So, how do Australians celebrate Christmas in the hot month of December? Contrary to white Christmas in most European countries, Australia plans everything keeping in mind the scorching sun. However, similar to white Christmas, they do put up Christmas lights, decorate Christmas trees, sing carols, and enjoy typical Christmas delicacies. Australians gear up for the festival in November. And by December, everybody gets into the festive mood. The most famous Aussie ritual during the Christmas season is “Carols by Candlelight”, when people gather outdoors, light candles, and sing carols. The event sees live performances by local and national celebrities. Barbeques are also an important part of festive celebrations in the country. Additionally, people like to gather on beaches to enjoy Christmas day as well as take part in several events and activities. Bondi Beach is especially popular for spending some fun time during the festive time.

Here are some of the best ways to celebrate Christmas in Australia –

Hit the Beach!

Since December is a hot month in Australia, it makes sense to go to a beach and spend some leisure time with your loved ones. To celebrate the sunny Christmas, people enjoy swimming, surfing, and other types of water sports at the beach. They even set up a barbeque to gorge on great food while enjoying the sun, sand, and sea. You can indulge in numerous events at different beaches of the country and enjoy an amazing party scene. Many people like to dress up in traditional attire to spread festive vibes. You’ll also see some of them dressed up as Santa Claus. Although Bondi Beach is the most popular beach for celebrating Christmas, you can enjoy the day at other beaches as well. Gold Coast also has a lot of stunning beaches to add more fun to the day. Other beaches you can consider for Christmas celebrations in Australia are The Basin, Cable Beach, Cottesloe Beach, and Bill’s Bay.

Enjoy Traditional Food

So, food is one of the most important aspects of Christmas celebrations in Australia. And since the weather is different here, the holiday meal also sees some variation. Aussies like to enjoy recipes made using seafood and roast meats like lamb, chicken, and beef. Barbequed food including prawns, kebabs, chicken, lamb, oysters, and pineapple is especially enjoyed by them. Some of the traditional Christmas foods in Australia include Christmas pudding, pavlova, Christmas ham, traditional Christmas gingerbread, traditional fruit mince pies, chocolate rum balls, and cheesecakes. When it comes to drinks, women usually like to enjoy champagne and wine, whereas men like beer. Aussies love to enjoy their Christmas meal, which is usually lunch, outside their homes thanks to the awesome weather during the season. During the festive season, they also love to cook and bake their typical Christmas meal with their family.

Enjoy Christmas Decorations

Can’t imagine Christmas without decorations! We know it’s an integral part of the celebration. And there are so many ways to easily and beautifully decorate your house. Just like in other countries, Aussies also use baubles, fairy lights, garlands, pine cones, tinsels, Christmas candles, Christmas stockings, and other colorful ornaments to decorate their home. It’s best to start with your living area and then decorate other parts of the house. Of course, the Christmas tree is also decorated with fairy lights and other decor items. Apart from decorating your own house, you can go to different places in the country to see stunning Christmas lights. “Christmas Festival Of Lights” in Geelong is one of the top events to see beautiful decorative lights in this magical season.

Get in the Mood

To get in the festive mood, you can visit Christmas markets in the country and buy stuff like handicrafts, jewelry, clothes, and home decor. The most popular Christmas markets in the country include Twilight Markets, Christkindlmarkt, Deck the Stalls, Christmas Fare, Darling Harbour Christmas, and Nichemas. You can also take part in a Santa parade to get familiar with Australian culture and, celebrations. Next, keep the presents bought for your loved ones under the Christmas tree to build Christmas excitement. You can also play some Christmas music or watch related movies to soak up the festive vibes. It’s also a great idea to visit a church for a Christmas morning service. Apart from this, you can enjoy a typical Christmas meal at one of the best restaurants in your area.

