Australian Religion

Religion of Australia's Aborigines, based in the Dreaming. Religion involved living in agreement with the way of life ordained in the Dreaming, through the performance of rituals and obedience to the law. Through dreams and other states of altered consciousness, the living could come into contact with the spiritual realm and gain strength from it; myths, dances, and other rituals bound the human, spiritual, and physical worlds together in a single cosmic order.

A child's spirit was held to come from the dreaming to animate a fetus, and a person's spiritual heritage was more important than the bond between a physical parent and child. Sacred art included tijurunga, sand and cave paintings, and paintings on bark.

Australian Food

Australian cuisine has the most diverse range, quality, and inventiveness than many others in the world. However, it took Australia some time to evolve from the scenes of meat pies, Vegemite sandwiches, and sausage rolls to the scene of dishes such as "seared kangaroo fillet with wilted beetroot greens and roasted onions".

The culinary art of Australia only luxuriated in the 1990s. But at that time, it was already considered the most adventurous in the world. Each capital city has seen a swarm of new restaurants within the genre 'Modern Australia' cuisine, with inventive chefs at the helm and an audience of willing hedonists at the ready. This culinary reawakening is due to two factors: the wealth of superlative Australian produce, including native food, and the plethora of international cuisine brought to Australia by its immigrants from all over the world.
Australia is also well known for its fresh ingredients such as seafood, local fruits, beef and lamb, as well as its world class cheeses. Like in Italy and France, Australia can be divided into regions that are known for particular produce such as King Island cream, Sydney rock oysters, Bowen mangoes, Coffin Bay scallops, Tasmanian salmon, and Illabo milk-fed lamb. Each state has its acknowledged specialties, which travelers should take advantage of.

Never forgetting the native cuisine called 'bush tucker', which involves traditional diets such as flour and water cooked in the campfire coals to make bread called damper, billy tea, and local animals' meat.
To summarize the varieties of food in Australia, it is then necessary to categorize them into modern Australian food, bush tucker, Asian food, and Australian's favorite.

South Australia

Come to South Australia for unforgettable adventures, close encounters with nature, exciting events and outback landscapes.Adelaide is South Australia's elegant, easy-living capital, where the people will make you feel at home and you'll get all the buzz of big city living without big city bills.

You can take a morning dip with dolphins just 20 minutes from the city centre, in beachside Glenelg. Tour the National Wine Centre - offering the complete wine experience - or the fabulous Adelaide Central Market, bustling with people seeking gourmet specialities from around the world.From Adelaide, it's less than an hour to some 200 cellar doors and tempting food and wine trails. Drink wines loved the world over in Barossa, Coonawarra and the Clare Valley.

Journey to the outback to see the awesome Flinders Ranges. Or head south to Kangaroo Island to visit Seal Bay and clamber over fascinating landscapes like Remarkable Rocks. You can be the captain of your own houseboat and cruise the tranquil waters of the mighty Murray River with friends. Learn to water ski or canoe the river's quiet backwaters.With thousands of kilometres of coastline, South Australia is a place for ocean lovers. Enrol in surfing classes on the Fleurieu Peninsula or dine in a cliff-top restaurant. Swim with sea lions on Eyre Peninsula - where you'll also find Australia's Seafood and Aquaculture Trail. Yorke Peninsula offers great surfing beaches, fishing, and long lazy days.

In South Australia, you can feast on festivals like the world-renowned Adelaide Bank Festival of Arts, the Adelaide Fringe, Tour Down Under, Clipsal 500 V8 race, Tasting Australia and WOMADelaide.Several international airlines can bring you to South Australia daily from Australia's capital cities where you can enjoy mild winters and warm dry summersHug a koala. Sip a Shiraz. Drive legendary outback tracks. Experience it all in South Australia.

Tasmania

Separated from mainland Australia by the 240 kilometres (150 miles) stretch of Bass Strait, Tasmania is a land apart - a green island of wild, mountainous and beautiful landscapes; friendly, welcoming people; temperate climate; quality cool-climate wines and food; a spirited history; and a creative arts community - all wrapped up in a relaxed lifestyle.More than 40 per cent of the island is protected as World Heritage Area, national parks and reserves.

