGE

ANZAC Day Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. A day of remembrance in both countries. Remembering those 'who served and died in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations'. Dawn Service ANZAC Day Canberra I attended the 6am dawn Anzac Day service at the Canberra Australian War Memorial. The 107th anniversary of the Gallipoli landings. Knowing thousands would attend I awoke 4 am. Drove from Rydges Motel accommodation via Canberra city to the War Memorial underground public parking. Thought I would be one of the first arrivals around 4.30 am. Surprised by how many hundreds of people were streaming to the dawn service area on the left side facing the Memorial main buildings. I managed to get a position near the front where it was roped off to the public. Television crews in attendance. The pre-service preceding's began shortly. Informative talks given by distinguished people. Some were ex-servicemen talking about experiences of battle and not leaving anyone behind. The service itself fairly short. Generals and Admirals were in attendance. The service backed by the Band of the Royal Military College, Duntroon. A Didgeridoo player from the RAAF and a Piper of the Australian Federal Police. An address to those gathered was made from the national President of the RSL. (Returned and Services League of Australia) Mateship of Returned Servicemen After attending the ANZAC day service in Canberra, a deeply moving and significant event that honors the sacrifices of those who served their country, I was involved in a poignant encounter. As I made my way to my vehicle, an ex-serviceman of military age approached me with a sense of genuine concern and respect. He kindly inquired if I was a returned serviceman myself, noting that long walks seemed challenging for me. In response, I humbly expressed I had never served in the armed forces but felt compelled to pay my respects to those who had bravely served. Later that day, I decided to revisit the Australian War Memorial to immerse myself further in the history and stories of wartime sacrifices. The impact of the visit was profound, especially considering the restricted visitor numbers due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Despite the limitations, the experience of exploring the displays and paying tribute to the fallen heroes left a lasting impression on many attendees. It was a reminder of the importance of honouring the past and reflecting on the sacrifices made for the freedoms we enjoy today. Traveldriven DAWN SERVICE 2022 LIGHT OF DAY, WAR MEMORIAL ANZAC WREATHS AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL WEARY DUNLOP OUTSIDE WAR MEMORIAL CANBERRA STATUE OF WEARY DUNLOP THE WAR PRISONER SURGEON EXPLOSIVE FINDER DOG & HANDLER WAR MEMORIAL CANBERRA 2 UP THE JETTY CANBERRA ANZAC day is the one day of the year two up can legally be played Australia wide PREV CANBERRA ROADTRIP NEXT HOMEPAGE

WACK - Wimmera Against Cancer in Kids. A Show & Shine Fundraiser & optional gold coin donation upon entry. Held at May Park on a Sunday over the March Labour Day long weekend in Horsham, Victoria. Also on the same weekend is the annual fishing competition often attended by thousands of people camping on the banks of the Wimmera River. The Show & Shine is situated off Baillie Street and Dimboola Road. On the May Park grassed grounds. There is large, grassed areas with shady palm trees. On this occasion there were two hundred and sixty vehicles on display. Many from the surrounding Western Victorian towns and farming communities. Usually there is great autumn weather. Horsham is a regional city in the Wimmera region of western Victoria. Horsham is approximately three hundred kilometres west of Melbourne. Traveldriven LABOUR DAY LONG WEEKEND FISHING COMPETITION Show & Shine 2025 MAY PARK HORSHAM TEAR DROP GREEN WEEKENDER? OR TRAVEL AUSTRALIA BUILT FOR ONE OR A TIGHT FIT FOR TWO Show & Shine 2024 OLD FORD TRUCK BIG ENGINE HOLDEN GRILLED FJ 186ci MUSTANG CREAM Show & Shine 2023 An old completely refitted out in new condition tray truck or ute. Mag wheels. No spoke rimmed spare tyre! Rabbit Trapper decals and rabbit hanging from side mirror. Stuffed and fake of course! No drinking and driving are the messages authorities like to send and is a very sensible message to all. The above image has a skeleton holding a can of Victoria Bitter. Note the beer screw tops glued on the glovebox. All Australian beers. Early Ford stretched limo in need of a full paint respray. Bonnet, roof and boot paint in poor repair. Flying boot emblem. Electric windows. MAD MAX KAWASAKI Z900 Dale Bensch was a stuntman on the mad max (1979) moive set. He appeared as a stunt double for Jim Goose, MFB and as the donut rider in the main street. He also was one of the stunt riders on the country bridge crash scene. The urban myth created was he died as a result of the stunt going wrong. The bike unintentionally flipping over. However this was untrue. Nice swag tied down with straps and four into one pipes. A few arrivals at Show & Shine HORSHAM SHOW & SHINE 2020 HORSHAM SHOW & SHINE 2020 HORSHAM SHOW & SHINE 2018 MUSTANG SHELBY SUPER SNAKE EARLY MUSTANG BRIGHT RED LIGHT BLUE CONVERTIBLE MUSTANG WITH TOP UP NICE YELLOW SANDMAN TOWING VAN IN BACKGROUND EARLY MODEL RED MUSTANG CHERRY RED CONVERTIBLE MUSTANG REAR VIEW CHERRY RED CONVERTIBLE MUSTANG FRONT VIEW 1964 AND A HALF ON SIGN? EARLY MUSTANG BLUE COLOUR SHELBY SUPER SNAKE GT 500 5.4L 2008 PREV SHOW & SHINE NEXT HOMEPAGE

