Australia Travel Tips

Sharks and crocodiles

Shark attacks in Australia are very rare, however may be fatal. Shark netting on Australian beaches deter sharks, but you can further reduce your risk by always swimming between the flags on patrolled beaches and not swimming at dusk or evening. Avoid swimming alone, a long way offshore, at river mouths or along drop-offs to deeper water.
Crocodiles live in rivers and coastal estuaries across northern Australia, often changing habitat via sea. When travelling near crocodile habitats, observe safety signs and don’t swim in rivers, estuaries, tidal rivers, deep pools or mangrove shores. Also seek expert advice about crocodiles before camping, fishing or boating.





 

Popular Australian destinations

Include the coastal cities of Sydney and Melbourne, as well as other high profile destinations including regional Queensland, the Gold Coast and the Great Barrier Reef, the world's largest reef. Uluru and the Australian outback are other popular locations, as is Tasmanian wilderness. The unique Australian wildlife is also another significant point of interest in the country's tourism.

 

 

 

Sun Protection

In Australia the sun is very strong and deadly, just one prolonged day in the sun without protection, could be fatal or cause long term permanent damage to your body.
These real stats below dont lie.( Google them if you like.)

Every year, in Australia skin cancers account for around 80% of all newly diagnosed cancers

between 95 and 99% of skin cancers are caused by exposure to the sun.

Always wear a shirt, hat, sunglasses and SPF 30+ sunscreen lotion, even on cloudy days. If spending the whole day outdoors, reapply sunscreen regularly. Stay out of the sun during the middle of the day when the sun is strongest. Make sure you drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration.



 

Australia’s beautiful beaches can hold hidden dangers in the form of strong currents called rips. Avoid them by always swimming between the red and yellow flags - they mark the safest place to swim on the beach. Lifesavers wearing red and yellow uniforms generally patrol beaches during the warmer months of October to April, but some of the most popular beaches are patrolled all-year round. Never swim alone, at night, under the influence of alcohol or directly after a meal. Always check water depth before diving in and never run and dive into the water from the beach.


 

 

The poisonous animals – snakes, spiders, marine stingers

 Marine stingers are present in tropical waters from November to April. During this time you can only swim within stinger-resistant enclosures, which are set up on the most popular beaches. You will also need to wear protective clothing when swimming, snorkeling or diving on the outer Great Barrier Reef. Always observe warning signs. When bushwalking or hiking, you can avoid snake and spider bites by wearing protective footwear and using your common sense. If bitten, seek immediate medical attention. Deaths from snake bites are extremely rare and there have been few deaths from spider bites since anti venoms were made available in 1981.

Travelling in remote Australia

 Driving through Australia’s remote and rugged areas requires thorough preparation. Before embarking on a 4WD or outback journey, ensure you have a roadworthy vehicle fitted with GPS and two spare tyres. You’ll also need good maps, extra food, water and fuel and an emergency plan. Plan your route carefully and notify a third party of your expected arrival. Check road conditions before beginning your journey, stay with your vehicle if it breaks down and avoid travelling in extreme heat conditions. If driving a conventional vehicle through remote areas, drive slowly on unsealed, dusty or narrow roads and always check road conditions before turning off major roads. Mobile phones have limited coverage in remote areas, so check your phone provider for coverage.

Bushwalking or hiking in wilderness

When planning a bushwalk or hike, check the length and difficulty of the walk and consider using a local guide for long or challenging walks. If walking without a guide, tell someone where you’re going and when you expect to return. Wear protective footwear, a hat, sunscreen and insect repellent and take wet weather gear, a topographic map and plenty of water. When walking, read maps and signs, stay on the track, behind safety barriers and away from cliff edges. Don’t feed or play with native animals, as you might get scratched or bitten. Plan walking in summer months carefully and avoid challenging hikes when the sun is too intense.

Visas

All visitors to Australia, apart from New Zealanders, require advance permission to enter the country. For most countries, a full visa is required, but holders of certain passports from some OECD and some East Asian countries are able to apply for the simpler Electronic Travel Authority which enables one to apply and be granted a visa.

 

Crocodile dive

You don't have to get a car or a bus from Darwin to this excellent attraction. If you're staying in the city you can walk to Crocosaurus Cove, and meet the friendly folk at the admissions desk.
Once inside, it's bigger than it looks, because it's spread over 3-4 floors.
Crocosaurus Cove has some of the largest Saltwater Crocodiles on the planet on display.
With aquarium style viewing, you can see crocs like nowhere else in the Northern Territory.


