Most people's conception of Australia
goes little beyond appreciating its Opera house, blood - red Uluru (Ayers
Rock), the Great Barrier Reef or the land of Kangaroos and Koala. 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
kilometers.
Australia offers a huge range of
travel experiences that range from the blue mountains, the Tasmanian
wilderness ,the cosmopolitan culture of Sydney, pristine beaches of Perth
and how can one forget the Golden City , Kalgoorlie in Western Australia it
is not only Australia's largest producer of gold but has the world's largest
political electorate
Although it's true that the majority of travelers are attracted by these
opportunities to explore Australia's wilderness areas, natural wonders and
low-key rural charm yet there is a lot more that is offered to the
traveler's in Australia. You will be amazed to know that Australia boasts
over 7,000 beaches - more than any other nation.
Australia's Geography
Australia - The Land Down Under is located on the world's smallest
continent. It lies between 110 and 155 degrees of longitude, about ten
degrees south of the equator. Australia consists of two land masses:
mainland Australia and Tasmania. It lies in the Southern Hemisphere and
Australia's nearest neighbor is Papua New Guinea and 1920km west of New
Zealand.
Australia has a very dramatic landscape. Australia is famous for its "outback,"
the remote lands of the interior. The desert outback covers most of the
interior. It is too hot, dry and barren to support many people. Eastern
Australia has large areas of grasslands, used primarily for sheep and cattle
ranches.
Australia also has some mountainous areas and plateaus scattered throughout
the country. The Blue Mountains, on the south-eastern end of Australia, get
their name from the blue haze caused by oil droplets given off from the
eucalyptus trees.
As an island, Australia also has many beautiful coastal beaches. It boasts
of over 7,000 beaches. Off the northeast coast of Australia is the Great
Barrier Reef. The Great Barrier Reef is over 1,200 miles of coral.
History
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!
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 that the aboriginals are the
world's oldest civilization.
This experience set in a land that for a hundred years remained at the ends
of the world's transportation and communication lines bred a special
frontier spirit and independent attitude. It persists today in every Aussie,
who would "never let a mate down."
Multicultural Society
Australia is a multicultural society, predominately based on western
origins. A large variety of ethnic groups exist in Australia. In fact, it is
possible to find children who are fifth generation Jewish, fourth generation
Chinese, and third generation Greek who continue to preserve aspects of
their heritage. This cultural pluralism transpired as a result of
immigration over several hundreds of years.
It is important not to make assumptions about the cultural uniformity of
children born in Australia to Australian parents and not to except them to
have the same cultural patterns as the Anglo-Australians. Ethnic groups in
Australia have every right to be regarded as proper Australians. The most
distinct ethnic group in Australia is the Aboriginal-Australians.
Sydney Opera House
The
Sydney Opera House - an icon of Australian, is just a short stroll from
Circular Quay, by the water's edge on Bennelong Point. Despite its
familiarity, or perhaps precisely because you already feel you know it so
well, it's quite breathtaking at first sight. The shimmering effect is
created by thousands of white tiles carefully fitted together to cover the
sails.
Apart from its architectural beauty what is interesting about the Sydney
Opera House is, its controversy that hovered around it. For sixteen years,
construction was plagued by quarrels and scandal, so much so that the Danish
architect, Jørn Utzon, who won the competition, was forced to resign
in 1966 after nine years of working on the project. The building is
particularly stunning when floodlit and, once you're inside, the huge
windows come into their own as the dark harbor waters reflect a lustrous
image of the night-time city - interval drinks certainly aren't like this
anywhere else.
Katoomba Scenic Railway
It's the steepest railway in the world (Guiness Book of Records), and
originally part of the Katoomba mining tramways constructed between 1878 and
1900. The world famous Katoomba Scenic Railway was originally part of a
network of tramlines built to bring coal and kerosene shale from mines up to
the main railway. The Scenic Railway descends through sandstone cliffs, via
a rock tunnel beside Orphan Rock, then emerges to spectacular views and lush
fern-filled forest.
Strahan - Gateway to South West World Heritage Area
A picturesque village on the shores of the isolated Macquarie Harbor on the
west coast. The area has a colorful history that includes ancient Aboriginal
habitation and, since European settlement, logging and fishing. The village
is surrounded by wilderness. The Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park
ranks among the most rugged and inaccessible tracts of wilderness left
untouched on earth. It is best explored by raft. The park is a pristine
habitat for plants and animals found nowhere else. It also contains numerous
Aboriginal sites of great spiritual significance to today's Aboriginal
community.
The Local history is not told but also present as a plays at the excellent
Strahan Wharf Centre, and on most days the Round Earth Theatre Company
presents a play that tells the story of Sarah Island in Macquarie Harbor.
Sydney Harbour Bridge
The Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney's greatest tourism icon is on a par
with San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge, New York's Statue of Liberty,
London's Tower Bridge and the Eiffel Tower in Paris. It took eight years to
build this grand bridge and opened in March 1932. Once nicknamed the 'coat
hanger' it is now simply called 'the bridge' by Sydney siders. Linking the
city with North Sydney, it carries eight lanes of road traffic and two
railway tracks which form part of the city's rail suburban network.
Great Barrier Reef
The world renowned Great Barrier Reef is a natural beauty lying beneath
beguiling, clear blue waters. World Heritage listed, it encompasses more
than 1000 islands and 2,900 individual reefs and shelters 1,500 species of
fish and 400 species of coral. It is unimaginably vast, stretching more than
2000 kilometers - more than the total combined area of the United Kingdom
and Ireland. It is the world's largest World Heritage area extending 2000
kilometers.
National Gallery of Australia
The National Gallery has the finest modern art collection in the southern
hemisphere. It has more than 70,000 works which range from European Old
Masters to contemporary Aboriginal artists, and is renowned for its
international blockbuster exhibitions and permanent gems such as Jackson
Pollock's Blue Poles.
Connoisseur Paradise
All cuisine's imaginable are represented somewhere in Canberra and the
surrounding suburbs, and if you have the time it's well worth getting out of
the centre to explore some of them. Woolley Street in Dickson is the best
suburban street to head for, crammed as it is with a variety of Asian
restaurants and supermarkets. The well-off areas of Manuka and Kingston,
near New Parliament House, have gourmet delis and fine restaurants. Civic
itself is well served with places to eat, especially in the pedestrian mall
around Garema Place.
Parliament House
Built on top of the peak of Capital Hill, is the focal point for the whole
of Canberra. The interior incorporates Australian artworks and is designed
to embody the spirit of democracy. You can also watch the Australia's
political process in swing.
Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG)
The world famous Melbourne Cricket Ground is one of Australia's greatest
assets. Apart from holding cricket matches, it also used for Australian
Rules Football, Rugby League, Soccer, Concerts, Dinners and other major
functions on its natural turf arena.
The Melbourne Cricket Club manages the stadium and has progressively
expanded the MCG' S role as both an entertainment Centre and a world-class
tourist destination. Today it sits proudly alongside other internationally
recognized attractions as a venue uniquely symbolic of Melbourne, Victoria
and Australia generally.