A soothing relaxing experience for all to enjoy. Better than the beach. -Traveldriven Deep Blue Hot Springs Warrnambool These are a group of twelve or more artificial rock themed open air thermal heated pools of various temperatures ranging to 42 degrees drawn from 850 metres below ground. Up to 1.2 metres in depth. Many pools have water jets and waterfalls. Pool sessions are limited to two hours. An entry fee of $46 ranging to $57 per individual depending on time of day. (2024) to access all pools. Popular with Warrnamabool locals and visitors alike. The Deep Blue six level high-rise four-star hotel is onsite. Ocean and beach views. Warrnambool Hot Springs is a great experience. The hotel and hot springs could be considered as part of the one large visitor's complex. Hopkins Falls Up to thirteen metres in height, form part of the river system of the Glenelg Hopkins catchment and is about twenty km east of Warrnamabool along Wangoom Road following onto Hopkins Falls Road. The Hopkins River rises near Ararat, and flows south, joined by twelve tributaries before reaching Warrnambool and emptying into Bass Strait. The river follows a 270 kilometre course. A drive was taken to Hopkins Falls near Warrnamabool in late June '16 during a high rainfall event. The falls are one of the widest in Victoria. Ninety metres wide with unobstructed views from the viewing platform or at the foot of the falls. Often a very small overflow of water in warmer months. Warrnamabool Breakwater Pier is 315 metres long. Walking and fishing access is allowed along its length. Warrnamabool is a 258 km drive via the Princes Highway from Melbourne CBD. About a three hour drive. Two hours shorter than driving the more scenic Great Ocean Road. Traveldriven ENTER CLICK/TAP WARRNAMBOOL GOOGLE MAPS DEEP BLUE HOTEL & HOT SPRINGS HOPKINS FALLS HOPKINS FALLS HIGH RAINFALL VIEW OF WARRNAMBOOL PIER & FOREGROUND OF LAKE PERTOBE FROM CANNON HILL DEEP BLUE, ENTRANCE TO SHORT CAVE & THERMAL SPRINGS WATERFALL DEEP BLUE, OPEN CAVE WATERFALL OPEN AIR SHALLOW HOT THERMAL POOLS DEEP BLUE OPEN AIR THERMAL HOT SPRINGS WARRNAMBOOL, VICTORIA PREV VICTORIA NEXT HOMEPAGE

ALAN JONES Alan Jones, Australian "An obnoxious little bastard, a big-headed little prick." - Jones' view on himself as a youngster "About as useful as an ashtray on a motorcycle." - Jones on the Lola he drove in his final season in F1 in 1986 Alan Stanley Jones MBE (born 2 November 1946 in Melbourne, Victoria) is an Australian former Formula One driver. He was the first driver to win a Formula One World Championship with the Williams team, becoming the 1980 World Drivers' Champion and the second Australian to do so following triple World Champion Sir Jack Brabham. He competed in a total of 117 Grands Prix, winning 12 and achieving 24 podium finishes. In 1978 Jones won the Can-Am championship driving a Lola. TWO WORLD CHAMPIONS Two bronze busts of Jack Brabham and Alan Jones were unveiled at the Albert Park Lake F1 motor racing circuit in 2013. Likeness appears very good for both. The two drivers were both born in Australia. Alan Jones in Victoria and Jack Brabham in New South Wales. JACK BRABHAM & ALAN JONES TWO WORLD CHAMPIONS IN F1 ALAN JONES LIFE, STUDIO 10 ALAN JONES 1980 WORLD TITLE MILESTONE Highlights of F1 triple World Champion Niki Lauda 1949 - 2019 F1 career including the actual footage of the horrific 1976 Nürburgring crash. The dangers of F1 PREV PAGE NEXT

