The Australian continent | australia.gov.au The Australian continent Australia's land mass Australia comprises a land area of about 7.692 million square kilometres. Although this is just five per cent of the world's land mass (149.45 million square kilometres), Australia is the planet's sixth largest country after Russia, Canada, China, the United States of America and Brazil. It is also the only one of the largest six nations that is completely surrounded by water. Australia's land mass is: almost as great as that of the United States of America about 50 per cent greater than Europe, and 32 times greater than the United Kingdom. Geographical and climatic features Australia is the smallest of the world's continents. It is also the lowest, the flattest and (apart from Antarctica) the driest. The highest point on the Australian mainland is Mount Kosciuszko, New South Wales, at 2228 metres above sea level. The lowest point is the dry bed of Lake Eyre, South Australia, which is 15 metres below sea level. The mainland and Tasmania are surrounded by many thousands of small islands and numerous larger ones.

Nearly 40 per cent of the total coastline length comprises island coastlines. As an island nation, coastlines play an important role in defining national, state and territory boundaries. Nearly 20 per cent of Australia's land mass is classified as desert. As well as having a low average annual rainfall, rainfall across Australia is also variable. The rainfall pattern is concentric around the extensive arid core of the continent, with rainfall intensity high in the tropics and some coastal areas. Climatic zones range from tropical rainforests, deserts and cool temperature forests to snow covered mountains. Within this climate, our plants and animals have evolved on a geographically isolated continent, through a time of a slowly drying climate, combined with continuing high variability. The uniqueness of much of Australia's flora and fauna is thus at least partly due to these features of our climate. Did you find the information you were looking for? Australian Cities, States and Territories - Tourism Australia Add Share Mainland Australia is the world’s largest island but also the smallest continent. The country is divided into six states and two territories. What are Australia's cities, states and territories? Mainland Australia is the world’s largest island but also the smallest continent.

The country is divided into six states and two territories. Australian Capital Territory The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) bounds the national capital of Canberra and is the centre of government. The Australian Capital Territory is located approximately 290 kilometres (180 miles) south of Sydney, and is home to a number of important national institutions, including Parliament House, the Australian War Memorial and the National Gallery of Australia. New South Wales New South Wales (NSW) is Australia’s oldest and most populous state. New South Wales was originally settled as a penal colony on the shores of Port Jackson where the bustling capital city of Sydney now stands. Sydney is the nation’s largest city and is renowned for its idyllic beaches, great walks and world-class dining. New South Wales is also home to popular attractions including the Blue Mountains and the Hunter Valley wine region. Northern Territory At the top end of Australia lies the Northern Territory (NT). Darwin , on the northern coast, is the capital, and Alice Springs is the principal inland town. Alice Springs is the physical heart of Australia, almost exactly at the nation's geographical centre.

The Northern Territory is home to the famous Uluru (Ayers Rock), Kata Tjuta (the Olgas) and Kakadu National Park . Queensland Queensland (QLD) is Australia’s second-largest state (in size) and is home to the world famous Great Barrier Reef , the world’s most extensive subtropical rainforest and the beautiful Queensland Islands – including the World Heritage-listed Fraser Island . Brisbane is the state’s capital; it enjoys more winter sunshine and warmth than most Australian cities and is perfect for outdoor activities and water sports. South Australia South Australia (SA) sits in the southern central part of the country, and covers some of the most arid parts of the continent. The state’s capital is Adelaide and is a great base for exploring the Barossa wineries, the Flinders Ranges and Kangaroo Island . South Australia has a thriving arts scene and is known as the ‘Festival State’, with more than 500 events and festivals taking place there each year. Tasmania Tasmania (TAS) is separated from mainland Australia by the Bass Strait and is the smallest state in Australia.

The capital, Hobart , was founded in 1804 as a penal colony, and is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney. One-fifth of Tasmania is covered by national parks and wilderness – abundant in driving routes and walking trails – and it is one of the world’s most mountainous islands. Victoria Victoria (VIC) is the smallest of the mainland states in size but is home to the country’s second most populated city, Melbourne . Often referred to as the nation’s cultural capital, Melbourne is famed for its graffiti laneways, fashion-forward boutiques and booming café scene. Victorians' enthusiasm for sport is also legendary and this is where Australian Rules football began. The only thing more sacred than the footy is Melbournians love of coffee, and here you’ll find some of Australia’s best flat whites, cappuccinos and piccolo lattes. Western Australia Western Australia (WA) is Australia’s largest state and is a place of true contrasts: from desert in the east to 13,000 kilometres of pristine coastline on the west. The state’s capital is Perth ; the fourth most populous city in Australia and famed for its uncrowded beaches, parklands and fresh seafood.

