Destinations
Capital Cities
Australia comprises of seven states and mainland territories. The eight capital cities of those states and territories are not only the gateways to and transport hubs of their regions, they are all unique travel destinations in their own right, and quite different from each other.
State and Territories
In depth guides to Australia's seven states, three mainland territories and the many offshore islands and territories that make up the Commonwealth of Australia.
Beaches
Of the world's six largest countries, Australia is the only one that is completely surrounded by water. Along its 36,735 kilometres of coastline are in excess of 7,000 beaches, many of spectacular beauty, stretching endlessly beyond the horizon. Some have not had their sands disturbed by visitors in decades, and visitors to many that have often find they have the beach to themselves.
Natural Wonders
Australia is full of many amazing and inspirational places like no other in the world. It is home to stromatolites - the oldest form of life on Earth, waterfalls that flow horizontally, the biggest monoliths on the planet, and one of the rare places on earth where you are able to walk from a beach straight onto a coral reef. The Morning Glory, a spectacular propagating roll cloud which frequents the Gulf of Carpentaria, is one of the world's most exotic and interesting meteorological phenomena.
Reefs and Cays
Australia is surrounded by many thousands of small fringing islands and numerous larger ones. There are also 618 continental islands which were once part of the mainland, as well as 44 low wooded islands and approximately 300 coral cays. The Great Barrier Reef, which extends for more than 2,000km off the east coast of Australia, comprises some 3,400 individual reefs, including 760 fringing reefs, which provide the most spectacular marine scenery on earth.
Canyons and Gorges
The canyonlands and impact craters of western and central Australia contain the largest and oldest surface record of ancient volcanoes and impact craters ever discovered. Here you will find soaring red gorges and colossal waterfalls. To visit this spectacular ancient landscape is a rare travel experience.
Wildlife Encounters
Early in geological history, Australia was cut off from the rest of the world's land masses. This allowed a range of animals to establish successful populations in Australia - animals that were unable to do so in other parts of the world. The kangaroo, the koala and platypus are all unique to Australia; many species are now protected to ensure their survival into the future.
Indigenous Rock Art
The oldest surviving culture in the world, Australia's Aboriginal culture includes many practices and ceremonies centered on a belief in the Dreamtime, an era when the earth and all that is in it was created. Aboriginal rock art has existed for thousands of years and has been the used to keep the Dreamtime alive, it being the medium by which the creation stories were passed from one generation to the next.
A Touch of Paradise
By dictionary definition, Paradise is any place of complete bliss and delight and peace, and it will come as no surprise that Australia has plenty of destinations that fit the definition. They are often described as being "picture perfect", places where one can see and experience nature at its absolute best.
World Heritage Listed
Australia has many locations that have been granted World Heritage Listing. The majority were selected for their natural beauty and pristine wilderness, however some are man-made - like the convict settlement sites of Tasmania that bear witess to a byegone era.
Gourmet
Since 1788, Australia has been a melting pot of cultures, with migrants from every corner of the globe contributing towards Australia's unique way of life. Nowhere is this mix of cultures more evident than in the outstanding culineary delights that its growers and producers have created. You are invited to savour the fruits of their labours.