 There are huge crocs in separate tanks, which you can see into from underneath.
Then of course there is the awesome cage of death, in which you can be lowered into a croc tank and then try to get the crocs to attack you.

Crocosaurus Cove is a lot better than we thought it would be, we were expecting somethnig a bit more cheesey, but the the kids loved feeding the little jumping crocs and the many reptiles they have, it is a very unique place to visit.
Crocosaurus Cove is so entertaining for everyone, day and night. After swimming in a cage with the big crocs you can feed the baby crocs. By night you can hire a room upstairs where there are big viewing windows in which the big crocs come up and swim, they also bring out snakes and reptiles for you to hold . Trully worth a visit when you visit Darwin.

 

58 Mitchell Street, Darwin City

(Corner of Mitchell & Peel Street)

Tel: (+61) 08 8981 7522

Fax: (+61) 08 8941 5522

Email: info@croccove.com

Open every day 9am - 6pm

Except Christmas Day

 

Crocodile Attacks in Australia

Photographer turns his back on crocodile.

A backpacker in Australia got the fright of his life when a massive crocodile he was "teasing" suddenly exploded from the water and nearly sank its teeth into him.

The 16 foot-long Australian saltwater crocodile came within an arm’s length of inflicting serious damage to the tourist, if not killing him. Novon Mashiah, 27, an Israeli backpacker, spotted the big crocodile during a fishing trip in the Northern Territory.
Determined to have a picture taken of himself with the crocodile, he posed while leaning out of the back of his fishing boat, pointing towards the predator.
"I began playing with it for a photo,'' Mr Mashiah said. "I was pointing at it when it suddenly jumped up at me - I didn't realise that crocs were so aggressive.''
The "saltie" – which experts believe probably approached the boat in search of a free feed of fish – propelled itself out of the water with terrifying speed. After narrowly missing its prey, it smashed into the side of the small metal boat before plunging back into the water.

Saltwater Crocodile Attacks!
During the Japanese retreat in the Battle of Ramree Island on February 19, 1945, saltwater crocodile attacks may have been responsible for the deaths of 400 Japanese soldiers. British soldiers encircled the swampland through which the Japanese were retreating, resigning the Japanese to a night in the mangroves which was home to thousands of saltwater crocodiles. The Ramree saltwater crocodile attacks are listed under the heading "The Greatest Disaster Suffered from Animals" in The Guinness Book of Records.

 February 2009: A five year old boy is taken by a large Australian crocodile in the Daintree River (far north Queensland), in front of his brother.

March 2009: An eleven year old girl is taken by a large saltwater crocodile while swimming at Black Jungle Billabong near Darwin, in front of her friends. (The Black Jungle Reserve is accessible strictly by permit only. This is not a public swimming area or in any way monitored.) Her remains are found later on the river bank.

In April 2009 Twenty-year-old local man taken by a crocodile while swimming with his brother at night in the Daly River about 150km south of Darwin, Australia

Most recently a Feb 2011 a boy 14, has been missing since he was attacked while playing in a creek, 400km east of Darwin. His three brothers saw a saltwater crocodile attack him.

Crocodile attacks is likely to revive calls to allow safari crocodile hunting, observers said. Killing saltwater crocodiles has been strictly restricted since 1971 when the animals were near extinction. But with more than 80,000 saltwater crocodiles now in the Northern Territory, many political groups have called for the ban to be lifted.

Crocodile attacks on average, kill one person a year in Australia, in comparison three people a year die from bee stings, and thousands from smoking and car accidents so as long as you take some sensible precautions there is no need to worry a crocodile attack may ruin your Australian holiday.

Crocodile attacks occur between late September and January when crocodiles are hungry after the dry season and are preparing to breed, and most victims had been under the influence of alcohol, and swimming at times and in places that most sensible people would avoid.

Recent heavy rains in the north of Australia, has flooded water courses and brought the saltwater crocodiles into inland areas not normally known to have them.

Australia Crocodile Safaris

Carmor Plains and Australia Wide Safaris are one of the few safari operators offering Crocodile harvesting.
Australia Wide Safaris own and manage Carmor Plains Wildlife Reserve. The 100,000 acre privately owned game reserve is a pristine area for native flora and fauna and game animals.

 They also offer Water Buffalo, Wild Boar, Water Fowl, Wild Goat, Banteng and Wild Cattle hunting

The Crocodile harvesting season is year round but best times are from late April to the end of November.
Transport to the game reserve can be by road or private air charter. They will pick you up at the airport upon your arrival or from your Hotel. Travelling time by road from Darwin to Carmor Plains is 2 and 1/2 hours. If you prefer they can charter a light aircraft for you from Darwin, direct to the hunting camp, flying time 25 minutes!