Off the coast of Esperance, in the state’s south, is Middle Island, which is home to the extraordinary pink-coloured Lake Hillier . Australia also administers Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Christmas Island, the Cocos (or Keeling) Islands, the Coral Sea Islands, Heard and McDonald Islands, Norfolk Island and the Australian Antarctic Territory (covering 42 per cent of the Antarctic continent) as external territories. MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS Australia States Buy data Donate Updates: Geopolitical Entities, Names, and Codes ( GENC ) treats the island territories as separate countries. It assigns them the codes XA and XAC for Ashmore and Cartier Islands, and XC and XCS for Coral Sea Islands Territory. Due to some confusion at the ISO, there were at least three different versions of ISO 3166-2 Newsletter Number I-6 posted online. They differ in regard to Australia and Tunisia. The correct version has been posted since about 2006-05-09. I mention it in case anyone finds a copy of one of the older versions.

Erratum: Under "Territorial extent", under Australian Capital Territory, Jervis Bay should be located on the east coast of New South Wales. New South Wales doesn't have a west coast. Legally, Jervis Bay Territory and Australian Capital Territory are two separate entities. The Jervis Bay Territory Acceptance Act of 1915 says, "the laws ... in force from time to time in the Australian Capital Territory are, so far as they are applicable to the Territory and are not inconsistent with an Ordinance, in force in the [Jervis Bay] Territory as if the Territory formed part of the Australian Capital Territory." The words "as if ... formed" imply that Jervis Bay Territory does not in fact form part of the Australian Capital Territory. Jervis Bay is so tightly linked to the ACT that people tend to think of it as part of the ACT. Many reference books lump them together, including the CIA World Factbook. Country overview: Conv: Conventional abbreviations. In postal addresses, use all capitals and no period. Zone: Time zone indication (see note below).

Population: 2011-08-09 census Time zone note: Lord Howe Island is offset +10:30 from UTC, and advances only 30 minutes in the summer, the only place in the world that does so. A few resort islands in Queensland, and all of Western Australia, have observed daylight saving time in some recent summers. Broken Hill, New South Wales has sometimes followed South Australian time. Other codes: Australian postal codes are four digits. With a few exceptions, the state can be deduced from the first one or two digits. The exceptions are cases where a city is served from a distribution center in a neighboring state. The Australian telephone numbering system has recently been reformed. Effective in 1997, there are four area codes, each serving a whole state or states. All local telephone numbers are eight digits. This replaces the old system, in which both the city access codes and the local numbers were variable in length. Before the area code, dial 0 from another Australian telephone, or your international access code followed by 61 from other countries. Territories with a blank in this column have a +672 international prefix.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics has defined ASGC codes (source [2]). They include codes for several levels of subdivision. The top-level divisions are assigned "S/T" codes (state or territory). This table shows these codes for each of the states and territories: Division Typ: c = country, s = state, t = territory. Note: in the Typ column, I have used c to denote territories that have their own country code in ISO 3166-1. Further subdivisions: See the Shires of Australia page. There are about 900 units of local government. In different parts of the country, they are called boroughs, cities, district councils, municipalities, shires, or towns. There are also some unincorporated areas. Territorial extent: Australian Capital Territory is completely surrounded by New South Wales. Jervis Bay Territory is situated on the east coast of New South Wales, occupying a peninsula and Bowen Island. Most reference works include it in A.C.T. New South Wales includes Lord Howe Island and nearby Ball's Pyramid. Northern Territory includes Ashmore and Cartier Islands. These islands are referred to as a territory, but they are uninhabited and are administered as part of Northern Territory.

I have given them a separate line in the table to be able to show their GEC code. Queensland includes islands in the Torres Strait as far north as the south coast of New Guinea, including Saibai Island, Boigu Island, Talbot Islands, and Bramble Cay, but excluding Bristow Island and Parama Island. Queensland's eastern border includes the Great Barrier Reef. Tasmania includes Macquarie Island. The dividing line between the islands in the Bass Strait that belong to Victoria and those that belong to Tasmania is the parallel of 39ï¿½ 12' South. Almost all of the islands, as far north as the Hogan Group, thus belong to Tasmania. Boundary Islet is cut by the dividing parallel, and contains the entire 85-meter land boundary between Tasmania and Victoria. Western Australia includes reefs within about 400 km. of the Australian mainland, but not Ashmore and Cartier Islands. Coral Sea Islands Territory includes the islands east of the Great Barrier Reef, west of the meridian of 157ï¿½ East, and between the parallels of 12ï¿½ and 24ï¿½ South.

