Albany Western Australia is a city of approximately 30,000 people in the south-west corner of Western Australia, approximately 409km from Perth . The city is nestled between three large hills, Mount Clarence, Mount Melville and Mount Adelaide, facing the beautiful King George III Sound.

The main industries of Albany Western Australia consist of tourism, fishing and agriculture, although before the 1950s whaling was one of the major sources of income and employment for the population. One of Albany’s old Whaling stations has now become one of the biggest tourist attractions for the area.

Since that time, Albany has become popular destination for a variety of visitors enjoying the fresh air, clean beaches, and fine views over the Southern Ocean, while still proving to be a thriving regional centre.

There is so much to see and do in and around Albany too. We have pristine beaches, superb yachting facilities, awesome wildflowers (in season), caves and inlets, beach and sea fishing, breathtaking dives, whale watching, great shopping, sumptuous restaurants and a cosmopolitan cappuccino strip, magnificent art galleries, delightful wineries, world-class golfing, lovely lagoons and of course excellent accommodation. Our harbour is one of the most picturesque in W.A. too!

In Albany between June and September watch out for magnificent humpback and southern right whales, who pause to play a while in the surrounding waters before migrating north to the warmer waters to breed.

Albany is the major seaport of the Great Southern region, and the largest centre in Western Australia outside the metropolitan area. It is an expanding regional centre with a wealth of natural and man-made resources. It is surrounded by much of WA’s best agricultural land, and the area is also rich in minerals. Albany, however, is primarily a holiday centre, and each year thousands come here to enjoy their holidays. The city is also used as a base to visit many beauty spots of the Great Southern.

At My Albany we intend to make as much information available to visitors and locals alike so that we all get to enjoy the variety of attractions that this beautiful town has to offer. Come and see Albany for yourself, you’ll love it!

Source: My Mandurah

Bunbury and the South West area of Western Australia (or WA) is one of the world’s great places to live, with a Mediterranean climate, sandy-white beaches, beautiful native forests and all the infrastructure expected of a modern western society.

Bunbury is the major city in WA’s South West region, that is also home to other centres such as Busselton, Margaret River, Donnybrook, Manjimup, Augusta, Pemberton, Collie, Harvey and Bridgetown.

Located 175km south of Perth, the city and its neighboring suburbs have a population of 52,000 and Bunbury is one of Australia’s fastest growing cities. Bunbury is the commercial hub to WA’s “South West”, an area that is home to the Margaret River wine region and major coal, alumina and mineral sands industries; a region that boasts around 8,000 businesses and a GDP of over $5 billion. Presently it is about a 2 hour drive from Perth to Bunbury, but this will be reduced by 30 minutes on the completion of the recently announced Bunbury Highway or Peel Deviation.

Western Australia is Australia’s largest state, comprising about one-third of Australia’s land mass and occupying over 2.5 million square kilometres in area. WA is divided into 10 regional areas – the South West, Mid West, North West, Peel, Wheatbelt, Great Southern, Goldfields-Esperance, Pilbara, Gascoyne and Kimberley.

Outside Perth, Bunbury is Western Australia’s next largest city. It boasts a thriving CBD shopping and business area that is these days more famous for its many restaurants and cafés, or as it is referred to locally – The Cappuccino Strip, and more recently the fast developing Marlston waterfront area that already includes the upmarket Vat 2 restaurant, Taffy’s “live” confectionary outlet, Barbados tavern and nightclub, Jiving J’s waterfront bar and eatery and “Surprise Chef” Aristos’s own seafood boardwalk.

Many restaurants are open early and close late, with the remainder open in the evenings from around 6pm and for lunch around 12-2pm. There’s a bevy of fast-food options both within the city area and in the Bunbury suburbs, and Bunbury is well known for its family-owned pizza stores in the city area.

Enjoying a mild Mediterranean climate, the city is bordered by the Indian Ocean, Koombana Bay and Leschenault inlet and naturally enough water sports, port and harbour facilities as well as a growing seafoods industry, feature highly in the local lifestyle and economy. Bunbury’s port is Australia’s ninth largest port by volume and by 2020 should be rated within the nation’s top five.

Thousands of years ago Bunbury was subject to lava flows which resulted in both the unique basalt rock formations on the city beach as well as the present Marlston Hill and Boulters Heights, where today some of Bunbury’s most exclusive residential real estate is located. Bunbury is also home to Australia’s southernmost mangroves and the world’s last native Tuart forest is just south of Bunbury.

