Australia

Everyone knows Australia as a vast land of sunshine and glorious beaches (10,000 in fact!) but there's so much more.  Although it's the sixth largest country on the planet, it has the lowest density of population per square mile or kilometer.  There's so much variety of terrain and environment to explore, so much space to enjoy. 

There's the massive coastline, rugged mountain ranges, tropical rain forests, vast stretches of desert and vibrant bustling cities, this is a land of many contrasts and much substance. 

The weather is legendary, most areas of Australia average sunshine during 70% of daylight hours!  

The wildlife found in Australia is unlike anywhere else in the world.  In this unique habitat, a huge number and variety of indigenous animals have evolved.  In birds alone Australia has 800 different species, half of which are unique to the country. 

One of the most diverse arrays of marine life on earth is located in the oceans surrounding Australia.  Four thousand variety of fish are found here and marine plants, micro organisms and invertebrates number in the tens of thousands.  The southern marine species of Australia are 80% unique to the country. 

The outback is a dominant feature of the country but significant and diverse green regions are located nearer the coast and often close to the major cities.  These green areas account for 20,000 different plant species.  Twelve thousand species of stunning wildflowers adorn huge areas of the land. 

Some of the unique features of Australia include: - the Sydney Harbour bridge, opened in 1932.  Locals know it as 'the coat hanger'.  It's painted once every 10 years, which means that it's continuously being painted because it takes that long to apply the 30,000 litters of paint required. 

- the Sydney Opera House, one of the most unique and beautiful buildings on the planet

- the blue mountains in New South Wales: thunderous waterfalls, gum forests, sheer valleys and awe inspiring canyons

- the Great Barrier Reef, it's magnificence is stunning.  This would be Australia's most famous naturally formed wonder.  It's the size of the Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland combined with 1000 islands contained amongst it's form.  Visitors to the Reef are often stunned by it's sheer magnificence, it's beauty, it's abundant and colorful marine life.  Snorkeling or scuba diving here is a must. 

- Fraser Island, 120 kilometers long and surrounded by beautiful white beaches and populated with rain forests it's a great place to camp and enjoy some of the wildlife like the famous kangaroos and wallabies. 

- Ayers Rock (or Aluru), a 3.6 kilometer long and 2 kilometer wide rock monolith, the largest on earth.  It's actually made of sandstone and particularly at sunrise and sunset, it changes color as the light changes. 

The commonly spoken language in Australia is English and while there isn't an Australian dialect as such, there is a colloquial language common throughout the country which can confuse visitors at first. 

Australians tend to be an outgoing people who love the outdoors.  This is probably best represented in their love of sport and success in the international sporting arena. 

Australia is a magnificent land and a great place to live, or just to visit and enjoy.