Planned to perfection by Walter Burley Griffin in 1911, this beautiful city has a warm heart and a welcome for its many visitors.

As the nation's capital, Canberra is the centre of Australian government and home to a vibrant diplomatic community. But as the locals will explain, there's a lot more to this community of over 313,000 people.

Let's start on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin, where national attractions entertain the local population and welcome visitors from all over the world.

Attractions such as Parliament House, the National Gallery of Australia and the Australian War Memorial are architectural monuments in their own right, but inside, you'll see where the Australian story unfolds. Magnificent art, science and historical collections combine with major exhibitions and delightful interactive displays that present Australia's heritage, achievements and contemporary lifestyle.

Festivals, galleries, embassies, gardens and parkland - there's a lot to see and do. You can mix with the locals at the shops, markets, theatre and sporting events, or 'go bush' to discover wildlife and quiet, natural spaces not far from your city hotel.

And the restaurants! There are over 300 of them, offering contemporary Australian cuisine and flavours of the world. Fine food, of course, deserves a good wine and there's nothing better than the local drop. Canberra's cool climate wineries include many award winners.

If you're looking for adventure, check out a big range of action sports from white water rafting to abseiling and four wheel driving. In May, international rally drivers arrive for the Rally of Canberra held on a forest and city track. In June, the Parliamentary precinct becomes a street circuit as the V8 Supercars do battle in the GMC 400.

Distinct seasons make Canberra visually exciting. Glorious blossoms and flower festivals in spring are followed by hot, lazy summers where people enjoy the great outdoors. Autumn, busy with festivals, offers a rich tapestry of colour as millions of trees turn gold, orange and red. Canberra winters are crisp and cool, with occasional fogs clearing to beautiful blue skies.

So whether you like nightlife, culture or an escape to natural bushland, you're guaranteed to something of interest in Canberra, Australia's capital.

by: Canberra Tourism
Canberra Tourism and Events Corporation

The first European landholders in the district settled in 1837, thirteen years after Hume and Hovell passed through, and the town that grew out of the closely grouped properties was first known as the reef. The later name, Adelong, which people today believe is taken from the aboriginal dialect and means "along the way" was said to have been adopted from Adelong station which stretched from Tumblong to Batlow.

It seem that gold was first found at 'Upper Adelong' in the last week of 1852 by a party on their way to Tumbarumba and reported in the first week of 1853.

Adelongs (the reef) heyday came when William Williams discovered a reef of gold in 1857 on mount charcoal.

How rich was the field? Between 1857 and 1941, from records that are available, it is said to have produced over 1,000,000oz or over 31 tones of gold. There is no record of gold produced prior to 1857 or production from small operators. There is no record either of the gold that walked away in the pockets of miners and merchants, what was sent home by the Chinese or made into jewelry or quietly crossed the boarder to Victoria where it brought a higher price. The towns population is said to have swelled to 20,000; although it is doubtful that there were that number of people living in the area at any one time. It is known and documented that there were 5000 inhabitants in early 1858, but by October 1858 this had decreased to 3000.

Signs of mens ingenuity and engineering skills in attempting to win the ore can still be seen at the Adelong falls. Mining companies moved in, machinery went into operation, and at its peak, the town produced about 12 tons of gold in five years. The reefs in some places are over 20ft wide but only the ore adjacent to the walls was removed and then only selected ore was crushed, as it has to realise one oz. to the ton to be payable.

A tent -town sprang up along golden gully (in 1855 known as the camp) now Camp Street, miners took their fun at the hotels, horseraces, cockfights, and wherever else they could. Local history tells the story of two doctors, whose bitter rivalry led to a duel, but whose pistols, unbeknown to them and in order to avoid serious injury being added to insult, had been filled with raspberry jam!

As the town grew, new buildings were erected and the commercial centre shifted from Camp Street on the north side of the creek. The first church was built in 1866; the post office was established in 1858 and moved to its present building in the 1886s.

