While the Outback grit and generosity pervade the country, other regions boast their own unique qualities. Sydney and Melbourne, beyond engaging in an incessant squabble about which city retains cultural supremacy, provide the backbone to the cosmopolitan center of the country. Graced by green parks, world-renowned theatres, and robust nightlife, these cities attract a diverse international community and spawn eclectic neighborhoods where Thai cuisine is as predominant as Australian meatpies and a Greek accent is as common as an Australian twang.
North of Sydney, the string of gorgeous beaches along the eastern seaboard lure an even longer line of barefoot, barely clad backpackers. Largely an international community sprinkled with a healthy dose of Aussies, these bands of tanned youth head north in search of the perfect wave and the craziest party. The young personalities with their Bali-made sarongs add color to the otherwise sleepy Queensland towns.
Just beyond the buzz of backpacker culture, one finds the genuine appeal of the tropical north. The Great Barrier Reef, with its colorful underwater landscapes and abundant marine life, continues to dazzle visitors and earn its reputation as a great natural wonder. In the turquoise waters of the South Pacific and the lush of Cape Tribulation, there is an inspiring beauty that is unique to Australia and almost unparalleled in the rest of the world.
