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The Commonwealth of Australia is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the world's smallest continent, the major island of Tasmania and a number of other islands in the Southern, Indian and Pacific Oceans.
The capital city is Canberra, located in the Australian Capital Territory. The population is 21 million, and is concentrated in the mainland state capitals of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide.
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia, with a metropolitan area population of over
4,400,000 people, and 3,151,920 in the City of Sydney. Sydney is the state capital of New South Wales, and is the site of the first European colony in Australia, established in 1788 at Sydney Cove by Arthur Phillip, leader of the First Fleet from Britain. A resident of the city is referred to as
a Sydneysider.
Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast. The city is built around Port Jackson, which includes Sydney Harbour, le Sydney is a major international tourist destination, often referred to as the international gateway of Australia, and is notable for its beaches and twin landmarks: the Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge. The metropolitan area is surrounded by national parks, and contains many bays, rivers and inlets.
Melbourne is the second most populous city in Australia, with a metropolitan area population of approximately 3.8 million (2007 estimate). Located around Port Phillip Bay in the country's south - east, Melbourne is the state capital of Victoria. In 2004 and 2005, an Economic Intelligence Unit survey ranked Melbourne at the top of their list of the World's Most Livable Cities.
Melbourne has a vibrant arts and cultural scene, hosting the annual Melbourne International Arts Festival as a celebration of its artistic tradition.
Dance music is a thriving part of the Melbourne scene; the city is considered the nation’s dance music capital. Dance parties take place most of the year, the city frequently attracting some of the world's best DJs. Some of the biggest nightclubs in the world are found in Melbourne, including the Melbourne Metro Nightclub.
Perth is one of the most isolated state capitals in the world. Located in the south west area region of the vast state of Western Australia, with 1.5 million residents, it contains around 70% of that state's population.
Perth is based around the Swan River on a flat coastal plain down from the Darling ranges. The many relatively uncrowded beaches along the Perth coastline also help define the lifestyle; Perth is laid-back, quiet and quite safe.
The Perth city centre bustles with activity and offers a range of choices for shopping. Perth also has a number of locations which jump into life, especially at the weekends. Just outside the Perth city centre is the Perth district of Northbridge where you will find a range of nightclubs, pubs, cafes and eateries, offering an eclectic mix of cultures and cuisines. Meanwhile, south of Perth in Fremantle things are jumping at the local nightclubs and bars. If you are looking for the Perth nightlife, you are sure to find it at one of these locations.
The Port city of Fremantle lies just south of Perth on the coast of Western Australia. Fremantle is a popular spot, particularly at weekends when you will find markets, entertainment and plenty of alfresco style cafes and eateries.
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Queensland, as well as the third largest city in Australia. It is set close to the Pacific Ocean, and is situated beside the Brisbane River on plains between Moreton Bay and the Great Dividing Range in south-eastern Queensland.
Brisbane has a thriving live music scene, as well as museums and theatres, performing arts and creative arts within the city and suburbs. It is the birthplace of internationally acclaimed singers, music bands, authors, actors, artists, sculptors and fashion designers. Many of Brisbane's singers and musicians (both popular and classical) have performed overseas, and have received international awards and recognition. There are also popular entertainment pubs and clubs within both the City and Fortitude Valley — as well as theatres and museums which are located within the city, South Bank, the South Bank Parklands and Brisbane suburbs.
Recently, Brisbane hosted the 1982 Commonwealth Games, the 1988 World's Fair (Expo '88), and the 2001 Goodwill Games.
Byron Bay is a town in the state of New South Wales on the eastern most point of the mainland of Australia. The town is the nucleus of Byron Shire, which has in excess of 30,000 people (ABS est. 2003). Captain James Cook named Cape Byron after circumnavigator John Byron, grandfather of English poet Lord Byron.
Byron Bay is about 800 km north of Sydney and 200 km south of Brisbane. Cape Byron, a headland adjacent to the town, is the eastern-most point of the continent of Australia. The Cape Byron lighthouse was opened in 1901, and has the most powerful beacon in Australia (2,200,000 cd, visible to a range of 27 nm).
The town has several beautiful beaches with fantastic surf and it is a resort popular with both domestic and international tourists, including backpackers, who travel along the Australian coast and the magnificent scenery attracts sky divers. The area is also noted for its wildlife, with the whale watching industry a significant contributor to the local economy.
