About Australia
You can study at quality institutions
and schools across Australia, in the capital cities and large
towns, as well as in regional areas.
Australia is the sixth largest country in the
world with a population of around 21 million. Australia is made up
of six states and two territories.
Australian
Capital Territory (ACT)
The facts
The Australian Capital Territory contains
Canberra, the capital of Australia. The ACT covers 4,067 square
kilometres and has a population of around 340,000. It is about 150
kilometres inland from the east coast of Australia and is encircled
by New South Wales.
Canberra is hot in summer and cold in winter.
It has four distinct seasons. In summer, while temperatures average
9 degrees overnight to 23 degrees during the day, you can swelter
in 35-degree heat. In winter, temperatures average 3 degrees
overnight to 16 degrees in the day.
What makes the ACT
unique?
Canberra is the capital of Australia and home
to Parliament House and the Federal Government. Most embassies in
Australia are in Canberra, resulting in a multicultural community.
The large student population can take advantage of the many
galleries and museums. The city is known as “the bush capital”
because of the many trees and parks within the city and its
proximity to bushland. Lake Burley Griffin in the centre of the
city is used for boat cruises, sailing, sailboarding and
fishing.
Canberra has many national museums and places
of significance. Parliament House, Old Parliament House, the
National Gallery of Australia, National Museum of Australia and the
Australian War Memorial are the major drawcards.
The ACT encourages sports and outdoor
activities with its numerous bike paths, sports centres and
swimming pools. The Australian Institute of Sport has facilities
which can be used by the public. You can also go bushwalking,
camping, trail-bike riding and horse-riding.
Canberra is home to four universities and a
number of vocational institutes, schools and English language
colleges.
University campuses in the
ACT
Getting there and getting
around
Canberra has an airport, train station and bus
station. It is a 30-minute flight from Sydney or a three-hour bus
trip.
Canberra has a bus network and good bike
paths.
Find out more
www.visitcanberra.com.au/
(tourist information)
www.act.gov.au/ (ACT Government
services)
www.canberratimes.com.au/
(Canberra's newspaper)
www.citysearch.com.au/
(nightlife and events)
New South
Wales (NSW)
The facts
New South Wales is one of Australia’s most
popular states. In an area about the size of Britain, 6.9 million
people enjoy bustling cities, wide open spaces and everything in
between. The capital of NSW is Sydney.
Temperatures in Sydney are mild. Summer
averages lows of 16 degrees overnight and highs of 24 during the
day. Winter sees lows of 12 degrees overnight and 20 degrees during
the day.
What makes NSW unique?
NSW offers any kind of life you could want.
Big-city living can be found in Sydney while the coastal towns
offer a relaxed life by the beach. Comfortable rural living with
all the modern facilities is available in the large regional cities
and smaller towns.
In Sydney you'll find famous attractions like
the Opera House, the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Art Gallery of New
South Wales, Australian Museum, Royal Botanic Gardens, Darling
Harbour, Taronga Park Zoo and Bondi Beach. Outside of Sydney, there
are hundreds of towns and beautiful sights. The Blue Mountains west
of Sydney offer amazing scenery. Over the mountains is the Central
West where international students attend institutions in regional
cities such as Bathurst, Orange and Dubbo.
The south coast of NSW is dotted with many
beachside towns. International students attend institutions in
Wollongong, an hour south of Sydney, and then further south-west,
in the regional centres of Wagga Wagga and Albury. The Snowy
Mountains region has great ski-fields and the highest mountain in
Australia, Mt Kosciusko.
In the north west of the state, Tamworth is
Australia’s country music capital and people from all over the
world flock there every year for its Country Music Festival.
Armidale and Tamworth are home to numerous educational
institutions.
The north coast of NSW has resort towns and
large regional centres. Newcastle is home to one of the country’s
largest seaports and is known for its surf culture and music scene.
Further north, Byron Bay is a popular tourist attraction with its
white beaches, an alternative lifestyle and relaxed atmosphere.