Explore Different Cities for a Unique Experience

Right from Adelaide, Hobart, and Canberra to Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney, every Australian city has got something unique to offer during the Christmas season. For instance, Adelaide is known for the giant Christmas tree at Victoria Square, Santa’s Wonderland, and a large number of events held in different parts of the city. On the other hand, the “Carols by Candlelight” at Sidney Myer Music Bowl in Melbourne is a grand charity music event organized every year. Canberra, the capital city, also celebrates the festival in a grand way at Glebe Park with big gingerbread houses, a Christmas tree forest, live music, and much more. So, whichever Australian city you are in, you have the opportunity to enjoy Christmas to the fullest.

With so many Christmas destinations to visit, several events to attend, and Christmas markets to shop from, it’s a wise step to book an Australia car rental to move freely from one location to another. AustraliaRentCar lets you reserve your ideal rental car at the lowest possible rate, that too in only 3 easy steps- Search, Compare, and Book. You can even call our customer support team for booking your preferred rental vehicle.

An annual camel racing event, the Camel Cup is one of the most popular festivals in Australia. Held at Blatherskite Park, the largest outdoor venue in Alice Springs, the sporting extravaganza is organized under the aegis of the Apex Club of Central Australia. The first such race was held in the year 1970 in the River Todd’s dry bed. Gradually becoming a popular event, the race found a place in the Alice Springs Centenary Year Celebrations. Afterward, the Alice Springs Lions Club started celebrating the camel race in the Traeger Park, a sports complex in Alice Springs. The race was again shifted from Traeger Park to Arunga Park Speedway. Finally, in 1979, the camel racing fest was permanently shifted to Blatherskite Park following the completion of a purpose-built race track. This year, the Camel Cup will be played on 20 July (Saturday).

2019 Camel Cup Details

As riding a camel is a bit challenging thing to do, it creates an impressive sight to see them racing. The race day attracts thousands of people who cheer the participants of nine unique races, which are held during the day. Besides the camel races, there are also other promising shows such as belly dancing, hobby camel races, rickshaw races, and Mr and Miss Camel Cup Challenges. The venue also sees a number of food stalls and complementing bars. Races generally start at 11:30 am after the inaugural parade at 10:30 am and continue until 5 pm.

Alice Springs Camel Cup Tips

• Don’t forget to carry your entry ticket as it is not a free event. Tickets can be booked online at the event’s official website only.

• The volunteers do not provide camels for sightseeing. You can directly contact the camel owners in case you want to have a ride.

• Arrange for the camping site or hotel accommodation on your own. The event organizers are not responsible for providing camping grounds or hotels to stay in Alice Springs.

• Park your vehicle at the designated spot only to avoid any inconveniences later on. Also, entry of pets at the venue is strictly prohibited.

• Alice Springs Airport and Alice Springs Downtown are two main locations to pick-up and drop-off rental cars.

• Factor in 3 more days if you want to explore the picturesque surroundings of Alice Springs.

About Alice Springs

One of the largest towns in Australia’s Northern Territory, Alice Springs is situated in the country’s center. Popularly known as ‘Alice’ or simply ‘the Alice’, the town has been an important place for the aboriginal people living in the Central Australian Desert. The indigenous people also call it Mparntwe in their native language.

As Alice Springs is a famous town in Australian Outback, you can expect a diverse set of attractions and adventure activities to indulge in. Once you arrive in town for the Camel Cup, keep a few days for sightseeing and discover what this intriguing outback has in store to fascinate you.

The most sought-after day trips trips from Alice Springs are as follows.

Discover the wonders of Australia’s Northern Territory in your Alice Springs car rental. We, at Australia Rent Car, have our suppliers’ locations at two places – Alice Springs Airport (ASP) and Alice Springs Downtown. You can also pick-up your rental car in Darwin and plan an exciting road trip to Adelaide with a stopover at Alice Springs. Pre-book a car hire for Alice Springs now at the exclusive rates for Camel Cup 2019.

