10Cable Beach, Broome

flickr/Ianz

Cable Beach is located in Broome in Western Australia and is considered by some to be

this state’s most popular destination. It is a stunning beach, known for its white sands,

beautiful sunsets and the brilliant blue waters of the Indian Ocean. Cable Beach is also

famous for its camel rides on the beach. Those who prefer motorized transportation can

choose to cross the sands in a four-wheel-drive vehicle instead.

9Fraser Island

flickr/Phillie Casablanca

This beautiful island, which is located in Queensland, boasts rainforests, sand dunes, more

than 100 freshwater lakes and pretty colored sand cliffs. Fraser Island, which is just a short

ferry trip from Hervey Bay, is also considered to be the largest sand island in the world. This

island boasts another unusual claim to fame — its dingoes are considered to be some of

the most pure in all of Australia, as they have not had as many chances to crossbreed with

dogs as their mainland cousins have had.

8Great Ocean Road

flickr/andreweland

The Great Ocean Road, which is located in Victoria, is considered to be one of the most

beautiful drives in Australia. This 243 km (151 mile) drive starts in Torquay, which is located

about 100 km (60 miles) from Melbourne, and ends in Allansford. As it travels along

Victoria’s beautiful southwest coastline, the Great Ocean Road passes by some of the most

stunning scenery in Australia, including The Twelve Apostles, which are pretty limestone

stack formations that rise out of the ocean near Port Campbell National Park. There are

also a number of places along the Great Ocean Road where you can spot some of

Australia’s famous wildlife, including kangaroos, fur seals and emus.

7Purnululu National Park

flickr/ciamabue

Located in Western Australia, Purnululu National Park is home to one of Australia’s most

unique tourist attractions known as the Bungle Bungle Range — striking orange-and-black-

striped sandstone domes that resemble huge beehives. Surprisingly, the site was known

only to local Aboriginal Australians and farmers until recently. In fact, it only became famous

after a documentary was made of the area in 1983. The park is also home to Cathedral

Gorge, an amazing natural amphitheater. Because Purnululu National Park is located in a

fairly remote area, visitors to its two campsites must pack in and out all of their essential

supplies.

6Blue Mountains National Park

The Blue Mountains National Park is located in New South Wales, approximately 80 km (50

miles) west of Sydney. Its proximity to the biggest city in Australia has made this scenic

park a popular day trip for both tourists and locals alike. The park is probably best known for

the Three Sisters, a rock formation that towers 900 meter (3000 foot) above the Jamison

Valley. The Blue Mountains National Park features miles of trails for hikers and mountain

bikers, and it is also a popular natural playground for adventurers who enjoy adrenaline

sports such as rock climbing and abseiling. Visitors who prefer a more tame way to enjoy

the Blue Mountains National Park can climb aboard the glass-roofed carriages of the

Katoomba Scenic Railway, which is the steepest passenger railway in the world.

See also: 8 Great Day Trips from Sydney

5Whitsunday Islands

This stunning collection of 74 islands lies in the middle of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef,

making them a perfect jumping off spot for travelers looking to explore the amazing and

colorful marine life that live in the waters of this area. Although most of the Whitsunday

Islands are deserted, seven do have outstanding resorts on them, including the world-

famous One&Only on Hayman Island, a favorite of celebrities and the rich and famous. One

of the most beautiful of the Whitsunday Islands is Whitehaven Beach, which boasts blinding

white sands. These islands are the perfect choice for travelers seeking a blissful vacation

on a lovely tropical island or for those who enjoy hours of snorkeling and scuba diving.

4Kakadu National Park

wikipedia/Nigel Malone

Located in Australia’s Northern Territory, about three hours north of Darwin, Kakadu is the

country’s largest national park. There is a lot to see in Kakadu National Park, including a

large concentration of Aboriginal rock art; some of which are estimated to be up to 20,000

years old. This park is also home to many different species of wildlife, including wallabies,

dingoes and crocodiles. In addition, Kakadu National Park, which is home to one-third of

Australia’s bird species, is a birdwatcher’s dream.

3Uluru/Ayers Rock

flickr/Corey Leopold

One of the world’s largest monoliths, Ayers Rock is also one of the top tourist attractions in

Australia. Located within the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park of the Northern Territory, this

large sandstone formation stands more than 340 meters (1,100 feet) high. One of the rock’s

peculiarities is that it changes colors dramatically at sunset from terra cotta to blue, violet

and red. The local Aboriginal tribe, known as Anangu, call the rock Uluru and regard it as a

sacred site.