The only settlement in this territory is a weather station on Willis Island. It is administered from Kingston, Norfolk Island. There is no indication in ISO 3166-2 of where this territory is assigned. The following remote territories of Australia are treated as separate countries by ISO 3166-1, so they are not included here: Cocos (Keeling) Islands; Christmas Island [in the Indian Ocean]; Norfolk Island; and Heard and McDonald Islands. In addition, Australian Antarctic Territory is claimed by Australia but is listed under Antarctica in this book. for Australia lists locations in the country, some of them with their latitudes and longitudes, some with their ISO 3166-2 codes for their subdivisions. This information can be put together to approximate the territorial extent of subdivisions. Origins of names: New South Wales: Named by Captain James Cook for its resemblance to the south coast of Wales. Queensland: Named in honor of Queen Victoria of England. Tasmania: Named for its discoverer, Abel Janszoon Tasman. Victoria: Also named for Queen Victoria of England.

Change history: 1901-01-01: Commonwealth of Australia formed by the union of six British colonies: New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, and Western Australia. 1905-11: British New Guinea became an external territory of Australia. 1906-09-01: Name of British New Guinea changed to Papua. 1911-01-01: Northern Territory split from South Australia as a territory. Name of capital of Northern Territory changed from Palmerston to Darwin. Federal Capital Territory (Canberra section) split from New South Wales as a territory. 1914-07-01: Norfolk Island (now listed as a separate country) became a federal territory. 1915: Jervis Bay section (67 sq. km.) transferred from New South Wales to Federal Capital Territory. In fact, it was legally a separate territory from this time forth, but it was so closely linked to Canberra that most people treated them as one.

1921-05-09: New Guinea Territory, consisting of the part of New Guinea Island north of Papua and east of Indonesia (Irian Jaya) and nearby islands, mandated to Australia by the League of Nations. 1927-02-01: Northern Territory split into two territories, North Australia and Central Australia (capital Alice Springs), along the parallel of 20ï¿½ South. 1927-05-09: National capital moved from Melbourne to Canberra. 1931-06-12: North Australia and Central Australia reunited into the territory of Northern Territory. 1931-07-23: Ashmore and Cartier Islands became part of Australia as external territory. 1938: Ashmore and Cartier Islands placed under Northern Territory administration. Name of Federal Capital Territory changed to Australian Capital Territory. 1946-12-13: Australian mandate for New Guinea Territory renewed by the United Nations as a trusteeship. 1969-09-30: Coral Sea Islands Territory became an external territory of Australia. 1975-09-16: Papua and New Guinea Territories became independent.

2004-03-08: ISO changed the Australian state codes in the 3166-2 standard. The new codes come from the Australian standard AS 4212-1994, "Geographic information systems - Data dictionary for transfer of street addressing information". The former ISO codes, where different from the present ones, were: CT for Australian Capital Territory, NS for New South Wales, QL for Queensland, TS for Tasmania, and VI for Victoria. 2009-11-28: I decided to list Jervis Bay Territory as a separate entity from Australian Capital Territory (former HASC code AU.CT).

Other names of subdivisions: Australian Capital Territory: Territoire de la Capitale Australienne (French); Territï¿½rio da Capital Australiana (Portuguese); Territorio della Capitale Federale (Italian) Coral Sea Islands Territory: Territoire des ï¿½les de la Mer de Corail (French); Territï¿½rio das Ilhas do Mar de Coral (Portuguese); Territorio delle Isole del Mar dei Coralli (Italian) New South Wales: Neusï¿½dwales (German); Nieuw Zuid-Wales (Dutch); Nouvelle-Galles du Sud (French); Nova Gales do Sul (Portuguese); Nueva Gales del Sur (Spanish); Nuovo Galles del Sud (Italian) Northern Territory: Noordelijk Territorium (Dutch); Nordterritorium, Nord-Australien (German); Territoire du Nord (French); Territorio del Nord (Italian); Territorio del Norte (Spanish); Territï¿½rio do Norte (Portuguese) South Australia: Australia del Sur (Spanish); Austrï¿½lia do Sul (Portuguese); Austrï¿½lia Meridional (

Portuguese-variant); Australia Meridionale (Italian); Australie mï¿½ridionale (French); Sï¿½daustralien (German); Zuid-Australiï¿½ (Dutch) Tasmania: Tasmï¿½nia (Portuguese); Tasmanie (French); Tasmaniï¿½ (Dutch); Tasmanien (German) Victoria: Vitï¿½ria (Portuguese) Western Australia: Australia Occidental (Spanish); Austrï¿½lia Ocidental (Portuguese); Australia Occidentale (Italian); Australie occidentale (French); West-Australiï¿½ (Dutch); Westaustralien (German) Population history: Roads of the Australian Capital Territory The Australian Capital Territory is a federal district surrounded entirely by New South Wales in the southeast of that state.