Cities and towns with educational institutions in this area
include: Gosford; Newcastle; Port Macquarie; Coffs Harbour;
Grafton; and Lismore.
University campuses in
NSW
Getting there and getting
around
Sydney has an international airport. You can
travel to regional cities by plane, bus or train.
Sydney uses buses, trains and ferries for
public transport. Most regional towns have bus networks, while the
cities of Wollongong and Newcastle have suburban trains.
Find out more
www.visitnsw.com.au/
(tourist information)
www.nsw.gov.au/ (NSW Government
services)
www.smh.com.au/ and
www.dailytelegraph.news.com.au/
(Sydney newspapers)
www.onlinenewspapers.com/australi.htm
(links to newspapers around NSW)
www.citysearch.com.au/
(nightlife and events)
The facts
The Northern Territory is at the top of
Australia and is renowned for its natural wonders and Aboriginal
history and culture. The Territory is large, with 1.35 million
square kilometres but only 220,000 residents. Most people live in
the capital, Darwin, which sits on the coast of the Timor Sea. The
other major towns are Katherine and Alice Springs.
The days are hot all year round. Darwin has a
tropical climate with average temperatures in summer of 25 degrees
overnight and 33 degrees in the day, and in winter, 21 degrees
overnight to 31 degrees in the day.
What makes the NT unique?
The Territory is where you’ll find the sights
of outback Australia – striking red earth set against the endless
blue sky and Uluru (Ayers Rock). There are many national parks with
amazing scenery. The Aboriginal culture is the longest surviving
continuous culture in history, and the Territory is where you’ll
find evidence of this through ancient artifacts and rock
carvings.
Darwin is a multicultural city with a
cosmopolitan atmosphere. Attractions include the Botanical Gardens,
the Territory Wildlife Park, the Museum and Art Gallery and Mindil
Beach markets. International students attend institutions in Darwin
and Katherine. Katherine is a great city for experiencing
Aboriginal culture and art before heading south to Alice Springs
and Uluru.
Kakadu National Park boasts hundreds of
species of wildlife and over 5,000 Aboriginal rock art sites dating
back almost 20,000 years. Kings Canyon, though in the middle of the
desert, is a magnificent gorge where you will find an area full of
lush palms. Near Alice Springs is Uluru (Ayers Rock), the largest
monolith in the world and Kata Tjuta (The Olgas) - giant rounded
rocks jutting out of the ground .
University campuses in the
NT
Getting there and getting
around
Darwin has an international airport. Buses are
available in Darwin, Katherine, Alice Springs and some of the other
larger towns. Travel between towns is by bus, train or plane.
Find out more
www.travelnt.com/ (tourist
information)
www.nt.gov.au/ (NT Government
services)
www.ntnews.com.au/ (Darwin's
newspaper)
www.citysearch.com.au/
(nightlife and events)
Queensland
(QLD)
The facts
Queensland is in the north-east of Australia.
It covers an enormous amount of land (1,727,200 square kilometres)
yet doesn’t have the population to fill it. Only 4.2 million people
live in Queensland and the majority of them are on the coast.
Brisbane, the capital, is a cosmopolitan city.
In summer, average temperatures range from 18 degrees overnight to
a balmy 28 degrees in the day, and in winter, 14 degrees overnight
to 24 degrees in the day. In Cairns, a regional centre to the
north, the weather is tropical with an average of 22 degrees on
summer nights and 31 during the day. Winter in Cairns can be warmer
than some of the southern summers, with temperatures averaging 20
degrees overnight to 26 degrees during the day.
What makes Queensland
unique?
Queensland has lots of sun, beautiful beaches,
coral reefs, rare and unusual wildlife, and some of the most
spectacular rainforests you’ll ever see.
Brisbane is brimming with cultural attractions
including the Brisbane City Gallery, Parliament House, Botanic
Gardens, Queensland Museum and Queensland Art Gallery. Brisbane is
home to many institutions including universities, vocational
institutes and schools. South of Brisbane is the Gold Coast, which
includes Surfers Paradise, and attracts holiday-makers from around
the world. There are many educational institutions on the Gold
Coast.
