Re-posted from our sister site LifExchange Campus

With so many places to visit and things to do no one can explore Australia with only a two weeks vacation. Over the next 10 weeks we will share new destinations to be explored on your 6-12 month LifExchange Work and Holiday program.

Winter is almost here in the US. Head down south for another summer and skip the cold.

Australia’s Summer Invites You! Experience Australia’s glorious summer from December to February. Walk along spectacular coastal cliffs from Sydney’s Bondi Beach to Bronte. Day trip from Melbourne to the vineyards, beaches, national parks, golf courses and day spas of the Mornington Peninsula. Taste Tasmania’s finest food and wine on the historic Hobart waterfront or explore food, wine and history in the Swan Valley, near Perth. Follow fresh seafood around the pristine coastline of South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula or watch coral spawning en-masse on Queensland’s Great Barrier Reef. Experience dazzling thunderstorms and blossoming vegetation in the tropical Top End. Or get up close to native Australian animals and ancient Aboriginal history in Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve, near Canberra. Summer in Australia is also the season for world class cricket, grand slam tennis, vibrant music festivals, NYE celebrations and outdoor cultural events.

WE CONTINUE OUR COUNTDOWN WITH NUMBER 6: Tasmania Taste Festival

Each summer, over the new year period, hundreds of thousands of visitors descend on Hobart for eight days and seven nights of eating, drinking and entertainment. The city’s wharves, marina and the river Derwent provide the backdrop for more than 70 food and beverage stalls, as well as art exhibitions and performance stages.

In this sensory feast, Tasmania’s local produce is the main event. Indulge in fresh Tasmanian seafood, such as salmon, oysters, scallops, blue fin tuna and giant west coast crabs. Taste Bruny Island cheese and Bicheno berries. Sip on local champagne, cool-climate wine, peat-distilled malt whiskies and boutique beers. Devour pastries filled with organic vegetables or dishes prepared with milk-fed lamb and veal. Stock up on farm-fresh jams, relishes and pickles. Try deserts made with apples and cherries from local orchards. The festival also showcases international flavours – from Persian to Indian to Spanish – all prepared with fresh Tasmanian ingredients.

A colourful range of events complements this foodie heaven. Learn about the origins of your meal at special movie screenings and browse artworks and installations in a series of shipping containers named ‘Contained Taste’. Get the secrets of Tasmania’s master chefs at a cooking workshop or take a food tour through Hobart. Watch performances ranging from quirky street theatre to daring aerial acts and buskers playing air guitar. Four indoor and outdoor stages host musicians, singers and comedians, with previous festivals featuring the Australian music veterans Ruby Hunter and Archie Roach.

Most of the action happens in and around Princes Wharf, with the sailboats, sea air and historic sandstone streets an integral part of the festival vibe. Dine alfresco on the waterfront, watching the cruise ships dock or checking out the yachts that have sailed over the finish line in the Rolex Sydney to Hobart Race. The Heemskirk Melbourne to Hobart and the Clive Peeters Launceston to Hobart yacht races are also held around the same time, adding to the general mood of waterfront celebration.

Slip between tanned yachties and merry locals at the festival’s new year’s eve party. It offers a great vantage spot for the fireworks over Sullivans Cove, and a foot-tapping mix of bands and DJs. Relax with a glass of Tasmanian sparkling along the waterfront or dance the night away in the forecourt.

Don’t miss Tasmania’s Taste Festival – a summer feast of food and fun.

Are you ready to head to Australia? If you are between the ages of 18-30 you may qualify for a Work and Holiday Visa. Pay for your travels, build your resume and make new friends. Contact us now to learn more.

Information provided by © Tourism Australia 2011