It is located approximately 300 kilometres southwest of Sydney. The territory was carved out of NSW by 1908 as mandated by the federal Constitution of 1901, which states in Section 125 : "The seat of Government of the Commonwealth shall be determined by the Parliament, and shall be within territory which shall have been granted to or acquired by the Commonwealth, and shall be vested in and belong to the Commonwealth, and shall be in the State of New South Wales, and be distant not less than one hundred miles from Sydney. Such territory shall contain an area of not less than one hundred square miles, and such portion thereof as shall consist of Crown lands shall be granted to the Commonwealth without any payment therefor. The Parliament shall sit at Melbourne until it meet at the seat of Government." Canberra, whose construction started in 1913, is a planned capital city located within the northern half of the territory. Most of it has been built since World War II, the age of the motor car, and mostly consists of low-density suburbs separated by wide roads and parkland corridors.

The Canberra urban area is divided into "districts", with each district having its own town centre with a major shopping complex, government departments and major bus interchange. The territory had a population of 357,218 at the 2011 Census. The ACT's road system is very hierarchical. The districts are connected to each other by parkways, mostly dual-carriageway high-speed roads, many of which are of full motorway standard with fully grade-separated interchanges and no property access. Below the parkways are arterial roads, then collector roads, then minor streets such as cul-de-sacs and crescents. Canberra is famous for its massive roundabouts which often confuse visitors. Being a planned city, development along the parkways and arterial roads is very strictly controlled. You won't find suburban arterials lined with big-box retailers, tacky motels, tyre fitters, fast food outlets and petrol stations - retail is clustered within the district centres and neighbourhood centres. In my observation this helps make the arterial roads more free-flowing with fewer traffic conflicts.

The ACT is connected to the outside world through four highways: The main road to Sydney, the Federal Highway (National Highway 23), travels north-east and joins the main Sydney-Melbourne road, the Hume Highway (National Highway 31) just south of Goulburn. This is now 100% dual carriageway, being progressively upgraded from 1988 to approximately 2000. The Barton Highway (National Highway 25) travels to the north-west and joins the Hume Highway near Yass. This is the main route from Canberra to Melbourne and Adelaide. The Monaro Highway (National Route 23) heads south towards Cooma and the Snowy Mountains skifields, and continues to eastern Victoria, changing its name to the Cann Valley Highway (B23) at the state border south of Bombala. The Kings Highway (National Route 52) heads south-east to the Princes Highway (National Route 1) at Batemans Bay, the closest coastal town to Canberra and consequently a very busy road during the summer holidays. There is also Alternate National Route 23 along the currently-being-upgraded Majura Parkway which functions as an eastern bypass of Canberra.

The ACT has no state route marking system. It does, however, have a system of Tourist Drives using the standard pentagon-shaped route marker as other states, except that each of the tourist drives in the ACT are colour-coded (similar to the old United States route markers in Florida). There is also a system of signed Overdimensional Routes (OD1, OD2, etc.) for over-sizedtrucks. Molonglo Wright. January 2013. John Gorton Drive is named after the Liberal Party Prime Minister 1967-1970. Wright is the first suburb in Molonglo, the newest district of Canberra. Wright. January 2013. AD sign approaching Streeton Drive, the main north/south arterial road through the Weston Creek district. Wright. January 2013. AD sign on Cotter Drive eastbound approaching Uriarra Road. Monaro Highway January 2013. Southbound near Hume. Canberra is a very low-density city with suburbs separated by wide parkland and nature corridors, so kangaroos can be a problem on the national capital's roads. Hume. January 2013. My eyes.

My beautiful eyes. The "To Tralee St" should be all-caps on a green background. Gilmore. January 2013. AD approaching the Isabella Drive roundabout. Southbound traffic bypasses the roundabout. Tourist Drive 5 and Overdimensional Route 1 can also be seen, as well as directions to a tourist site and services. North Canberra Campbell. January 2013. Northbound on Morshead Drive (Alternate National Route 23) approaching Fairbairn Avenue. Overdimensional Route 1 to the right, Tourist Drive 3 to the left. Campbell. January 2013. ID sign facing Morshead Drive at Fairbairn Avenue. Fairbairn Avenue is the main arterial road linking Canberra's city centre to the airport. Also notice that that OD1 route referred to on the trailblazer in the above photograph is absent, replaced by an unnumbered "Truck Bypass" sign. South Canberra Yarralumla. December 2002. Commonwealth Avenue northbound showing National Route 23 and two colour-coded Tourist Drive route markers. Yarralumla. December 2002.

