South Australia (Australia)

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South Australia is bounded by other states on the west, east and north, and flanked in the south by the Southern Ocean. Most of its population of 1.5 million live in the fertile coastal area and the valley of the Murray River, which is the state's only navigable river and drains about one-seventh of Australia. The northern landscape consists largely of dry wasteland, with several low mountain ranges. The most impressive mountains are the Mt Lofty-Flinders ranges, extending about 500 miles (800km) from Cape Jervis to the northern end of Lake Torrens. The capital of South Australia is Adelaide, known as the City of Churches.

South Australia is famous mainly for its wine and opals. More than half of Australia's wine is produced here, the vineyards flourishing in its Mediterranean climate, and the State's three major opal fields, Coober Pedy, Mintabie and Andamooka, supply around 80 percent of the total world production of these sought-after gemstones.

By way of contrast it is also home to some of Australia's best known wines, fleets of paddlewheel steamers that cruise the last stages of the Murray River before it completes its journey at Lake Alexandrina, a naturalist haven at Kangaroo Island and excellent hiking and bush walking in the Flinders Ranges . The ocean off the southern coast provide excellent seafood and many of the coastal villages are home to an assortment of fishing fleets.

The majority of the population and business activity is located in the south east corner of the state on the Eyre and Yorke Peninsulas which sit on either side of Spencer Gulf. There are several small mining centres in the more remote inland areas. South Australia boasts one of the few remaining classic train trips, being "The Ghan" which runs north-south between Adelaide and Darwin in the Northern Territory. The name was taken from the word Afghan in recognition of the original camel train drivers who established many of the inland routes in Australia.

While not the biggest of the states, South Australia is nevertheless still very big and a journey of a couple of hundred kilometres is considered a short trip. In terms of distance, the state is approximately 1350 kilometres (845 miles) north-south and 1200 kilometres (750 miles) east-west. Those are straight line map distances, actual road distances are considerably further.

The state experiences climate variations ranging from coastal mediterranean to desert extremes. Winter is June - August and temperatures along a narrow coastal strip range from around 6°C min. to 15°C max. Away from the coastal influence, the inland regions experience minimums around 4°C rising to 20°C maximums.

Summer is December - February and temperatures along a narrow coastal strip range from around 15°C min. to 27°C max. Temperatures in the central desert areas can be extreme with summer maximums typically upwards of 40-45°C.

The southern areas of the state experience winter rains. The further removed from the coast, the less the rainfall and that which does fall is not necessarily seasonal. The Australian Bureau of Meteorology provides detailed weather information.

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Population: 20.090.400
Languages: English 79%, native and other languages
Currency: Australian dollar
Currency code: AUD
Local Times:
Australia - Australian Capital Territory - Canberra

Australia - New South Wales - Sydney

Australia - Tasmania - Hobart

Australia - Western Australia - Perth

Country Dialling Code: +61
Voltage: 240V 50Hz
Electrical plugs:
Flat prongs, inverted 'V' positioned with earth connector

Flat prongs, inverted 'V' positioned with earth connector

Australia, officially called the Commonweath of Australia, is a country in the southern hemisphere comprising the continental mainland (the smallest of the World\'s continents).

The continent of Australia, with the island state of Tasmania, is approximately equal in area to the United States (excluding Alaska and Hawaii). Mountain ranges run from north to south along the east coast, reaching their highest point in Mount Kosciusko (7,308 ft; 2,228 m). The western half of the continent is occupied by a desert plateau that rises into barren, rolling hills near the west coast. The Great Barrier Reef, extending about 1,245 mi (2,000 km), lies along the northeast coast. The island of Tasmania (26,178 sq mi; 67,800 sq km) is off the southeast coast.

It may be one of the world's most ancient lands with its mystical red centre and brooding rock formations, but Australia is also characterised by its youthful energy, its freshness and its \'no worries\' philosophy.

Most of the population lives within a few miles of the beach and with the working day beginning and ending early, it\'s not uncommon to see city slickers out of their suits and into the surf come 4.30pm.

In high summer many families will enjoy a simple backyard barbecue several times a week.

The 22-hour journey means most European people visit for at least a couple of weeks, allowing time for all that the country has to offer, including its chic cities, terracotta desert, lush bush and magical ocean reefs.

But the sheer size of Australia means that one visit is unlikely to be enough.

The most popular attractions are undoubtedly Uluru (Ayers Rock), the Great Barrier Reef and the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge, but there are now more subtle incentives for a visit.

The wonderful fusion cuisine, the café society, the burgeoning art, culture and fashion scene, and the very real possibility of being the only person for miles around all conspire to make it a wholly alluring experience.

Australia is politically divided into six states and two territories, each one offering a different experience for the traveller. There is the drama of the remote \'Outback\', the colourful 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, which boasts 2,000 national parks and 14 World Heritage-listed areas, along with more than 7,000 beaches.

Australia is a land of character too, with its melting pot of cultures. For more than 50,000 years the Aboriginal people lived and thrived in the continent\'s unique environment. It is believed the Aboriginals are the world\'s oldest civilisation, and in recent years there has been a resurgence of interest in keeping the Aboriginal culture alive and flourishing.

The vast continent at the bottom of the world was the last landmass to be discovered by European explorers. Captain James Cook arrived in Botany Bay in 1770 and sparked off generations of emigration to Australia, which for some time served as a penal colony. It was not until 1860 that two explorers - Robert Burke and William Wills - became the first Europeans to cross Australia from south to north. The country remains a magnet for modern explorers and adventurers and has a great deal to offer tourists and holidaymakers.