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 Polarized UV400 Certified
Sunglasses I Had Bought by DarkRay
Polarized sunglasses work on the principle that vertical light falling on any reflective object such as glossy surfaces and water bodies will be rotated 90 degrees to a horizontal plane. Polarized sunglasses only allow light on a particular plane (usually vertical) to pass through the lenses and so, light from other planes (such as those from reflections) will be kept to a minimum. Minimizing reflective glares not only makes marine life easier to spot since it is is now easier to see beyond the surface of any water bodies, it also makes the sky looks nicer as it cuts out the glare from the atmospheric dust as well.
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Due to their importance, good sunglasses are readily available for sale throughout Australia as well, and can be easily found at places like supermarkets and chemists (pharmacies). I picked up a pair Black Ice polarized UV-400 certified sunglasses from Coral Bay's Outdoor Center Supermarket for only A$17 and another pair of similar, but Mangrove Jacks branded ones from a stall at Fremantle Markets for only A$20. Great prices in my opinion.
This is related to my tip for sunglasses - if your camera lenses can accomodate, get a good polarize filter for it. Or you can do what I did, which is to let my camera "see through" my sunglasses for some of the shots. This really makes the sky and water bodies "pop" in the photos I had taken. Do remember to rotate the polarize filter till you get the ideal angle though. Leave a Comment
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Make no mistake about it, while the Australian Sun powers their glorious beaches and stunning landscapes, it can be quite brutal. So, to prevent sun damage like sun burns as well as premature skin ageing, adequate sun protection is absolutely necessary. Thus is especially true during the winter months from late April to July, where the accompanying cool winds can trick the body into believing that the day is not as hot as it actually is.
One very basic item of clothing that can shield your face is the hat, especially the ranger type ones with a broad rim all around it. Because of the weather, hats with localized designs are easily available from about A$10 onwards, and they make for great souvenirs at the same time! Leave a Comment
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Equally important, is the sunscreen. Sunscreens comes in 2 varieties, chemical and physical. Regardless of what you choose to use, pick one that provides at least SPF30 protection and full spectrum UV-A protection whenever possible. Note that SPF is only an indication of protection against UV-B.
Chemical sunscreens work by having its active compounds, often Octocrylene and Octyl Methoxycinnamate for UV-B, and Avobenzone (Parsol 1789) or its derivatives (such as the Meroxyl variations and Helioplex) for UV-A, absorbing the UV radiation. However, after enough radiation is absorbed, these chemicals can break down and lose their sun protection properties. Thus, frequent reapplications (ranging from every 2 to 4 hours and depending on water exposure) are needed.
Chemical sunscreens are more commonly found, and are really cheap in Australia where I actually spotted a 1 litre pump bottle of Black Gold branded SPF 30+ sunscreen at less than A$14!
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Physical sunscreens as their name suggest, blocks out UV radiation by physically blocking them. This is achieved by the presence of Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide. Many people used to hate them because they leave an obvious white cast and are often pores clogging. But advances in Japanese skincare technologies has introduced nanonized versions of these ingredients that sidetracks these issues completely.
I like such sunscreens far better as they dry matt and so feel less oily and do not need frequent reapplications (since they do not break down), unless you had been in the water too much in which they can still be washed away. These seem to be rare in Australia and are way more expensive though - Both physical sunscreens I am using and were bought in Singapore. Kose NanoBlock (for face) cost like A$12 for only 30ml and ZA Power Block UV (for body) cost like A$10 for only 50g. Leave a Comment
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 Australian plug and power
point by tiabunna
The electrical sockets are a three pin variety, with the top two pins at angles and the lower pin vertical. See the photograph. It would be wise to buy an adapter plug before coming, most adaper plugs sold here are for Australians wishing to convert to overseas plugs (ie, they are the wrong way round for visitors).
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Australia is more stringent than many countries with its quarantine restrictions. Because Australia is not and has not been directly linked to the other main landmasses of the world, it is fortunate in not having many of the bugs and pests found in other countries. As a result, it is prohibited to bring into the country many foodstuffs, animal products (including meats and cheeses) and plant material. Please don’t try to bring them in, you can expect that the Quarantine Service will inspect your bags.
You can find out the full details of what you may or may not bring to Australia, what is involved in some cases, plus hints and tips, through the website below.
You may also be surprised to find that there are restrictions on the movement of certain products around Australia. That applies particularly to fruit, where the carriage of fruit to Tasmania, South Australia, and parts of Victoria and New South Wales is prohibited, in order to control the spread of fruit flies.
