Australia needs our support

We are all aware of the ongoing bushfires in Australia. They have been all over the news, but it's important to know where they are burning. One of my travel partners, based in North Queensland, writes this:

We are totally unaffected by the bushfires currently causing havoc in the south. We are seeing clients cancelling travel unnecessarily due to media coverage.

Only two areas often visited by international visitors have been affected — Kangaroo Island and the Blue Mountains. 

Sydney, Melbourne and other major cities, Great Barrier Reef, Daintree Rainforest, Great Ocean Road, Winelands, Uluru, the Kimberley and more are unaffected. 

Affected areas — Kangaroo Island is a small island, 100 miles south of Adelaide (I have circled it on the map above). The Wolgan Valley, in the Blue Mountains, is 115 miles west of Sydney.

Unaffected areas — The Great Barrier Reef is 1200 miles north of Sydney. Uluru (Ayers Rock) is 1260 miles west of Sydney. Would you cancel a trip to Chicago, Illinois because of fires burning in Key West, Florida, 1243 miles away?

The fires have been tragic. An estimated one billion animals have perished in the blazes, and their natural habitat has been destroyed. Southern Ocean Lodge has been totally destroyed, but Baillie Lodges is committed to rebuilding.

Australia needs our tourism support to assist in its rebuilding. Don't cancel your trip at a time when it's most needed. Travel instead to areas unaffected by the fires. Australia is a vast nation, virtually the same size as the continental United States ... and a most incredible place to visit.

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