Long weekends bring about an opportunity to escape the big smoke and re-introduce the lungs to the crisp country air. Escape chosen for this adventurous long weekend: Sunset Country in north-east Victoria.
The unique region is one of the most secluded in the state and engulfs The Murray - stretching from north-east South Australia and over Victorian the border to Swan Hill. The region plays home to the Murray-Sunset National Park, one of the few remaining semi-arid regions in the world where the environment is left almost untouched.
Within the national park, The Pink Lakes glow brighter than the sunsets - and trust me, there are some ravishing sunsets that come round those parts. The amazing spectacle is thanks to a red algae that calls the salt beds of the lake home - after rain, the algae spawn and give off an unusual pink hue.
Up until 1979 the lakes were mined for their salt, but this stopped after the area was declared a state park. The park was incorporated in to the Murray-Sunset National in 1991, making it the second largest national park in Victoria.
The area is now a paradise for Western Grey Kangaroo, emus, native birds and about 600 known species of plants - as well as a temporary home to visitors who come to admire it's beauty.
Awe-inspiring sunsets, star littered skies, isolated landscapes and friendly locals made the five hour drive there all the more worthwhile. Make the most of the next long weekend and wander further than the average person and you might just stumble on a rare sight.
