The 10 Most Beautiful Views in Australia
Australia is a vast country/continent rich with scenic grandeur on a magnificent scale. From Queensland to Western Australia, Tasmania to the Northern Territory, splendor is always on display. Although this is only a small sample of what the country has to offer, here are arguably the 10 most beautiful views in Australia:
1. Whitehaven Beach, Whitsundays
For many, the typical Australian image is of a beautiful beach with soft sand and blue waters all around. The 7 kilometer stretch of sand known as Whitehaven Beach on Whitsunday Island is about as beautiful of a beach view as one can get anywhere in the country. The beach is known for it’s powder white sands which are 98% pure silica giving it the signature bright white color. The sand at Whitehaven also doesn’t retain heat meaning that walking barefoot on the beach is comfortable even at the hottest points of the day. Whitehaven can only be accessed by boat making this a pristine picture worthy of any postcard.
2. The 12 Apostles, Victoria
Who knew limestone could be so beautiful? The golden sand and rolling turquoise water probably helps out this magnificent view but the star… or should we say stars of this scene are the giant limestone stacks known as the 12 Apostles. Located near Port Campbell in Victoria, just off the Great Ocean Road, the apostles were formed by erosion. Over the years some of the stacks have fallen, with the most recent collapse in 2005. Today eight Apostles still stand on the shores providing a most breathtaking view.
3. Cape Byron Lighthouse, Byron Bay
This next view is not only beautiful but significant; the Cape Byron Lighthouse is the most easterly point in the entire country. Each year more than 500,000 people visit the lighthouse which rises up above Byron Bay offering spectacular views of the bay, the beach and even an opportunity for whale watching when
the season is right.
4. McLaren Vale, South Australia
This impressive wine region of Australia lies just 35 kilometers south of the city of Adelaide in South Australia. This internationally renowned wine region was first planted with vines in 1838 and has some vines over 100 years old that are still producing today. The lush rolling hills of vibrant greenery provide a picture perfect setting to rival the most beautiful views in the country.
5. The Pinnacles, Western Australia
This is one Australian view that’s eerily beautiful. These limestone formations are known as The Pinnacles and can be found in Western Australia’s Nambung National Park. One theory of how they formed is that long ago they were formed from seashells which were broken down into limestone sand which blew inland forming the dunes that can be seen today.
6. Uluru at Sunrise, Ayer’s Rock
There’s something magical about witnessing the first beam of sun hitting the big red rock as dawn breaks in the Australian outback. Uluru is a deeply spiritual place for the Aboriginal people of the area and it’s well worth a visit to see the colors of this monolith change over the course of the day depending on the light conditions. Personally we think sunrise is the most impressive when the whole rock is glowing red.
7. Sydney Harbour and Circular Quay, Sydney
It’s a view known the world round as one of the most popular and iconic shots of Australia. The famous Sydney Harbour and Circular Quay can be best experienced from a birds eye view, one you can experience yourself if you have the nerve to climb 143 meters above sea level to the top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. It may be a nerve racking climb for some but it’s guaranteed to be an amazing view that you’ll remember for a lifetime.
8. Sunset at Mindil Beach, Darwin
Some of the most spectacular
Australian sunsets can be witnessed from Darwin’s Mindil Beach as the sun dips below the Arafura Sea. Beautiful hues of pink, orange, blue and purple paint the sky each night while the beach setting of sandy shores and palm trees swaying in the breeze set the ultimate tropical tone. From April to October you can enjoy the festive nightlife of the famous Mindil Beach Sunset Markets which celebrate the gorgeous view each night.
9. Devils Marbles, Northern Territory
These gravity-defying rock formations are located in Karlu Karlu/Devils Marbles Conservation Reserve, between the towns of Tennant Creek and Alice Springs in Australia’s Northern Territory. These large granite boulders have been shaped by weather and erosion and many are naturally precariously balanced on top of one another, forming larger rock formations. Some have even been split clean in half by natural forces. The Karlu Karlu site has great cultural and spiritual significance to the Aboriginal owners of this land, making the view even more special.
