Famous for its natural wonders and untouched landscape which varies from arid deserts to coral reefs and tropical rainforests, as well as for beautiful beaches and modern cities with cultural, sports and culinary pleasures, Australia is a land of possibilities. The marine life of the Great Barrier Reef, the famous buildings of Sydney, and the desert landscapes around Ayers Rock are among the best known destinations in the Land Down Under.
Sydney is the largest and oldest city of Australia and the capital of New South Wales, as well as one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Situated in the southeastern coast of Australia by the Pacific Ocean, Sydney has a huge harbor, wonderful white beaches and lots of activities like culture, arts, magnificent architectural buildings, numerous museums and fine restaurants. The city is also a place where many sports and art events are held, and a center of business and finance with nice shopping opportunities. Nearby you can discover one of the main wine producing areas of Australia, Hunter Valley.
Tropical Queensland. The third largest city in Australia, Brisbane is located in the southeast corner of Queensland by the beautiful Brisbane River. The area is rich in nature and has an excellent climate. Brisbane is one of the fastest growing cities in Australia with wonderful opportunities for culture, sightseeing and shopping. The spectacular long, golden beaches of the Gold Coast in Queensland are great for surfing, diving, fishing and water sports. Apart from beach life, there is plenty to see and do in theme parks, museums, and shopping malls of the Gold Coast. The national parks of Queensland with rainforests, valleys and waterfalls offer great hiking and other outdoor activities. You can also visit Fraser Island, a scenic sand island with wide beaches, lakes and rainforests.
An Australian diving paradise, the Great Barrier Reef is the largest coral reef complex in the world located on the Northeast coast of Queensland. The Great Barrier Reef is the major tourist attraction of Australia with wonderful opportunities for observing the unique Australian underwater world by diving and snorkeling in the warm, clear waters of the Coral Sea. The tropical Australian coastal city of Cairns is surrounded by lush rainforests and offers a wide range of exciting adventure sports. Cairns often serves as a starting point to trips the Great Barrier Reef. In addition, the city is home to a beautiful blue lagoon for swimming and sunbathing.
Northern Territory offers true Australian outback experiences. A travel hub for sights and hikes in the region, Alice Springs is close to the geographic center of Australia. The city is located on the desert on the foot of the magnificent McDonnell Ranges. It is an ideal destination for sightseeing as it has many historic buildings and Alice Springs Desert Park exhibiting Australian flora and fauna. One of the seven new wonders of the world, Ayers Rock (Uluru) is a UNESCO World heritage site very rich in nature and aboriginal culture. It situated in the southern part of the Northern Territory, approximately 450 kilometers from the Alice Springs in the north. The area offers wonderful sunrise and sunset viewing points and good hiking opportunities.
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory along the coast of Timor Sea. The city contains many kilometers of beautiful clean beaches and offers excellent opportunities for beach life and fishing. In addition, Darwin is home to many parks, gardens, nature reserves and museums exhibiting the local and aboriginal art, history, culture and science. Kakadu National Park in the outback southwest of Darwin astonishes with its wide variety of wildlife, scenic landscapes and Aboriginal rock paintings.
Western Australia. Perth is the capital city of Western Australia, situated in the southwest of the continent by the Indian Ocean, isolated from the rest of the country. This beautiful city around the Swan River offers many kinds of attractions to visitors: white-sand beaches by the Indian Ocean, green hills and valleys, a zoo, numerous historical buildings and museums exhibiting the aboriginal culture of Australia, as well as good shopping opportunities. In the remote corner of Western Australia, the seaside town of Broome attracts visitors with its wide beaches and activities such as fishing, diving, wilderness tours and birdwatching.
Lively cities, nature wonders and beaches in Australia
Melbourne is the second largest city and the cultural capital of Australia located in Victoria state in the southeast of Australia, around Port Philip Bay. The city is also famous for the numerous sports events, the many Victorian buildings and the numerous museums which display the interesting Australian history. Melbourne has also excellent shopping and nightlife opportunities as well as numerous beautiful parks and gardens to admire.Sydney is the largest and oldest city of Australia and the capital of New South Wales, as well as one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Situated in the southeastern coast of Australia by the Pacific Ocean, Sydney has a huge harbor, wonderful white beaches and lots of activities like culture, arts, magnificent architectural buildings, numerous museums and fine restaurants. The city is also a place where many sports and art events are held, and a center of business and finance with nice shopping opportunities. Nearby you can discover one of the main wine producing areas of Australia, Hunter Valley.