The first recorded mapping of what is now Koombana Bay and the eventual City of Bunbury, was in 1803 by the French explorers Nicolas Baudin and Louis de Freycinet, from their ships the Geographe and Casuarina. In 1831 there was a temporary English military settlement with the first settlers moving to the area named after Lieutenant Henry William St Pierre Bunbury in 1838. A growing port serviced the settlers and the subsequent local industries that developed.

The area is the traditional land of the Noongar Aboriginal people with many Noongar names and travel routes still widely used today. The Noongar (which means “man”) people have occupied the south west area of Western Australia for around 38,000 years and their traditional stories tell of the Waagle (or Rainbow Serpent) giving life and sustenance to their people who in return were the caretakers of the land.

Bunbury is truly a water-lifestyle city being bordered by the Indian Ocean, Koombana Bay and Leschenault Inlet and fed by the Collie and Preston Rivers; making watersports such as sailing, water skiing, fishing, wind surfing, diving and snorkelling, boating, rowing, swimming, surfing and jet skiing extremely popular.

Bunbury is a great place to live, and especially so for families. There’s plenty to do and there’s a wide range of education options, with government and independent pre-primary, primary and secondary schools as well as a TAFE College and a campus of Edith Cowan University.

There are numerous property choices in the Bunbury area ranging from trendy cosmopolitan apartments to traditional suburban family homes and from beach retreats to rural or semi-rural properties.

There is a wide variety of attractions, with Bunbury the home of the Dolphin Discovery Centre where you can learn about and interact with wild dolphins, whilst in 2005 the city hopes to host a round of the Formula Nippon motor racing circuit. There is an indoor skate centre, ten pin bowling, cinema within the CBD area with the Bunbury Entertainment Centre alongside. Bunbury boasts a major aquatic and fitness centre with a smaller indoor pool located at Australind. You can get a good view of Bunbury and the surrounding areas from the Apex Lookout Tower at Marlston Hill or at Boulters Heights, right alongside the city centre.

Bunbury is home to up to 90 bottlenose dolphins and visitors can wade in Koombana Bay while dolphins swim amongst you or you can take one of the Dolphin Discovery Centre’s “Swim with the Dolphins” cruises. Bunbury is one of the few places where wild dolphins freely visit the beach and interract with humans.

There are 9 secondary schools in the central Bunbury area, a campus of Edith Cowan University, TAFE College, several shopping centres, sporting grounds and major private and public hospitals.

Shops are normally open 8.30am-5.30pm Monday to Friday and 8.30am-5.00pm Saturdays with late night shopping until 9pm on Thursday. The Eaton Fair Shopping Centre in Bunbury’s north-eastern suburbs has extended trading hours 7 days a week. Banks only operate 10am – 4pm Monday through Thursday and until 5pm on Fridays, although credit and building societies normally also open on Saturday mornings. There are a host of automatic teller machines and bank agencies dotted in and around Bunbury.

To get around Bunbury there are ample modern taxis, a public bus transport service and more recently a tourist “tram” that will carry you about the city areas and give you an explanation of the local sites as you go. The Bunbury Visitor Centre in Carmody Street near Centrepoint Shopping Centre will also assist with additional maps and local knowledge.

There are a number of Post Offices in the Bunbury area and postage stamps can also be purchased at local newsagencies. Postage for a standard letter, anywhere in Australia, is 50c.

Free to Air TV channels in Bunbury are the ABC, GWN, WIN and SBS but many homes also receive the Perth networks 7, 9 and 10. Foxtel pay TV is also available in Bunbury. The electricity supply in Bunbury, like the rest of Australia, is 240v. While you are travelling you can be updated on Bunbury and the South West region by turning to Western Tourist Radio. In the Bunbury region turn to 98.4 FM.

City and suburban locations in the Bunbury area include Australind, Eaton, Dalyellup, Vittoria Heights, Marlston Hill, Clifton Park, Gelorup, Mangles, Leschenault, Crosslands, Sandridge Park, Glen Padden, South Bunbury, Withers, College Grove, Carey Park, Picton, Davenport and East Bunbury. There is a full listing of Bunbury real estate in the Bunbury Online real estate guide.

The Bunbury region of Western Australia includes the areas of Harvey, Capel, Dardanup, Binningup, Myalup, Burekup, Boyanup, Peppermint Grove Beach, Stratham, Yarloop, Wokalup, Benger, Brunswick, Roelands, Leschenault and the Ferguson Valley.

Bunbury is now also home to a substantial expat community from the USA, Canada, South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana, however, the original human inhabitants of the South West area of WA are the Noongar Aboriginal people.

