Areas and Destinations

Queensland
Queensland is Australia’s second largest state – 25% of Australia’s land mass – which is more than twice the size of Texas. With regions such as the Gold Coast and Whitsundays, it’s little wonder that Queensland brings to mind lazy days on sunny beaches. Brisbane is Queensland’s contemporary urban capital, Australia’s third largest and Australia’s fastest growing city. Gold Coast is home to beaches, resorts and theme parks and is Australia’s famous holiday destination. Whitsunday offers the beauty of the Barrier Reef with hundreds of tropical islands and some of the world’s most beautiful golden beaches. It’s true, the perfect climate and seaside towns show relaxed Australian culture at it’s best.

New South Wales
New South Wales is Australia’s oldest state and packed full of amazing attractions, places of spectacular natural beauty, unique history and a bunch of activities for all to enjoy. Sydney is a vibrant city catering to all your desires, with dining, shopping and much more. The Central Coast boasts golden beaches for surfing, swimming or walking and is a great weekend escape or holiday destination. The Northern Rivers area offers a wealth of diverse experiences from endless surf beaches to rolling countryside, rainforests and quaint townships.

Australian Capital Territory
Welcome to the nation’s capital. It’s full name is a bit of a mouthful so the state is simply known as the ACT. You could easily miss it on the map as it’s far smaller than the state of New South Wales that completely surrounds it. Canberra, the urban center of the ACT, is the modern city of 320,000 people along with stylish restaurants, bars, boutique shopping and a calendar of events and festivals.

Victoria
For a small state, Victoria has some of the best sightseeing and most fascinating places in the country. From the heady Gold Rush days to the dramatic scenery, there are surprises around every bend. Melbourne is a paradise for those who love food and wine. It’s an exciting, multi-cultural city with a rich heritage and culture. On Phillip Island you can walk with penguins, watch fur seals and wildlife in it’s natural habitat. It offers fun and attractions for the whole family.

Tasmania
Tucked away at the far south of the country and across the untamed waters of Bass Strait, lies Tasmania, a place rich with heritage and spectacular natural history. Hobart, Tasmania’s capital city, offers an intriguing blend of heritage and lifestyle, scenery and vibrant culture.

South Australia
Wine connoisseurs won’t be disappointed, with regions such as Barossa, Clare Valley and The Limestone Coast, South Australia’s largest selection of acclaimed wineries will satisfy your every taste bud. Adelaide is one of the most vibrant, stylish and innovative cities you’ll ever visit and is the wine and festival capital of Australia. Kangaroo Island is one of the most unspoiled natural wonders of the world with wildlife at every turn.

Western Australia
Western Australia has a rugged and beautiful outback and a history tied to the ocean. From the vast open plains of the Nullarbor to the colorful marine wonderland of Ningaloo Reef, WA provides the best of both worlds. Perth is home to some of the country’s best beaches, plenty of nightlife, bustling markets, inner city parks and relaxed outdoor dining. Australia’s Coral Coast offers beaches, exotic marine life, national reserves and the bluest ocean you’ll see anywhere in the world.

Northern Territory
A land of contrasts, the Northern Territory is rich with striking scenery. From the lush rainforests of Kakadu and Katherine to the arid red plains of the Red Centre in Alice Springs and the great rock, Uluru, the land is full of surprises. Darwin is the tropical capital of the Northern Territory. It has a relaxed outdoor lifestyle and enjoys warm weather all year round. Uluru/Ayers Rock is Australia’s most recognizable natural icon with great cultural significance for the Anangu traditional landowners.

History

Settlement
Overcrowded prisons in England and disruption caused by the American Revolution were two key reasons for the first shipment of convicts to the great southern land. It was the explorer and botanist Joseph Banks who, in 1779, suggested that New South Wales would be a fine site for a penal colony!

Aboriginal history
For more than 50,000 thousand years, Australia's Aboriginal people have lived and thrived in Australia's unique and challenging natural environment. Australia's rich vegetation and native wildlife helped them establish their presence on the land. Today it is believed the Aboriginals are the world's oldest civilization. The Penitentiary, Port Arthur Historic Site

States and Territories
Australia is made up of six states and two territories. Each state and territory has its own parliament, flag and floral emblem. Australia became a federated nation after the union of the six colonies on 1 January 1901. Bound by one parliament, one constitution and one flag, Australia celebrated its Centenary of Federation in 2001.

Environment

Natural Resources
From diamonds, emeralds, gold, silver, industrial minerals and rare earths, Australia's natural resources are fabulous! This amazing natural wealth, still largely untapped, makes Australia one of the most resource-rich nations on earth.