National Route 23 trailblazer on Commonwealth Avenue northbound. Yarralumla. December 2002. The National Portrait Gallery was located within Old Parliament House at the time. Symonston. January 2013. RD sign heading west from Canberra Avenue (National Route 52). Symonston. January 2013. AD sign approaching the diamond interchange over the Monaro Highway (National Route 23). Yarralumla. January 2013. Adelaide Avenue eastbound approaching the Hopetoun Avenue interchange. Yarralumla. January 2013. Adelaide Avenue approaching the massive State Circle rotary, in which Parliament House is located. There's also a lovely handpainted ramp speed sign. Yarralumla. January 2013. Diagrammatic sign at the interchange between Adelaide Avenue, State Circle and Capital Circle. Capital Hill. January 2013. Sign on the ramp from Adelaide Avenue to State Circle. Capital Hill. January 2013. An old black beauty at the beginning of the westbound ramp from State Circle to Adelaide Avenue. Capital Hill. January 2013.

AD sign on anti-clockwise State Circle approaching Melbourne Avenue. Capital Hill. January 2013. Another black beauty on anti-clockwise State Circle, this one approaching Canberra Avenue. It probably pre-dates the introduction of ACT's tourist drives because TD6 is tacked on as an afterthought. Forrest. January 2013. RD sign on Canberra Avenue (National Route 23) southbound after the State Circle rotary. Forrest. January 2013. Traffic lights old and new on Canberra Avenue (National Route 23). Fyshwick. January 2013. AD sign on southbound Canberra Avenue (National Route 23) approaching the Monaro Highway interchange. The interchange is a south-facing half-diamond; northbound traffic for Alternate NR23 to go north of Canberra has to go along Ipswich Street, a local street through the industrial suburb of Fyshwick. Fyshwick. January 2013. AD sign on southbound Canberra Avenue approaching Ipswich Street (Alternate NR23). Fyshwick. January 2013. Signs over Canberra Avenue at the Monaro Highway interchange attached to the side of the overpass.

Fyshwick. January 2013. Surely there's got to be some better way of showing that Dairy Road is a dead end? This sign makes it look like "No Through Road" is a destination! Fyshwick. January 2013. I don't have enough time left in my life to type a "ewwwww" long enough to convey what I think of this sign. For starters, Alternate National Route 23 is missing,as is Tourst Drive 3 and Overdimensional Route 1. And what's with that big fat ugly fork? Fyshwick. January 2013. OK, let's compare this with the previous sign. Goulburn and Yass have mysteriously disappeared. But at least the shields (except TD3) are back and things look a bit more elegant than before - though that's not saying much. Tuggeranong Area of Australia - States and Territories - Geoscience Australia Area of Australia - States and Territories Area of Australia - States and Territories Land areas of States and Territories Australia is the world's sixth largest country , after Russia, Canada, China, the USA, and Brazil.

In addition to the mainland, Australia is surrounded by many thousands of small fringing islands and numerous larger ones, which, overall, amount to an area half the size of Tasmania. STATE/TERRITORY 7 692 024 *Australian Capital Territory Calculations on Australia’s area are based on data explained in Geoscience Australia’s GEODATA Coast 100K 2004 page. The data is nationally uniform, is sourced primarily from the 1:100 000 scale National Topographic Map Series and is the most authoritative data source currently available to calculate the area of Australia. Australian Capital Territory and Jervis Bay Territory The Canberra - Yass district was chosen as the site of the new national capital in 1908. An area covering 2358 square kilometres was ceded to the Commonwealth in 1911, forming the Australian Capital Territory. It was considered that the capital should have its own port and consequently the Jervis Bay Territory was formed in 1915 when land was surrendered to the Commonwealth by New South Wales. Marine areas of States and Territories The marine areas of states and territories are referred to as coastal waters.

This is a belt of water between the territorial sea baseline, which usually is the low water line along the coast of the states and the Northern Territory, and a line three nautical miles or 5.5 kilometres seaward from the baseline. STATE/TERRITORY Border Lengths - States and Territories - Geoscience Australia Border Lengths - States and Territories Border Lengths - States and Territories State/Territory Source for length calculations: GEODATA Coast 100K 2004 The border length table above lists the land border lengths between Australia's states and territories and also lists coastline lengths. The histories of how Australia's land borders came about are detailed below. Coastline lengths The total coastline length for a state or territory includes both its mainland coastline and the length of all islands in that jurisdiction. The accuracy of the length of coastline depends on the scale of the maps used to make the determination (the table above uses Geoscience Australia's GEODATA Coast 100K 2004 database). However, new technologies now being used will allow coastline length measurement to become more detailed and coastline lengths will be increased.

Australia is the sixth largest country in the world and is the only one of the top six completely surrounded by water. The mainland and Tasmania also are surrounded by many thousands of small fringing islands and numerous larger ones. Almost forty per cent of the total coastline length comprises island coastlines. As an island nation, coastlines play an important role in defining National, State and Territory boundaries. Calculations on Australia's coastline lengths are taken from Geoscience Australia's GEODATA Coast 100K 2004 database. The coastline data is nationally uniform, is sourced primarily from the 1:100 000 scale National Topographic Map Series and is the most authoritative data currently available on the length of the entire Australian coastline and the State and Territory coastlines as described in the Maritime Boundary Definitions . Border histories The definition of where state and territory boundaries lie has been constantly reviewed, sometimes causing great contention. Although most of the boundaries were defined in letters of patent by meridians, determining the physical ground position that corresponds with those meridians has never been easy. Floods, droughts, and frequent lack of supplies were just a few of the challenges dealt with by colonial surveyors.

