Adelaide Adelaide's arts scene flourished in the 1970's under the leadership of premier Don Dunstan, removing some of the more puritanical restrictions on cultural activities then prevalent around Australia. Now the city is home to events such as the Barossa Music Festival, the Adelaide Festival of Arts, Adelaide Film Festival, Adelaide Festival of Ideas, Come Out youth arts festival, and the Fringe Festival, among others. WOMADelaide, Australia's premier world music event, is now annually held in the scenic surrounds of Botanic Park, emphasising Adelaide's dedication to the arts which has prevailed since the days of Don Dunstan. The annual Royal Adelaide Show, first held in 1840, began as a simple event for the state's farmers to show off their produce. Over time, it grew into a more general commercial fair held in early September in the inner suburb of Wayville, with carnival rides, food and entertainment surrounding the more traditional agricultural exhibitions and competitions.

Albury Sydney has local musical and theatrical institutions including the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, the Sydney Theatre Company, and the Sydney Dance Company. Annual cultural events include the Archibald Prize, a competition organised by the Art Gallery of New South Wales, and the Sydney Festival, a celebration of music, theatre and visual arts, held in January. The Sydney Opera House has five theatres capable of hosting a range of performance styles. For seven months of the year, it is the home of Opera Australia, the third busiest opera company in the world. Other venues include the Sydney Town Hall, City Recital Hall, the State Theatre and the Wharf Theatre.

Albury Sydney has local musical and theatrical institutions including the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, the Sydney Theatre Company, and the Sydney Dance Company. Annual cultural events include the Archibald Prize, a competition organised by the Art Gallery of New South Wales, and the Sydney Festival, a celebration of music, theatre and visual arts, held in January. The Sydney Opera House has five theatres capable of hosting a range of performance styles. For seven months of the year, it is the home of Opera Australia, the third busiest opera company in the world. Other venues include the Sydney Town Hall, City Recital Hall, the State Theatre and the Wharf Theatre.

Brisbane Brisbane also has many beautiful gardens and parklands. Popular with tourists are the rock-climbing cliffs which are located at the southern approach to the Story Bridge at Kangaroo Point, as well as the more than 27 km of bicycle pathways which line both sides of the river east and west of the city centre. Another new Brisbane attraction is the Story Bridge Adventure Climb [5]. The Story Bridge is one of only three legally climbable bridges in the world.

Brisbane Brisbane also has many beautiful gardens and parklands. Popular with tourists are the rock-climbing cliffs which are located at the southern approach to the Story Bridge at Kangaroo Point, as well as the more than 27 km of bicycle pathways which line both sides of the river east and west of the city centre. Another new Brisbane attraction is the Story Bridge Adventure Climb [5]. The Story Bridge is one of only three legally climbable bridges in the world.

Cairns Cairns is a popular travel destination for foreign tourists because of its proximity to many attractions and tropical climate. The Great Barrier Reef is only one and a half hours away by boat. The Daintree National Park and Cape Tribulation are popular areas for experiencing a true tropical rainforest. It is also a starting point for people wanting to explore Cooktown, Cape York Peninsula, and the Atherton Tableland. The city has used its natural surrounds to its full advantage with the construction of many small theme parks for tourists. Among them are the Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park and the Kuranda Skyrail Gondola Cableway, which extends for 7.5 kilometres over World Heritage rainforest.

Cairns Cairns is a popular travel destination for foreign tourists because of its proximity to many attractions and tropical climate. The Great Barrier Reef is only one and a half hours away by boat. The Daintree National Park and Cape Tribulation are popular areas for experiencing a true tropical rainforest. It is also a starting point for people wanting to explore Cooktown, Cape York Peninsula, and the Atherton Tableland. The city has used its natural surrounds to its full advantage with the construction of many small theme parks for tourists. Among them are the Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park and the Kuranda Skyrail Gondola Cableway, which extends for 7.5 kilometres over World Heritage rainforest.

