1. Travel

Go Underground in Capricornia

Cathedral Cave, feature of Queensland's Capricorn Caves, photo courtesy Capricorn Caves

Capricorn Caves, off the Capricornia Coast in Central Queensland, is where you go underground for the wonders of natural limestone formations risen from the sea and etched by thousands and millions of years of natural interaction between rainfall and rock and air.

Capricornia Islands
Australia Travel Spotlight10

There's Always a Melbourne Attraction to Warm Your Heart

Friday May 11, 2012

In bracing autumn weather, with winter just weeks away, Melbourne remains a warm favorite for travelers to Australia. Dress for the weather and you're fine. Get around in the city and discover many of Melbourne's surprising attractions, from Federation Square to Southbank to the developing Docklands.

If the warmth of indoor museums is more your thing, you'll much variety in Merlbourne's museums and galleries, some of them with quick walking access from the heart of the city.

And yes, there's the City Circle Tram and City Tourist Shuttle to ferry you around for free.

Photo: A Melbourne Museum display fascinates a young visitor © Tourism Victoria

Sydney's Going Vivid

Sunday May 6, 2012

Sydney is going Vivid with the opening of this year's Vivid Sydney Festival on May 25. Vivid Sydney continues until June 11.

Vivid Sydney, one of Australia's premier festivals and events is a celebration of light, music and ideas that includes large-scale light installations and projections through to music performances, ideas, creative summits.

Outdoors, visitors and Sydneysiders alike should enjoy the festive colors and and images projected on the walls of Sydney's iconic buildings, from Sydney Opera House to other Sydney city structures.

There are as well a variety of indoor festival events.

Vivid Sydney events take place at various venues which include Macquarie St, Sydney Opera House, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, and The Rocks.

Visit the Vivid Sydney website for information on festival events.

Photo: Brian Eno artwork projected onto the Opera House for Vivid Sydney Festival 2009 © Hamilton Lund / Tourism New South Wales

Will Black Caviar Make It 21 out of 21 Before Leaving for London?

Wednesday May 2, 2012

Undefeated in 20 of 20 metropolitan horse racing events, supersprinter Black Caviar is racing on May 12 at Adelaide's Morphettville Racecourse.

This is her last race in Australia before heading to London to run in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot on June 23 in the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Year.

At Morphettville, she will start in the 1200m Goodwood. At Royal Ascot she will tackle the 1207m (8 furlongs) Diamond Jubilee Stakes, the feature race of the day where bookmakers have installed Black Caviar as the short-priced favorite.

Photo: Black Caviar winning this year's Lightning Stakes at Melbourne's Flemington Racecourse © Getty Images

Maytime!

Tuesday May 1, 2012

Maytime in Australia heralds the coming of the southern winter. It is, too, a time of celebrations and festivals as you look at what happens in Australia month by month.

May is mid-year and the last month of the Australian autumn. And winter is knocking at the door.

It's that time of the year when the leaves of deciduous trees turn to gold and start to fall, and the mountains grow slowly white with snow.

Photo: Captain Cook 1770 Festival, by Greig Boreham, courtesy Captain Cook 1770 Festival

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