North of Brisbane is the Sunshine Coast which
has great beaches, as well as the Glass House Mountains, a group of
volcanic crags with peaks of up to 300 metres. International
students attend institutions in Noosa and Maroochydore.
The Great Barrier Reef, one of the seven
wonders of the world, is further north on the Capricorn Coast.
Cities and towns with institutions on the northern coast of
Queensland include Rockhampton, Mackay, Townsville and Cairns.
University campuses in
Queensland
Getting there and getting
around
Brisbane and Cairns have international
airports. In Brisbane, you can travel by bus, train or ferry. In
regional towns, the main transport is buses. Between towns, you can
travel by train, bus or plane.
Find out more
www.queenslandholidays.com.au/
(tourist information)
www.qld.gov.au/ (QLD Government
services)
www.thecouriermail.news.com.au/
(Brisbane's newspaper)
www.onlinenewspapers.com/australi.htm
(links to newspapers around Queensland)
www.citysearch.com.au/
(nightlife and events)
South
Australia (SA)
The facts
South Australia is home to around 1.6 million
people spread across 984,277 square kilometres of land. The state’s
capital, Adelaide, has a relaxed lifestyle with numerous lush parks
and beautiful beaches.
In summer, Adelaide averages 13 degrees
overnight to 24 degrees during the day, and in winter, 9 degrees
overnight to 19 during the day. In the north of the state,
temperatures are extreme. In the famous opal mining town of Coober
Pedy, it can soar above 50 degrees in the summer!
What makes South Australia
unique?
South Australia was the first in the world to
allow women to stand for parliament. Its people are polite and
sophisticated. South Australia is famous for its wineries, wildlife
and natural attractions.
Adelaide is renowned for its arts and culture,
particularly the Festival of the Arts and the Adelaide Fringe
Festival. Adelaide has a multicultural society and numerous
educational institutions. There are also campuses and institutions
in Mawson Lakes, Roseworthy and Whyalla.
Around Adelaide are the Barossa Valley, the
Clare Valley and the McLaren Vale - important wine-growing regions
for Australia. The Flinders Ranges offer some of the most stunning
scenery in the country. Spectacular rugged mountains, lakes
scattered throughout, and a carpet of wildflowers in spring-time
have inspired many Aboriginal Dreaming stories. Along the Sturt
Highway from Port Augusta north, you’ll find lots of small outback
towns with much character. Coober Pedy is one such town. This
mining town produces about 80 per cent of the world’s opals.
University campuses in SA
Getting there and getting
around
Adelaide has an international airport. For
travel around Adelaide, you can take a bus, train or tram. In
regional towns, transport is by bus. Travel between towns is by
bus, train and plane.
Find out more
www.southaustralia.com (tourist
information)
http://www.sa.gov.au/ (SA Government
services)
www.theadvertiser.news.com.au/
(Adelaide's newspaper)
www.onlinenewspapers.com/australi.htm
(links to newspapers around SA)
www.citysearch.com.au/
(nightlife and events)
Tasmania
(TAS)
The facts
Tasmania is Australia’s only island state. It
is 240 kilometres south of the mainland between Victoria and
Antarctica. It maintains a high quality of life and relaxed,
easy-going atmosphere. Tasmania has an area of 67,800 square
kilometres and a population of only 495,000 people.
Hobart, the state capital, is Australia’s
second oldest city. Temperature averages range from 9 degrees
overnight in summer to 18 during the day, and 6 degrees overnight
in winter to 15 during the day.
What makes Tasmania
unique?
Tasmania is only accessible from the mainland
by sea or air. This isolation has helped preserve its wilderness,
resulting in around 20 per cent of the state being World
Heritage-listed. Tasmania attracts tourists from around the world
for outdoor activities such as bushwalking, kayaking and climbing
in its stunning environment. Tasmania is also known for its arts
culture and gourmet delights such as dairy products, smoked salmon
and wine.
