Spring is in the air, the darker days are behind us now and we can all look ahead for the warmer nights and hot days as summer approaches. Here are just a few events taking place in Australia and New Zealand this summer.
1. Beach
Living in Australia and New Zealand, the beach is all around us. The beach is the place to be during summer. When the summer season kicks in, the surfers head to other parts along the shore, freeing up the beach for swimmers. For Australia Day in January, there is always a big Havaianas Thong Challenge. Last year, Cottesloe beach won, beating former winners, Bondi beach.
2. Summer Holidays
If you have not already booked your holidays away, now is the time to do this. Whether it is a trip to the Gold Coast, over to Asia or even to Europe for Christmas, there are plenty of deals at flight centre and other travel agents. If you prefer to stay within Australia, there are many campsites accommodating people.
3. Music Festivals
With the onset of summer, there are many more festivals to attend. For example Southbound in January is one of the biggest events in Western Australia. The VIP tickets are already sold out, but there are still regular tickets up for grabs. Southbound is a 2 day and 2 night festival costing from $160. Some of the performers are Aloe Blacc, The Arctic Monkeys and the Kooks.
The Big Day out is another popular annual event which takes place in Sydney, Gold Coast, Adelaide, Melbourne and Perth January 2013. Red Hot Chili Peppers and The Killers are headlining the acts all over the country. Don’t worry about when it gets dark as there are plenty of commercial generators to light the night sky, allowing you to party right through the night.
4. Open Air Cinemas
Throughout various cities in in Australia, you can take advantage of the warm weather and watch movies in an outdoor cinema. There are a mixture of classic and cult films which are shown around the country. In Sydney, Centennial Park is home to the “Moonlight Cinema”, whereas in Perth, it takes place in King’s Park, one of the largest urban parks in the world. Drinks are served at the cinemas and you can even rent a bead bed to sit and relax in while watching your favourite film outside.
5. Watch Tennis
The Australian Open takes place at the Rod Laver Arena from January 14th to January 27th. The first Grand Slam tennis tournament for the year, attracts thousands of die hard tennis fans. The big players such as Nadal and Federer have made their mark on these well known hard courts. A ground pass can be purchased which allows entry to all the outside courts. Spectators also watch the matches on the lawn’s big screen.
There is so much to do in the summer in Australia. My favorite is going to the beach and if I am in WA, I head over to Cottesloe.
