Index
Australia is a land of wonder where visitors can explore the wilderness of the continent and dive into the magical splendor of the great barrier reef. Canberra, the capital, and Sydney are the biggest cities in New South Wales which is Australia's most populous and oldest state. New South Wales is also the location of the picturesque Blue Mountains.
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Sydney
Sydney is a beautiful modern city with approximately four million inhabitants,
a rich history, a dynamic way of life, and world-famous tourist
attractions waiting to be explored. The Opera House and the Harbour Bridge are landmarks
of international renown.
The Sydney Opera House with its distinctive architecture is open for tours daily.
Walking paths lead toward the city center through the
Royal Botanic Gardens which are open from sunrise to sunset. The gardens feature an attractive
collection of plants, beautiful paths, places to picnic, as well as a restaurant.
The Sydney Harbour Bridge links the center to the suburbs and carries eight lanes of road traffic and two railway tracks. The bridge has a challenging pedestrian climb over the arch at 134 meters above sea level.
The Sydney Aquarium is one of the world's best. It has over 150 meters of clear tunnels that enable visitors to see fish swimming around and overhead. Native Australian species, such as the platypus, are displayed.
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The Blue Mountains
In November 2000, the Blue Mountains were declared a World Heritage
park. It was nominated for its outstanding natural values, including the
biodiversity of its plant and animal communities, its vegetation, which is
dominated by Australia's unique eucalyptus trees, and for the beauty of its natural
landscapes. The region offers a myriad of activities for the visitor like
bush walking, browsing for antiques, and adventures through limestone caves.
Australian Legends
For many generations, aborigines have told the legend of the
three sisters 'Meehni', 'Wimlah', and 'Gunnedoo', who lived in the Jamison
Valley as members of the Katoomba tribe. These beautiful young ladies had
fallen in love with three brothers from the Nepean tribe, but tribal law
forbade them to marry. The brothers defied this law and
decided to capture the three sisters by force causing a major tribal
battle. As the lives of the three sisters were seriously in danger, a
witch doctor from the Katoomba tribe used a magic spell to turn the three
sisters into stone to protect them from any harm. He had intended to
reverse the spell when the battle was over, but the witch doctor himself was
killed. As only he could reverse the spell to return the ladies to their
former beauty, the sisters remain in their magnificent rock formation as a
reminder of this battle for generations to come.
Jenolan Caves
The Aboriginal name for the Jenolan Caves was Binnomea which means "dark
places". The beauty of the Jenolan Caves is its maze of ancient limestone
tunnels, subterranean rivers, and caverns richly draped with exotic mineral
deposits. The caves were created over millions of years through a complex
relationship between water, rock, atmosphere, and the life forms that inhabit
the environment. The Jenolan caves are Australia's most
impressive limestone caves.
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Brisbane
Brisbane is the third largest city in Australia and the state capital of Queensland.
Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of around 1.6 million people.
The city is situated along the Brisbane River and provides a picturesque setting with many riverside attractions, including
late night river cruises.
Brisbane has a subtropical climate with temperatures ranging between 20 to 29°C (68-84°F) in summer and cool temperatures
from 9 to 20°C (48-68°F) in winter. The Queen Street Mall features world-class shopping and the South Bank Parklands
provide a great place to have lunch.