Today, the National Trust classifies a large section of Tumut Street. The buildings, which date largely from 1860 to the early 1900s, include the former Westpac Bank 1882, The Old Pharmacy 1915, Beaufort Guesthouse 1926 (formerly the Commercial Hotel), the Royal Hotel and Hotel Adelong, all of which form focal points closing either end of the unusually wide street.

By the end of the second world war, Adelongs mining days were over. The reefs were largely exhausted and the creek dredged out.

For present-day prospectors, there are still gold tracings in Adelong creek and plenty to see in the disused workings around the town such as the great Victoria mine, which won a government award as the first mine to find payable gold beyond 800 feet (243 meters). The Lady Dudley mine at Shephardstown, which was an alluvial mine and subject to water levels of the creek, and many other mining shafts which, filled with water before they could be mined and remains filled to this day.

The diggers have long since gone and Adelong gives the impression that it is resting after the hurly burly of its earlier days. This is not so, a new generation is discovering the historic town and exploring the unique surrounding district.

The town is well renowned for its hospitality, offering a variety of restaurants, licensed clubs, good country style pubs and private hotels. Accommodation ranges from motels, a caravan park, self-contained units and superior bed and breakfast establishments ideal for the perfect lazy weekend escape or holiday as one stops Along the Way.

Population 900

The Adelong falls.
From this picnic spot on the outskirts of Adelong, visitors can take in views of the nearby waterfall and owners cottage. The ruins of the reefer battery provide a unique opportunity to step back into the past by following the walks. The reefer battery operated until the first world war, extracting gold from crushed quartz; two large water wheels and a hydraulic ram fed by water from the falls drove all the machinery, doing away with pumps and engines.

Near the old battery, about 300 meters upstream along Adelong creek, you can follow in the diggers footsteps. There is a place set aside for fosicking to find some colour, modern day prospectors do not need a license to fossick in this area, only good LUCK.

Kindly provided by Mike Matthews, Beaufort Guesthouse

by: Where To Stay

TOPOGRAPHY & VEGETATION
High rainfall and hot summer temperatures give rise to lush vegetation. In some areas on the eastern escarpment of the Great Dividing Range are the largest undisturbed areas of rainforest in the state and home to the superb Lyrebird and the Greater Gliders. From here the river flows through steep granite valleys flanked by bottlebrush-fringed green pools; over long sandy sweeps and steep rapids then meanders across the coastal plain to the sea.

AUSTRALIAN BASS
Inhabiting this magnificent river are some of the most prized native freshwater fish, the Australian Bass, legendary amongst keen sportfishers. With fish to 500cm commonly caught and specimens up to 620 centimetres showing up periodically, these trophy fish are what Clarence River Bass are all about.

Two classes of Bass inhabit this river - solid, deep-flanked fish which spend many years well upstream, well conditioned and solid, moving only every few years. Other fish swim downstream to spawn and will head back upstream during the first river rise of Spring. These are long, lean, tenacious battlers that spend a lot of time on the move. Battle - scarred from the long swim, these females put on condition during the summer months when the food supply is optimum. Shrimp, herring and mullet make up the early season diet of the river runners. When the days heat up, terrestrial insects hatch and become a prime food source. A hapless cicada floating or the water is likely to be met with a savage strike from a hungry bass. During high summer, Bass are actively feeding on floating food and this is the very best time for fly fishing.

TIME OF DAY OR NIGHT
Bass, by their nature, are low-light feeders and so traditional times of early morning or late afternoon are the times to expect strikes. During high summer, night is the time to be on the water. During bright sunlight, fish deep and away from the penetrating rays of the sun. Extra-deep diving lures make good sense at these times - bumped around submerged boulders and cover, they are sure to attract attention.

TIME OF YEAR
The warmer months are when the fishing is at its best. In the height of summer, severe electrical storms accompanied by hail and torrential rain do occur and can result in flash flooding. It is wise to take care when selecting a campsite - too close to the water and a sudden rise of two metres can mean inconvenience and lost gear - not a recipe for happy angling.