The town is popular with visitors and residents from all socio-economic backgrounds and walks of life. It is famous for its laid back and alternative lifestyle, but also has a higher proportion of Baby Boomers (27%) than any other town in Australia.
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern corner of the mainland continent. It is neighboured by the Northern Territory to the west, South Australia to the south-west and New South Wales to the south. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean. The state is Australia's second largest by area, following Western Australia, and the country's third most populous after New South Wales and Victoria.
The population is concentrated in the south-east corner, which includes the capital Brisbane, Logan City, Ipswich, Toowoomba, and the Gold and Sunshine Coasts. Other major regional centres include Cairns, Townsville, Mackay, Rockhampton, Bundaberg, and Mount Isa. Queensland is often nicknamed the Sunshine State, since it enjoys warm weather and a sizable portion of the state is in the tropics.
Tourism is Queensland's leading tertiary industry with millions of interstate and overseas visitors flocking to the Sunshine State each year. Queensland is a state of many contrasts that range from sunny tropical coastal areas, lush rainforests to dry inland areas.
Adelaide is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of South Australia, and is the fifth largest city in Australia, with a population of over 1.1 million in 2004. It is a coastal city beside the Southern Ocean, and is situated on the Adelaide Plains, north of the Fleurieu Peninsula, between the Gulf St. Vincent and the low-lying Mount Lofty Ranges.
As South Australia's seat of government and commercial centre, Adelaide is the site of many governmental and financial institutions. Most of these are concentrated in the city centre along the cultural boulevard of North Terrace, King William Street and in various districts of the metropolitan area.
Adelaide is sometimes referred to as the 'City of Churches'. From its earliest, Adelaide attracted immigrants from many non-English speaking countries, particularly German Lutherans escaping religious persecution in Germany. The first German Lutherans arrived in 1838, bringing with them the vine cuttings that they used to found the acclaimed wineries of the Barossa Valley. After the Second World War, Italians, Greeks, Dutch, Poles, and possibly every other European nationality came to make a new start. An influx of Asian immigrants following the Vietnam War added to the mix. These new arrivals have blended to form a rich and diverse cuisine and vibrant restaurant culture.
Adelaide's arts scene flourished in the 1970s under the leadership of premier Don Dunstan, removing some of the more puritanical restrictions on cultural activities then prevalent around Australia. Now the city is home to events such as the Adelaide Festival of Arts, Adelaide Film Festival, Adelaide Festival of Ideas, Adelaide Writers' Week, and the Fringe Festival, among others. WOMADelaide, Australia's premier world music event, is now annually held in the scenic surrounds of Botanic Park.
The City of Cairns lies about 1,720 kilometres (1,070 miles) from Brisbane and about 2,500 kilometres (1,600 miles) from Sydney by road.
Cairns is a popular travel destination for foreign tourists because of its tropical climate and proximity to many attractions. The Great Barrier Reef can be reached in less than an hour by boat. The Daintree National Park and Cape Tribulation, about 130 kilometres (80 miles) north of Cairns, are popular areas for experiencing a tropical rainforest. It is also a starting point for people wanting to explore Cooktown, Cape York Peninsula, and the Atherton Tableland.
The city has used its natural surrounds to its advantage with the construction of several small theme parks for tourists. Among them are Rainforestation nature park, the Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park and the Kuranda Skyrail Gondola Cableway, which extends for 7.5 kilometres over World Heritage rainforest.
Cairns serves as the major commercial centre for the Far North Queensland and Cape York Peninsula Regions. It is a base for the regional offices of many government departments.
Tourism plays a major part in the Cairns economy. According to Tourism Australia, Cairns is the fourth most popular destination for international tourists in Australia after Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. While the city does not rank amongst Australia's top 10 destinations for domestic tourism, it attracts an number of Australian holiday makers given its distance from major capitals. The city's proximity to the Great Barrier Reef and the Wet Tropics of Queensland makes it a popular destination. The city contains hundreds of hotels, resorts, motels and backpackers hostels. Activities in the region include golf, white water rafting, snorkelling, diving and hiking.
The suburbs of Cairns contain a number of shopping centres of various sizes. The largest of these are the Cairns Central shopping centre, located in the central business district, and Stockland Cairns, located in the suburb of Earlville.
We offer English Language Courses in the following cities of Australia:
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