BALLYSEEDE CASTLE ghostly visits by Hila the friendly ghost -castle tales ASHFORD CASTLE A luxury hotel, built by the Guinness family. Ashford Castle is frequented by many tourists. Day visits are allowed and meals or high tea can be ordered by non-guests. A school of Falconry is located on the castle grounds. A fulltime gatekeeper keeps an eye on all who enter across the grand stone causeway. Ashford Castle is in fact a part of the village of Cong with a ruined medieval abbey, where Rory O'Connor, the last High King of Ireland, spent the end of his life. The castle has its own sparkling wine and is reasonable priced. Cong is surrounded by fast streams and has natural underground water channels. Cong was the location for John Ford's 1952 movie The Quiet Man, featuring John Wayne. Many of the movie scenes were filmed around Ashford Castle. The general area has retained its charm since the film. BALLYSEEDE CASTLE HAUNTED CASTLE Accommodation and Irish history. Highly recommend spending a night. There is a resident friendly ghost, Hilda ! She is said to appear on March 24 each year, but guests and staff have seen her around more often. Hilda is seen in the upper floor and the main stairs of the castle. Her presence is always announced by the smell of roses. Weeks later on return home, I did notice an artifact like a small childlike waving hand motion on the very outer edge of the video I captured facing the top left of the third storey stairway. A few seconds of video. Of course I was the only person in this area. I did not smell the scent of roses. Probably nothing. Adds to the mystic of the castle. Ballyseede Castle is on approach to The Ring of Kerry . The Ring of Kerry is a 179-kilometre-long circular tourist route in County Kerry, south-western Ireland. Beginning at Killarney following a pathway through small towns before returning to Killarney. Highlights of Ireland are the scenic drives, haunted castles and Irish county life. Traveldriven DRIVE DUBLIN TO CONG DRIVE RING OF KERRY TO BALLYSEEDE CASTLE ENTRANCE TO BALLYSEEDE CASTLE REAR OF BALLYSEEDE CASTLE STONE ROOM FOR BREAKFAST CANDLE LIT DINNER, BALLYSEEDE CASTLE STEPS WALKED BY HILDA THE FRIENDLY GHOST BALLYSEEDE CASTLE WINDOW SUITE WAVE HIGH TEA, ASHFORD CASTLE ASHFORD CASTLE FALCONY HAWK ON ARM, ASHFORD CASTLE ASHFORD CASTLE ENTRANCE ASHFORD CASTLE GATEKEEPER BALLYSEEDE CASTLE HOTEL ASHFORD CASTLE PREV PAGE NEXT HOMEPAGE POST