Canberra Canberra is home to many national monuments and institutions such as the Australian War Memorial, the National Gallery of Australia, the National Portrait Gallery currently housed at Old Parliament House, the National Library of Australia, the National Archives of Australia, and the National Museum of Australia. Many Commonwealth government buildings in Canberra are open to the public, including Parliament House, the High Court and the Royal Australian Mint. Lake Burley Griffin is the site of the Captain Cook Memorial and the National Carillon. Other sites of interest include the Telstra Tower and the Australian National Botanic Gardens on Black Mountain, the National Zoo and Aquarium on Scrivener Dam, the National Dinosaur Museum and Questacon the National Science and Technology Centre.

Melbourne Melbourne is often referred to as Australia's garden city, and the state of Victoria is officially known as "the garden state". There is an abundance of parks and gardens close to the CBD with a variety of common and rare plant species amid landscaped vistas, pedestrian pathways, and tree lined avenues. There are also many parks in the surrounding suburbs of Melbourne, such as in the cities of Stonnington and Booroondara, south east of the CBD.

Melbourne Melbourne is often referred to as Australia's garden city, and the state of Victoria is officially known as "the garden state". There is an abundance of parks and gardens close to the CBD with a variety of common and rare plant species amid landscaped vistas, pedestrian pathways, and tree lined avenues. There are also many parks in the surrounding suburbs of Melbourne, such as in the cities of Stonnington and Booroondara, south east of the CBD.

Melbourne Melbourne is often referred to as Australia's garden city, and the state of Victoria is officially known as "the garden state". There is an abundance of parks and gardens close to the CBD with a variety of common and rare plant species amid landscaped vistas, pedestrian pathways, and tree lined avenues. There are also many parks in the surrounding suburbs of Melbourne, such as in the cities of Stonnington and Booroondara, south east of the CBD.

Perth Perth is very conducive to an outdoors lifestyle, and this is reflected in the wide variety of sports available to citizens of the city. Perth was host to the 1962 Commonwealth Games and also the 1987 America's Cup defence (based at Fremantle). Australian Rules Football is a popular spectator sport in Perth, with over 1,030,000 attending WAFL and AFL matches, more than any other sport in the state. Football (soccer) is though growing in popularity, particularly in junior ranks. Interestingly, Perth has the strongest regional (State/County/Province) field hockey competition in the World. There are many field hockey clubs for children, men, women and veterans (over 40 year of age). Western Australia (especially given it only has 10% of Australia's population) hugely contributes to the national Australian men's and ladies' hockey teams which have both been winners of Olympic Gold Medals.

Perth Perth is very conducive to an outdoors lifestyle, and this is reflected in the wide variety of sports available to citizens of the city. Perth was host to the 1962 Commonwealth Games and also the 1987 America's Cup defence (based at Fremantle). Australian Rules Football is a popular spectator sport in Perth, with over 1,030,000 attending WAFL and AFL matches, more than any other sport in the state. Football (soccer) is though growing in popularity, particularly in junior ranks. Interestingly, Perth has the strongest regional (State/County/Province) field hockey competition in the World. There are many field hockey clubs for children, men, women and veterans (over 40 year of age). Western Australia (especially given it only has 10% of Australia's population) hugely contributes to the national Australian men's and ladies' hockey teams which have both been winners of Olympic Gold Medals.

Sydney Sydney hosts many different festivals including the Sydney Festival, a celebration involving both indoor and free outdoor performances throughout January; the Big Day Out, a travelling rock music festival which originated in Sydney; the Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras along Oxford Street; the Sydney Film Festival and many other smaller festivals such as Tropfest and Archibald Prize, a competition organised by the Art Gallery of New South Wales.

Sydney Sydney hosts many different festivals including the Sydney Festival, a celebration involving both indoor and free outdoor performances throughout January; the Big Day Out, a travelling rock music festival which originated in Sydney; the Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras along Oxford Street; the Sydney Film Festival and many other smaller festivals such as Tropfest and Archibald Prize, a competition organised by the Art Gallery of New South Wales.