2Great Barrier Reef

One of the top destinations for underwater explorers and scuba divers is the world’s largest

barrier reef system, famously known as the Great Barrier Reef. Located in the Coral Sea,

the Great Barrier Reef encompasses a huge area of more than 2,900 coral reefs and

hundreds of islands and cays. The best way to explore the Reef is by one of the numerous

boat cruises that run along the northern coast of Queensland. The town of Cairns is

regarded as the main gateway to the Reef, but other towns also offer cruise operations.

1Sydney Opera House

flickr/Pavel Sigarteu

Regarded as a 20th century architectural masterpiece, the Sydney Opera House was

designed and built by architect, Jørn Utzon, to reflect the image of a huge sailing ship. It

houses multiple venues that together host more than 1,500 performances each year.

Surrounded by the beautiful scenery of the Sydney Harbour and the Royal Botanic

Gardens, the famous Opera House in Sydney is one of Australia’s most famous landmarks.

See also: Where to Stay in Sydney

Fraser IslandIsland in Queensland, Australia

Fraser Island, off Australia’s eastern Queensland coast, is the world's largest sand island, stretching over 120km. Panoramic viewpoints include Indian Head, a rocky outcrop on the island's easternmost tip, and the Cathedrals, a cliff famous for sculpted ribbons of coloured sand. It's a camping and ecotourism destination, with popular beaches and swimming sites at Lake McKenzie, Lake Wabby and other freshwater pools.

 Australian: Culture and Customs

1. 1. Australia:Culture and Customs by Darlan Florêncio de Arruda Number One/CAF42. 2. Summary Australian Society and Culture Business Customs in Australia Australian

Customs and Way Some Curiosities of Australia of Life Australia: Culture and Customs3. 3. Australian Society & Culture A Multi-Cultural Society Australia: Culture and Customs4. 4. Australian Customs & Way of Life Meeting Customs Gift Giving Customs Dining Customs

Australia: Culture and Customs5. 5. Business Customs in Australia Relationships & Communication Business Meeting

Negotiating and Decision Making Australia: Culture and Customs6. 6. Some Curiosities of Australia • The name Australia comes from the Latin “Australis", that

means “From the south”; • The countrys official name is Commonwealth of Australia; • Many people think that the capital of Australia is Sydney, but the truth is Canberra; • Despite having been colonized by the British, Australia was discovered by the Dutch; • The kangaroo meat is highly appreciated by the Australian people, including soups; • Australian laws prohibit the sale of alcoholic beverages in supermarkets or in any other establishment, outside the bottle shops (restaurants and bars). Australia: Culture and Customs

7. 7. Thank You All 8. 8. Australia:Culture and Customs by Darlan Florêncio de Arruda Number One/CAF4

1. 1. AUSTRALIA2. 2. Australia is in the Southern Hemisphere . Because it is south of the equator, the seasons

in Australia are the opposite of those in Europe: it ’ s winter in Australia when it ’ s summer in Europe . LOCATION

3. 3. <ul><li>- It’s the 6th biggest country in the world. </li></ul><ul><li>- It’s an island , surrounded by water. </li></ul><ul><li>- It’s the smallest continent in the world. </li></ul>

4. 4. Australia is composed of 7 territories : Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria + Tasmania, and Papua New Guinea.

5. 5. James Cook discovered Australia in 1770. Britain sent prisoners and criminals to Australia. Europeans sold the land of Aborigines and killed thousands of them. HISTORY

6. 6. Native Australians. The Aborigines have lived in Australia for over 40,000 years. Now they only represent 1% of the population. The total population of Australia is 22 million.

7. 7. The capital city is Canberra . CITIES The biggest city is Sydney, where there is the famous Sydney Opera House .

8. 8. OTHER IMPORTANT CITIES Melbourne Perth Adelaide Brisbane9. 9. Where are the majority of important cities in Australia?

10. 10. GEOGRAPHY Uluru (Ayers Rock) is the world’s largest monolith. It is s a cre d for Aborigines. It is very popular with tourists because of its beautiful colours.

11. 11. THE AUSTRALIAN FLAG Union Flag 6th British colony . The Commonwealth 7 pointed star represents the 7 territories. Southern cross symbolizes the constellation .

