Visiting Australia

To visitors from the northern and western hemispheres, Australia is rather the "other side of the world" -- a place that may be distant but is actually only about a day away by air from many places in North America and Europe. Australia is both continent and country and is one of the remaining places on earth where wilderness and desert are as...

If you're visiting for a short period of time and coming from certain designated countries, you probably won't need a visa as such but be able to get an electronic travel authority (ETA) or an eVisitor document from the Internet.

Plan your trip to Australia by knowing or having an idea of what to do, what to see, and what the different states and territories offer, and then working out an itinerary that can be as rigid or as flexible as you wish.

Here's some basic information about Australia so you can more easily make your choices when faced with multiple travel options.

Here's a picture and description of the Australian flag.

Advance Australia Fair is the national anthem of Australia. It is a revised version of a late 19th century patriotic song, and was officially declared the national anthem on April 19, 1984.

The Australian Outback is out there, but where exactly is it?

Australia weather and climate vary from north to south with the northern parts of the Northern Territory, Queensland and Western Australia in the tropics and the rest of the country in the temperate zone.

The Australian autumn begins in March and ends in May.

Winter in Australia takes place in June, July and August when it is summer in the northern hemisphere.

Check out the months when you plan to visit Australia for weather conditions, public holidays, events and festivals, and sundry information.

Six Australian states and two major mainland territories have their capital cities from the Top End in the north to the island state of Tasmania in the south.

Discover features of Australia's unique landscape and seascape found in numerous places in this continent nation.

Australia and its states and major territories have national, state and territory flowers as their floral emblems.

A number of Australian states and territories have adopted official animal emblems or symbolic state and territory animals.

Various Australian birds have been formally adopted by Australia's mainland territories and most of its states as their bird emblems.

Australian theme parks with a variety of rides and a carnival atmosphere are a particular attraction for the young and the young at heart. Here's where to find them.

The Australia highway around the Australian continent is Highway 1.

Hotels, motels, hostels, inns, B&Bs, caravan parks, camping grounds and other types of accommodation available in Australia.

Planning Australia travel includes knowing entry requirements, destinations, attractions and other travel information.

Test your knowledge of Australia.