Two Places I Love in Australia

South West Rocks, NSW Snowy Mountains NSW

1. Grahams grandparents retired to a small coastal town called South West Rocks in the early 90's (near Port Macquarie on our map). Lots of Graham's fondest memories are in this town. Its a little place with only a handful of streets, it has a couple of pubs, a bakery, a golf course, some restaurants, a shell shop, and a super market. In the holiday season the beach side camp grounds are full of tourists. Graham took me there not long after we moved to Australia and it is one of my most favorite places. We have been back many times now.

The beaches are amazing in South West Rocks, the water so clear. It was here Graham taught me how to swim out past the break zone in the waves, out past the break zone on a long beach you can just float and let the waves you roll up and down. I remember looking down through the water and being able to see the bottom so clearly even though it was way. and I mean way down there. I would never do that alone so don't worry.

Also the town has great events on all the time like crab racing. One of the best places in South West Rocks is a short walk from the town shops. There is a little bay off the ocean, the water is clear and you can snorkel and see all kinds of fish and wildlife in this little bay. Graham and I often fish in the bay and have lots of fun. At low tide the narrow back end of the bay turns into sand flats and there are millions of little crabs that rule the area. You can walk out among the little crabs and chase swarms of them. The little crabs run away and then dig down into the sand to hid from you. To see a thousand little crabs all do that at the same time is pretty impressive! Then there are the sea turtles and dolphins that swim the rivers and beaches. Can I say more about why I love South West Rocks?? It is truly one of the best beach towns in Australia. It also has some of the best salt water fishing to be had any where in the world.

2.The Snowy Mountains in NSW. This is another one of my most favorite places in Australia. Graham and I love the Snowys partly because of the great fly fishing in the area but also because it is so beautiful. This area is home to the tallest peak in Australia Mount Kosciuszko.(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Kosciuszko)

It also is home to amazing wildlife, including wild brumbys (horses). Seeing the brumbys in the wild is pretty cool, along with the kangaroos, wombats, and emus there is never a lack of wildlife. One of my most favorite Snowy Mountain memories happened last year. Graham and I got up really early to fly fish a section of the Snowy River, we had to cross a large grass field to get to the river and with every step we took about a hundred crickets leaped forward with us. Crickets jumping everywhere (including down your waders) might freak out some girls, but not me. It was really something to see and even more beautiful with the sun coming up through the trees. That morning I was also charged by a herd of sheep. I guess they thought I looked like a tasty treat, I had to jump into the river to escape their pounding hooves! It was pretty funny!

The Snowy Mountains are some of the most ancient mountains in the world, making them round and long.. As you move up the mountains the plants and wildlife changes immensely, at the top of the mountains the plants become waxy and delicate. I have never seen anything like it, this area of Australia is truly unique. The whole landscape is amazing. Some areas are strewn with the biggest boulders with nothing around them to suggest how they got there. Kind of like aliens came down and brought the rocks with them. It is so interesting!

Okay, those are my two most favorite places in Australia. When you come out to visit, be sure to make sure we see at least one of these places. I will have to update you with some really interesting Western Australian places!

Cheers!