12. 12. The currency is the Australian dollar .13. 13. I n Australia it is usually very warm, so Australians love sport and other outdoor activities.

The m ost popular are : surfing s wimming scuba-diving cricket14. 14. TYPICAL ANIMALS Koala Kangaroo15. 15. Dingo Platypus Sugar glider16. 16. Tasmanian devil Wombat Possum17. 17. Australia has also some very poisonous snakes and spiders . At school children have to

learn first aid for snake and spider bites.18. 18. SOME AUSTRALIAN SYMBOLS19. 19. An Aborigine20. 20. Sydney Opera House built by Danish architect Jørn Utzon21. 21. Bondi Beach, Sydney22. 22. Other names for Australia <ul><li>Oz </li></ul><ul><li>Down Under </li></ul>23. 23. Ayers Rock or Uluru24. 24. A didgeridoo25. 25. A boomerang26. 26. Kangaroos in the Outback27. 27. The Great Barrier Ree f28. 28. Nicole Kidman, actress29. 29. Kylie Minogue, singer30. 30. AC/DC, music band31. 31. Elle Macherson, model32. 32. Hugh Jackman, actor

The Great Barrier Reef off of  Gold Coast Australia, is one of the most significant and

most important eco systems in the world. But, like the Amazon and any other amazing

eco havens on the world, it is always in danger, mostly by the worlds most invasive

species: Humans. Maybe by understanding some facts about Great  Barrier more, more

people will be moved to raise their voices and help preserve  this amazing natural

phenomenon.

Interesting Facts about the Great Barrier Reef

Img Src: blog.queensland.com

1. One of the seven natural wonders of the world, the Great Barrier reef is the largest

living structure on the planet and can be seen from space.

2. The Great Barrier Reef is made up with over 3000 different reefs, each with its own

ecosystem

3. Coral reefs take up less than one percent of the oceans, yet contain 1/4 of all marine

life. And the Great Barrier is the biggest of all.

4. There are 400 species of hard coral, 300 of soft coral, 1600 species of fish, 134

species of shark and Rays, 30 species of whale and dolphin, 6 species of turtle, 15

species of sea snake, 3000 species of mollusk and much more on the reef.

www.telegraph.co.uk

5. There are over 100 habitats on or around the great Barrier, besides the actual reef, in

and out of the water. The reef we explore is only around 7% of the Barrier.

6. All the habitats of the Great Barrier interconnect and are vital to the well-being of the

actual reef, making it one of the most complex and diverse ecosystems on earth.

7. The Great Barrier is over 2000 kilometers long, and the area between the Reef and

the mainland are almost twice the area of the British isles.

8. Two thirds of this are in-between is a giant shifting sandy desert, or lagoon, but that

also has plenty of life. Such as garden eels, rays and burrowing fish and shrimp.

Img Src: www.britannica.com

9. Sting rays have special muscles that allow it to detect tiny beating hearts, making it

easy to find prey in these sands. Hammerheads are THIER biggest enemies.

10. Nearly half of all fish grow up in nurseries among soft coral, making them vital to

their numbers. Most in the soft coals in the lagoon between the Barrier and mainland.

Eventually making their way east to the main reef later.

11. During the last ice age, sea levels were 120 meters lower than they are today, and

the whole Barrier area was covered in forest. Then the ice melted about 10000 years

ago and the Barrier slowly grew, creating the sheltered lagoon behind it.

12. There are 600 small islands scattered about this lagoon that appeared when the

waters rose. On some islands are huge monitor lizards that feed on giant grasshoppers.

Again, each of these islands and habitats are an important part of the whole system.

13. In the forests of these islands in the lagoon is giant fruit bats, with 3 foot wing

spans. They dwell in trees and not caves.

14. The SS Yongala is a 100 meter passenger ship that sank in the lagoon in 1911 at

around 30 meters deep. It is a huge fish sanctuary as well as tourist attraction for

divers. It is regarded by many as the greatest wildlife wreck on earth

Img Src: www.micktait.com The Yongala Wreck

15. After 100 years underwater in the barren plains of the lagoon, the SS Yongala has

turned into a haven for fish and reef, much like an underwater island. It boast more

than 100 fish species and many types of reef living here. The current brings in so much

food that fish stay here their whole lives, rather than making their way to the reef like

the rest of the lagoon fish.

16. The hulls of the wreck are completely covered in soft corals, attracting and

sheltering millions of fish in the otherwise featureless landscape. There are even 1000

pound groupers hunting here.

