Where is the most beautiful place in the world?

Sometimes, the most beautiful place in the World is my own backyard! A balmy summer evening sitting on the deck with birds swooping and playing in the trees then dropping down to the fish pond for a quick splash. A cool drink in my hand and life seems just perfect....

And while I like to have friends visit me lots I don't think this is quite what the question asks so I will go from my own backyard to my bigger backyard, the Australian Bush!

Australia is an ancient and enormous country but we are lucky to have at least two of the most stunning and magical natural attractions right here.

The Great Barrier Reef:

Hundreds of miles of coral reef just a short boat ride away from the shore and teeming with fantastic coloured sealife in the form of corals and fish. With just a snorkle and mask you can spend hours entranced by this magical world of movement and colour with the soft blue/green swell within the reef line and the deep blue whitecaps of the ocean just the other side.

And like all natural wonders near human habitation the Great Barrier Reed is under threat and we hear about 'bleachings' which means the coral has died due to human or seaborne predators - the most common one being the Star of Thorns starfish which is a bit of a plague and leeches all the life out of coral. Research is always ongoing on this and we hope that the scientists can help us find the answers to preserve the Reef.

Like all local attractions we in Australia are a bit relaxed about the Great Barrier Reef. We enjoy going to Queensland with all its beaches and sun but we are sometimes a bit bemused by the enthusiasm of overseas visitors when they have been to the reef - in reality, we need to go there ourselves more often so we also remember just how fantastic it is!

Uluru

Many people will still know this as Ayers Rock. Uluru is the Aboriginal name for this area. Uluru is a massive rock formation - a bit like a big red iceberg in the middle of the desert it does actually have more of its mass underground than above.

Getting to Uluru takes some effort but it is worth absolutely every minute and dollar of that effort because it is one of the most mystical places I have ever visited in my life - every time I go there I feel small and awed but also renewed and energised!

Right in the heart of the Australian desert centre the rock can be seen for miles as you approach. The Landscape itself is flat, red and with harsh and scrubby bush around, yet, amazingly, at the very base of the rock there are pools and greenery with water sources that are inexplicable!

And because this is traditional aboriginal land every area has a fascinating story or legend. Local guides will explain these to you and because aboriginal history goes back some 40 million years, instead of starting their stories with "once upon a time.." they start their stories with the great line: "In the dreaming before time began..."

The light and colour around Ulury changes all the time and most popular are dawn and dusk when you can get incredible effects. I have the most amazing photograph taken by a friend last time we were there of a solitary cloud just beside the rock at sundown and a single flash of lightning reaching from cloud to ground! (I will load and share it once I have scanned it - this was on old fashioned film)

But don't take my word for thi, I am Australian. Come and see them for yourselves!