Today, as locals try to make sense of the established Western seasons, it is worthwhile examining the traditional Noongar seasons that divided the south west’s climate into 6 rather than 4 separate seasons.

In Noongar Aboriginal culture, Boojar (or land) is of the utmost importance. Each tribal group had their own kaleep or favoured camping locality, which held a special significence to them. The culture has a complex relationship to the land and pays respect to the seasons and the bountiful supply of food.

The Noongar year has six seasons, the first being from December to January. This season is called Birak where hot, easterly winds blow during the day and Noongar people used to burn sections of scrubland to force animals into the open to hunt.

From February to March, during Bunuru, the dry weather conditions meant Noongars moved to estuaries where fish constituted a large proportion of the seasonal diet.

During Djeran, in April to May, the weather was becoming cooler with winds from the south west. Fishing continued and bulbs and seeds were collected for food.

During the coldest season, Makuru (june to July), Noongars moved inland to hunt areas once rains had replenished inland water resources.

In Djilba, as the weather was becoming warmer from August to September, roots were collected and emus, possums and kangaroo were hunted.

In Kambarang, when rain was decreasing during October to November, families moved towards the coast where frogs, totoises and freshwater crayfish were caught.

You can learn more about Bunbury Western Australia by visiting Bunbury Online part of the WA Online network “Building information bridges for Western Australian communities”.

Source: Bunbury Online

Many people have a lot to learn about the dangers of a saltwater crocodile while visiting northern areas of Australia. Many encounters are unintentional and often the results are devastating if not fatal. People should learn more about the crocodile, where they breed, how to spot for signs of crocodile, their most active periods of the year and general safety when camping near water. The following information is to help people realize the dangers of swimming in northern Australian waters.

Many accidents can be avoided with increased awareness.

It’s common name, the Saltwater Crocodile, is also known as the Estuarine Crocodile and ‘Saltie’. They are found around the coast of Australia anywhere north of the Tropic of Capricorn and inland for up to 100 kms or more. They are the world’s largest reptile and have a closing jaw pressure of around 3000 pounds per square inch.

Saltwater crocodile attacks DO happen in Australia on a regular basis, though the majority of attacks occur mainly on cattle and wildlife. Any stories you hear about these creatures stalking other animals and humans, about their size and their strength is probably NOT exaggerated. Many deaths to people have happened over the years due to them not taking the threat seriously enough and ignoring warning signs.

Always read the “observe crocodile warning signs”, these are to be taken seriously! They are erected in that particular area where a crocodile is frequently spotted and could still be living or even breeding in that area. These signs are there to warn the people of the risk and should never be ignored!

Just because you don’t see a crocodile doesn’t mean it’s not there!

Their breeding season is from September to May and the warmer weather makes the cold-blooded animals even faster. Be particularly careful at night! A breeding mother is more aggressive, guarding it’s eggs until they hatch. The nests are made from plant matter and mud, and usually found above tide level. Keep this in mind when setting up camp or just exploring the bush.

Avoid places where animals or cattle drink. That’s where a crocodile would be waiting for an opportunity to attack. Saltwater crocodiles are very conservative with their energy. They stalk their prey and hide underwater and wait to pounce. A crocodile you can see is less dangerous than one you can’t see, so stay well away from the water’s edge even if you are camping, fishing or just going for an evening walk.

Crocodiles can launch out of the water; never stand on logs overhanging water and always keep your arms and legs inside a boat when fishing.

No warning signs? DO NOT SWIM no matter how hot or inviting the conditions may be. The “saltie” is mostly found in saltwater, but they are also found in freshwater rivers, billabongs and swamps. Consider swimming in any northern waters dangerous regardless if there is a sign or not!

A crocodile sliding into the water from a river bank will leave a characteristic mark; keep this in mind when setting up camp! Never clean fish at the water’s edge or discard fish scraps in the water. Most important if camping always keep the camp site clean and free from food scraps and any smelly fish bait. Remember crocodiles are most active at night, food scraps and fish bait left outside your camp site can invite a hungry crocodile and a shocking midnight scare.

Adult males can reach sizes of up to 6 or 7 metres (20 to 23 feet).

Maximum weight varies, but has been known to exceed 1,000 kg in 18 to 19 foot adults. 5 metre adults are closer to 400 to 500 kg.

One of the largest crocodile ever recorded in Australia was 8 metres 64cm (28ft 4 inches) shot by Krystina Pawloski on the Norman River in North Queensland in 1957. Never torment or provoke a crocodile. They are a protected animal to stop poaching and should always be left alone.