Facing the same harsh conditions as early explorers in Australia, surveyors also had a difficult job to do. Errors in the astronomically determined positions of observatories in Melbourne and Sydney didn't help matters either as surveyors of the time relied heavily on tying their observations back to known coordinate positions. Given the possibility of discrepancies, border disputes have occurred between several states. Generally speaking, rulings have upheld the position of borders with established physical references or property lines. This is despite the advent of technologies which allow modern surveyors to accurately plot their location as originally described in the letters of patent for the formation of specific states. As a result, few state borders are actually where they were originally intended, or as simple as a straight line marked by a meridian of longitude. A Federation in these Seas is a useful document describing the history of the acquisition of Australia's external territories. Border facts The Australian Capital Territory is the only land-locked state or territory in Australia, and Tasmania the only island state. The Northern Territory is the only jurisdiction which has a shorter mainland coastline than the combined coastline of all its islands. Longest Land border New South Wales has the longest land border of all the states and territories.

It adjoins Queensland, South Australia, Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory and Jervis Bay Territory, making a total of 4 635 kilometres. Shortest Land border The Jervis Bay Territory land border with NSW is the shortest at 32 kilometres. Corners of South Australia 7 892 20 781 A glance at most maps of Australia will tell you something that isn't quite true. The border which runs along the eastern edge of Western Australia is not actually one continuous straight line. The survey of the Western Australian border was first discussed in 1911, but it wasn't until 1922 that an agreement was signed between then Prime Minister W.M. Hughes, the Acting Premier for South Australia, Mr. Bice, and the Premier of Western Australia, Sir James Mitchell. The agreement set out the border as being a line determined by the 129th meridian east longitude. However, the agreement required that the boundary be defined by lines running north and south from independently fixed points at Deakin and Argyle.

When survey work began on the South Australia - Northern Territory border in 1963, it was quickly realised that the earlier agreement precluded the possibility of these lines meeting exactly. Precise survey methods confirmed this and in June 1968 two monuments approximately 127 metres apart were erected at the junction of the boundaries. This ceremony was attended by the respective Surveyors General, H.Comm from Western Australia, H.A. Bailey from South Australia, and P.J. Wells from the Northern Territory. The monuments common to all three jurisdictions was named Surveyor General's Corner at the suggestion of the Director of National Mapping. One interesting piece of trivia is that fewer people have visited this site than have been to the South Pole. Queensland - New South Wales border State/Territory 6 374 13 347 Letters of patent dated 6 June 1859 defined the boundary between Queensland and New South Wales as lying between Point Danger following watersheds and rivers to the line of parallel of 29° south. The survey was carried out between 1863 and 1866 from Point Danger to the Dumaresq River.

Performed by Francis Roberts of Queensland and Isiah Rowland of New South Wales, the two were supposed to work together but when a falling out between them occurred, the pair each completed a separate survey. New South Wales records of the survey were destroyed in a fire and both State Governments settled on the Queensland survey. From 1879 to 1881 the section between the Barwon River and the South Australian border was surveyed at 29° south latitude by George Watson of Queensland, and John B Cameron of New South Wales. The pair battled several floods and a drought to complete the job. The corner marked at the boundaries of Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia bears Cameron's name today. In 2001, modern surveyors retraced the steps of Rowland and Roberts as part of a Centenary of Federation project, and found a 200 metre error. On the surface this may not seem like much to be concerned about, but the error occurs at the point on the New England Highway where the twin towns of Wallangarra (Queensland) and Jennings (New South Wales ) are located.

Established in 1885, indications are that the originally intended boundary would put most of Jennings squarely inside Queensland. In an area where loyalty to state-based sporting teams, businesses, and beer is practically religious, declaring one town to actually be in another state is tantamount to heresy according to locals. Public sentiment is that Jennings has always been in New South Wales and always will be. Victoria - New South Wales border State/Territory 130 2 137 When Victoria was made a colony separate from New South Wales in 1851, there was much discussion about where the border should lie. With natural boundaries being in favour at the time, one proposal was to make the Murrumbidgee River the boundary. After much argument, it was eventually decided to define the border as a bearing from Cape Howe, which is the eastern-most point of Victoria, to the nearest source of the River Murray and from there along the river's course to the border with South Australia. The use of a river as a boundary has caused many arguments and debates between the states.