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 "Who forgot the
Aerogard?" by tiabunna
An interesting aside, to illustrate the point. Many years ago it was discovered that chlorofluorocarbons were chewing up the ozone layer. There soon was an international study, to track down how and where these gases were being used: in those days, apart from refrigeration, they also were used as the propellant in aerosol cans. The United Nations quickly made an international survey on how much was being used and I was given the task of collecting the Australian data. It was surprising and at first nobody could believe that we used far more aerosols than any other country. Yep, it turned out on closer study that most of those aerosols Australia used were insect sprays!
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 Solar radiation protection by tiabunna
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 by Amelei
Some wet weather gear depending on time of travel.
Good socks and shoes for hiking
TEA TREE again
Watch the water around here as Nimbin is fairly remote and rely's on tank water.
A lovely little bug called 'Gardia' breeds in the water and it is a hideous gut bug to have. It will make you so Nausious and you'll be throwing up too.
If it was me, and i have lived here, i would boil the water first or add something called OXYRICH to it. (Buy from herbalists etc)
Oh you will just be in photo heaven in nimbin. So many unique and wonderful photographic moments to have.
Camping is available
Beach is deffinately not
Waterholes are abundant
ACCOMODATION
Sundara Retreat Healing Center
Sundara-rural haven at centre of Billen Cliffs Eco Village.
accommodates groups for retreats in a tranquil environment,ideal for Artists and Writers.
Cabin, caravan, camping and healing Tipi.
Phone (02) 6633 7037
Upper Wombat Downs bed & Breakfast
seasonal fresh food in the garden, fresh eggs daily from the chooks and unpolluted water to drink.
The accommodation new and spotless with TV, cooking facilities, and en-suite bathroom &B&B
Rainforest Haven
Rainforest Haven , on a community just outside nimbin, a delightful chalet, in the midst of a rainforest with abundant wildlife.
Jerra Park
Jerra Park is a 16 hectare demonstration farm, with a concept of developing sustainable living system.
Small studios, built with natural materials and solar design available for accommodation for those seeking peaceful retreat or who wish to take part in our ongoing project. Leave a Comment
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 Magic Wollumbin NSW by Amelei
Everything you could possibly want is available here in Austalia
Light and airy clothes are a must, to cope with the inevitable 40 deg days.
Cotton is great as it breathes, increasing air flow to the body and skin.
A good pair of hiking boots as there are just so many beautiful unspoilt National parks and wonderlands to explore here in Aus.
HAT- most important- wide brimmed
Lots of singlettes and shorts
Mozie repellent A MUST ( you will thank me guys seriously!)
Tweezers/ Tea tree oil- I say this for all you guys that want to do the bush walking/ get back to nature thing. We have ticks here which are these minute little buggers that like to crawl into your skin and they are a pain in the a$$ to get out. I found tea tree oil, if applied directly onto the skin, annoys the absolute sh1t out of these ticks and they crawl out. if that doesnt work your next option are tweezers. Always pull ticks out anti clockwise too.
A MUST. Bring loads of film or alternatively heaps of chips to wack into your digital camera. Wherever you go there will be so many photographic opportunities.
Waterproof tent with mosquito flies.
:-) Enjoy your stay you will Love it.
psst... I used to live at the bottom of this mountain- oh lah..... Leave a Comment
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Bring only one piece of luggage: The backpack
Do not bring white clothes when backpacking. Even if you stay in places with laundry facilities, you will seldom have enough white stuff to wash it separately, and it will end up grey or multicolored. And when washing by hand in your mobile bathroom bucket, it is even more difficult to keep it white!
Bring a small bucket (your mobile bathroom) that fits into your backpack, put a plastic bag in the bucket and all your toiletries and medical supplies along with detergent, string and clothespins in the bag. Very convenient when you stay one night here and two there, just pick your mobile bathroom out from your backpack, and whenever you need to do your laundry, take the bag with all the stuff out of the bucket. Most hostels in Australia have laundry facilities, but you never now when you have to wash something in a hurry. And an easy way to keep all your toiletries together, too.
Bring a BIG towel to use on beaches, but also as an emergency blanket or to wrap around you as a dressing gown. If you stay in hostels, you HAVE TO have your own towel. Another smart thing to bring, is a cotton or silk sheet / sleeping bag.
Keep your valuables: passport, tickets, money and credit cards, on your body, and in separate places. Always make photo copies of travelling documents and send them to yourself as an email + bring paper copies along, to be able to reproduce them if they get lost. Keep some change in a pocket so you won't need to take out your wallet each time you pay something. Bring more than one credit card, keep them separate, and never use ATMs on weekends: If your card "gets stuck" in the ATM it might be a fraud and you will loose a lot of money before the bank opens on monday. Leave a Comment
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