17. Arguably, there is more concentration of life on the 100 meters of the Yangala

wreck, then there is on the reef itself. (Why doesn’t Australia sink more ships?!)

18. Vast meadows of shallow water sea grass surrounds the lagoon islands, where

dugongs thrive. Dugongs are one of Australia’s threatened species, but there are still

more of them (11,000) in the Great Barrier waters than anywhere on earth.

Img Src: world.time.com

19. Mangroves of the Barrier grow in brackish water where no other trees can, where

salt and fresh water meet. They are instrumental to the health of the Reef. The huge

weave and tangle of roots trap river sentiments and create mud, where tons of tiny

species thrive, and the bigger fish can feed before making their way to to reef. Many

vital predators of the Reef start their lives in the sanctuary of the mangroves. Then later

make the journey across the lagoon the the reef.

20. The most dangerous fish in the lagoon or reef is the box jelly fish. It has 24 eyes and

60 venomous tentacles with enough poison to kill humans.

Img Src: cwildlife.blogspot.com

21. There are huge tropical rain forests on islands in the lagoon that get some of the

most rainfall in the world. The forests are vital to the reef because it filters the flood of

sentiments that come through the rivers, and would smother the marine life. The rivers

on the islands are filtered just enough to feed the reefs, not bury it.

22. Intrusion and clearing of the forests for resorts and sugarcane farms, are destroying

its ability to filter the water. Giant sentiment and silt plums can be seen around these

islands where the forest has been cleared. Is smothers and kills the sea grass first, then

the dugongs and turtles and baby fish die with it. Causing a chain reaction. They are all

interdependent and if you kill one they all die.

Img src: www.birdway.com.au

23. cassowary are the very rare and huge bird that are native to these tropical islands.

They are nearly 3 meters high with huge claws. But there are only 2000 in the wild and

dwindling.

24. The Great Barrier Reef national park attracts 1.5 million tourists a year, injecting 7

billion dollars a year into the local economy. Making it even more important to the

world, and worth saving, even if it didn’t have all the environmental, non monetary

benefits.

Img src: imgkid.com

25. Sandy coral islands in the lagoon are the largest green turtle breeding ground in the

world. Some islands have seen 26,000 female turtles in a single night.

26. During low tide, some parts of the reef gets exposed to the open air. Coral polyps

retract into their hard reefs, then secrete a slime that works as a sun screen, until the

tides come back.

Img Src: beyazgazete.com. It can walk on its fins.

27. When caught out of water on top of the reefs as the tide goes down, tiny Epaulette

shark shut off parts of their body so they don’t have to breath, and can walk on the reef

or land. It actually thrives by hunting on top of reefs where other fish are caught. It

swims in shallow pools then walks up on top of the reef. Making a very unique shark,

indigenous to The Great Barrier.

28. Coral is actually herbivores. At night polyps open up and snatch tiny shrimps and

things floating in the current. They have jellyfish like tentacles and suck in their prey.

29. The worlds largest synchronized breeding events is when the Barrier’s coral spawns,

only a few nights a year during certain moon phases. One these nights, billions of coral

eggs and sperm are released, flooding the entire 2000 kilometers of reef. The timing is

perfect as there’s a lull in the current, and the thousands of different species of egg and

sperm can somehow find each other. Its known as the biggest coral spawning in the

world.

30. When the coral spawns, the tiny baby corals join the plankton in the current, which

consist of every type of minute fish species. One jar of this plankton-filled water can

have thousands of species of coral and fish. And each coral can possibly start its own

colony.

10 Facts About The Great Barrier Reef

1. The Reef is actually a vast composite reef which is made up of around 2,900 individual, unique reef formations. These separate reefs can range in size from anywhere between an impressive 1 hectare to a staggering 100,000 hectares in size.

2. The entire Great Barrier Reef covers an area of over 34,000,000 hectares (344,044 square Km), which is more total land area than the entire country of Italy. It edges around a massive 2,300 km of stunning Gold Coast coastline from Southern Queensland up to the Torres Strait.

3. The wide and diverse life that has made its home of the reef is a reflection of the mature and well established ecosystem that has established itself in the area, which has gained it the recognition of being one of the world’s most diverse ecosystems currently known to man.

4. It is currently estimated that there are over 1,500 different species of fish that have made the Great Barrier Reef their home which represents as least 10% of the known species of fish around the world. Have a glimpse below the waves with google street view.