Always remain crocodile wise when traveling to northern parts of Australia and always keep the previous information in mind to avoid any tragedies or loss of life.

Be safe and enjoy your trip!

Source: Artice City

Ever wondered how to go about emigrating to Australia and go about getting an Australian visa? Wondering what the various options were and how to go about the different schemes without too much red tape or expense? There are lots of ways to emigrate to australia from the UK. This article spells it out in 9 easy stages. Like everything else, applying to emigrate to australia need never be difficult if you plan your route in stages.

1. There are many ways you can start off getting help to emigrate to Australia. The Australian economy has never been stronger and the Australian government are particularly looking out for skilled people with a specialisation in many business and trade areas. In order to emigrate you could go the route of an expensive lawyer, or you could get the advice of specilist Australian immigration consultants to see if you qualify for Australian immigration eligibility.
2. If you are wondering about work skills needed to emigrate to Australia or qualifications needed to emigrate to Australia then it’s worth bearing in mind that there is a points system for applying for what is known as the Skilled Visa. You can fill in an online form to see if you satisfy the Australian immigration points system as set out by the Australian Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (DIMIA). A positive assessment does not guarantee eligibility but it does satisfy the basic criteria.Other types of visa are also available. If you want to see how many points do you need to emigrate to australia then you can quickly seek the help of an online Australian immigration visa service.
3. An Australia working visa. Managers, qualified professionals and skilled tradespeople are especially in demand under the Skilled Visa program. Schemes are available for skilled visas on a permanent or temporary basis, and are all based on points needed to emigrate to Australia as set out by the Australian Immigration Department. With the Australian job market advertising over 150,000 jobs each week and unemployment at its lowest in 10 years, being eligible for an Australia work visa has never been more possible. There is a huge demand in the plumbing, security, printing and the building trades in particular. However, despite the huge demand across the board there was a shortage of candidates for jobs in 2004.
4. An Australia working holiday visa. These are exactly what they sound like. There are many people who dream of being able to emigrate to Western Australia or, more specifically, emigrate to Perth Australia for the amazing weather and facilities there. If you are between 18 and 30 and are looking to spend 12 months in Australia then you may qualify for one of the many Australian working holiday visas that are available every year. This visa only permits you to work in a temporary or casual vocation. You may not enter into employment with one employer for a period of longer than 3 months. Also known as an Australia travel visa.
5. Family Visa. If you have an Australian partner, or members of your immediate family are permanently based in Australia then you may qualify for one of several family stream visas. Your application to emigrate to Australia can be done online. The Government of Australia encourages emigration in order to bring families together. Under the Family Visa Emigration Programme, migrants considering emigration must be sponsored by a close family member or fiancé(e) living in Australia. There are 4 schemes to choose from in order to find out if you are eligible for emigration. Select the one that best describes your situation. The sponsor must be either an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen, and would usually be 18 years of age or older.
6. Visitors and tourists. All travellers, except New Zealand citizens, must obtain a visa or travel authority before they travel to Australia. But now there is no need to worry about visiting the Australian Embassy or High Commission to get your visa. You can now get your visa online. If you are planning to travel to Australia as a visitor or even on a business trip then you may need either a visa or an ETA (Electronic Travel Authority). An ETA will allow you to spend up to 3 months in Australia and you are free to travel anywhere you like.Find out whether you meet the criteria by taking a free online visa assessment. With the introduction of the ETA you are able to apply online; there is no need to even leave your desk or home.
7. Business and investment visas. If you have had a successful business career either at a senior executive level or as an owner of your own business you may qualify for one of several visas under the Australian business visa program. Under the two-stage arrangements introduced on 1 March 2003, business migrants are granted a Business Skills (Provisional) visa for four years and, after establishing the requisite level of business presence required by the DIMIA or maintaining their minimum investment, are eligible to make an application for a Business Skills (Residence) visa. There are 4 schemes available under which a business applicant may emigrate to Australia. Choose the one that best describes you by taking a free online assessment.
8. If you are an employee who is head-hunted or moved to your company’s Australia office then you can apply under the Australia sponsored work visa. Your employer can effectively sponsor you for this by becoming your Australia Immigration Sponsor. Under this system, if you are an established professional, you can emigrate to Australia without a degree.
9. Retirement visas. If you wish to emigrate to Australia on retirement then you may be eligible for an Asyralia retirement visa given each year. If you are financially secure and would like to spend some of your retirement years in the warmer climates of Australia, find out if you qualify with our free online assessment. Under this system retired people may also choose to work part time if they so wish, so there is a degree of built-in flexibility.