10. Mount Wellington Peak, Tasmania
The gorgeous state of Tasmania has many magnificent views to take in but one of the most rewarding is the view from the top of Mount Wellington. At its peak, Mount Wellington stands over 4,000 feet above sea level and provides spectacular views over the capital city of Hobart, the Derwent River and the World Heritage Protected Mount Faulkner Conservation Area to the west. Australia’s Top 10 Exports Australia shipped US$189.6 billion worth of goods around the globe in 2016, up by 23.2% since 2009 when the Great Recession kicked in but down by -0.8% from 2015 to 2016. Australia’s top 10 exports accounted for three-quarters (75.8%) of the overall value of its global shipments. Based on statistics from the International Monetary Fund’s World Economic Outlook Database, Australia’s total Gross Domestic Product amounted to $1.189 trillion as of November 2016. Therefore, exports accounted for about 15.9% of total Australian
economic output. Given Australia’s population of 23 million people, its total $189.6 billion in 2016 exports translates to roughly $8,200 for every resident in that country. Australia’s unemployment rate was 5.8% as of December 2016.
Australia’s Top 10 Exports
The following export product groups represent the highest dollar value in Australian global shipments during 2016. Also shown is the percentage share each export category represents in terms of overall exports from Australia. At the more granular fourdigit Harmonized Tariff System code level, Australia’s number 1 exported product are iron ores and concentrates followed by coal, petroleum gases then gold. 1. Ores, slag, ash: US$48.9 billion (25.8% of total exports) 2. Mineral fuels including oil: $47.5 billion (25.1%) 3. Gems, precious metals: $15.8
billion (8.4%) 4. Meat: $8.3 billion (4.4%) 5. Cereals: $5.1 billion (2.7%) 6. Machinery including computers: $4.9 billion (2.6%) 7. Inorganic chemicals: $4.7 billion (2.5%) 8. Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $2.9 billion (1.5%) 9. Aluminum: $2.9 billion (1.5%) 10. Electrical machinery, equipment:
$2.7 billion (1.4%) Australian meat was the top gainer up in value by 60.5% over the 7-year period starting in 2009. Meat subcategory winners include frozen, fresh and chilled red meat from cows, sheep and goats. The second-fastest increase belongs to the ores, slag and ash category, up by 56.5% led by precious metal ores, iron and copper. Third among product categories with improving international sales was optical, technical and medical apparatus (up 32.9%). Australian electrical machinery and equipment–notably telephone sets including smartphones–moved ahead by 25.1%, closely followed by the gems and precious metals category led by coins, precious metals scrap, diamonds and gold shipments.
Australia’s Top 10 Imports
Australia imported US$189.3 billion worth of goods from around the globe in 2016, up by 14.3% since 2009 but down by -5.7% from 2015 to 2016 Australia’s top 10 imports accounted for over two-thirds (67.7%) of the overall value of its product purchases from other countries. Australian imports represent 1.1% of total global imports which totaled an estimated $16.473 trillion for 2015. From a continental perspective, 58% of Australia’s total imports by value in 2016 were purchased from Asian countries. European trade partners accounted for 20.8% of import sales to Australia while 13.3% worth came from North America. Fellows islands in Oceania were responsible for 4.8% of Australia’s imports in 2016. Given Australia’s population of 23 million people, its total $189.3 billion in 2016 imports translates to roughly $8,200 in yearly product demand from every person in the country.
Australia’s Top 10 Imports
The following product groups represent the highest dollar value in Australia’s import purchases during 2016. Also shown is the percentage share each product category represents in terms of overall imports into Australia. 1. Machinery including computers:
US$27.3 billion (14.4% of total imports) 2. Vehicles : $26.2 billion (13.9%) 3. Electrical machinery, equipment: $20.2 billion (10.6%) 4. Mineral fuels including oil: $17.6 billion (9.3%) 5. Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $7.8 billion (4.1%) 6. Pharmaceuticals: $7.8 billion (4.1%) 7. Gems, precious metals: $7.6 billion (4%) 8. Plastics, plastic articles: $5.4 billion (2.8%) 9. Furniture, bedding, lighting, signs, prefab buildings: $4.3 billion (2.3%) 10. Articles of iron or steel: $4.1
billion (2.2%) Imported vehicles had the fastestgrowing increase in value among the top 10 import categories, up 52.3% for the 7-year period starting in 2009. In second place for improving import sales was the furniture, bedding, lighting, signs and prefab buildings category via is 51% gain. Australian imports of plastics delivered the thirdfastest gain at 37.2%. Mineral fuels including oil was the laggard category among the top 10 Australian imports, posting a -15.9% decline based largely on falling purchases of imported crude oil and petroleum gas. The other top 10 category to register a decrease was gems and precious metals, down -14.2% propelled by the dramatic cutback in Australian imports of gold in 2016 compared to 2009. Please note that the results listed above are at the 2-digit Harmonized Tariff System code level. Information presented under other virtual folder tabs is at the more granular 4-digit level.