Australia [antikvár]

r|'i n, l|i ,ii l' I' L ¦ I, 1, i ' I ¦'', v'li '-'i' -I , (,ii J ,¦ I; / III 'i; ntroduction There are few travel restrictions in Australia, no internal customs, no passport to produce when leaving one State or Territory for another. One currency is in use throughout the continent, and one language is understood by nearly all its inhabitants, from Darwin to Hobart, Perth to Sydney, Alice Springs to Lord Howe Island. This mighty continent is made for adventuring, for it is full of natinal marvels and unique plants and animals. There are primeval rainforests, awesome deserts, rugged, snow-capped ranges and a coastline of scenic splendours. The Great Barrier Reef, with its teeming marine life and enchanting islands, extends for 2000 kilometres along the north-eastern coast, and on the other side of the country are the dolphins and dugongs of Shark Bay. It is not necessary to travel far from the major cities to encounter fantastic landforms such as the Twelve Apostles in Victoria or the Three Sisters in New South Wales. Longer, well-planned adventures are safe and rewarding. A few hours' drive takes the traveller from Darwin to Kakadu, a few hours in a plane brings the majestic sight of Uluru, that breathtaking rock in the centre of the continent. Australia's cities are safe places to stroll, to savour the sights and to enjoy great meals and sophisticated shopping and entertainment. Country towns offer their own delights, from warm hospitality to historic buildings and a taste of life on the land outback. This is my Australia, and I spend as much time as I can wandering its highways and byways, always finding new places to see and new sights to record on film. This book brings together some of my favourite images, and as I turn its pages I relive the emotions that each place and each person aroused in me. I hope you enjoy this celebration of the country I love, and that it conveys my passion for this very special land. AUSTRALIA - a vast land Looking over Middle Harbour, to tile city centre of Sydney, New South Wales. Australia covers 7 682 300 square kilometres and has a population of over 17 million. The coastline is approximately 36 000 kilometres in length and the distance between the most easterly and most westerly points of the continent is about 4000 kilometres. All major Australian cities, except for Canberra, are on the coast.