With an area of 7.68 million square kilometres, Australia is the largest island and sixth largest country in the world. It has nearly 37,000 kilometres of coastline with climatic zones ranging from wet tropics and rainforests to red deserts, from snow-covered mountains to temperate valleys.

Uluru (Ayer's Rock), the world's largest stone monolith, lies in the middle of the continent. Its ever-changing deep red glow a vivid relief to the desert grasses and intense blue sky. Beaches from Hobart to Darwin and Sydney to Perth are vastly different yet somehow uniquely Australian. The lush tropical rainforests in Queensland's Daintree are 10 million years old, while the barren splendour of inland deserts and the wild coastline of southern Victoria offer a special kind of rugged beauty. But to many people, the unusual collection of native animals such as the koala, the kangaroo, the emu, the platypus and Victoria's famous hairy nosed wombat are the true symbols of Australia.

Melbourne is uniquely placed as the perfect location from which to access all that Australia has to offer. Melbourne Airport provides more than 460 international flights per week through 23 international carriers. Five domestic carriers operate at the airport while an efficient interstate rail system and major highways provide a more leisurely alternative.