Cruising Australia

You can see just about anything in Australia from the deck of a boat - the pristine waters of the Great Barrier Reef, the majestic Sydney Harbour, the Tasmanian wilderness and the northern tropical wetlands.

Australia is host to a range of boating adventures and with more than 36,000 km of coastline, several large rivers and extensive inland waterways, the continent offers some of the finest and most varied boating in the world.

The legendary Murray River is home to paddlesteamers like the Proud Mary and PS Emmylou. Visitors can enjoy overnight and evening steaming with weekend trips also available. The steamers take visitors on unique riverbank tours offering views of Australia's rare and endangered wildlife, including the world's swiftest hunting hawk, the peregrine falcon.

Exploring the 74 spectacular islands of the Whitsundays is a magical adventure. With a large fleet of catamarans, cruisers, luxury and standard yachts available, a visit to the Whitsundays can be tailored to suit any needs. From the extravagance of Hayman and romantic setting of Lindeman, to the casual atmosphere on Hamilton and Great Keppel, visitors can island-hop their way across one of the world's most unspoiled cruising grounds.

For a unique holiday experience, the 'home-away from home' atmosphere of a houseboat is ideal, allowing visitors to explore Australia's national parks and wilderness at their own pace. The choices of houseboating in Australia are endless; enjoy houseboating along the mighty Murray River with Unforgettable Houseboats in South Australia or discover over 500km of stunning scenic shoreline on Victoria's Lake Eildon. No luxury is spared on Australia's houseboats – most are modern and comfortable, equipped with air-conditioning, spa pools, televisions and videos.

For the more adventurous types, Australia offers many thrilling jet boating experiences including Tasmania's Wild River Jets which take visitors on an exhilarating 50 minute trip through the King River's magnificent rain forested gorges.

And for those after something a little different, climb aboard the Aussie Duck, a high-tech custom-built craft. The Aussie Duck takes visitors on an integrated land and harbour tour – driving through Sydney's streets before splashing into the harbour. The journey is the first in history to go over and under the Sydney Harbour Bridge and offers a charter service for evening expeditions.

The choice of cruising options in Australia is endless: from 'skipper yourself' charters to private fully crewed holidays.

* To learn more about Australia visit www.australia.com, featuring over 10,000 pages of information to help you plan your holiday.

Make sure you join the Aussie Travel Club when you visit the site. Club members receive regular e-mail bulletins on new and exciting travel ideas and the latest deals to Australia.