Geography
The Australian environment is unique. From unspoiled beaches, tropical rainforest, rugged mountain ranges and vast tracts of desert, Australia is a country of contrast. Home to an amazing 16 World Heritage listed areas, Australia's diversity is yours to enjoy. The Hazzards, Freycinet National Park, Tasmania

Climate
With the reverse seasons of the northern hemisphere, Australia enjoys a largely temperate climate. Most of Australia receives more than 3,000 hours of sunshine a year, or an amazing 70 per cent of the total possible hours. Grab a hat and sunscreen and enjoy our delightful climate!

Landmarks
Australia has many world famous landmarks. Beside the Opera House and Harbour Bridge (both conveniently close to one another!), there is a host of other landmarks in the midst of beautiful cities, dramatic cliffs, tranquil bays and the richness of the Australian desert.

Outback
Australia's heart, and much of its landmass, lies in its outback, where you can explore the immense desert plains of red sand and white salt pans, colorful gorges and unusual monoliths.

Time zones
There are three time zones in Australia: Eastern Standard Time (EST), which includes New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory; Central Standard Time (CST), which includes South Australia and the Northern Territory; and Western Standard Time (WST) - Western Australia. CST is one half hour behind EST, while WST is two hours behind EST.

Flora and Fauna

Birds
Australia has around 800 species of birds, 400 of which are unique to this country. There are 55 species of parrots in Australia, and the birds are as numerous as they are colourful. The wealth of bird life, from the boisterous laugh of the kookaburra, a large kingfisher, to the brilliantly plumed rainbow lorikeets, makes Australia a haven for bird lovers.

Marine life
Australia's ocean area contains one of the greatest arrays of marine biodiversity on earth. Australia's marine environments contain more than 4,000 fish varieties and tens of thousands of species of invertebrates, plants and micro-organisms. Currently scientists estimate about 80% of Australia's southern marine species are found nowhere else in the world. Kookaburra

Forests and plants

In contrast to the red earth of the outback, Australia is a land of lush green, with forests alone covering five per cent of the landmass. Australia has beautiful and diverse green regions, many located close to major metropolitan areas. The distinctive smell of a eucalypt forest shouldn't be missed! Australia has 20,000 species of plants, including living fossils such as the Wollemi pine and the grass tree, and brilliant wildflowers.

Native animals
As the Australian landmass separated from the other continents over 50 million years ago, indigenous animals have developed a range of individual and unusual characteristics in a unique habitat. The result is a wealth of wildlife not found anywhere else in the world.

Wildflowers
The stunning wildflowers that carpet huge areas of Australia are not to be missed. In Western Australia alone there are over 12,000 species! These beautiful wildflowers have evolved over millions of years due, in part, to Australia's isolation from the rest of the world.

Unique Wonders

Sydney Harbour Bridge
Opened in 1932 and affectionately known as the 'coathanger,' the bridge is 1,149 metres long, weighs 52,800 tons, has six million rivets and needed 272,000 litres of paint for its initial coat. Paint maintenance is a continual process. It takes 10 years and 30,000 litres of paint before they start all over again!

Sydney Opera House
A short walk from the Harbour Bridge, the Opera House is one of the world's premier performing arts centres. Taking almost 15 years to build, it was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1973.

The Blue Mountains
Dramatic canyons, sheer valleys, thundering waterfalls and gum forests all make up Australia's most recent World Heritage area - the Blue Mountains National Park. Also part of this latest listing is nearby Wollemi National Park - the home of the prehistoric Wollemi Pine.

The 12 Apostles
Located along the spectacular Great Ocean Road in Victoria, the 12 Apostles stand as sentinels against a dramatic backdrop of sheer cliff face and wild ocean. Formed over thousands of years by the action of the sea, only eight of the original 12 Apostles remain.

The Great Barrier Reef
Australia's most famous natural wonder, the Great Barrier Reef, will stun you with its magnificence. It's as big as the total combined area of the United Kingdom and Ireland, and contains more than 1,000 islands, from sandy cays to rainforest isles. The beauty of the waters and the prolific life it supports enraptures visitors. You can reach coral sites by air and water taxi and scuba dive or snorkel for intimate reef views. Or choose comfortable accommodation on some secluded reef islands.

Fraser Island
Stretching 120 kilometres long and 10 kilometres wide, World Heritage listed Fraser Island offers vast white beaches, beautiful headlands and rainforests, and the best camping ever. You can mingle with kangaroos, wallabies and other unique animals, or stay in style at a resort!

Daintree Rainforest
Reef and rainforest touch in this region of World Heritage protected beauty. The Daintree River winds gently through tangled woodland through jungle homes of unique birds, pythons and crocodiles, north to Cape Tribulation, a spectacular national park.

