INTRODUCTION
AUSTRALIA IS A FANTASTIC PROPOSITION. The statistics alone are staggering: it boasts one of the oldest (if not the oldest) continuous cultures on Earth (Indigenous Australians are thought to be descendants of the first people to leave Africa up to 75,000 years ago), 16,000 miles of coastline, 8222 islands in its maritime waters, more than 500 national parks covering some 70 million acres, the highest concentration of fish life and reptiles on Earth... and the list goes on.
Add to this Uluru (formerly known as Ayers Rock, the second largest monolith in the world; the largest is Burringurrah or Mount Augustus in, you guessed it, Australia), the Sydney Opera House, the Great Barrier Reef (the largest living thing on Earth) and kangaroos and koalas, and the Land Down Under offers up an outsized list of reasons to visit.
But “big” need not be intimidating. The essence of Australia can be discovered as much by spending time in its thriving, cosmopolitan cities as it can undertaking an epic journey along its awe-inspiring coast. By lazing on an idyllic tropical island doing not much of anything or joining a tour into the rugged and compelling outback. By cuddling a koala (select sanctuaries and wildlife parks offer supervised experiences) or taking in the cultural and culinary delights of Tasmania. And all with convenient access provided by various modes of transportation, from flights to trains to luxury bus tours.
Hopefully this magazine will pique your interest and make it that much easier to picture yourself there. Because, when it comes to Australia, the size of the country itself is relative to the sheer scale of incredible experiences you can have.