| Australia is an island continent of a size | | | | Skiers travel in their hundreds to the alpine snow |
| approximating that of the United States. It has a | | | | fields and region of the Snowy Mountains. This is |
| climate range extending from the lush tropical | | | | where the great Snowy Mountain Scheme |
| rainforests in the north, to cool temperate | | | | construction project drew thousands of workers |
| rainforests in the south and with large arid regions | | | | as migrants earlier in the last century.South |
| at its centre.Although the continent was | | | | Australia has a special claim to have been settled |
| discovered a century and more earlier, it was | | | | by free settlers with no convict history as |
| claimed by the British when in 1770 Captain Cook | | | | experienced by other States, particularly NSW. |
| sighted the east coast and named it New South | | | | Many free settlers chose to create a new life |
| Wales. It has remained nominally ruled by Britain | | | | here and to try to re-create much of the lifestyle |
| with the Queen acknowledged as its figurehead | | | | they had experienced and valued in Britain and |
| although, as with most countries within the British | | | | Europe. However, the climate here is very severe |
| Commonwealth, there have been great changes | | | | and hampered many enterprises because of the |
| and moves towards an independent republic. It | | | | dryness and the semi-arid immediate surroundings. |
| now comprises the 5 mainland States of Western | | | | This has changed of course through development |
| Australia, South Australia, Victoria, New South | | | | and by the establishment of many places of |
| Wales and Queensland together with Tasmania, an | | | | interest for tourists in the Flinders ranges, the |
| island State south of Melbourne and a territory | | | | Arid Botanical Garden and wilderness areas, the |
| which is called the Northern Territory, situated | | | | development of the great Murray River as a |
| between northern Queensland and northern | | | | feature for tourists and by encouraging tours of |
| Western Australia. Its main population is found | | | | the many historical establishments around |
| around the fertile coastal fringes.Because of the | | | | Adelaide, its capital.Tasmania, the island State, is |
| vast distances in the country, the State | | | | famous for its enterprising diversity in agriculture, |
| governments have been all important. Federation | | | | horticulture, timber and fisheries, for its natural |
| of the States occurred in 1901 when a Federal | | | | beauty in mountains, rivers, forests. It is valued |
| government was established and centred in | | | | for many of its pristine areas where nature has |
| Canberra in what has been designated Australian | | | | been left untainted by commerce and where |
| Capital Territory. This central body is growing | | | | World Heritage listings are maintained. Its size |
| ever stronger as Australia grows as a nation.Like | | | | makes it easy to explore by road although |
| so many second generation Australians, my | | | | coastal exploration is hampered by rugged |
| parents and their families had emigrated from | | | | coastlines on one side. By road there are many |
| Britain and after the long sea voyage, welcomed | | | | interesting industries and enterprises to be seen |
| touching land in Perth, the first port of call in their | | | | and visited such as the medicinal poppy farms, |
| new country. Western Australia is my birthplace | | | | herb farms and apple orchards. Tasmania was |
| and was my place of residence for much of my | | | | once called 'the Apple Isle". It is possible to take |
| life. Like so many others, I have resided in several | | | | your car from the mainland by ferry over to |
| States and have explored most of them to some | | | | Tasmania so that you can tour to your heart's |
| extent. However, W.A., NSW and Queensland are | | | | content but visitors must remember that the |
| the ones I know best.W.A. is a huge state but | | | | climate is colder than the rest of Australia. The |
| only the area around Perth was known to me in | | | | wonderful river systems encourage activities such |
| the first 18 years of my life. It was only when I | | | | as white water rafting.I have not been to the |
| returned to live there for another 12 years at a | | | | Northern Territory except in touching down on an |
| later date that I had the opportunity to explore | | | | air flight from Perth to Cairns in North Queensland |
| further afield. Then, not only did I appreciate the | | | | so am ill equipped to say anything from personal |
| beautiful capital city, the clean, white sandy | | | | experience, only to relay what I have heard from |
| beaches, the comfortable Mediterranean type | | | | others. Facts such as Darwin is its capital, which |
| climate and the quality of life of the people but I | | | | was devastated and suffering greatly from |
| was able to travel east to Kalgoorlie, south to | | | | Japanese bombardment in World War II, |
| Albany and north to the Pilbara and Gascoyne | | | | devastated by cyclone in the 1970s and now has |
| regions. So I came to see something of its | | | | been totally rebuilt and remodelled as an ideal |
| enormous expanses of semi-arid lands and poor | | | | modern city attracting tourists from overseas as |
| soils and something of its rugged beauty and also | | | | well as from Australia itself. Many visitors wish to |
| to experience the loneliness of those northern and | | | | know more about the traditional aboriginal culture |
| out-back regions inhabited by the few. These are | | | | and to visit indigenous sites of interest. Because |
| the people who fall in love with its mystical | | | | of the remoteness of this city from the more |
| atmosphere and enjoy the peace and the | | | | populated parts of Australia it is easy to believe |
| freedom of a lifestyle which they accept as | | | | that this has been a neglected part of our |
| sufficient compensation for the many little | | | | continent. Alice Springs and Darwin are the focal |
| sacrifices and comforts which are taken for | | | | points for the Territory and support a large |