DAY 42 & 43 AYERS ROCK (ULURU) Uluru and fireworks fun. Uluru also known as Ayers Rock, is an almost five hour drive from Alice Springs along the Stuart and Lasseter highways. A distance of 450kms. Good, sealed roads all the way. Lasseter Highway itself is a scenic drive of 244 km. The highway is named after Lewis Lasseter. Lewis claimed to have found and then lost the fabled Lasseter Reef of gold in the 1930's. He is buried in Alice Springs. Mount Conner off Lasseter Highway is often mistaken for Uluru. A sealed road encircles Uluru. The Ulura base walk is about ten km in total. Often seen are Desert Oak and the wild Australian Budgerigar which are commonplace in central Australia. A small brightly colored common parakeet. Commonly kept in household cages. Yulara Township Tourist facilities are at Yulara township. 26 km from Uluru. A sealed road continues 25 km to Kata Tjuta (Olgas). These are large domed rock formations . The highest over 500 metres above the surrounding plains. There is a tourist ban on climbing Uluru. However, hiking is allowed on the Olgas. On a previous visit to central Australia I and three others in a light plane flew over Lake Amadeus. A vast usually dry salt lake. 50 km north of Uluru. (Ayers Rock) as it was then called. The glare of white salt all around to the horizon. Lake Amadeus is approximately 100 km by 13 km wide. Ayers Rock Resort Local Fireworks Ban? I booked into the huge campground and erected my tent. I purchased fireworks in Alice Springs the day before. I thought it good to revisit Guy Fawkes Day of my youth. Fireworks and bonfires now long banned in Victoria. Have some harmless fun. Territory Day is the only legal day of the year the general public is allowed to buy and use fireworks. In all other states fireworks are banned with heavy fines for possession. Now I am in a national park l was advised in the Visitor's Centre not to use them. Bushfire risk. My car boot full. What to do? Meanwhile fireworks were being set off by the local workers around the edge of the park. Fireworks Lighting the Sky After much indecision of what to do with the hundreds of dollars' worth of fireworks in my car boot. I drove out on dusk and came across the local Lions Club shed. Local Lion members were lighting fireworks in the empty carpark standing around a 44-gallon drum. Well alight with burning wood. Fireworks Fun Travel Down Under The Lion members invited me to join in. I opened my sedan boot. Holly Hell. Seeing the number of fireworks. Plenty to share. Nearby were a couple of overseas tourists. Lighting fireworks. They asked me if I would part with a few. Sure, I lead them by torchlight to my car boot. Shone the light over the firework boxes. I was handed $100. Less than what I paid for in the shop. All good. All needed to be used before tomorrow. One large firework rocketed sideways and impacted the Lions Shed sidewall in a shower of sparks and noise. A metre above my car's roof. Fortunate there was no damage to my only means of transportation here in the outback. Overall, a great Territory Day/night. Traveldriven AYERS ROCK (ULURU) GOOGLE MAPS AYERS ROCK ( ULURU) WIKIPEDIA YULARA 'THE ROCK' FIVE DAY FORECAST TRAVEL DOWN UNDER & DRIVE 2WD ULURU TO KATA TJUTA LEGAL FIREWORKS ON NORTHERN TERRITORY DAY FIREWORKS TENT SITE ULURU STRAIGHT AHEAD SEALED ROAD CLIMBING AYERS ROCK BEFORE THE BAN AYERS ROCK & DESERT OAKS DESERT VIEW WALKING TRACK AROUND THE ROCK SHADY LEAN-TO PERMANENT CLIMB CLOSURE IN PLACE CHAIN GUIDE WILL IN FUTURE BE REMOVED CRACK IN THE ROCK WEATHERED ROCK 'CLIMBING THE ROCK' PENDING CLOSURE RANGER TALK PREV WA/NT/SA NEXT PREV AUSTRALIA ICONS NEXT PREV N\TERRITORY NEXT HOMEPAGE

NEW GEAR KNOB & SPARE TYRE MUSTANG GT DRIVING The Ford Mustang, the S550, is the sixth generation of the model and was introduced in 2015. Made in both left- and right-hand drive from the Ford factory. The fiftieth anniversary of the Ford Mustang. The first mustang was revealed in 1965 on April 17, 1964. Some early owner changes after taking delivery of a new 2017 model were; new spare full-size tyre to fit flush in the tyre well. Ford do not provide a spare tyre for the mustang. New white gear knob to match the white car. Tinted windows to help reduce glare and to help keep the interior cooler on hot days. Traveldriven NEW MUSTANG GT SIX SPEED MANUAL NEW WHITE ROUSH SHIFT KNOB 6 SPEED BLACK PATTERN CORRECT SIX SPEED PATTERN AND REVERSE SELECTOR TO MATCH WHITE CAR DRIVING MUSTANG GT WHITE ROUSH GEAR KNOB FORD DO NOT INCLUDE A SPARE TYRE OR WHEELBRACE AFTERMARKET FULL SIZE SPARE TYRE 80KM MAX SPEED RATED TO FIT FRONT & BACK FULL SIZE SPARE SITS FLUSH INTO WHEEL WELL PREV MUSTANG GT NEXT HOMEPAGE