Dive with turtles on the GBR

Photo credit.

1. Add to the 1,500 species of fish another 4,000 individual species of molluscs, 400 unique and distinct types of sponges and at least 360 different species of hard corals and you probably have the most densely populated and rich ecosystem on the planet.

2. Many endangered species have made the reef their home, like amazing loggerhead and green turtles who seem to glide effortlessly through the beautiful blue waters, with the reef also being the preferred breeding ground of the majestic humpback whale who make the journey here every year.

3. Though the Great Barrier Reef does nothing but simply exist, and for the most part remains out of view, it manages to contribute in excess of $6 Billion to the economy ofAustralia, purely in the amount of tourism it attracts to the Australian coastal resorts.

4. Along with the boost to the Australian economy the reef also provides a range of jobs in the tourism and leisure industry, enough jobs for approximately 63,000 people in total up and down the coastline.

5. The Great Barrier Reef attracts over 1,000,000 visitors annually who come to experience the reef for themselves, whether they choose to snorkel or dive or simply swim in the beautiful waters here, it is the reef that draws them to the region.

6. The reef has been designated a World Heritage Site which means it is for all intents and purposes an underwater National Park, which has earned it the title of being one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. Anyone who has experienced the reef for themselves will certainly agree with that description of it.

Fun & Interesting Fraser Island Facts

Fraser Island is known as K’Gari (paradise) to the Aborigines

Measuring 120km by 15km, Fraser Island is the largest sand island in the world

The island was created over hundreds of thousands of years from sand drifting off

the east coast of mainland Australia

Fraser Island is the only place in the world where the rainforest grows on sand

The island is home to a profusion of bird life and wildlife including the purest strain of

dingo in Australia

Fraser Island is home to striking blue freshwater lakes, crystalline creeks, giant

dunes and lush rainforests

The vegetation varies from dense tropical rainforest and wild heath to wetlands and

wallum scrub

Over 350,000 people visit the island each year making Fraser Island feel like a

congested beach highway sometimes

Fraser Island got its name from Eliza Fraser, a Scottish woman who was the wife of

the captain of the ill-fated ship, Stirling Castle that shipwrecked on the island

Fraser Island joined the World Heritage list in 1992

The northern half of the island is protected as the Great Sandy National Park while

the rest consists of state forest, crown land and private land

A 4WD is necessary to drive on Fraser Island

You will need permits for vehicles and camping on Fraser Island, and these must be

purchased before you arrive

 The architect Jorn Utzon was initially rejected by three judges in a 1956 competition to design the

Sydney Opera House, but his entry was picked out by the fourth judge, renowned American architect

Eero Saarinen, who declared it outstanding. Mr Utzon beat 232 other entrants.

2. He won £5,000 for his design.

3. Mr Utzon had never visited the site of the Sydney Opera House before entering the design

competition, but used his naval experience to study charts of the harbour

Workers install lights on

the 185 metres long, 120 metres wide Sydney Opera House

4. Work started on it in 1959, with 10,000 builders employed.Related Articles

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5. Mr Utzon resigned as chief architect of the Opera House in February 1966, after a new Liberal

government was elected and the Minister of Works stopped payments to him. There were protests in

the streets, demanding that Utzon be reinstated, but he left Australia in April of the same year, and

never returned to see his design take shape.

6. The Sydney Opera House Trust took up communicating with Mr Utzon again in the late Nineties,

and the architect was appointed as a design consultant for future works.

7. When Queen Elizabeth II opened the Sydney Opera House on October 20, 1973, Utzon was

awarded the Gold Medal of the Royal Institute of Architects Australia – but was absent from the

ceremony.

8. The Sydney Opera House’s construction cost $AUS 102 million (£60 million) – the original

estimated cost was $AUS 7 million (£4.1 million).

9. The Opera House’s sails were built using cranes made specifically for the job in France, each

costing $AUS 100,000 (£59,000)

10. The building is 185 metres long and 120 metres wide.

11. The highest roof point is 67 metres above sea-level - the same as a 22-storey high building

12. Its roof is made of 2,194 pre-cast concrete sections.

13. These sections weigh up to 15 tons each…

14. …and are held together by 350km of tensioned steel cable...

15. ...which if laid end-to-end would reach Canberra

16. The roof is covered with more than one million tiles, made by Swedish company Höganas.

17. The building has 6,225 square metres of glass and 645 kilometres of electric cable.

18. The glass used in the building is unique to the Sydney Opera House, and was made to order in

France.