Hobart is a modern city with a vibrant market
and restaurant scene. It is proud of its colonial heritage. Battery
Point is the city’s historical heart, with 90 buildings around the
city well preserved and classified by the National Trust.
Launceston is the second-largest city in Tasmania and the base for
the ski fields at Ben Lomond National Park and Mount Mawson.
Institutions and their campuses can be found in Hobart, Launceston,
Beaconsfield and other large regional towns.
The south-east coast has flavoursome fruits,
scrumptious salmon and wonderful wines. Bruny Island is home to
plenty of wildlife, including fairy penguins and reptile species.
The Hartz Mountains National Park has stunning mountains, glacial
lakes, alpine moorlands and dense rainforests. On the Tasman
Peninsula is the historical Port Arthur, a prison used in colonial
times to house convicts from Britain.
The north-west has Aboriginal rock engravings,
evidence of the Aboriginal tribes who took shelter in the caves
along the coast thousands of years ago. The west of the state is
the least populated region, with many mountains, grass plains,
rivers, lakes, rainforests and a stunning coastline. The
Franklin-Gordon Rivers National Park and the Cradle Mountain-Lake
St Clair National Parks are World Heritage-listed areas that should
be explored with a sense of wonder that places so sublime still
exist in the modern world.
University campuses in
Tasmania
Getting there and getting
around
You can fly into Hobart. Your route from home
may involve flying into Melbourne and then a short flight to
Hobart. There is also a ferry link between Melbourne and
Tasmania.
Tasmania’s public transport system revolves
around buses. There are flights between major cities.
Find out more
www.discovertasmania.com.au/
(tourist information)
www.tas.gov.au/ (Tasmanian
Government services)
www.themercury.news.com.au/
(Hobart's newspaper)
www.onlinenewspapers.com/australi.htm
(links to newspapers around Tasmania)
www.citysearch.com.au/
(nightlife and events)
Victoria
(VIC)
The facts
Victoria is the second largest state in
Australia by population with 5.2 million people in a land area of
227,420 square kilometres. The capital, Melbourne, is the arts
centre of Australia, and people are drawn to the romance of grand
old buildings, fantastic dining, and an abundance of arts events.
Melbourne has an exciting multicultural society with a history of
both European and Asian immigration.
What makes Victoria
unique?
Victoria has some of the country’s best
museums and entertainment venues. Victoria is known for its
sporting events, such as the Grand Prix and the Melbourne Cup, its
incredible scenery and its network of regional cities. There are
ski fields and beaches, along with wine-growing regions and
industrial centres.
Melbourne has lots of festivals, including the
Melbourne International Comedy Festival and the Melbourne
International Film Festival. The Arts Precinct is the epitome of
Melbourne’s high-class culture and comprises the National Gallery
of Victoria, Victorian Arts Centre, the Melbourne Concert Hall,
Theatres Building and the Performing Arts Museum. Melbourne has
numerous education institutions, both in the city and in the
surrounding areas.
Outside of the capital, the Mornington
Peninsula is a popular summer resort for Victorians, as is Phillip
Island where you can watch the Penguin Parade. Seal Rocks has
Australia’s largest colony of fur seals.
Along the coastline to the west of Melbourne,
the Great Ocean Road is one of the most spectacular coastal drives
in the world. Nearby, the Grampians National Park stretches for 90
kilometres. A diverse mix of plant and animal life surrounds many
Aboriginal rock painting sites.
Geelong is Victoria’s second largest city and
it has a range of educational institutions. West of Melbourne,
there are institutions at Melton, Sunbury, Ballarat and
Warrnambool. To the north of Melbourne, international students
attend institutions at Bendigo, Beechworth, Shepparton and
Wodonga.
In the high country you’ll find Victoria’s ski
fields. There are a whole lot of other activities to enjoy here
throughout the year including bushwalking, canoeing, white-water
rafting, rock climbing, hang-gliding and mountain bike riding.
