The last time we mentioned the big red rock that is Uluru, a major tourist attraction almost smack-bang in the middle of Australia, it was with the relatively reasonable question of should we climb it or not, given the apparent dangers and the feelings of the local Aboriginal people. This time though, Uluru is up for discussion because, unbelievably, some tourists are using the top of the rock as a toilet.

As Northern Territory boss Paul Henderson said this week: "It is outrageous and offensive that tourists are defecating on top of Uluru, an Aboriginal sacred site." You can say that again. A tour operator admitted that some tourists even took a roll of toilet paper with them, despite knowing that there were no toilet facilities of any kind at the top of the rock, and no soil or sand to dig in.]]> amandak 2009-09-09T11:32:39-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/7/13/3347/35918

One of Australia's biggest tourist attractions, Uluru (AKA the rock formerly known as Ayers Rock), is at the center of a political controversy right now, and it's all about the age-old question: to climb or not to climb?

The Aboriginal people who are the traditional owners of big, red Uluru have never liked people climbing on it as it's a sacred place to them. It especially pains them when tourists die on the rock, which has happened more than 30 times over the years. Midnight Oil frontman-turned-politician Peter Garrett, now the Minister for Environment in Australia, agrees with them, and suggested closing the climb to tourists permanently.

But it looks like tourism dollars are stronger than respect for sacred sites, because the Australian Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, thinks the 100,000 visitors who climb the rock every year should be allowed to keep doing it. So it looks like you don't need to hurry Down Under too fast, although for tourists who agree with Garrett there's already a roaring trade in tourist paraphernalia saying "I chose not to climb Uluru".

Related Stories:
· Uluru Ban Merely a Proposal: Garrett [The Australian]
· Rudd Opposes Ban on Climbing Uluru [The Age]
· UFO Travel: The Real Origins of Uluru [Jaunted]

[Photo: melalouise] ]]> amandak 2009-07-15T13:44:18-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/7/6/2256/93297

Australia's Northern Territory capital of Darwin is apparently not just a city of crocodiles and beer—they actually have culture there too, and to prove it the Darwin Festival turns 16 this year.

From August 13 to 30, Darwin will be getting all arty with a stack of dance, film, theatre, comedy and music performances to see, including the Indigenous Music Awards on August 21 with Australian Idol runner-up Jessica Mauboy headlining. There's also a new venue called the Lighthouse, which is basically an open-air concert area constructed with festoon lighting. ]]> amandak 2009-07-06T12:24:17-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/4/17/85638/7345

Safari lovers take note: the Northern Territory in Australia might be your next big destination. The local government has approved a proposal to allow safari hunters to kill some of the biggest salt-water crocs around Darwin.

The growing population of crocs have made a huge mistake by snacking more often on people, so there's not too much opposition to the plan. Plus the revenue raised by the safari fees is meant to benefit local Aboriginal groups, so it's got some feel-good value too.

But don't book your trip just yet. First, the plan is open for comment and must then be approved at a national level too. Second, the suggestion is for just 25 crocs to be killed on safari over the next five years. That's not a low of beady eyes to go round.

Related Stories:
· Trophy Hunters Invited to Kill Crocodiles [The Age]
· Pub Travel: Sharing A Bar With A Crocodile [Jaunted]
· Crocs Interrupt Tourist Plans in Oz [Jaunted]

[Photo: wouter!] ]]> amandak 2009-04-17T14:33:04-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/1/23/71538/9563

That great Australian outback has nearly fooled another tourist. A Romanian guy set out on a long hike from Yulara, near Uluru, and ended up lost in the desert.

He called himself an experienced hiker but only took a gallon of water for a 28-mile hike in temperatures well over 100 degrees. Without food or even water from the third day of his blind wanderings, he was extremely lucky to stumble into a rare outback zone of cell phone coverage and he called his family back in Romania.

His folks got onto the Australian police, who searched for him by helicopter. He’d survived six days in the outback before he was found, but police say in the last few years there have been three other hikers who haven’t been found.

Need we say it again? Take water and be prepared. We don’t want the Aussie Outback to be the last you see of the world.

Related Stories:
· Tourist Rescued From Outback After Calling Family in Romania [The Age]
· Getting Out To The Aussie Outback [Jaunted]
· Won’t Get Fooled Again [Jaunted]

[Photo: Paleontour] ]]> amandak 2009-01-23T12:31:40-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/9/4/9947/93126

A few months back we reported a UFO sighting off the coast of Australia's Northern Territory on Groote Eylandt, but apparently UFO season Down Under hasn't stopped there.

The History Channel is about to send a production team from "UFO Hunters" down to the Northern Territory to investigate a whole raft of UFO claims, including one from Acacia Hills resident Alan Ferguson, who's keen to help the tourists out:

If I can spot the UFOs, I will point them out to them. They don't know what I know--I know too much.

And we thought the Northern Territory was simply full of dry and empty desert. We obviously don't know enough!

Related Stories:
· UFO Hunters Head to NT For Evidence [NTN]
· UFO Travel: Mystery Lights in the Northern Territory [Jaunted]
· UFO Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Bill Liao]]]> amandak 2008-09-04T09:38:22-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/7/15/23343/2705

It's one thing to share a bar with a tiny crocodile but soon tourists visiting the northern Australian city of Darwin will be able to share a swimming pool with a crocodile too.

At the opening-soon Crocosaurus Cove theme park, there'll be seven crocodile enclosures with underwater viewing areas, and one with a swimming pool next to a viewing window so you'll be able to feel a bit like you're swimming with the crocs (like you'd want to?).

But scariest of all is the Cage of Death--a clear acrylic box that tourists can climb into and experience a huge crocodile snapping at you. We think this sounds a bit cruel for the poor croc, but perhaps they toss him a human every now and again to keep him happy. Hope it's not us!

Related Stories:
· Crocosaurus Cove [Official Site]
· Cage of Death Puts Tourists in Croc's Lair [news.com.au]
· Sharing the Bar with a Crocodile [Jaunted]

[Photo: news.com.au]]]> amandak 2008-07-17T09:30:18-05:00 Search Jaunted string http://www.jaunted.com/search/