| It can be a challenge to come up with a list of the | | | | backed by high-rise apartments, luxury hotels, |
| top five attractions in a country that's as big and | | | | shops, casinos and restaurants. The area also |
| diverse as Australia. If you have visited the "Land | | | | boasts several theme parks such as Sea World |
| Down Under" before, you may have your own | | | | and Movie World, as well as around 40 golf |
| suggestions. Although, if you have not yet visited | | | | courses. |
| Australia, the following places will give you a good | | | | The closest big city to the Gold Coast area is |
| start, they include man-made and natural | | | | Brisbane, capital of Queensland. It's a friendly laid |
| wonders, dramatic scenery, beautiful beaches and | | | | back kind of a place, offering a wide range of |
| Aborigine culture. | | | | shopping and restaurants. But if you really want to |
| Great Barrier Reef | | | | escape from the crowds on the Gold Coast |
| Off the eastern coast of Australia lies one of the | | | | beaches, explore some of the small islands in |
| world's greatest natural wonders. The reef's | | | | nearby Moreton Bay. |
| statistics are impressive, it is around 1200 miles | | | | The Outback (Ayers Rock and Alice Springs) |
| long, and is home to around 1,500 varieties of fish | | | | Many visitors to Australia come just to see the |
| and around 400 species of coral. You may also be | | | | famous Outback - one of the last truly unspoiled |
| lucky enough to see manatees, sharks, and | | | | areas in the world. It's difficult to comprehend the |
| turtles as well as humpback whales that give birth | | | | size of the Outback, it covers an estimated 2.5 |
| during the winter months. | | | | million square miles. The Outback is not all desert, |
| There are several ways to see the reef. Many | | | | the northern part boasts high mountains, deep |
| companies offer cruises - lasting from several | | | | gorges and spectacular waterfalls. Driving across |
| hours to a full day, and you can also sleep on the | | | | the Outback is an unforgettable experience, |
| reef aboard a 1890's sailing boat. Virtually every | | | | although you should always carry essentials such |
| cruise boat also offers the chance to see the | | | | as extra water and fuel, spare tires, and perhaps |
| reef by diving, an opportunity not to be missed, | | | | a satellite phone |
| even if you are new to diving. Also, many visitors | | | | The unofficial capital of the Outback is the town |
| to the reef cannot resist mailing postcards from | | | | of Alice Springs, made famous by the book and |
| Australia's only floating post office, anchored | | | | movie A Town like Alice. Alice Springs makes a |
| about 45 miles offshore from Port Douglas. | | | | good base to explore the area as well as to shop |
| Sydney Opera House | | | | for Aborigine souvenirs. Within easy reach of Alice |
| One of the most recognizable and striking buildings | | | | is the huge monolith once known as Ayers Rock, |
| in the world, Sydney's famous opera house was | | | | now known by its Aborigine name of Uluru. The |
| designed by the Danish architect Jorn Utzon. Even | | | | rock is impressive at any time of day, but if you |
| if you do not like opera, the building is worth | | | | have the chance, try to be there at sunset. |
| visiting, it is actually a major center for the | | | | Darwin and Kakadu National Park |
| performing arts where you can see not only | | | | Darwin is about as far north as you can go in |
| opera, but classical music, dance and rock | | | | Australia, in fact the city is closer to parts of Asia |
| concerts. And there are free performances | | | | than to many parts of Australia, and has quite an |
| outside the building on Sunday afternoons. | | | | oriental feel to it. |
| Sydney Opera House does resemble the billowing | | | | Within easy reach of Darwin are several areas of |
| sails of a ship, quite appropriate, as the building lies | | | | natural beauty, including Australia's largest national |
| alongside one of the world's most beautiful | | | | park, Kakadu. The park covers around 6,000 |
| harbors. Not far from the Opera House is the | | | | square miles, and offers varied landscapes ranging |
| area of Sydney known as Circular Quay, a | | | | from wetlands to dramatic sandstone |
| bustling area of shops, bars and restaurants. And | | | | escarpments. Over 200 species of birds and |
| from Circular Quay, you can easily catch a bus or | | | | around 75 species of reptile can be seen here. |
| ferry to almost any other part of the city, the | | | | Kakadu is still under Aborigine control and is one |
| Sydney Harbor Bridge, Royal Botanic Gardens and | | | | of the few places where their traditional way of |
| the historic Rocks district, the oldest part of the | | | | life is still practiced. You can see their art on |
| city. | | | | display at the park's cultural center and at various |
| The Gold Coast | | | | rock-art sites, and if you are lucky, you may |
| The Gold Coast is Australia's playground. Beautiful | | | | glimpse the Aborigines themselves. |
| white sandy beaches line the coast for 40 miles, | | | | |