Yes, it was built on the sheep's back, yes, it has gorgeous, sandy beaches, yes, it has critters like you wouldn't believe of both the soft and furry and seriously threatening kind, yes, its people have a reputation for being relaxed, straight talking, outdoors loving, sports fans who love a good drink and know how to party on New Years eve. Australia is definitely offering all those things, but what you don't get from the adverts is the sheer size of the place.

Australia is a photogenic country of wide open spaces and intense colours. Endless reefs, glittering harbours and long beaches lead into the bright dense emerald of tropical forests, the soft grey greens of the alpine bush, the thousand shades of dry of the farming plains, the oranges and ochres of the desert centre and the big red rock at the heart. Vast distances apart hugging the fertile coast, Australia's cities have got their own personalities, influenced not just by the varied environment but by the gradually blending cultures of the people who live in them, cosmopolitan upbringings showing through in arts, food and fashion. But in Australia pretty much everything is influenced by the landscape.

See all »

Selected places to go in Australia

Add comment

Comments, reviews and questions