Some of
the more unusual attractions in Australia
When travelling
Australia there are many fascinating places to see and things to do. What
with the Great Barrier Reef, exciting modern cities like Sydney, Melbourne
and Brisbane and the endless Outback, there are many great places to visit,
but there is a rather more unusual side to Australia too.
When
heading out on a road trip through Australia, one of the best ways to go
is to hire a campervan from Spaceships
Rentals – easy, versatile and convenient vehicles to get you in comfort
from place to place on your travels. For lovers of the strange, here
are just a few suggestions for the more weird and wonderful places to drive
to.
Crocodile
Harry's Underground Nest and Dugout, Coober Pedy
Down
in Coober Pedy, it gets pretty darn hot. For that reason, the town
has literally been carved out of the rock, with homes, shops and businesses
all built into the cliff sides and underground. Coober Pedy is the
self-proclaimed opal mining capital of the world and a place of utter fascination,
but while the fact that everything is virtually underground is unusual
enough, Crocodile Harry's Underground Nest and Dugout makes it even more
strange.
This
unique spot was Crocodile
Harry’s former home. The man was infamous in the town and was
well known for his unusual home, as well as his love of women. Harry
passed away in 2006 and right at the end he claimed he was a Latvian baron,
who had been hiding there since World War II. Whether this is actually
true or not, his home has been turned into a major attraction in the town,
popular with visitors.
All
over the walls can be seen a variety of knick-knacks and objects, as well
as tribal graffiti. Some items were placed there by Harry himself,
others have been left by visitors, along with many and varied messages
from people who have visited the house. While this is one of the
most popular places to visit in Coober Pedy, its fame goes even further,
as it was used as a set in several movies, including “Pitch Black” and
the dystopian “Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome.”
Mad Max
2 Museum, Silverton
Speaking
of Mad Max, for anyone who saw the series of movies, there is a museum
to visit in Silverton, Australia, called the Mad
Max 2 Museum. This museum was created by a man who was so obsessed
with the dystopian tales of the Road Warrior, Mad Max that he ended up
moving to one of the settings where the movies were actually made.
The
man, Adrian Bennett, then set up the museum, using both genuine and handmade
props from the films, all set up in what looks like a post-apocalyptic
shack out in the desert town. The museum has been open to the public since
2010 and features all kinds of things including full-size costumes and
props, along with a huge range of photos and production stills from the
movies.
However,
the best displays in the museum are the working replica cars. Apparently
one of them was actually used in the films as the Road Warrior’s vehicle.
The cars even get to drive around Silverton from time to time, for a bit
of exercise to keep them in trim working order.
Toy Factory,
near Adelaide
If
travelling in the Adelaide area, take a drive out north to Gumeracha.
Here can be seen the Toy Factory, which displays the largest rocking horse
in the world. Standing 18 metres high, the giant size toy looms into
the air, while the factory itself manufactures all kinds of wood toys,
including jigsaw puzzles, doll houses, musical instruments, trucks and,
of course, rocking horses.
Both
kids and adults will find the factory fascinating to visit as it is open
for tours, and you can even climb the rocking horse for a view of the surroundings.
Should you choose to climb the rocking horse you will even receive a certificate
of achievement.
These
are just a few of the great attractions available in Australia. Have
a weird and wonderful visit Down Under!
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