| granted in city living.Visitors to these regions get a | | | | aboriginal population of those who are magnetically |
| taste of a different life and tourists are beginning | | | | drawn from the arid and more remote areas by |
| to happily explore some of the remote regions of | | | | the promise of greater comforts offered in a |
| interest - the Gascoyne areas with huge sheep | | | | city.There are a smaller number of indigenous |
| stations; the Kimberley with its ancient landscapes, | | | | people who inhabit the huge areas which have |
| tropical conditions and the Argyle Diamond mines; | | | | been put aside exclusively as territory for the |
| Broome, which is the centre of the pearling | | | | aboriginal people in Arnhem Land and other areas. |
| industry ; Shark Bay where visitors swim with the | | | | Although there is state protection where needed, |
| dolphins; Kalbarri with its natural landscape | | | | the old traditions of the aboriginal culture of |
| attractions and all throughout the state - the | | | | necessity are dying out with fewer and fewer of |
| beautiful wildflowers for which the State is | | | | pure aboriginal ancestry to uphold them. Many try |
| famous. And of course, being a great mining | | | | to help their customs survive but they are unable |
| State, we have Kalgoorlie which is famous from | | | | to relate to them in a new and confusing context |
| the gold rush days and where gold continues to | | | | between their old culture and the western style |
| be mined. The best known of all areas however is | | | | now entrenched as the social culture for the |
| the South West corner of the State with its tall | | | | Australian people. The indigenous people have a |
| timbers, rich farmlands, its many vineyards and | | | | choice-to blend with the mainstream of our |
| tourist attractions. Yet in spite of efforts to | | | | culture and benefit by the many material |
| de-centralise the population, Perth remains the hub | | | | advances or to return to tribal customs and |
| for life in this State and there are few other cities | | | | communities in lands put aside for them where |
| with any sized population.New South Wales is the | | | | they are free to live close to nature and |
| dominant State with a greater population than | | | | according to their ancient rituals and beliefs.Most |
| elsewhere. Its fine reputation is earned with its | | | | Australians however are inclined to believe in the |
| great natural wealth, interesting history, beautiful | | | | principle of integration in the community both of |
| landscapes and cosmopolitan social life of its | | | | the indigenous people and the immigrants and do |
| vibrant capital, Sydney. This being the city with an | | | | not favour any attitude of separation which is |
| exquisite harbour, opera house, beaches, sporting | | | | fostered by any vocal minority within any ethnic |
| fields, racing tracks and relaxed atmosphere | | | | group or community. Most of us feel that it is |
| attracts the majority of newcomers to our | | | | important that we stand as one people, a blend of |
| country. Outside the city are the Blue Mountains | | | | all individuals who must develop with pride, our |
| and places of interest, too many to | | | | special land where we are blessed with personal |
| mention.Queensland is also a huge State. Here I | | | | freedom which is seen as a value to be |
| have spent many years but unfortunately have | | | | maintained and cherished.I know and love this land, |
| had no opportunity to get to know more than | | | | this wide, brown land where flood and fire and |
| two areas, as the distances, similar to Western | | | | famine occur in nature's calendar of events. It |
| Australia, are so vast. The northern tropical area | | | | may seem a harsh land in some ways, but |
| is almost like another country when compared | | | | perhaps one best summarizes its qualities when |
| with that around the capital, Brisbane. The north | | | | assessing one's affections -I love the clear blue |
| attracts thousands of tourists who wish to enjoy | | | | skies, the clean sparkling oceans, the starry skies, |
| the climate and conditions for which the tropics | | | | the warmth and the heat haze, the sunshine, the |
| are famous and to explore the underwater | | | | interesting plants and flowers, the peace and |
| attractions of the Great barrier Reef which | | | | security with no civil wars and strife, the vastness |
| extends for hundreds of miles down the coast. | | | | and sense of space, the hope born of increasing |
| Along with the vast production of sugar, bananas | | | | enterprise and care, the ancient landscapes and |
| and tropical fruits, the lush growth of the natural | | | | powerful forces of nature at work, the easy |
| rainforests provides a superb feast for the | | | | going attitudes of the people and the generous |
| adventurer.Victoria is a smaller State but a | | | | spirit felt through the land, but also through the |
| wealthy one which accumulated its riches through | | | | expression of society. We are a fortunate |
| gold mining, through its natural resources and it | | | | country, both in our natural wealth and in the |
| primary production. Melbourne, its capital is a very | | | | vibrancy of our creative spirit where the |
| large spreading city with large Greek, Italian and | | | | democratic values are upheld by our people and |
| migrant population. It is for its focus upon the arts | | | | our governments. We are generous in giving aid |
| and the cultural aspects of life that it is famous. | | | | and help to others less fortunate.But we are the |
| The climate directs its difference in cultivation of | | | | driest continent on earth. We have transformed |
| deciduous and cold climate plants and gardens, in | | | | and beautified many landscapes by human effort |
| contrast with the other States and horticulture is | | | | and our cultivation of forests, parks, |
| one of its most successful enterprises, attracting | | | | farmlands.What more wondrous future if we had |
| many tourists to the beautiful Dandenong Ranges. | | | | more rain? |