Things to do in Australia

Sydney, the oldest and best-known city, wraps around its harbour with the Opera House, the Harbour Bridge, Bondi Beach and ferries to Manly, while the Blue Mountains rise to the west. It is the starting point for many journeys around the country.

Melbourne is known for laneway cafés, the arts and sport, with the Great Ocean Road nearby. In Queensland, the Great Barrier Reef, the largest coral reef system on earth, stretches along the coast, with the ancient Daintree Rainforest beside it. In the Red Centre, Uluru rises from the desert, sacred to its Aboriginal owners, and Tasmania, Kakadu and the wine regions of South Australia add further variety.

Australian food mixes fresh seafood, barbecues and flavours from Asia and the Mediterranean, with excellent wines and coffee. The seasons are the reverse of the northern hemisphere's: summer from December to February suits the south, while the tropical north is at its finest in the dry winter months.