There has never been a better time to emigrate to Australia or to apply for an Autralia Work Permit or Australia visa application. Review the above points and see which approach you are best suited to.

Source: Australia Immigration

Australia is often described as The Lucky Country, it has so much to offer in terms of natural beauty, high standards of living and a prosperous, growing economy and enjoys the status of being the “most preferred migration destination in the world”.

The Australian government migration program for 2004-05 has 120,000 places available for migrants, with a strong focus on attracting skilled people who agree to live in regional areas of Australia.

Migration is not all so simple, the use of a Migration Agent is certainly a positive step to success. The forms and advice booklets are available for all to read, but understanding these forms and procedures can be very difficult, which is where a migration agent can be particularly useful as they can guide you through the whole process.

Many agents offer a FREE service of information / advice regarding any matter on Migration; you usually just need to ask.

Reasons to move to Australia

• Jobs and Employment – Australia is the land of opportunity with over 100,000 vacancies being advertised each week and relatively low unemployment, currently around 5%.

• Cost of Living – The cost of living in Australia is relatively cheap when compared to other developed countries. It is estimated that UK and US residents would need to earn roughly twice as much to enjoy the same standard of living as those in Australia.

• Business – Australia has a booming economy and is one of the world’s biggest exporters. The high standard of living that most Australians enjoy ensures that consumer spending is also high. In short, Australia is an excellent country to base your business.

• Education – Australia has an excellent education system and its schools, colleges and universities are considered amongst the best in the world.

• Health Care – Australia has one of the best health care systems in the world and is internationally recognised for its high standards. All permanent residents pay a Medicare levy which entitles them to free or subsidised services.

• Multicultural society – Australia’s is ethnically diverse and approximately half of the population has either been born outside the country or have at least one parent who was born overseas. Australian society is very tolerant and ethnic groups live together in harmony.

At the end of the day you may just be interested in living the dream. It’s well worth looking into.

Source: Thinking Australia

Numerous restaurants as well as bars located in United Kingdom present a wide range of Australian delicacies for their guests. This will enable you to taste and enjoy some of the best Australian dishes. Most of the best Aussie clubs located in United Kingdom also come with a dance floor and will provide entertainment such as live bands and comedians for their visitors all year long. Aussie country and rock music fills these specialised clubs while bush dancers and rockers show their moves on the dance floor.

When you are looking for an Aussie food restaurant or bar in the United Kingdom you will be able to find hundreds of options, which are providing a varied and wide range of Aussie food from steak burgers to crayfish and Aussie alcohol like VB, Fosters, Coopers, XXXX and Bundy Rum. Australia has also earned huge popularity and reputation all over the world for their diverse and dynamic cooking styles.

Some of the top dishes served in Aussie food restaurants located in United Kingdom include brawn loaf, wattle seed pavlova, cheese cake, lemon chicken, dinkum chilli, bush damper, savory bush steak, lamb chops, yabbies, BBQ emu, BBQ kangaroo, BBQ crocodile and BBQ giant prawns. Apart from Aussie food, the United Kingdom also offers other popular ethnic cuisines such as Chinese, Thai, Korean, Japanese, Malaysian, Nepalese, French, Italian, Greek and Indian. Roast beef and fish and chips wrapped in news paper are considered the national culinary pride of the United Kingdom. Pommy roast beef is also known as a joint, which is served at pubs every Sunday with Yorkshire pudding, roasted potatoes, vegetables, gravy, strong horseradish, English hot mustard and crispy bread rolls with dripping or butter.

Popular Aussie Bars in London

Walkabout Bar
58 Shepherds Bush Green, Shepherds Bush, London, W128QE

Red Back Tavern
264 High Street, Acton, London, W39BH

Billabong Bar
74-78 The Broadway, Wimbledon, London, SW191RQ

The Southern Cross Bar
65 New Kings Rd, Parsons Green, London, SW64SG

Jetlag Sports Bar
125 Cleveland Street, Fitzrovia, London, W1T6QB

By Discover Australia Articles

Ingredients

1/4 cup plain flour
1/4 cup self raising flour
1 tbs sugar
1/4 cup milk powder
1 tbs powdered egg

Method

Mix ingredients and place into a sealed bag
Mix contents of bag with half a cup of water
Melt some butter or margarine in a frypan over low heat
Pour half the mix into frypan and cook until set
Turn the pancake over and lightly brown on the other side
Repeat for second half of the mix