Empty space: it's the last great luxury. Beautiful, huge, quiet, uncluttered, unregulated, unmessed-up empty space, with no one else around to spoil the view or disturb the peace.

In Australia's great outdoors, you can gaze at the wide horizon against the huge blue sky, drink in the sight of amazing wildlife and spectacular scenery, and luxuriate in the awareness that in that sheer vastness of nothing, with just nature all around you, you're likely not to see another car for hours.

It's just you and dinosaur footprints. No finer way of rinsing your soul of stress, the Aussies say.

Natures Window
by Peter Devenish

Where the world stops and nature begins, a window onto that other world is to be found at the end of a long dusty track on the Murcheson river at the edge of western civilisation before the real outback begins. Enjoy. underground hotel
by jack frost

Spending a night at White Cliff underground hotel the best nights sleep ever. no noise, cool, and no need for air conditioning, miles from anywhere into the never never
by michelle fields

we drove our four wheel drive up to Cape York and back. We stayed in outback stations and saw the postman fly his areoplane onto a dirt strip right in front of the station. Saw big rivers full of croc's in the Jackie Jackie river. The Wild West of Austraila. Untouched. Magic! A lucky time in the Lucky Country
by Julia Wright

Drove across Australia in a VW Beetle, not even a camper. Roads from Port Pirie to Alice Springs were still dirt. Washed my hair in cattle troughs. No resort yet built at Ayers Rock, no admission charge. We camped at the base. We rescued a lost cat from the Rock. It's owners fed us that night as thanks so we buried the large steaks we had bought from a sheep station , to keep them cool, and dug them up the next day. They were fine. At sunset we had the wonderful colour-change of the Rock to ourselves. Blissful days, King's Canyon
by Anne Donaldson

The evening before we walked "the rim" there was a torrential rainstorm. As a result the waterfalls and river were in full flow. Magic, first rain in the area for 14 months. The guide was as impressed by the beauty of it all as we were.
























2 The Storm
by Lona Jones

Have been to Australia twice, on our second visit we went to Ayers Rock for 3days. Day two we decided to take a walk round Uluru and got caught in an almighty storm. To us a storm, to the locals a miracle. They told us how lucky we were to see such a wonderful sight of the colour of Uluru and the cascades of rainwater falling over the rock. We were soaked to the skin but did consider ourselves nevertheless lucky to see such a spectacle. We'd love to go back. Wrong side of Uluru
by Bob Steel

My wife & I were waiting for the sunset at Uluru.The sun behind us! "Aren't we on the wrong side," said my wife, expecting the sun to go down behind Uluru! However, all the coaches were there waiting, so we waited. The colours changed through red, orange, mauve, violet, purple; incredible! So we weren't on the wrong side. Indian Pacific
by Jon Holder

Three of us on a gap year in Australia decided to take the two day journey across the Nullabor from Adelaide to Perth.

We had one seat each with the only exercise being a walk to the canteen car and plenty of games of cards. In addition stops were also made with one of those being in the small town of Cook - a town in the middle of nowhere with a population of five! We hunted for the locals but to no avail.

The town was in stark contrast to Adelaide & Perth. Sound of Silence Dinner
by David Wilson

When visiting Uluru, do take the option of a formal dinner at sundown in view of Uluru. It is a fabulous experience which you will never forget. boomerang
by John Partridge

We spent a fabulous evening at a dried up river bed just outside Alice Springs learning to throw a boomerang The stars were amazing and the the tucker and wine made it a very memorable evening. Ubirr - Kakadu
by Jacqueline Good

In August, 2000, on our first evening in Kakadu we went to see the sunset at Ubirr - don't miss it. About 37 kms. north of Jabiru we parked our car and walked down a 1 km circular track past fascinating Aboriginal rock art sites before climbing about 250 m. up to the top of a rocky lookout over the Nardab flood plain. From the top there is a 360 degree view. When we first arrived there were others already there, sitting on the rock and awaiting the sunset, whilst a very informative ranger was talking about the area, the Aborigine legends and the way of life of the people and animals there. As the sun set, we had never seen anything like it. The sky turned a brilliant red all over and the red reflected in the water of the flood plain so that the whole world seemed to have turned this amazing colour. Then suddenly it was all over. Don't miss it. Yulara
by Kathryn Mayers