a fresh creamy mango sorbet -just like icecream? - Traveldriven Bowen Road Trip Australia The town is halfway between Townsville and Mackay. A tropical town in the Whitsunday area of North Queensland. Away from the foreshore the town looked hot and dry. Almost drought like. It was the dry season. Population of over ten thousand people. Stayed a night in the Whitsunday Sands Resort. Excellent scenic beach frontage. The resort is on the foreshore. Palm trees and coconut trees. A few coconuts were found dropped on the ground. By the look of the outside, the coconuts all were unfit to eat. Apparently if the shell appears to be mouldy or there are dark spots on the coconut shell it is unsafe to eat. Big Mango Attraction Bowen is the home of the Big Mango. A ten-metre-high structure. Raw mangos have a sour taste. However, as they ripen, they taste sweet and fruity. A creamy mango sorbet (no dairy ingredients) is usually available onsite. A sherbet or an ice-cream is also available. Airlie Beach is one hundred and fifty km north of Mackay and eighty km south of Bowen. There is ferry access to nearby Hamilton Island and Daydream Island. All a part of The Great Barrier Reef. Traveldriven ENTER CLICK/TAP BOWEN GOOGLE MAPS WHITSUNDAY SANDS RESORT GOOGLE MAPS IN REALTIME ROAD TRIP AUSTRALIA DRIVE MACKAY TO BOWEN AND TOWNSVILLE Whitsunday Sands Resort beach view BOWEN BEWARE DROPPING COCONUTS DROPPED ON THE GROUND Whitsunday Sands Resort Whitsunday Sands Resort view Giant Mango PARTY, OR A QUIET DRINK IN THE BEER GARDEN? PREV ROADTRIP TOWNSVILLE NEXT PREV QUEENSLAND NEXT HOMEPAGE

The Jaguar Experience Supersprint Passenger ride alongside a pro-driver as they put the iconic F-TYPE through its paces in the exhilarating Jaguar Supersprint. Albert Park F1 Grand Prix event Melbourne. Great to experience a drive with a pro race driver in a high performance Jaguar road car. Several laps were driven of the small Jaguar exhibition circuit. The water section corner was fun. A free experience provided by Jaguar Australia. The only requirement was a willingness to wait in a short queue and trust the driver's high speed drifting and braking. Mustang Car and Chase Scene's Old and New Bullitt is a 1968 American film. Famous for its eleven minute chase scene. Staring Steve McQueen driving a 1968 Mustang GT Fastback through the streets of San Francisco. The movie chase scenes shared between McQueen and stunt driver Bud Ekins. Chasing a Dodge Charger R/T. The mustang was sold at Mecum Auctions for a record price of 3.4 million dollars ($3.7 million including auction fees) on January 10, 2020. Traveldriven HOW TO DRIVE JAGUAR EXPERIENCE BULLITT THE CHASE BULLITT CHASE 2013 MUSTANG BULLITT 2019 BLACK EYE CAR CHASE JOHN WICK 2 MUSTANG DRIVE MUSTANG CHASE MOVIE CHASE SCENES EARLY MUSTANG'S MOVIE CHASE SCENES MUSTANG'S MUSTANG 2017 DRAG RACE MUSTANG REVIEW ON TRACK MUSTANG CRASHES DRIVER ERROR MUSTANG FEMALE STUNT DRIVER DRIVING INSTRUCTION UNDERSTEER & OVERSTEER PREV MUSTANG GT NEXT HOMEPAGE

