   
  
|
Australia’s Love Affair with the Beach
Well, there are all the usual things of course. When he wants to see the wildlife, he goes to the park and plays with the kangaroos and koalas. Should he decide to see the country itself, he can take the Ghan train right across the Great Australian Centre, then hop on a boat to go dive at the Great Barrier Reef. Or, if he feels like seeing some of the sights, he can go gawk at the Sydney Harbour bridge or the opera house and soak up the decadence of the city clubs.
And when he wants to see how the Aussies really live? Why, he goes
to the beach of course. Life on the beach
There are, of course, plenty of other places where
he can go. If its high culture he wants, then it’s off to the museums
and the galleries, not to mention the opera house. If its sports
he’s after, then he can drop by any stadium or playing field, where
on any given day, there will probably be a loud, boisterous crowd
cheering on their
favourites.
And if he wants to eat while enjoying lively conversation and good
company, he can wheedle an invitation to the famous Australian backyard
barbecue. But to see the place where Aussies spent the most time,
a visitor really needs to go is the beach.
Australia’s golden sands is the second home of many of the locals
during the odd hours between school or work and bedtime; on the
weekends, if you wait long enough, you’d probably see everyone in
the city at least once. Most people come for the surfing, swimming,
sunning or just generally for having a good time.
When it comes to picking out a
favourite
patch of sand, a visitor is really spoilt for choice, as there are
over twenty beaches in the Sydney area. For most people however,
there is no better or more famous beach than Bondi beach. Bondi
has its own energy and atmosphere, with its own particular crowd
of beautiful people and beach bums. The restaurant and café area
is separated from the beach by a road, but its still a nice place
to go for people watching, particularly on summer weekend evenings
when the local car enthusiasts and rich kids cruise by.
Plenty of festivals take place on or near Bondi,
making it even more of a cultural draw than the snobs would like
to admit. Most of the events take place around the Pavilion Community
Centre, which has a theatre and exhibition gallery, an outdoor amphitheatre,
showers & changing rooms, food outlets & a souvenir shop to keep
the visitor busy. On the weekends, the markets at the northern end
of the beach are worth an hour or two. Popular with both locals
and visitors, the markets are eclectic in nature, with everything
from clothing to books and
jewellery
for sale.
Some Other Beaches in the Sydney Area
On the north shore of
the harbour is Manly Beach, second runner up for the
‘Most Famous Sydney Beach’ title. The best way to get to this beach
is to take the ferry from Circular Quay. Unfortunately, a number
of visitors confuse Manly with the small beach near the ferry station,
but the more persistent beach hunter is rewarded with a long curve
of golden sand edged with Norfolk Island pines. A little way down
the beachfront is Shelly Beach, which is a nice spot
for snorkelling and swimming. About Surfing, Dangerous Marine Life and Suntan
A more common problem
off Australian beaches are the jellyfish, called "stingers"
in Australia, and "Portuguese-Man-o'-War" everywhere else. These
creatures only become hazards during certain seasons, when the strong
breezes coming off the ocean blows them to shore. Often, you can
find their bodies washed up on the beach and during this time, swimmers
are most likely to be concerned. The jellyfish’s sting is quite
potent, with most people suffering mild to severe pain, nausea and
swelling. More than a few people have severe reactions to the sting.
The lifeguards can offer immediate medical attention but the best
way to deal with the stingers is not to get into the water with
them, which is another reason to check surf conditions first with
the lifeguards. Whatever is worn however, its most essential accessory is the right attitude: wear it, forget about it and go out and have fun. Oh, but don’t forget the sun block. Australian sun can be mighty fierce and the country’s got the world’s highest statistics for skin cancer, so slap on some lotion, grab the sunglasses and head for the beach to join in the Aussie lifestyle.
|
|
|
Article Information |
What
is the average visitor likely to do when he lands in Sydney and
decides to see the ‘Real Australia’? 
Of
course, where there are surfers and swimmers, there are lifeguards
and Australia’s lifeguards are often reckoned as the best
in the world. This is hardly surprising, as Australia's beaches
come complete with pounding, ever-changing surf conditions and dangerous
marine life. Australia created the world’s first surf lifesaving
clubs and every summer, thousands of volunteers patrol the beaches
and provide first aid when needed. Most beaches also have permanent
lifeguards and part of their duties is to check the surf conditions
and mark safe places to swim with red and yellow flags. All swimmers
must stay between these flags and any newcomer to the beach is strongly
urged to check the surf conditions with the lifeguard before
venturing in the water, especially since the lifeguards are entitled
to mete out fines to those silly enough to endanger themselves or
others.