Under the Southern Cross

Real sheepsin can be washed, heres how

Washing Sheepskin

Sheepskin has always been known for its comfort, but nothing can provide a better combination of comfort and durability than today’s natural sheepskin.

Today’s natural sheepskin is washable and has a leather backing that is resistant to fluids. Washing sheepskin padding or covers with soap that includes lanolin-sheepskin’s natural oil-will keep your sheepskin in great condition for many years.

As of 1998, sheepskin has become one of the most durable types of padding available. New standards were released that year in Australia that defined two types of medical sheepskin. The highest quality is the “Hi Temp UR Australian Medical Sheepskin,” which can be washed and dried.

These High Temp sheepskins have the highest pile density, providing the maximum padding and breathability. They are specially tanned for washing up 80 C (176 F) and drying at temperatures up to 60 C (140 F).

The next most durable sheepskin is the “M101 Medical Sheepskin,” with a thick pile and “double chrome tanning.” Washing sheepskin of this grade in lukewarm water is the recommended care. These medical sheepskins will be even longer lasting when washed with a wool care product and allowed to air dry in shade. Do not expose these sheepskins to heat or sun, however, when you are drying them. Avoid subjecting these sheepskins to urine, or they will crack or lose fibers.

When washing sheepskin, your knowledge of the grades of sheepskin, and the proper use and care of each, will allow your sheepskin to provide years of comfort that is unmatched.

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Kakadu National Park

Australia might be part of the New World, but it is old enough to be timeless. Home to ageless forests and rocks, oceans and rivers, and the varied platform of Darwin’s natural selection which spawned a thousand unique breeds of its own, Australia has an abundance of ecological, biological and anthropological treasures.

Kakadu, currently a World Heritage listed site, boasts of not only biological diversity and ecological significance but is also a place of extraordinary artistic achievements. 25,000 years ago, when all of America and Europe were still vast grazing grounds for the buffalo, the Aborigines Kakadu people had a thriving civilization who knew how to grind grain with grindstones and use ochre paint for artwork in caves.

Today, not many know the local Kakadu tongue, although the descendants of the original Kakadu still linger around the Alligator Rivers in the northern part of the park. And in this ageless ecological spectacle, the tourist is able to meet aspects of diverse beauty.

Situated in the Northern Territory, 170 kilometers east of Darwin, Kakadu probably does not mean anything to the uninitiated. It covers an area greater than 6000 square kilometers, and has five main natural regions: a huge rugged sandstone plateau, the vast eroded lowlands, the floodplains to the north, the tidal flats where mangroves thrive and the southern hills.

The Alligator Rivers have no alligators; the discoverer mistook the local crocodiles for alligators. And Kakadu gained immense publicity ever since the two Crocodile Dundee movies.

Kakadu has an immense biological significance. With more than 1000 species of plants, a quarter of all freshwater fish of Australia, about one-third of all birds species in Australia and thousands of varieties of insects, Kakadu is like a treasure trove for all nature lovers.

There are only two seasons in Kakadu – wet and dry, and access to the park is closed during the former. Many are of the opinion that the best time to visit the park is at the end of the dry season when the birds are forced to congregate around diminishing water bodies.

‘Kakadu’ itself is huge, and within it there are many interesting and charming points. There is the Mamakala Observation Point and Nature Walk located on the Arnhem Highway entrance to the park, which contains a nice little walk and a fabulous observation point for watching birds.

At Ubir, you will find an Aboriginal rock art gallery. Dating back thousands of years, Ubir is said to have some superlative specimens of rock art and the so-called X-ray style.

Capturing myths of the ‘Dreaming’, these arts track the interaction of early humans with their environment. Although the whole of Ubir can be rounded in one hour, you might be tempted to take your time with these unique forms of rock art that you can see only at a few sites around the world.

You can visit the bustling little town of Jabiru, a beneficiary of the activity surrounding Uranium mining and the Kakadu. In fact you can even visit the mine at Ranger Uranium Mine which runs regular tours of the mine for visitors.

The Nourlangie Rock, located south of Jabiru is part of Mt. Brockman Massif with other sacred-dangerous sites (many of them closed to public). This place has many caves which are testimonies of the quarries that the old aborigines dug in the area.

There are drawings of now-extint Tasmanian tiger in the caves, so it is possible that they lived here before disappearing forever. There are many excellent caves near and around the Nourlangie. The Jim Jim falls has its own peccadilloes – in the dry season when approach is possible, there is no water; in the wet season, approach is clogged.

The Yellow Waters billabong is one of the most famous areas within the park with rocks and river rides available. Another popular tourist attraction is to take a river cruise on the South Alligator River. Abounding with wildlife the cruise brings you closer to the jabiru (a large bird after which Jabiru town is named), buffaloes, cockatoos, egrets, magpies and whistler ducks.

Tourists also love to visit the Waterfall Creek Nature Park, and the various camping sites strewn across Kakadu.

A trip to Kakadu is a trip to a different world. One should leave behind all preconceptions before coming here. Face to face with the ageless nature and the testimonials of man’s interaction with it, you are sure to feel moved.