Originally it was thought that doing so would cause less disputes and require less maintenance, but as trade and tariffs became more important in the early days, the Murray also grew in importance as a major trading route. The river has changed it's course in some places over time and because the jurisdiction of New South Wales extends to the southern high bank of the River Murray, this may change the status of some land parcels affected by the river's meandering path. In 1859, New South Wales claimed the pastoral leases of Pental Island near Swan Hill on the grounds that the island lay to the north of the watercourse of the River Murray. In 1872, the case was decided in Victoria's favour when the Privy council maintained that the main watercourse, being the channel of greatest discharge of the Murray, was to the north of the island. The line of bearing between the start of the River Murray and Cape Howe was explored and marked between 1870 and 1872 by Surveyors Alexander Black and Alexander Allan.

In 1984 this line was resurveyed by the Department of Surveying, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, and the section of the border was renamed The Black-Allan line in honour of those first surveyors. Victoria - South Australia border - - After Federation in 1901 it was decided that a seat of government for the new nation should be selected. The new capital would not be selected from existing state capitals to prevent further rivalry, particularly between Melbourne and Sydney. Several possible locations were suggested, including Albury, Armidale, Bombala, Lake George, Orange and Tumut. In 1903, the House of Representatives initially selected the Bombala region by ballot but a change of government in 1904 favoured Dalgety and when political fortunes reversed again in 1905 the question was thrown open once more. Three areas were considered and visited by parliamentarians in 1906; Dalgety, the Canberra region and Lake George. John Gale, then proprietor of the Queanbeyan Age, pressed the virtues of Canberra in glowing terms while the counter claims of Dalgety were promoted vigorously.

Neither the Federal Parliament nor the New South Wales State Government were easily convinced and on 9 October, 1908 a ballot win of six votes selected the Yass-Canberra region to be the location of the national capital. Yass-Canberra was defined as a triangle, with Yass at the top corner, Lake George to the east and the Murrumbidgee to the west. The national capital was known originally as the Federal Capital Territory and was formally transferred from New South Wales on 1 January 1911. Land-locked, the Federal Capital Territory acquired a port when Jervis Bay was transferred from NSW in 1915. On 29 July 1938, the Federal Capital Territory was officially legislated as the Australian Capital Territory. Related Information Capital Cities of Australia - Overview • Adelaide, South Australia The capital of South Australia, Adelaide, is on Gulf St Vincent which leads through Investigator Strait to the Southern Ocean . As with most major Australian cities, a river runs through the city, and in Adelaide this is the Torrens. The larger, longer Murray River empties into Lake Alexandrina and into the ocean southeast of Adelaide on the eastern side of the Fleurieu Peninsula .

Adelaide city centre has streets laid out in a grid surrounded by parklands. Adelaide is named after Queen Adelaide, German-born consort of England's King William IV. More » continue reading below our video Tipping Etiquette Around the World Brisbane skyline © Tourism Queensland. Brisbane skyline © Tourism Queensland • Brisbane, Queensland Brisbane, capital of Queensland, is located on the southeastern side of the state, just north of the Gold Coast . The city has grown alongside the meandering Brisbane River with the city's eastern suburbs fronting Moreton Bay on the western side of the Pacific Ocean . In population, Brisbane ranks first in Queensland and third among Australia's cities after Sydney and Melbourne. Brisbane is named after the river which snakes through the city. The river itself is named after Sir Thomas Brisbane, Governor of New South Wales from 1821 to 1825. More » Australian Parliament House © Australian Capital Tourism. Australian Parliament House © Australian Capital Tourism • Canberra, Australian Capital Territory Canberra in the Australian Capital Territory is Australia's national capital.

Geographically, the Australian Capital Territory is within, but not a part of, the state of New South Wales, in much the same way that the District of Columbia, where the US capital of Washington is located, is part of neither the states of Maryland nor Virginia. As the seat of national government, the Australian Parliament and the nation's central federal offices are located in Canberra, as are the nation's national galleries, museums and library. Canberra's Lake Burley Griffin was created when the Molonglo River was dammed in the early 1960s. More » Aerial view of Darwin © Tourism NT. Aerial view of Darwin © Tourism NT • Darwin, Northern Territory It's Australia's northernmost capital city in the region commonly referred to as the Top End. It's a city that's suffered the brunt of war and natural catastrophes but has seemed to rise stronger than ever before. As the Australian capital city closest to Southeast Asia, it is a melting pot of peoples and cultures, from Aboriginal and Islander Australians to the descendants of European settlers and Asian wayfarers and migrants.

