Along with Africa, Antarctica, India and South America, Australia was once part of Gondwanaland. But it broke up 60 million years ago, and Australia became its own island continent 35 million years ago. As the plane flies, Australia is 14 hours from the U.S. West Coast. Though the Sydney Opera House was completed in 1973, the cost ran far over budget and the hassles were so numerous that Danish architect Jorn Utzon refused to come back and see the finished building. But Melbourne is becoming more aggressive again.
Surfers frequently populate the Australian coasts.
Calif. He missed 22 games while with the Chicago Bulls. Few people live there, but the ones who do tend to have few neighbors, emergency helicopter services and work on cattle ranches. The most mysterious sight in the Outback is Ayers Rock, which is 600 million years old and changes colors as the sun passes over it. Pitjanjara, an ancient aborigine tribe, considers it a sacred place. Conde Nast Traveler readers have voted Sydney their favorite city in the world for the last five years.