And because Tasmania is so compact it is easy to walk through an ancient alpine meadow in the morning and be on a pure white beach in the afternoon.Tasmania’s population of less than 500,000 supports a world-class symphony orchestra, a festival of island cultures, and a mid-winter festival that celebrates their Antarctic connections.Tasmania is never crowded, and its historic towns and seaside villages are dispersed across an area about the size of Ireland or West Virginia. The average summer temperature is a comfortable 21degrees Celsius (70 degrees Fahrenheit), while winter’s average is a mild 12degrees Celsius (52 degrees Fahrenheit).

Canberra and Surrounds

Canberra - the capital of Australia - is sometimes referred to as the bush capital because pockets of bushland reserve extend almost to the city centre and over half of the Australian Capital Territory, within which Canberra lays, is classified as national park or nature reserve.

With a population of more than 313,000 people, Canberra is the city that Federation created. Australia's national government sits here, as does the highest court of Australia. Many of the most important monuments in the country are located in Australia and they're visited by millions of people each year. Some of these attractions include the Australian War Memorial, Parliament House, the National Gallery of Australia and Canberra's newest attraction, the National Museum of Australia.

Canberra is a young capital - a planned city like many other capitals in the world. American architect Walter Burley Griffin designed the city after winning an international architectural competition in 1912. The spirit of his original design, which celebrates Canberra's natural environment, is still evident as the city grows.

Canberra is located 300 kilometres from Sydney and 655 kilometres from Melbourne and is accessible by road, train and air transport.

New South Wales

New South Wales is Australia’s most diverse State, home to the country’s largest and most cosmopolitan city, Sydney. There are five World Heritage sites to explore including the famous Sydney Opera House. The State has a string of accessible, sparkling beaches stretching from north to south, a vast, colourful outback, Australia’s highest mountain offering every type of snow sport, and meandering waterways.

With its sublime natural setting, glamorous beaches and appetite for the fine things in life, Sydney is one of the world’s great destinations. Australia’s largest and oldest city is an essential stop on any traveller’s itinerary. It’s also a superb introduction to Australia and New South Wales, the country’s most diverse State.

Surrounding Sydney is a wonderland of national parks, forests, mountains, ancient river valleys and historic townships. New South Wales World Heritage sites include the Greater Blue Mountains Area, Lord Howe Island, Mungo National Park (Willandra Lakes), Gondwana Rainforests of Australia and, the most recent addition, the Sydney Opera House. Each offers visitors the chance to experience astonishing natural beauty as well as leisure activities that range from hiking and diving, to seeing ancient human burial sites or enjoying the talent of the world’s finest performers.

Destination: Queensland

Pristine beaches, tropical islands, lush rainforests, vibrant cities and the authentic Australian outback, Queensland is the ultimate holiday destination. Known as Australia’s Sunshine State, Queensland offers an abundance of diverse experiences to create lasting memories.

Brisbane is the state’s capital city, a city full of energy, style, arts and culture. The Brisbane River snakes through the metropolis and is peppered with alfresco dining options. By night, the city comes alive with vibrant bars and live music venues to keep you entertained into the early hours of the morning.

Brisbane is also the perfect hub to explore the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast, only an hour away by road. Both coastal regions offer stunning beaches, fabulous food and wine experiences and shopping that rivals many of the great shopping strips. Head further north to swim in the freshwater lakes of Fraser Island, the largest sand island in the world, and just one of Queensland’s five World Heritage listed areas.

Another is the Great Barrier Reef, stretching 2300km along the Queensland coast. Home to a myriad of sea creatures and hidden gems, the best way to explore the reef is to snorkel or scuba dive. There are literally hundreds of Queensland islands where you can relax and indulge in all that island life has to offer. Sail the Whitsunday Islands or take a seaplane to a remote getaway where you can truly escape.

Unwind at a rainforest retreat in Tropical North Queensland. The World Heritage listed Wet Tropics offer spectacular scenery, deep gorges, numerous waterfalls and mountain summits providing expansive rainforest views.

The Queensland Outback is nature of a different kind, one that delivers Australia’s final frontier. Desert sand dunes and lush fishing holes make an interesting combination the friendly locals are only too happy to show you. Travel back to the dinosaur era, listen carefully for the ghost in the home of Waltzing Matilda, or sit back and enjoy a cold beer in one of the iconic outback pubs.

Whether you're relaxing on sun-kissed beaches, trekking through ancient rainforest or snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef, there's an experience waiting to become your treasured memory in Queensland.