Adventure sports in Australia

Australia is a land of adventure. This is one of the countries which has always attracted people from all over the world because of the different types of adventure sports available here. The adventure sports in Australia are also known to attract not only children and youth but also the aged people as well. There are different types of adventure sports in Australia. It is said that Australia is a haven for different types of outdoor activities. The pleasant weather also makes outdoor activities extremely popular in Australia. Some of the popular adventure sports in Australia are given below. Have a look to know more:

Bungy Jumping: This is one of the most popular adventure sports in Australia. This is one of the sports especially played in the Cairns region in the Tropical North Queensland. The main site for bungy jumping is Smithfield. This is a place located with the rain forest. The jumpers have an option of plunging into a pool. You will also have the AJ Hackett Bungy Tower. But it is advised that people with heart problems should not try this. There is an elastic rope which is a savior.
Skydiving: This is also one of the top adventure sports in Australia. This is one of the sports in which a large number of people participate. Sydney in New South Wales is one of the top sites for skydiving. There are two companies here which will help you in Skydiving. They are Sydney Skydivers and Simply Skydive. You can go up to 14000 feet high up and have an exotic look of the city as well as the Blue mountains. You can also get photographs as well as DVD of the umps as well.
Canoing: This is also one of the popular adventure sports in Australia. The best spot for this adventure sport is said to be the Blue Mountains near the New South Wales. This is also said to be one of the World Heritage Sites as well. This is also very near to Sydney. There are various cannoning trips available here as well. Through this trip you will be able to visit the Wollemi Wilderness Area.
White Water Rafting: This is also one of the top adventure sports in Australia. The main spot for white water fating in Australia is known to be the Franklin River. This is located in Tasmania. This is one of the fast flowing rivers which has a large number of rapids as well as unnerving drops as well. It is a challenge for a large number of white water rafters as it is a grade five territory. You can also find the Derwent and Picton rivers which also offers the white water river rafting facilities in Australia.
Scuba Diving: This is also one of the top adventure sports in Australia which is popular among a large number of people all over the world. This is one of the sports which is available in different beaches of Australia.

There are sport happenings and holidays in Australia year round. Here are some of them.
In February there's Regatta Day with boat races and other water activities.
In June in Darwin the Beer Can Regatta takes place when there are boat races for boats constructed entirely out of beer cans — there are plenty of those in the world's beer drinking capital.

In August in the Northern Territory camel racing is on in Alice Springs, arid then the Apex Rodeo is held, one of the biggest rodeo in Australia — the town fills up with cowboys.
Meanwhile in Sydney, Australians biggest race takes place with 25, 000 competitors running the 14 km from Hyde Park to Bondi Beach in the city ace. It is a public holiday in Victoria but the whole country shuts down for the three minutes or so which the race takes.
In December the Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race starts on the 26th, a fantastic sight as the yachts stream out of the harbour and head south.

1. Why are adventure sports so popular in Australia?
2. What are the most popular adventure sports in the country?
3. Why is the Franklin River the best place for white water rafting?
4. Can you name some sport happenings and holidays in Australia?
5. What is special about the contest taking place in Darwin?

AUSTRALIAN TRADITIONS

Australia Day

Australia doesn't have many traditions. Attempts to get Halloween off the ground have stalled due to one too many homeowners telling little kids to get off their property or they will see a scary sight.

Australia's equivalent of America's Thanksgiving Day is Australia Day on January 26, the landing of the First Fleet of Convicts in Botany Bay. Unfortunately, there is much more emotional resonance in celebrating pioneering pilgrims who broke bread with the natives than there is in celebrating criminals that stole bread and were duly hung. Needless to say, Australia has no tradition of putting the old ball and chain on your leg, and subsequently walking down the street in tribute to the founding fathers. Likewise, Australia has no statues of the pioneering Convicts holding up their shackled wrists in triumph!

Ironically, the suffering of the Convicts and the cruelty of the wardens makes the anniversary of their landing quite a useful date for a national celebration. Because Australia commenced in such a negative way, the date provides a great opportunity to reflect upon how far Australia has come, and how far it still has to go.

Many Australians put such sentiments into action by using Australia day to visit friends, attend a rock concert, or have a barbeque. Because there are no firm prescriptions about how they should think or feel, most Australians simply take the initiative to make the day into what they want it to be. Consequently, whereas many national days around the world involve citizens reflecting on the achievements of their ancestors that they have not personally lived up to, Australia’s national day involves citizens acting in a vastly superior way to the people that the date acknowledges.

Although most Australians have a good time on January 26, a few concerned citizens wish their national day was more similar to the national day of foreign countries, where there are firm behavioural prescriptions and clear symbolic meanings.