Crocodile Recipes

In northern Australia (which includes the top ends of the Northern Territory, Western Australia and Queensland) the Saltwater Crocodile is thriving, particularly in the multiple river systems near Darwin (such as the Adelaide, Mary and Daly Rivers, along with their adjacent billabongs and estuaries) where exceptionally large (6 meter +) individuals are not uncommon. A rough estimate states that the Australian Saltwater Crocodile population stands somewhere between 100,000 and 200,000 adults.

Crocodile meat is a succulent white meat, akin to fish in both appearance and texture, but the taste of chicken and therefore best cooked in the same manner as chicken or lean pork.

Crocodile is easy to prepare and cook. It is best cooked from frozen as during the

thawing process most of the moisture runs out decreasing the flavour. It should be

cooked for two minutes on either side and then allowed to stand for a few

minutes. It is best served just cooked (in red meat terms, medium rare). Remove

excess fat after cooking. Do not use a large number of ingredients (other than

herbs or spices) - no more than three is recommended. If frying, always use butter

or olive oil as they will not impart a flavour that is unique. Do not use margarine as

the hydrogenated fats can emit an unpleasant flavour and prevent you from using

other dairy products such as cream in the recipe. Keep it plain and simple.

Crocodile kebabs

100 gm crocodile boneless tail per serve

1/4 pawpaw

60 ml white wine

Olive oil

Bananas

Slice crocodile tail fillet into 3/8-1/2 inch (10-15 mm) medallions across the grain.

Thread medallions onto wet bamboo kebab sticks. Crush pawpaw into a flat

casserole dish, adding wine and a splash of olive oil. Add the kebabs making sure

they are completely covered and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

To cook, pre-heat chargrill-style BBQ, eg an open grill using rocks/coal, not a

plate. Place kebabs over coals and cook until just browned. Do not overcook. Place

on a plate in a warm place for the same amount of time it took to cook the

kebabs.

To cook bananas, allow 1 banana per serve. Use firm, just off bright yellow

bananas. Do not peel, cut lengthways and sprinkle brown sugar and nutmeg or

ginger over the sliced surface and BBQ without turning. The coating will melt and

the soft banana can be served whole. Prepare a platter with barbecued bananas

placed around a dish, place kebabs in the centre of the platter and serve

immediately with a cold cucumber and yoghurt salad with some crusty fresh bread.

Crocodile larrikin-style

100 gm crocodile boneless tail fillet per serve

15 gm butter per serve

20-30 ml lemon juice

100 ml thickened cream per serve

Pinch of crushed garlic per serve

Cutting across the grain, slice the tail fillet into medallions and, if necessary, cut

into short lengths of even dimension. Each medallion should be approximately 3/8

inch or 10 mm thick. (This stage can be pre-done and the resulting medallions laid

out separately on a suitable tray and frozen for subsequent use.) Add medallions

to the just browning butter and reduce heat to prevent the butter from burning. If

the medallions are frozen, cook a little longer. Do not turn more than once. When

cooked, place the meat in a bowl in a warm place or oven.

De-glaze pan with lemon or lime juice (a bottled variety is suitable) and

immediately add cream. Swirl and add garlic and bring to boil. Simmer till reduced,

so that the sauce will coat the spoon. Place meat on platter, add juices in bowl to

sauce, stir and pour sauce over medallions. Serve immediately, accompanied with

a fresh, cold, crisp salad as a starter. Alternatively, serve with BBQ bananas. It is

recommended that salad dressing not be used as it may clash with the sauce.

Skewered crocodile with lime and ginger sauce

Makes 4 entree portions

400 g crocodile meat, cut into 2 cm cubes

40 ml lime juice

200 ml chicken stock

30 ml honey

30 g brown sugar

5 g ginger, finely diced

30 ml olive oil

10 g cornflour

Salt and pepper to taste

8 bamboo skewers

Thread crocodile meat onto bamboo skewers, place in a flat dish, season with salt

and pepper, pour lime juice over and place in fridge for about 1 hour. Remove

skewers from refrigeration, saving residual lime juice for the sauce. Heat olive oil

in a frying pan and sauté crocodile for about 5 minutes, set aside and keep

warm. Combine lime juice, honey, brown sugar, ginger, chicken stock and

cornflour in a saucepan. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes.

Place skewers on plates, spoon sauce over meat and garnish with fresh herbs.