Australia For Everyone: Canberra
Interstate
The capital city of the State of Victoria, Melbourne a cosmopolitan city with a reputation for being a major ethnic melting pot. As a result, the city is known for its restaurants which serve a multitplicity of cuisines, and for being at the forefront in fashion, style and the arts. Victoria has a wide diversity of landscapes which cover the whole gamut of the Australian experience - semi arid desert areas, rugged coastal cliffs, alpine ski resorts, historic goldmining towns and ancient river gum forests.
South Australia is the fifth largest state in Australia with a population of 1.4 million. It is home to long summers, stunning beaches and award-winning wine, events and festivals. South Australia has the easiest access to the Australian outback of any state. Its capital, Adelaide, is a place of natural beauty and simple elegance and is the gateway to the Flinders Ranges, Kangaroo Island, the vineyards of the Barossa Valley, and the scenic coasts of the Fleurieu, Yorke and Eyre peninsulas.
On a map, Tasmania has the appearance of a jewel hanging around the neck of mainland Australia - an appropriate image for what is Australia's most unique state, a jewel waiting to be discovered and appreciated. Australia's island state, Tasmania sits just 240 kilometres south-east of mainland Australia. More than 40 per cent of the island is protected as national parks and reserves, which are home to some of the world's rarest animals. The capital, Hobart, is Australia's second oldest city.
Largely tropical, the Northern Territory covers about one sixth of the Australian continent with an area equal to the combined areas of France, Spain and Italy. It is an area of great diversity, from lush tropical rainforest in the north to the ancient semi-arid plains and deserts of the Red Centre. Darwin, Australia's only tropical capital city, has a wealth of attractions for visitors who warm to its laid back lifestyle.
Known as Australia's Sunshine State, Queensland offers a great diversity of holiday and touring opportunities, with the Great Barrier Reef, tropical islands, tropical rainforest and wilderness, open sandy beaches, and the vast outback, as well as the sophisticated attractions of Brisbane, the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast. Brisbane has a feel all of its own - the weather, the architecture, the love of recreational activities by the locals who enjoy a laid back, relaxed, semi-tropical lifestyle.
Western Australia is the largest state, covering the western most third of the mainland. A range of experiences, from wilderness adventures in the arid outback or diving on coral reefs, to fine dining and wine tasting, attract a wide variety of visitors. Perth, its capital city, is known for its wonderful white, sandy and uncrowded beaches, a sunny climate and its friendly, hospitable atmosphere.