Introduction to Dog Lovers Show 2019, Melbourne

Inviting dog lovers from all over, 2019 will be the 7th year of the canine festival in Melbourne which is expected to take place in a much more magnificent way. The show first took place in the year 2013, since then, 200,000 people have been a part of the event. This is one of the largest dog shows that’s focussed around amusing and educating dog lovers apart from putting light on how dogs enhance our lives.

What’s special at Dog Lovers Show – Melbourne 2019?

Apart from grooming demos for your canine friends, you will be able to shop for cheap pet products. There will be contests in which you will have a chance to win exciting prizes. Other thrilling events at Dog Lovers Show will include speed dating for dog lovers, free face painting and you can enjoy great food at the best food trucks of the city.

• This year, more than 600 species of dogs, around 120 breeds, will be participating at the festival.
• Get ready to view competitions in the new VitaPet Arena, those will begin with the K9 Ninja Warrior competition.
• Skipping, frisbee, High Jump Competition, Sheepdog Speed Trials, BlackHawk DockDogs competition and drag-racing shows will entertain dog lovers.
• BlackHawk DockDogs is a much-awaited contest featuring skillful dogs jumping into a 1,00,000 litre pool of water.
• Dr Danni Dusek and Dr Lisa Chimes will be hosting a talk on pet insurance and also, entertaining the viewers.
• Dr Katrina Warren and Kelly Gill will teach you ways to train your dog.
• There will be a show dedicated to rare dog breeds and not to forget, a special session with the social media canine celebrities.
• There will be a Dog Adoption Zone with the motive of getting many more dogs adopted than the previous years.

You can follow social media pages of the event to be updated about the schedule.

Royal Exhibition Building – The venue for Dog Lovers Show Melbourne 2019

A structure in Carlton, Royal Exhibition Building is an expansive, UNESCO World-Heritage Site building in Melbourne and the world’s one and only surviving Great Hall. Surrounded by Carlton Gardens, this is one of the oldest exhibition pavilions in the world, it was built for the Great Exhibition 1880.

Royal Exhibition Building was the first building in Australia to get a World-Heritage Site listing. So, this is one of the most important cultural buildings in Victoria.

• The venue can be reached by car, tram, bus or train.
• Car parking can easily be found within close proximity to the venue.
• For entry, all the visitors will have to use the main entrance opposite to the Melbourne Museum.
• You can rent a car in Melbourne to manage your transportation to the event.

Tickets for Dog Lovers Show 2019

• Entry is free of cost for children below the age of 5 years.
• Tickets can be purchased on-site or at the official website of the event.
• The tickets are cheaper online.
• An online ticket for a child up to 15 years is for $12.
• The costliest will be $95 for an on-site ticket for a family of 2 parents and 2 children.
• Pensioners, students and seniors must bring a proof of card to avail cheap tickets for $15 and $20.
• Sadly, due to safety and hygiene reasons, visitors are not allowed to bring their pets.
• Assistance dogs will be allowed a free entry to the event.
• Entry and one extra ticket is free for those who register to volunteer.

Similarly, the organisers will host a Cat Lovers Show from Saturday 30 to Sunday 1 December 2019.

About the festival – Groovin the Moo

Groovin the Moo (GTM) is a one-of-a-kind yearly musical gala which takes place in 6 regional centers of Australia. This country is the venue for so many festivals and events, related to all sorts of themes like music, food, wine, etc. GTM takes place in the autumnal season which is around the month of May in Australia.

Groovin the Moo is a 3 weekend-long tuneful festival that takes place across Wayville, Maitland, Townsville, Bendigo, Canberra and Bunbury. The fete is supposed to begin on the 26th of April, 2019 at 11 AM at Adelaide Showground in South Australia. You can purchase the tickets online latest by 6 AM on Friday, 26 April, 2019.

Groovin the Moo is a music festival suitable for people from all the age groups but children up to the age of 16 years, will have to be accompanied by a parent or a guardian. If you are 18 or below and wish to purchase alcohol at the event then you will need to have a valid photo ID.