The resplendent seclution of Kakadu is an ideal addition to a holiday at Executive Retreats in far Northern Queensland. Darwin is only a 2-3 hour flight from Cairns.
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Ayers Rock: Mystery in the desert

Ayers Rock stands as a challenge to those that view it – its imposing, and it challenges all with questions. What is this chunk of rock doing here? Is it of terrestrial origin? What is it made of? The huge prospect of the mass of rock confounds logic, much like the rock-face in the Hollywood movie Mission to Mars that raised a thousand questions.

It not without justification for the local aborigines, who call this rock Uluru, probably a family name, is worshipped as a sacred place. Like Benares or Parthenon, it is a place or worship to some, and a venue of tourist wonderment for others.

Situated in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, it is virtually in the middle of nowhere, but it draws tourists year round from throughout Australia and the world. Temperatures during summer months can be uncomfortable, and it is always advisable to wear clothes in accordance with weather.

At a height of around 350 meters above ground, it is 8 kilometers around. Mistakenly called a monolith, it is part of a much larger underground structure which includes nearby mountains like Mount Connor and the Kata Tjuta, or Mount Olga. Largely a limestone structure, it affords varied surfaces, from long clefts on the surface, perforations and smooth façade.

Discovered in 1872 by explorer Ernest Giles, he described it as the ‘remarkable pebble’, an apt name for the smooth megalith named Ayers Rock after the Chief Secretary of South Australia, Sir Henry Ayers. The rock is famous for changing colors. Not only does it seem to change color from season to season, but even during the day as it captures sunlight from differing angles. The surface feldspar reflects a red light during sunsets and sunrise. A rare rainfall brings out a rush of black algae on its surface, giving it a silver-grey color.

The whole area including and around Ayers Rock is filled with cultural and spiritual artifacts of the local aborigines. The rock is said to house dozens of ancestral ‘beings’ whose abodes are decorated with venerated artwork. The rock forms part of a religious myth that tries to explain the birth of time. It is not surprising, therefore, that many of the aborigines are offended at the tourist intrusion of their ancient land which is held sacred by them.

While climbing Ayers Rock remains a favorite pastime of many sturdy tourists, the aborigines dissuade climbers, in essence. The Cultural Center located in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park is a veritable treasure trove of local culture and artifacts and is a center of education on the local culture. The photo collages, history panels, sound samples, interactive audio-visual productions and live interaction with the Ananga people brings about a great understanding of what Uluru has come to mean for them.
However climbing the Ayers Rock is considered a ‘done’ thing by most tourists, much like taking a snorkel dive in the Great Barrier Reef. But tackling the Rock can be a bit of a challenge to all but the fit trekkers. There are many routes that one can take depending upon how comfortable you are with each. It is generally advised that starting trekkers should take the easier routes lined with railings and notices. You can also go with local guides who take you through easier routes providing you with running commentary on significant places. Many people like traveling in groups which is, in fact, a safer option. Of course, it is mandatory that you are properly dressed, have the requisite gear and take lots of water.

Very near to the Uluru are The Olgas, literally meaning ‘little heads’, another group of peculiar rock formations that attract a lot of tourists. A little more distant (100 km) is the much larger Mount Conner, located southeast of Lake Amadeus.
Ayers Rock has fascinated people for as slong as we can remember. It has been a venue of religious veneration and mystique, and now it is an object of public fascination. A symbol of the elemental Australia, Ayers Rock is a must see for all who visit the Northern Territory in this part of the world.

Ningaloo Reef - Diving in Western Australia

Ningaloo Reef is located at the western coast of Australia in an area which starts at Cape Range and ends at Shark Bay. It is widely known due to the fact that it has a large reef close to the shore which is unique and can not be found at other diving sites. This characteristic is what attracts most divers who come to the reef although there are several other characteristics which turn the area into a very interesting and attractive one not only for divers but also for visitors in general.

The main and most popular diving activities which visitors would be able to meet at Ningaloo are concentrated at the area of Coral Bay and Exmouth. Coral Bay and Exmouth are two Ningaloo towns which are separated by a distance of about 100 kilometers and in which visitors could choose from a wide variety of accommodation facilities.

The ideal season for visitors in general and specially divers to go to Ningaloo is between May to February, although it is recommendable for divers to learn more about each season and find out which time of the year is most suitable for them. Although this area is beautiful year around, there might be a few variations in the underwater environment which a diver could enjoy at one season than the one he could enjoy at another, and therefore each visitor should choose the season which best suits his preferences.

Ningaloo’s waters contain over 460 different reef fish species, an amount hard to find at other diving destinations. Besides this variety of fish, divers would also be able to enjoy a wide variety of vegetation and sea creatures as well as several different coral species, some of them very colorful and interesting to observe.

One great destination which divers who go to the Ningaloo area shouldn’t miss is the Kangaroo Island. This Island is ideal for those divers who like cold water diving and who wish to meet unique underwater creatures. Kangaroo Island waters contain sea dragons as well as beautiful reefs full of beautiful vegetation.