AUSTRALIA - AN APPEALING DESTINATION

Australia is a favourite destination for young travellers and backpackers. This is mainly due to the wide variety of activities and eco-tourism available.

Sydney

The most famous of the Sydney attractions are without doubt the Opera house and the Harbour Bridge.

Other features of the city are splendid Botanic gardens and several beautiful parks, one of which is called Hyde Park after the famous London park. There is a wonderful development at Darling Harbour where the largest convention centre in the world enjoys a beautiful harbour side position. Here you will find the Sydney Aquarium, the Darling Harbour Maritime Museum and the Harbourside festival Marketplace which contains 200 shops 8 restaurants and more than 30 food outlets. The Sydney Entertainment Centre is the major destination for most international artists wishing to perform in Australia.

Sydney has a large ethnic population and each has its own quarter within the city. Chinatown is full of good Chinese restaurants. Similar facilities will be found for the Italian and Greek communities. 8 km out of the city is the famous beach of Bondi. Two other beaches have a special following: Palm Beach is where the beautiful people go and where the TV show Home and Away is filmed; Whale Beach is for the Surfer.

If you're very brave why not try climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge .

Nearby attractions include the scenery of the Blue Mountains and the wineries of the Hunter Valley.

Sydney has an outstanding zoo as well as many animal parks, one of which is included in an outing for the participants.

Melbourne

The Most Liveable City in Australia

The most civilised, cosmopolitan epicentre of the Australian Continent.. Melbourne has the delightful reputation of having the best restaurants, art galleries and shopping outlets in the country. The most interesting way to see Melbourne is on foot. The little passageways and worn stairways adjoining levels add that magical touch of history to an already magnificent tapestry of buildings.

Home of the most prestigious events such as Tthe Melbourne Cup, The Australian Tennis Open and some of the more zany such as The Comedy Festival. There are numerous cultural events during the year in Melbourne and plenty of permanent exhibitions and art galleries, there for everyone to explore. The National Gallery of Victoria is revered throughout the world for its fine collection of traditional Australian paintings and modern Aboriginal art works.

The city is not only enjoyed for its cultural activities, historical buildings and fine foods but also for the splendid gardens and parks. Many of these have interesting lakes and waterways and all are full of beautiful trees. The deciduous varieties mark the seasons well and change the face of Melbourne on a regular basis. A far sighted government decreed that Melbourne should retain many open spaces and gardens as far back as the early 1850's. Now the Botanical gardens are considered the best in the country.

Melbourne developed in a bit of a rush, you could say 'a gold rush'. In 1851 it was at the centre of excitement and financial security due to the gold strikes, only a few short years after the first settlers came here in 1845. Out of this wealth there grew up a wonderful flamboyance in architecture and some of the grandest buildings were designed and built during this period. everything was designed to be wide and generous, including the foot paths which have room for large trees. The roads were also generous enough to allow room for the trams that still traverse the city today.

Popular day trips from Melbourne include the coastal scenery of the Great Ocean Road and the daily penguin parade at Phillip Island.

Brisbane

This friendly city reminds one of a country town that just got bigger. The development of Brisbane sprawls into the suburbs but the city itself has been encapsulated in a beautiful setting along the banks of the Brisbane River.

Brisbane at night is magical with a lively entertainment life that beckons the visitor. The Cultural Centre on the south bank of the river is just a short walk from the Queen Street Mall and houses the Queensland Art Gallery, the Queensland Museum and the State Library. It also has a Performing Arts Complex with two theatres, a concert hall and an auditorium which seats 4700 people.

Brisbane offers above all else accessibility and ease of travel. On foot you can view many interesting and historical buildings in the city centre. Next door to the Performing Arts is the only city centre lagoon in Australia. Here you can swim or lunch by the river at the newly opened Southbank Parkland. The Butterfly House at Southbank has the finest collection of living butterflies in Australia all presented in a walk through tropical environment.

The Botanic Gardens nestle in the heart of the capital. A river cruise by ferry is a pleasant way to spend an afternoon here. Cycle some of the many bikeways around Brisbane or catch an open tram-style Brisbane City Council "City Sight" bus tour.

Other cities and places can be found on the links page.