Australia: Rugged Yet Elegant

Although Australia offers so many wonderful experiences, its natural beauty is the primary attraction. The fascinating thing about this country is that you will find landscape that ranges from thick, tropical rainforest to cool beaches to dry and isolated spans of land. The culture of Australia has a European flair, which includes food, art, the outdoors, and sports. The sheer vastness and unique character of Australia is what attracts so many visitors.

As you travel through various cities throughout Australia, you will discover a diverse population and lifestyle. For example, you might visit one city where life is at a crawl and people laidback, to a large metropolitan city with high fashion boutiques, charming restaurants, and an endless flow of wine and beer. Because of this, Australia makes an outstanding destination for everyone.

The original inhabitants of Australia were called Aborigines, which are known to have the longest continuous cultural history in the entire world. In fact, their existence can be dated back to the last Ice Age. While much of the early history of Australia remains a mystery, historians tell us that people referred to as “Robust” by archaeologists came from Indonesia around 70,000 years ago. Archaeologists have also been able to determine that these inhabitants were very heavy-boned but over the next 20,000 years, transformed into slender-bodied people known as “Gracile”.

After the Battle of Coral Sea when the Japanese were defeated, Australia began to become more Americanized. Today, you will find wonderful galleries, diverse music, sporting events such as cricket, exciting festivals, and many fine 21st century things. However, along with modern day Australia, you can also visit wonderful sites where Aboriginal rock carvings and paintings can be seen that date back some 30,000 years ago.

Australia is a country that has much to offer. Ranking as the sixth largest country in the world, there are so many things to do and see. There, you can explore distinct plants such as the Banksia, Paperbarks, Bottlebrushes, and Tea Trees or take a trip to the Great Barrier Reef, which resides between 30 and 185 miles offshore and stretches 1,240 miles. Other popular destinations within Australia include Canberra, Adelaide, Brisbain, Cairns, Darwin, and Hobart, among many others.

Take Canberra as an example, this is a unique place that has a reputation for being a lazy town. However, the views in Canberra are magnificent and the town offers some fabulous restaurants and cafes. Canberra is the capital city of Australia so if you love to sightsee, you will be impressed. For Adelaide, there are a number of beautiful churches, green, lush parks, fine art galleries and museums, and pristine beaches. Adelaide actually makes a wonderful choice for a day trip.

Then you have Brisbane, which is considered a highly progressive center with lively street cafes, a beautiful riverside park, many cultural events, and an electrifying nightlife. The only thing to remember is that while many of the attractions are legendary in Brisbane, it is also a very touristy city that some people do not care for. In Cairns, you will enjoy an almost carnival like atmosphere. This city has grown significantly over the years and today, offers an incredible Pier Marketplace, gorgeous landscapes, and great tourist attractions.

The city of Darwin can be found geographically closer to Singapore than it is to Melbourne. Because of this, there are many beautiful Asian influences, making it unique to other cities in Australia. Even so, there are some great museums, colonial buildings, and great nightlife. Hobart is situated by the river with a bustling harbor. The city’s backdrop is a majestic mountain and the town itself dotted with Georgian buildings, green parks, and kind-hearted people.

Of course, you could always take a trip to Melbourne, which is simply a marvelous destination. Known for its strong support of the fine arts, you will quickly discover many opportunities to include fashion, ballet, theater, and even fantastic restaurants and what else, football. The architecture in Melbourne is very Victorian, which is just beautiful. Then you could also visit Perth, a modern and vibrant city with beautiful beaches and romantic getaways.

Certainly, you cannot miss a trip to Sydney, the oldest of all cities in Australia. Drenched with skyscrapers, five-star restaurants, top of the line shopping, and magnificent natural attractions, you definitely want to add Sydney to your list of places to see. Finally, Uluru is the city most commonly related to “Crocodile Dundee”, with its outback environment and a deep significance to the Aboriginals culture.

The wildlife in Australia is also exciting and diverse. For instance, you will commonly see kangaroo, koala bears, platypus, dingo, and wombat, along with parrots, kookaburras, emus, snakes, crocodiles and more. The summer months are the most enjoyable, starting in December. However, the fall months, which begin in March, winter in June, and spring in September are also lovely.

Typically, you would not see dramatic seasonal changes in climate with the exception of the dry desert areas that can be very hot during the day and freezing by night. Regardless of when you go or the city you visit, you will be mesmerized by Australia, its history, the cultural, and the warm, hospitable people.


Last Updated: 10/19/2006 3:14:00 PM

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