Tranzalpine Train The Tranzalpine Train is a passenger train operated by The Great Journeys of New Zealand in the South Island of New Zealand. The train travels coast to coast over the Southern Alps. Regarded to be one of the world's great train journeys. Dramatic changes in scenery occur with elevation through the countryside which it passes. The journey is 223 kilometres (139 mi) one-way. The train taking almost five hours on each one-way trip allowing sightseeing in Greymouth before returning to Christchurch. There are 16 tunnels and four viaducts, with the Staircase Viaduct elevated as much as 75 metres (246 ft). Once above the snow line I spent time in the open view carriage exposed on both sides to the cold weather. I wore a dry-as-a-bone jacket, leather hat, jeans and heavy weatherproof boots. A few people came and went and stayed only briefly because of the cold. Upon returning to the heated carriage the ice formed on my hat and jacket began to melt, dropping on the floor. A fellow passenger commented I was brave to stay so long out there. I said not really. I know some of the best experiences are not the most comfortable. The train stopped briefly at Arthur's Pass Station. For us the highest point over the Alps. Passengers were allowed to disembark for a short while. The station and surrounds covered by the overnight and morning snowfall. Even the train tracks were hard to see covered in snow. We made snow balls and enjoyed friendly snow ball fights before reboarding our train. Train staff said the day before there was no ground covered snow. Our train trip was fortunate to have so much snowfall being outside of the winter months. Christchurch Touring the earthquake Red Zone on the Red Bus. Upon boarding, the bus driver then preceded to brief all passenger's that strong aftershocks are common. The recorded onboard mandatory safety announcement said if a strong shock occurs on the tour, please stay onboard or stand alongside the bus as directed for your own safety. The Red Zone is off limits to the public and is very dangerous. Pre-signed waiver paperwork explained tours done at your own risk. Limited tours were done to show Christchurch CBD will be rebuilt and recover. The earthquake of 2011 claimed 185 lives. Traveldriven TRANZALPINE SHORT STOP AT ARTHUR'S PASS. THROWING SNOWBALLS BEFORE REBOARDING TRAIN Click to enter Arthur's Pass google maps Arthur's Pass township was reached by the railway in 1914. The TranzAlpine passes through Arthur's Pass and the Otira Tunnel as part of its 223 kilometres (139 mi) journey from Christchurch to Greymouth. Considered one of the world's great train journeys for the scenery and views. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TranzAlpine Aftermath of the Christchurch Earthquake. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Christchurch_earthquake Red Zone Bus Tour. Into the off limits area ENTRY TO THE RED ZONE PUBLIC ACCESS FORBIDDEN CHRISTCHURCH CBD EARTHQUAKE DAMAGE CBD GHOST TOWN OFF LIMITS CHURCH MINUS SPIRE AFTER THE EARTHQUAKE PREV PAGE NEXT HOMEPAGE

South Western Highway Connects Perth via Fremantle and Bunbury with Walpole along a mostly coastal route. A length of 400 km. Bunbury to Busselton (Bussel Highway) has link roads to join Walpole and then follows the South Coast Highway to Albany. FREMANTLE Is a major Australian port city in Western Australia, located at the mouth of the Swan River in the Perth metropolitan area. Get a mighty meal of Marron. Marron Is a freshwater crayfish. Only found in southern Western Australia. Marron can grow to twelve inches in size. Often found in farm dams and waterways. Marron may be purchased cooked at numerous sea food eateries in Perth and southern Western Australia. BUSSELTON Is about two hundred and twenty kilometres south-west of Perth. The Busselton Jetty is said to be the longest wooden structure in the world. 1,841 metres (6,040 ft). To save the long walk and as a novelty the jetty has a tourist train ride and an underwater observatory. It’s possible to dine eight metres below the sea at Busselton Jetty. Enjoy Western Australian produce. Walking the jetty or taking the train right out to the underwater observatory is a great experience. The Underwater Observatory is a natural aquarium where marine species are viewed in their natural habitat. Spiral flights of stairs lead to the Observatory. A lift is also available. Informative guide talks. ALBANY of Western Australia Is a port city located at the bottom of Western Australia, 418 kilometres southeast of Perth at the end of the South Western Highway. Albany is the oldest colonial settlement in Western Australia. The Gap and Natural Bridge . The Gap walkway, a grated see through platform 40 metres above the ocean and extending 10 metres out from the cliff face, offers great views over the cliffs, the incoming waves hitting below and the approaching ocean swell. A small park fee is payable. Albany is home to the National ANZAC Centre with views to King George Sound where 41,000 men and women left Australia aboard ships for the first World War. Traveldriven ENTER CLICK/TAP FREMANTLE GOOGLE MAPS BUSSELTON GOOGLE MAPS ALBANY GOOGLE MAPS Bon Scott statue in Fremantle Driving past Fremantle Prison Busselton Jetty train stop The Gap platform 40 metres above the ocean Albany Marron Lunch Platter regional WA King George Sound Lookout Albany National ANZAC Centre, Albany National ANZAC Centre wire & iron soldier and horse Light horseman Wire Display PREV WESTERN AUSTRALIA NEXT HOMEPAGE