19. The architectural style is Expressionist Modernism – which involves innovative form and use of

novel materials.

20. The entire site covers an area of 5.798 hectares. Eight Boeing 747s could sit wing-to-wing on the

site.

21. The House hosts 3,000 events every year.

22. Two hundred thousand people per year take a guided tour of the building.

23. Its performances have an annual audience of two million.

24. The largest of the seven venues, the Concert Hall, has 2,679 seats.

25. The smallest is the Utzon room, which seats up to 210 people.

26. The Concert Hall’s Grand Organ is the largest mechanical version of this instrument in the world,

with 10,154 pipes. It took ten years to build.

27. Total rooms? 1,000.

28. 15,500 lightbulbs are changed every year at the Opera House.

29. The 40th anniversary is being celebrated with a month-long calendar of events throughout

October, including a large concert on 27th October with performances by the Sydney Symphony

Orchestra, Opera Australia and Sydney Philharmonia Choirs.

The Sydeny Opera House

was a focal point during

the Summer 2000

Olympics

30. You won’t go hungry

or thirsty at the Sydney

Opera House: it has three

restaurants, a café, an

espresso bar, and opera

and theatre bars.

31. The building was

listed as a UNESCO

World Heritage site in 2007, and the organisation describes it as "great urban sculpture set in a

remarkable waterscape, at the tip of a peninsula projecting into Sydney Harbour."

32. Arnold Schwarzenegger won his final Mr Olympia body building title in the Concert Hall in 1980.

33. During the Eighties, a net was put in place above the orchestra pit in the Opera Theatre, after a

live chicken walked off the stage during a performance of Boris Godunov and landed on a cellist.

34. The Sydney Opera House was the setting for Jon Cleary’s crime novel Helga’s Web, in which a

body is found in the building’s basement. The book was made into a film starring, Scobie Malone, in

1975.

35. The building is open to the public 363 days a year, closing only on Christmas Day and Good

Friday. But staff work 24/7, 365 days of the year.

36. The first person to perform at the Sydney Opera House was Paul Robeson - in 1960, he sang Ol'

Man River to the construction workers as they ate lunch.

37. The first opera performed at the house was Sergei Prokofiev's War and Peace, on September 28

1973.

38. The House was originally a popular film-screening venue, with a particular surfing movie theme.

39. The venue served as the focus for triathlon events during the 2000 Summer Olympics.

40. Since opening the Opera House, the Queen has visited four times

Uluru was named "Ayers Rock" by Europeans in 1873 when William Gosse gave it

its title after Sir Henry Ayers, the Chief Secretary of South Australia at the time.

Uluru was originally formed under the ocean, and gradually hardened over the

course of hundreds of thousands of years

The landmark has been officially known as "Uluru / Ayers Rock" since 2002, and

stands as one of the few dual-named geographical features in Australia.

Uluru stands 348 metres above sea level at its tallest point (24m higher than the

Eiffel Tower), yet it resembles a “land iceberg” as the vast majority of its mass is

actually underground - almost 2.5km worth!

Uluru is estimated to be around 600 million years old.

The greater Uluru area is considered a sacred site by native Aborigines,

particularly the local Anangu tribe who are considered its traditional land owners.

While climbing the rock is not illegal, it is still considered disrespectful to the

Aboriginal culture and has resulted in 37 deaths since the 1950's.

Uluru was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site back in 1987.

The closest real "town" to Uluru is Alice Springs, which is around 450km away

Uluru has one of the best sunsets in the country - in fact, it was voted in

the Australia's Top 10 Sunsets - due to the amazing red that comes from a

combination of the angle of the sun, minerals in the rock and the reflection of the

surrounding soil

If you're planning to enter the park, you'll have to pay a $25 entry fee per adult

(kids can enter free), which lasts for 3 days.

Uluru FactsUluru is probably Australia’s best-known natural landmark. The ancient monolith is pretty impressive close up and boasts intriguing statistics. Here are some facts on Uluru:

FACT: Uluru is better known as Ayers Rock; it named by William Gosse in 1873 after Sir Henry Ayers. Uluru is the Aboriginal and official name.

FACT: The rock was created over some 600 million years, and the Aborigines have been in the area for the last 10,000 years. It originally sat at the bottom of a sea, but today stands 348m above ground. One of the most startling Uluru facts however, is that some 2.5kms of its bulk is underground.