I worked at the resort at Yulara for a few months on my year out, it was an amazing experience walking to and from work with Uluru in the background. I had some of the best times of my life in the middle of Oz Experience life at outback station
by Rombout Hartemink

Six hours North East of Perth near Yalgoo lies the 50 by 50km Tardie and Yuin Station B&B along one of the 'rabbit proof fences' where we joined straight into the real outback life of Jan and Michael Foulkes Taylor just as if we were visiting friends and at the end we were. Flying along in one of the Cessna planes, learning about water conservation and drought kangaroo/emu spotting and sunday outback barbeque, The real outback, a life long memory!. (got a card at christmas with good news: rain on parts of their property!) Contrasts
by Andrew Poole

Went to WA aged 12 with father. Existence unbelievably rough, bush living for most away from the towns. Flies snakes and bushfires regularly
Came home and went back there in 1989. An unbelievable transformation, bush fires well prevented through planning and controlled burn. Many fine houses and a complete lack of bush flies said to be controlled by dung beetles, roads well laid out with good signposting, people healthy and vibrant a wonderful place to visit, go to WA regularly now. A very well organised and vibrant state. Ayers Rock
by Russell Hill

The Sounds of Silence supper at Ayers Rock was one of the most exhilarating experiences of my life. The only thing that came close was the Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb. Wonderful country can't wait to go back. Ayers Rock
by H Wood

Make sure you do a walk around it as the sun comes up. Another bit of advice; out of respect do not climb it. Uluru adventure
by Colin Kelly

Breakfast at dawn . The rising sun acting as an an increasing intensity spot light. A magical, awe inspiring experince that is a life long, valued memory. Wild Australia
by Keith Gibbard

If you want a great outback experience try this

http://www.geckocanoeing.com.au/

Jenn and Mick, who run this outfit, are just the right mix of laidback Oz friendliness and professional local knowledge of the Northern Territory.

Last year we spent a week walking the ancient aboriginal Jatbula trail, sleeping under the Southern Cross followed by a week canoing the Katherine and Daly river systems. There were crocs but the guides are very experienced and safety is paramount.

On the last night, Mick produced iced drinks and a candlelit dinner by the banks of a starlit river. Highly reccomended. Red moon
by Katherine Higley

Sitting in the bush on a hill in the Pilbara - watching the moon rise. It was blood red in colour and the sky around it was a lovely pink colour. Just before I left the kangaroos started their night time activities. A truly magic moment. Sky at Night
by Neville Higman

In the several trips down under I've made, it never occurred to me to look up until I was in the heart of Australia at Uluru. An astronomer took us into the darkness of an outback night away from the lights of the resort and showed us the night sky. The constellations of the Northern Hemisphere are old friends, so it was bewildering and awe-inspiring to see a completely new sky and become slowly aware of the timelessness of the landscape I was surrounded by - beneath, around and above. Flinders Ranges
by Gary Parnaby

Well where do I begin to tell you about Flinders in South Australia? A true hidden gem, stroll through the woods and feel like you have discovered the heart of Australia, be careful though as kangaroos will be happily hopping along the path beside you and they can travel at some speed! Take a short flight over the ranges and marvel at the true beauties nature has to offer. Although it has been a few years since my visit there it will forever remain dear to me because as the saying goes ‘it has to be seen to be believed!’ Sunset at Uluru
by Sue Shippam

The greatest experience of my life was to watch the colour of Uluru change as the sun set. From orange right through to purple you could not believe that the 'rock' could be so many shades of colour in such a short time. Words just cannot describe the magic of it all - breathtaking, awe inspiring, unbelievable - one to see before you die!! I can't wait to see it again.....