Page 7 - Australia Destination Guide - Aluring Asia

THE LAND Australia is politically divided into six states and two territories, each one offering a different experience for the traveler. There is the drama of the remote 'Outback', the colorful spectacle of the Great Barrier Reef and its coral islands, the excitement of the cosmopolitan cities, the sun and surf at some of the best beaches in the world, and the tropical rainforests of Western Australia. The list is endless in this diverse land of adventure, S O U T H P A C I F I C which boasts 2,000 national parks and 14 World Heritage-listed area, along with more than 7,000 beaches. PAGE 3 Australia is a land of character too, with its melting pot of cultures. For more than 50,000 years the Aboriginal Population | Time | Visas people lived and thrived in the continent's unique environment. It is believed the Aboriginals are the world's History oldest civilization, and in recent years there has been a resurgence of interest in keeping the Aboriginal PAGE 4-5 culture alive and flourishing. History PAGE 6 CLIMATE Language Australia is temperate, most of the country receiving more than 3,000 hours of sunshine a year. In summer (December to March) the average temperature is 84°F (29°C). The hottest region is the northern two-thirds of PAGE 7 The Land | Climate the continent, which experiences humid and wet conditions in summer. Further south summer is warm with occasional hot spells and mild nights. Winter (June to August) averages 56°F (13°C) for the country as a PAGE 8 whole, with warm days and mild nights in the northern areas, becoming cool and showery in the south People | Health & Vaccinations (although there are still plenty of sunny days). PAGE 9 Currency | Credit Cards AVERAGE TEMPERATURE & RAINFALL Safety & Crime | Tipping Etiquette PAGE 10 Etiquette | Taxis Safety & theft Sydney Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Rainfall(inches) 4.1 4.4 5.2 5.1 4.8 5.1 4.0 3.2 2.7 3.3 3.2 3.1 PAGE 11 Min Temp (F) 66 66 64 58 52 48 46 48 52 56 60 63 Shopping | Customs Max Temp (F) 78 78 76 72 67 62 61 64 68 71 74 77 PAGE 12-13 Food & Drinks | Religion Insurance Melborne Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Rainfall(inches) 1.8 1.9 1.9 2.2 2.1 1.9 1.8 1.9 2.2 2.6 2.3 2.3 PAGE 14 Min Temp (F) 57 58 55 51 47 44 42 44 46 49 52 55 Culture & The Arts Max Temp (F) 78 78 75 68 62 57 56 59 63 67 71 75 Ayers Rock/Uluru Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Rainfall(inches) 1.0 1.5 1.4 0.5 0.4 0.7 0.8 0.2 0.3 0.9 1.3 1.6 Min Temp (F) 73 72 66 58 49 42 40 42 51 58 64 69 102 98 94 86 75 67 69 69 74 85 95 97