FACT: Uluru lies west of the Simpson Desert, not far from the ‘Red Centre’ of Australia, about 335kms southwest of Alice Springs (as the crow flies) and 463kms by road. Contrary to popular belief, it isn’t the biggest monolith in the world; Mount Augustus in Western Australia holds that title

More Uluru Facts FACT: Other Uluru Facts: the rock is about 3.6kms long and 1.9kms wide, with a circumference of

9.4kms. The climb to the top is 1.6kms, much of which is at a steep angle, while the summit is generally flat. The surface is made up of valleys, ridges, caves and weird shapes that were created through erosion over millions of years. Surface oxidation of its iron content gives the would-be grey Uluru a striking orange-red hue.

FACT:  The nearby Kata Tjuta (or Olgas) are said to originate from a similar time. They are thought to have originally been one massive monolith, as opposed to the 36 separate domes they are today – one of the lesser known Uluru facts. They are a part of Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, which was founded in 1950 as ‘Ayers Rock-Mount Olga National Park’, changing to its current title in 1995. The Aboriginals own the land, although the Australian government currently holds a 99-year lease.

How big is Uluru?Uluru… is 348 metres (1141 feet) high rises 863 metres (2,831 ft) above sea level is 3.6 km long (2.2 miles) is 1.9 km wide (1.2 miles) is 9.4 km or 5.8 miles around the base covers 3.33 km2 (1.29 miles2) extends about several km/miles into the ground (no-one knows exactly how far)

The Sydney Harbour Bridge up close at Milson's Pointlarge image

The Sydney Harbour Bridge is iconic to Australia. Many a snapshot has been taken by locals and tourists alike in admiration of this engineering beauty. Completed in 1932, the harbour bridge is also a major artery that connects Sydney CBD with the North Shore and all traffic north of Sydney. Here are some interesting facts about this bridge that, together with the Opera House, identifies Sydney and Australia with the rest of the world:

1 When the bridge was inaugurated on 19 March 1932, the ceremonial ribbon cutting was supposed to be done by NSW Premier the Hon. John T. Lang. However, Capt. Francis de Groot of the New Guard paramilitary group beat him to it. Capt. de Groot cut the ribbon with his sword! (He was subsequently arrested, the ribbon tied back together, and the ceremonial cutting proceeded without further hitches).

2 The public was allowed to walk across the deck of the bridge when it was first opened in 1932, repeated only 50 years later in 1982. If you are in Sydney in 2032, the centenary of the Sydney Harbour Bridge might be the next opportunity to do this again, so mark you calendar and do not miss that chance.

The Sydney Harbour Bridge as seen from Observatory Hill, The Rocks.large image

3 The bridge has been load tested with 96 steam locomotives in various configurations. This gives us an assurance that the bridge can carry that much load, but it does not mean that the bridge will not be able to carry even more.

4 There are about 6 million Australian made rivets used in the bridge, and the largest of these would be the 395-millimeter-long rivets which weighed around 3.5 kilograms.

5 The granite face of the four 89-meter-high pylons of the bridge used around 17,000 cubic meters of granite blocks quarried near the historic town of Moruya and transported to Sydney 300 kilometers north using ships specially built for such purpose.

The pedestrian walkway at the Sydney Harbour Bridge is perfect for jogging.large image

6 The Sydney Harbour Bridge is the world's largest steel bridge, but unfortunately is not the longest.

7 Despite the boom in the Australian mining industry in recent years, particularly the demand for Aussie steel, only twenty one percent (21%) of the steel used to build the harbour bridge was sourced from Australia. Seventy

nine percent (79%) of the steel used in building the bridge was imported from England.

8 The Sydney Harbour Bridge contains a total of 52,800 tonnes of steel, which includes the arch and the approach spans. It is engineered to withstand expansion or contraction due to heating or cooling by 420 millimeters for the deck and 180 millimeters for the arch.

Under the Sydney Harbour Bridgelarge image

9 It took 272,000 litres of paint for the initial 3 coats of the harbour bridge. At one time, a team commissioned to repaint the bridge was virtually permanently employed because after they completed the last coat of paint, it was about time to start the next one.

10 It took 1,400 men eight years to build the bridge at a cost of 4.2 million dollars and 16 lives lost. Homes of up to 800 families living along the path of the bridge were also demolished without any compensation given.