Dates, timing and venues of the music festival – Groovin the Moo 2019

• The first event is in Wayville, a suburb in the inner region of Adelaide, in the city of Unley; Adelaide Showground is a popular venue for many important events of the region. Adelaide is the cosmopolitan capital of South Australia, we recommend sightseeing to the museums.
• Another of the events of this festival will be taking place in the Australian capital city of Canberra which is also the largest city in Australia and one of the largest in the world. Exhibition Park is a venue for many important events of the year, it acts as the most celebrated caravan park or campground in Canberra.

Who’s performing at Groovin the Moo 2019?

Artists performing at Groovin the Moo include American as well as English rappers, Australian, Norwegian and Danish singers plus musicians, Irish hip-hop artists, etc. The events will be hosted by Marshes and DJ Nkay, also, many more artists will be performing at the musical tour.

Other musical festivals in Australia

• Splendour in the Grass
• St Jerome’s Laneway Festival
• Big Day Out
• Byron Bay Bluesfest

How to reach Groovin the Moo festival?

You can rent a car in Adelaide, Canberra or Newcastle to comfortably manage your transportation to Groovin the Moo and also to explore the locations. Or you can use other modes of public transport or taxi.

Parrtjima Festival 2019

Set against the majestic MacDonnell Ranges, Parrtjima is organized at Mparntwe (Alice Springs), which has been the land of the Arrernte people since time immemorial. Parrtjima offers an invaluable opportunity if you’re interested to delve deeper into the rich Arrernte culture. Besides showcasing the awe-inspiring light installations and artwork, the 10-day free event features music shows, public talks, movies, and interactive workshops.

Parrtjima 2019 Theme

This year, the theme for Parrtjima is ‘Language Expressions’. In line with the United Nations’ Year of Indigenous Languages, Parrtjima 2019 intends to highlight the importance of the Arrernte languages’ role in imparting education to the Aboriginal people.

The Parrtjima 2019 will explore its ‘Language Expressions’ theme with seven beautiful installations spread across the Desert Park. Moreover, the entire backdrop of the MacDonnell Ranges will be spectacularly illuminated. The area around the Todd Mall will also have lighting installations, well supported by soundscape especially designed to engage visitors.

Reaching Alice Springs

• Rent a car at Alice Springs Airport and reach the town in a few minutes. The airport is just 9 miles (15 km) away from Alice Springs.
• You can also book a rental car at Ayers Rock Airport. Covering 278 miles (447 km) via National Highway 87 and Lasseter Hwy/State Route 4 to arrive in Alice Springs will not consume more than 6 hours.
• If exploring the great Australian Outback is what you’re looking forward to, then nothing comes close to the Explorers Way. Hire a car in Darwin, halt at Alice Springs to enjoy Parrtjima, and start for Adelaide. Though challenging, it is indescribably promising. You’ll see famous attractions like Coober Pedy, Devil’s Marbles, Kata-Tjuta, Mataranka Thermal Pools, and Uluru while covering 3,031 km (1,883 miles).

Parrtjima Festival Tips

• Keep a minimum of two nights in Alice Springs to enjoy the festival of lights. Don’t miss to explore the incredibly beautiful desert landscape during the day.
• Parrtjima will be held at two distinct precincts – Alice Springs Desert Park and Todd Mall. The 10-night celebration will begin every day at 6:30 pm and conclude by 10:30 pm.
• If you’re planning to rent a car in Adelaide and drive all the way to Darwin or vice versa, your itinerary can easily stretch to 8 days. Factor in two more days if you wish to stay at Alice Springs for 2 nights.
• The sparsely populated Australian Outback has a lesser number of fuel stations. Refill at every petrol station that you come across. As your next stop could be 200 miles away, running low on fuel can leave you stranded in the middle of nowhere.
• Celebrated against the backdrop of a terrain that is more than 300-million-year-old, Parrtjima showcases the earth’s oldest culture by using new technology. The Aboriginal light festival invites you to see prolific artists experimenting with varied materials and styles while retaining their ancient philosophy.