Australia Travel Guide | Tours Holidays to Australia | Complete Australian Trip Info

Surrounded by the Indian and Pacific Oceans, Australia is the world’s smallest and the oldest continental landmass of the sixth – largest country. It is vast, nearly the size of the USA, and very dry. Most of it consists of low plateaus, and almost one- third is desert. Most of the people live in the big cities along the coasts, one of these is Sydney. Canberra is Australia’s Capital city.

Australia is a young nation in an ancient land. It is a nation of immigrants, past and present, forced and free. The first European settlers occupied a harsh country; they explored it, exploited its mineral wealth and farmed it. In doing so, they suffered at the hands of nature, as well as enduring depressions and wars. Out of all this, however, has emerged a modern and cosmopolitan society. First occupied about 40,000 to 50,000 years ago by peoples from Asia, known Aborigines. Australian soil was first visited by Dutch explorers in the seventeenth century, including Abel Tasman in 1642 and 1644, and by the Englishman William Dampier in 1688 and 1699. The English navigator charted Eastern Australia for the first time between 1770 and 1771. Australia has strengthened its trading links with the United States as well as with countries that are closer, such as Japan. Today, many foreign companies, such as car manufacturers and computer businesses, have set up factories in Australia.

Most of Australia is a flat plain without mountains, forests and rivers. The huge central region, known as the outback, is one of the hottest and driest places on Earth. The wide range of places to stay in Australia is a reflection of the country’s size, diversity and emergence as a major tourist destination. There are tropical island resorts, luxury and “boutique” city hotels, ski lodges, converted shearers’ quarters on vast sheep stations, colonial cottage bed- and – breakfasts, self-catering apartments, youth hostels, houseboats and, of course all the usual international chain hotels.

Whether you simply want a bed for the night or an all inclusive holiday resort, the appropriate accommodation can always be found. Geological stability has been largely responsible for creating the landscape of the earth’s oldest, flattest and driest inhabited continent. There are three main geological regions in Australia: The coastal plain including the Great Dividing Range; the Central lowlands; and the Western Plateau. The Great Dividing Range is a relatively new feature in geological terms. It contains Australia’s Highest Mountains, deep rivers, spectacular gorges and volcanic landforms. The Central lowlands subsided when the continental margins on either side rose up. The Western plateau contains many of Australia’s large deserts and is composed of some of the most ancient rocks in the world.

With one of the world’s most recognizable skylines, Sydney is a beautiful city, set around a sparkling harbour graced by the Sydney Harbour Bridge and famous Opera House, its multi-peaked roof evocative of a ship at full sail. A cultural and post modern metropolis, this has become one of the best places to enjoy New Year’s Eve. The Bridge literally explodes in flames as the best fireworks display in the world lights up the sky with an eyeball Searing intensity. Sydney Harbour Bridge bursts with colors on New Year Eve. Every first Tuesday in November, Australia comes to a stop for the Melbourne Cup Horse Race, the start of an exuberant carnival. Great Barrier Reef is one of the natural wonders of the world. Tumble down raging rivers on a raft ride the rapids or fling your self off a ridiculous height with only a rubber bungy for company. Start in Brisbane and make your way north overland, but consider flying back from Cairns to Brisbane to save time.

An abundant Paradise of natural attractions, Queensland attracts tourists, scientists Botanists and adventure junkies from all over the world. This sunbathed land ripples up the eastern Australian Coast from just south of its energetic and youthful state capital, Brisbane, right up to the wild rainforests of Cape York at the very Northern tip of the country. Queensland ticks all the boxes for a sunny holiday destination, whether you are looking to relax on a soft white sand beach or retreat to an island hideaway. The coast overflows with opportunities for getting in and about the water, whether you are looking to get out on a Yacht for a day to tour the sheltered waters of the Great Barrier Reef or prefer to delve deep below sea level on a scuba dive.

The Great Barrier Reef, the largest living thing on Earth, covers 2,000 km from Bundaberg to the tip of Cape York and an area of approximately 350,000 sq km. Its Coral is made of layer upon layer of tiny anemone-like creatures called polyps. The Great Barrier Reef is a major tourist attraction. It has been made a World Heritage Area. Uluru, a massive block of sandstone stands almost in the middle of Australia. It measures 9.4 km around the base, and rises to 348 m. To the Aborigines, the rock is known as Uluru. It is a sacred site and features in their beliefs about the creation of the world. Once called Ayers Rock after a former premier of South Australia, the rock regained its Aboriginal name in 1985. The kangaroo is Australia’s most well known native animal.

Australians love the outdoors, and sport is a major part of their lifestyle. Sandy beaches, warm water, and good surf make swimming, sailing, water-skiing, and surfing extremely popular. Australian’s also excel in international events at cricket, tennis, athletics, and rugby. In the year 2000 Sydney hosted the Olympic Games for the first time. Australia is world’s chief wool-producing country, with New South Wales the leading area. Most of Australia’s sheep are Merinos which were brought from South Africa and England in the 1790’s. Today, there are about 120 million sheep in Australia; most of them are kept on farms, called stations. Some stations are huge, and can cover 15,000 sq km, which is half the size of Belgium. Motorbikes and four-wheel-drive vehicles are now used to control livestock over such wide areas.

Reflecting the youthful spirit of Australia through the simple pleasures of sun, sea and sand, it is no surprise that Australia is a holiday country.

No related posts.