Things to see and do in Australia

If in New South Wales, take your pick from cosmopolitan Sydney, the LA of the Southern Hemisphere as it is referred to, with its world famous harbour and 35 miles of beach, or venture outwards to see the Snowy and Blue Mountains.

Choose between the delights of cosmopolitan Melbourne with its famous food scene, ski in the high country, so simply stroll along the 90 mile beach.

Canberra may be a relatively small area but it is crammed with museums and galleries as well as being close to Namadgi National Park and the Tidinbilla Nature Reserve.

To sample some of the untouched beauty of Australia visit the Northern Territory, home to the eerily beautiful Uluru (Ayres Rock), Alice Springs, Kakadau National Park, and lots of desert.

Queensland houses the famous Great Barrier Reef where you can indulge in a bit of wale watching. But if wales are not your thing then visit the rainforest or simply relax on the beaches of the Gold and Sunshine coast.

South Australia is official wine country, while Kangaroo island just off the coast offers a feast of wildlife.

Western Australia is the best place to dip into old indigenous Aboriginal culture. Sample the wild barren beauty of the Outback or else just kick loose on the beaches of the largest of the Australian states.

Tasmania is considered one of Australia's best kept secrets. Reportedly here you can taste the purest air in the world with plenty of National Park land to get away from it all.