LURES
There is now a wide range of quality lures on the market designed for Bass. They all work and catch fish, so selection is a matter of personal choice. Fishing conditions are a major factor in choosing lures on any given day. No lure is best, so the keen angler will carry a wide selection of styles, shapes and colours.

TECHNIQUES
Surface lures have always been a traditional choice for the late evening, night and early morning Bass anglers. They also work well when the sun is up, particularly if there is some cloud cover. To fish the surface during the day the angler has to make a few adjustments to lure size, retrieve speed and colour. A more subtle approach and presentation is needed than 'at night the lure that makes only a slight dimple and not much noise is the one that will entice a strike during daylight hours. Downsizing the lure is the key and fizzers in the smaller size range are perfect. Usually only one blade is needed to make a slight disturbance on the water. Conversely once the stars are shining in the night sky, switch to the large double bladed models that create more noise to alert the hunting Bass to the whereabouts of the "tucker".

TACKLE

• Rods - graphite baitcasting models suitable for lures from 3~kg are ideal.
• Reels - quality baitcasters capable of casting small and large lures loaded with gelspun or good mono 3-6kg depending on the terrain.
• Fly reels - single action reels.
• Fly lines - a full complement of lines from sink tip full floating weight forward lines are the most popular.
• Fly rod - 5-8 wts.

CLOTHING
Bass fishing is generally a summer activity so dress should be casual and comfortable with lightweight shirts and shorts being the most practical. A wide-brimmed hat is essential as are light comfortable footwear. Polaroid sunglasses are a must. Summertime temps on the Clarence can reach 400C.

ACCESSORIES
- A light raincoat is advisable as summer storms are common along the river. Sunscreen and insect repellent complete the personal items.

Forceps or pliers for releasing fish unharmed are necessary. For preference, use forceps as they are lighter and less likely to damage the fish as opposed to heavier pliers.

ACCESS
In the vicinity of Grafton City there are many boatramps enabling anglers to launch their craft. Upstream is more suited to small boats and cartoppers as there are no official ramps here. Sliding the craft down grassy banks work well. Canoes are a great way to fish this water as they are easily launched and can be paddled down the many rapids and rock gardens that are a feature of the upper river. The Upper Clarence should only be floated by those with experience in handling craft in white water.

DOWNSTREAM
The lower river just downstream from Grafton has a charm all its own, being fresh water with a slow tidal influence. The wide river with a myriad of islands and quiet back channels is habitat to exquisite birdlife and flying foxes which rest in the large figs flanking the riverbanks. As the water becomes brackish, estuary perch and bream show up along with mangrove jacks.

HOUSEBOATS
these can be hired, offering the holidaying family some choice water and angling. A dinghy for sojourns up the creeks and channels makes a comfortable set up. The towns of Maclean, Lawrence and Ulmarra still retain wharves and supplies can be purchased here. Riverside pubs offer qood food, company and accommodation.

Grafton is the largest town on the Clarence River. There are tackle outlets here where the travelling angler will find all the tackle required to fish for bass and for that something extra that is not already in the tackle box. There is a comprehensive guiding service specialising in canoe trips on the river, offering the sportsfisher many and varied locations and diverse habitats in their pursuit of this pugnatious bronze beaut, the Bass.

CONSERVATION
In the interest of maintaining a top class fishery, true sportsfishers release all large bass which are the females, thus ensuring genetic diversity and stocks for the future. All bass from the Clarence occur through natural selection and breeding - there are no hatchery bred fish released here. If a fish is needed for the table, then fish around half a kilo are ideal. A bag limit of two fish per day per angler applies and only one of these fish may be over 35cm.

So if you are on the north coast with Bass on your mind, why not splash a lure in the Clarence?

by:
Courtesy of Clarence River Tourist Association.

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