Australia

Australia holds the claim to being the only country that encompasses an entire continent situated southeast of the Eurasia continent and straddling the edges of the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

A more infamous footnote of its history includes being a significant penal colony for British prisoners, and it can be cheekily argued that this rough and ready spirit has been passed down through successive generations to amass in the citizens of Australia today.

While major port cities like Sydney and Melbourne dot Australia’s coast and provide significant sources of the country’s urban and cultural heart, most of Australia is actually desert and semi-arid land with 40% of it being covered in sand dunes.

It is this curious mixture of rugged outback, with its raw beauty and strange creatures, and pulsing big cities, with their cosmopolitan sophistication and wild nightlife, that draw thousands of visitors to Oz each and every year.

Once only known as a backwater pond, Brisbane has emerged into an eclectic, lively city with several fascinating districts, artsy cafes, a popular riverside park, and an upbeat nightlife. It’s become a city dedicated to appearances, a hot tourist spot with artificial beaches and pristine arcades. But even beneath this shallow façade, the museums and galleries cannot be beat and the wildlife and bush are always knocking right next door.

Along the northern coast of Queensland lies Cairns, a beautiful and laid back city that is popular with tourists for its breathtaking scenery and bustling heart. This city is often writhing with visitors all year round who enjoy its sparkling lagoons, new Pier Marketplace, lush rainforests, and the amazing Great Barrier Reef, one of the world’s natural wonders and the largest structure made by living organisms on earth. It’s a city catered to everyone from the laziest beach-goer to the restless adventurer.

Sydney and Melbourne heavily compete with each other, both culturally and economically. Both cities are considered the highlights of Australian urban life, rife with galleries, museums, stores, restaurants, theaters, and music venues. While Sydney might have the slightly larger profile, Melbourne exudes a modern mix of Victorian architecture and contemporary culture. In either case, the people in both cities are friendly, the views outstanding, and the experiences not to be missed.

If the Sydney Opera House is an icon of Australian urban life, Uluru, better known as Ayers Rock, embodies the spirit of its untamed landscapes. The formation can be found in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park 400 km southwest of Alice Springs. It’s the second largest monolith in the world after Mount Augustus, being more than 986 feet high, 5 miles around, and extending 1.5 miles into the ground. The color of the rock seems to change appearance when illuminated in different lighting and sunsets are a particularly amazing sight.

Trip to Australia and New Zealand
This page contains a running narrative about a three-week journey through Australia and New Zealand. There are links to related photo pages, so the main page loads very quickly.

Wrap on Down Under
A visit to Melbourne and surrounding areas, with some good pictures.

Romp Around the Outback and New South Wales
Observations about travel in the Australian Outback and New South Wales, with good pictures and some fun links.

Australia and New Zealand 2001
Very good pictures of Australian scenery, including Sydney and the Outback. There are also pictures of New Zealand.

Trip to Perth
Photos and captions from a trip to Perth, Australia.

Australia Photo Galleries
Great pictures from all over Australia—if these photos don’t make you want to visit, nothing will.

Australia

More websites about travelling to Australia