The Gippsland region showcases some stunning
scenery, and Wilson’s Promontory National Park in the South East
Lakes region has great tracks for hiking. Finally, the town of
Glenrowan has a historical significance to all Australians. It was
here that Australia’s larrikin hero, a bushranger named Ned Kelly,
was finally caught. His reported last words are world famous: “Such
is life”.
University campuses in
Victoria
Getting there and getting
around
Melbourne has a busy international airport
with flights from many countries around the world. Trains and
airplanes travel between cities in Victoria. A car ferry runs from
Melbourne to Tasmania.
You can travel around Melbourne by bus, train
or tram. In regional cities, buses are the most common form of
transport.
Find out more
www.visitvictoria.com/
(tourist information)
www.vic.gov.au/ (Victorian
Government services)
www.heraldsun.news.com.au/
and www.theage.com.au/ (Melbourne
newspapers)
www.onlinenewspapers.com/australi.htm
(links to newspapers around Victoria)
www.citysearch.com.au/
(nightlife and events)
Western
Australia (WA)
The facts
With a staggering land area of 2.5 million
square kilometres, Western Australia is one of the largest states
in the world. The population of the entire state is only 2.1
million people – about half the population of Sydney. Most people
live in the state capital, Perth, which sits on the edge of the
Indian Ocean.
Temperatures in Perth are near perfect
throughout the year. Average summer temperatures range between 15
degrees overnight and 26 degrees in the day. Winter temperatures
range between 12 degrees overnight and 21 degrees in the day.
What makes Western Australia
unique?
Perth is full of museums, galleries and
restaurants. In the south of the state, there are beach towns,
farms and vineyards. To the north and east are the more rural
towns. Western Australia is renowned for its natural wonders
including coastal areas, wildflowers and red rock canyons. There
are many Aboriginal communities up north around the Kimberley
region.
Cultural sights in Perth include the Western
Australian Museum, the Art Gallery of Western Australia and the
Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts. Close to Perth is the
maritime city of Fremantle, as well as Rottnest Island, which has
small furry creatures called quokkas.
There are numerous educational institutions in
Perth, including four universities. Other towns with institutions
or campuses include Fremantle, Rockingham and Bunbury to the south
of Perth, and Northam and Kalgoorlie to the north-east.
The south-west is green and fertile. With more
than 7,000 species of wildflowers in WA, the countryside comes to
life in spring. The Margaret River region has the best surfing in
Western Australia and also produces internationally-acclaimed
wine.
In the far east of the state are a number of
deserts – Little Sandy Desert, Gibson Desert and the Great Victoria
Desert. The Nullarbor Plain stretches across to South Australia and
passes through ghost towns abandoned after the gold rush. One town
that is still operational, Kalgoorlie, is the largest producer of
gold in Australia today.
Shark Bay World Heritage and Marine Park is on
the central west coast of the state. Within the park at Monkey Mia
Beach, dolphins interact with people in the knee-deep water. At
Ningaloo Marine Park on the Coral Coast, you can swim with whale
sharks, turtles, manta rays and tropical fish.
Up north, the Kimberley region is home to many
Aboriginal communities and rugged scenery. The Bungle Bungles
National Park has striped red and yellow rock towers. The coastal
town of Broome is popular with tourists. It has a cosmopolitan
history of Chinese, Aboriginal and white pearlers, and is known for
its pearls.
University campuses in WA
Getting there and getting
around
Perth has an international airport with
flights from around the world. There is a network of buses and
trains to travel between towns but with such large distances,
planes are often used.
Within Perth, there are buses, trains and
ferries. Regional towns rely on buses.
Find out more
www.westernaustralia.com/
(tourist information)
www.wa.gov.au/ (WA Government
services)
www.thewest.com.au/ (Perth's
newspaper
www.onlinenewspapers.com/australi.htm
(links to newspapers around WA)
www.citysearch.com.au/
(nightlife and events)