Tropical Queensland. The third largest city in Australia, Brisbane is located in the southeast corner of Queensland by the beautiful Brisbane River. The area is rich in nature and has an excellent climate. Brisbane is one of the fastest growing cities in Australia with wonderful opportunities for culture, sightseeing and shopping. The spectacular long, golden beaches of the Gold Coast in Queensland are great for surfing, diving, fishing and water sports. Apart from beach life, there is plenty to see and do in theme parks, museums, and shopping malls of the Gold Coast. The national parks of Queensland with rainforests, valleys and waterfalls offer great hiking and other outdoor activities. You can also visit Fraser Island, a scenic sand island with wide beaches, lakes and rainforests.
An Australian diving paradise, the Great Barrier Reef is the largest coral reef complex in the world located on the Northeast coast of Queensland. The Great Barrier Reef is the major tourist attraction of Australia with wonderful opportunities for observing the unique Australian underwater world by diving and snorkeling in the warm, clear waters of the Coral Sea. The tropical Australian coastal city of Cairns is surrounded by lush rainforests and offers a wide range of exciting adventure sports. Cairns often serves as a starting point to trips the Great Barrier Reef. In addition, the city is home to a beautiful blue lagoon for swimming and sunbathing.
Northern Territory offers true Australian outback experiences. A travel hub for sights and hikes in the region, Alice Springs is close to the geographic center of Australia. The city is located on the desert on the foot of the magnificent McDonnell Ranges. It is an ideal destination for sightseeing as it has many historic buildings and Alice Springs Desert Park exhibiting Australian flora and fauna. One of the seven new wonders of the world, Ayers Rock (Uluru) is a UNESCO World heritage site very rich in nature and aboriginal culture. It situated in the southern part of the Northern Territory, approximately 450 kilometers from the Alice Springs in the north. The area offers wonderful sunrise and sunset viewing points and good hiking opportunities.
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory along the coast of Timor Sea. The city contains many kilometers of beautiful clean beaches and offers excellent opportunities for beach life and fishing. In addition, Darwin is home to many parks, gardens, nature reserves and museums exhibiting the local and aboriginal art, history, culture and science. Kakadu National Park in the outback southwest of Darwin astonishes with its wide variety of wildlife, scenic landscapes and Aboriginal rock paintings.
Western Australia. Perth is the capital city of Western Australia, situated in the southwest of the continent by the Indian Ocean, isolated from the rest of the country. This beautiful city around the Swan River offers many kinds of attractions to visitors: white-sand beaches by the Indian Ocean, green hills and valleys, a zoo, numerous historical buildings and museums exhibiting the aboriginal culture of Australia, as well as good shopping opportunities. In the remote corner of Western Australia, the seaside town of Broome attracts visitors with its wide beaches and activities such as fishing, diving, wilderness tours and birdwatching.
Photo: Paul Mannix, used under Creative Commons License (By SA 2.0)
For more experiences of Western Australia, visit for instance the coastal town of Exmouth, a true paradise for divers and trekkers.
In South Australia, Adelaide is famous for its festivals and wine as well as for modern shopping malls and for nice gold sand beaches nearby. Kangaroo Island on its behalf is a nature lover’s paradise island and home to unspoiled wilderness areas and unique Australian wildlife, such as kangaroos, koalas, penguins and fur seals.
The island of Tasmania, located to the southeast of the Australian mainland, is very diverse and rich in nature with unique vegetation and animal species. The numerous Tasmanian national parks and reserves offer great opportunities for wildlife viewing, hiking and admiring the fascinating rugged scenery.
Practical information for your trip to Australia
The Australian climate is mostly arid, tropically warm in the north and temperate in south and east. Australia can be considered a year-round destination, although summers from December to February can be very hot in the southern states and wet in the north. The best seasons to visit Australia are spring and autumn when the weather is mild and pleasant.How to get there. All visitors to Australia arrive either by plane or by boat. The major international airports of Australia are situated in the state capitals. The majority of the foreign visitors arrive at the Kingsford-Smithe International Airport in Sydney, but you can fly to several Australian cities from abroad.
Getting around. Due to the long distances in Australia there are regular inexpensive flights between all major Australian cities. As Australia is a big country but sparsely populated, be prepared to spend time travelling between the Australian cities and attractions. The road network in Australia is generally in excellent condition and most Australians use cars when travelling. However, travelling in the remote northern and western parts of Australia require proper planning. Driving is on the left. Australia has a good bus network. The rail network, in contrast, is quite ineffective but still a cheap option.
Modern visitor services in Australia can be found in all cities and travel destinations within the country. However, as distances in Australia are often very long, be well prepared if you are planning to tour the country by yourself.
Safety. Australia can be considered safe for tourists, but always keep an eye on your belongings especially in the big cities and in popular tourist destinations. Natural hazards like tropical cyclones, floods and bushfires are common in Australia, and visitors should be aware of the times and places they occur. Australian wildlife also includes many potentially dangerous species such as crocodiles, sharks and many poisonous creatures. On the beach you must follow the instructions given by the personnel patrolling the beach.