Uluru
Located in the centre of Australia, Uluru (Ayers Rock) is the world's biggest monolith. It's 3.6 kilometres long, 2 kilometres wide and has a 9.4 kilometre circumference. Made of arkosic sandstone, Uluru changes colour in different lights, particularly at sunrise and sunset.

Kangaroo Island
Limited development has ensured an abundance of wildlife on this island located close to the tip of South Australia's Fleurieu Peninsula. Here, sea lions, penguins, dolphins, koalas and of course, kangaroos, live in a protected natural environment. Pure air and clean water provide one of the last unspoiled wonders of the world.

Tasmanian Wilderness
The Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage area is one of the largest conservation reserves in Australia, covering 1.38 million hectares. This stronghold of temperate rainforest and alpine vegetation provides pristine habitats for plants and animals found nowhere else in the world, including many rare and endangered species.

Kakadu National Park
In Australia's tropical Top End, the delicate pink beauty of the waterlily and the prehistoric brute strength of the crocodile merge in stunning Kakadu National Park. Rivers with roaring waterfalls and a landscape of towering sandstone escarpments cradle some of Kakadu's treasures waiting to be explored.

Bungle Bungles
The Bungle Bungle Range, in Purnululu National Park, is one of the most fascinating geological landmarks in Western Australia. Orange and black stripes of silica and algae across the beehive-like mounds are clearly visible as you approach from the air. Closer up, a hidden world of gorges and pools is revealed, with fan palms clinging precariously to walls and crevices in the rocks.

People and Culture

While it's common knowledge that Australians speak English, Australia also has a unique colloquial language that can confuse visitors when they first hear it. From 'fair dinkum' to 'cobber', our colloquial language is common throughout the land. Don't worry, you'll pick it up!

Culture
The Australian love of life shows in our culture. Whether spent appreciating the arts or exploring the great outdoors, leisure time is an important aspect of Australian life.

Sport

It's no secret that Australians have a love affair with sport. With more than 120 national and thousands of local, regional and state sporting organizations, it's estimated that six-and-a-half million people in Australia are registered sport participants. Not bad from a population of just over 20 million!

Lifestyle
Australians are known for their love of life and enjoyment of the great outdoors. While we have a reputation for being a little wild at times, our love of fine dining, the arts and music go hand in hand with our love of sport, the beach and BBQs. Wherever you go in Australia, you'll find a passion for getting the most out of life.

Communications
Australia’s communications and media services are world class. Communications include an excellent national postal service and country-wide Internet and mobile (cell) coverage. A range of network and cable television stations and more than 1200 magazine titles and newspapers will keep you informed.

Weather
Spending Christmas at the beach or skiing in August may seem strange but Australia's seasons are the opposite of the northern hemisphere - summer officially starts in December and winter in June. But even in winter you'll enjoy blue skies and warm, bright days.

Australia's climate and the fact that it is the driest continent on earth makes it a fabulous holiday destination all year round, whatever you're planning to do. Any time is a good time to be in Australia. Summer (December to February) can get uncomfortably hot but it's great beach weather. Up north, the summer, wet season is very, very humid and the sea is swarming with box jellyfish. Winter (June to August) offers skiing in NSW, Victoria and sometimes Tasmania. In spring and autumn the weather is mild. In the Australian winter you can ski in the southern states one day and be diving in the balmy waters of the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland the next. Such temperate conditions make al fresco dining, sublime days on the beach or the water, outdoor barbeques, and a huge variety of sports a way of life here. No wonder Aussies believe life is for living!

Offbeat Facts

Wide open spaces
Australia is the sixth largest country in the world. It's about the same size as the 48 mainland states of the USA and 50 per cent larger than Europe, but has the lowest population density in the world - only two people per square kilometre.

Opal capital
Australia produces 95 per cent of the world's precious opals and 99 per cent of black opals. Coober Pedy in South Australia is known as the opal capital of the world. Its population is made up of more than 40 nationalities and, with year-round extremes in temperature, more than 50 per cent of the population live in below-ground 'dugouts'.

Beaches galore
Australia boasts over 10,000 beaches - more than any other nation.

Golden city
Kalgoorlie in Western Australia is not only Australia's largest producer of gold, but has the world's largest political electorate - covering a mammoth 2.2 million square kilometres.

Aussie icon
The kangaroo is unique to Australia and one of our most easily recognized mammals. There are more kangaroos in Australia now than when Australia was first settled. Estimates suggest around 40 million.

Flourishing flora
Australia supports at least 25,000 species of plants, while Europe only supports 17,500.