
Australia, located in the Southern Hemisphere, is divided into eight territories and states. Each one holds something unique for the traveler.
Fifteen regions make up this state including Brisbane and The Gold Coast. Queensland's coast has the famous Coral Sea and The Great Barrier Reef. Rainforests, beaches, wildlife sanctuaries, and even championship golf courses are part of this area. The Great Barrier Reef is easily accessible from Queensland.
Sydney, home to the 2000 Olympics, lies in this region. Here you can enjoy the city life, Aboriginal heritage tours, and plenty of shops and restaurants. The Snowy Mountains region offers breath-taking views. This is Australia's oldest and biggest state.
Separated from the mainland by the 240 kilometers or 150 miles stretch of Bass Strait, Tasmania is a land surrounded by water. Once bridged to the mainland, all that remains of that land bridge now are 51 islands surrounding Flinders Island. King Island, to the northwest of Tasmania, holds empty beaches and rocky coasts.
This territory will serve all of your nature-viewing desires. Dolphins play in the ocean just minutes from the city of Adelaide. Visit the heart of the Outback, just a few hours north of Adelaide, or fly south to Kangaroo Island to get up close and personal with sea lions, koalas, and kangaroos.
Victoria is home to world-class wineries of the Yarra Valley. A two-hour drive from the city of Melbourne will take you to the natural habitat of seals and penguins located on Phillip Island.
Canberra, the capital of Australia, is often referred to as the bush capital because pockets of bushland reserve extend almost to the center of this city. Over half of the Australian Capital Territory is classified as national park or nature reserve. Some would claim that this territory alone is enough reason to answer the question "why visit Australia?"
Some of the attractions in this region include the Parliament House, Australian War Memorial, the National Gallery of Australia, and the National Museum of Australia.
The Northern Territory's wonders include the National Parks Kakadu and Uluru-Kata Tjuta (Ayers Rock). Vine forests, lotus lilies, crocodiles, wallabies, and brolga can be spotted here. A walk in the desert or a visit to the infamous Outback town of Alice Springs, are a few of the marvels of this region.
Perth City offers the beautiful Swan River and Kings Park, an inner-city park. For a frontier adventure, the North West holds rugged ancient landforms, rain forests, deep red gorges, vast cattle stations and pioneering personalities, as well as an ancient Aboriginal culture.