The city is named after evolutionist Charles Darwin who sailed on the HMS Beagle in the early 1800s, although Darwin was not on the Beagle when the ship sailed into Darwin Harbour in 1839. More » Port Arthur © Tourism Tasmania & Sarah Quine. Port Arthur © Tourism Tasmania & Sarah Quine • Hobart, Tasmania Hobart, Australia's southernmost state capital, is located on the southeastern side of island-state Tasmania. It has grown on the banks of the Derwent River and is the end point of the annual sea classic, the Sydney Hobart Yacht Race , which starts on Sydney Harbour on Boxing Day . The ruins of the Port Arthur convict penitentiary and the historic village of Richmond are but two popular Hobart daytrip destinations. The main island of Tasmania is no more than 62.5 square kilometres and most Tasmanian attractions can be reached in a day from Hobart or the northern city of Launceston. More » Melbourne skyline © Tourism Victoria. Melbourne skyline © Tourism Victoria • Melbourne, Victoria Ah, Melbourne. It's one of my favorite cities, and always a pleasure to visit.

Getting around Melbourne to view and experience its many city attractions is easy and pleasant with its free City Circle tram and the City Tourist Shuttle . Catch either of these two visitor-friendly vehicles and get off at places that interest you and then get back on and head to your next destination. And feel the throb of this city. It's alive in its streets, its trams, its sights, its arts and entertainment venues, its restaurants and bars, and its day-to-day activities. More » Perth skyline © Tourism Western Australia. Perth skyline © Tourism Western Australia • Perth, Western Australia Hemmed in by the Indian Ocean in the west and the treeless Nullarbor Plain in the east, Perth is easily the most isolated state capital in the world. By road it's some 2750 kilometres from the nearest Australian state capital, Adelaide in South Australia, and nearly 4000 kilometres from Sydney on the east coast. But this is a city of the future, with a burgeoning population, new housing developments, and riches from the state's mineral resources. For the visitor, Perth is not just a destination but also an accessible gateway to the state's beaches, wine regions, habitats of marine life, World Heritage sites , and striking natural landscapes.

More » Sydney Opera House and city skyline © Tourism New South Wales. Sydney Opera House and city skyline © Tourism New South Wales • Sydney, New South Wales Sydney, capital of New South Wales, is Australia's first city, having grown from the first European settlement in 1770 on Sydney Cove into the vibrant megametropolis that it is today. It is a city of many attractions and a popular first destination for visitors to Australia. It is the city of the iconic Sydney Opera House , yachts and ferries on Sydney Harbour, a string of white-sand beaches, galleries and museums in the heart of the city, restaurants and fine dining, and a variety of many other city attractions. More » AUSTRALIA CAPITAL TERRITORY, ACT, INFORMATION ON AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY, INFORMATION ON ACT, TRAVEL INFORMATION FOR AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY, HOLIDAYS IN ACT, NATIONAL PARKS IN ACT, NATIONAL PARKS IN AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY Contact Australian Capital Territory The population of Australian Capital Territory (ACT) is in the region of 380,000.

The total area of the territory is a fraction over 2,400 square kilometres; tiny by Australian standards. The Capital Territory is surrounded by New South Wales, with the capital Canberra surrounding Lake Burley Griffin, which is man made. The Australian Capital Territory stretches 88km from north to south and only 30km from west to east. The landscape around Canberra is made up of rugged plains, hills and mountains, as well as plenty of trees. This countryside leads into New South Wales from all directions, with most of the landscape being National Parks . Roughly 45% of ACT is made up of the Namadgi National Park. There are plenty of walking trails around Canberra , and some beautiful barbecue areas where you can stop along your journey. The Murrumbridge River runs from south east to north west and offers some great swimming spots. These include the Black Mountain, Casuarina Sands, Cotter Dam, Gibraltar Falls, Kambah Pool Reserve, Point Hill Crossing, Pine Island and Uriarra Crossing. About 30km north of Canberra is Bywong, a replica of an old mining town and settlement. 30km south is the Lanyon Homestead, where the buildings and landscape are truly beautiful.

A collection of artwork by Sidney Nolan is housed at the Canberra Museum and Gallery. In addition, there are several pretty towns around Canberra and ACT which are worth visiting en route, including Braidwood, Bungendore, Gold Creek , Queanbeyan and Tharwa. Australian Capital Territory is rich in galleries and museums including the Australian War Memorial which has amongst other things an Aircraft Hall. A Little History In 1901 a decision was made to develop a national capital. The move was as a direct result of the federation of colonies in Australia. However, it wasn't until 1908 that the location of the capital had been decided. The location was a compromise between the two rivals Melbourne and Sydney . This explains why the capital is roughly between the two states; although slightly closer to Sydney . Who was to design the city, was decided by way of an international competition which was won by an American architect named, Walter Burley Griffin. Canberra was the name given to the new capital which is rumoured to be a translation of 'meeting place' in aboriginal. Slow progress was made, and until 1927 decisions were still made in Melbourne until parliament was convened in Canberra .

The depression put a further dampener on the developments. In fact things didn't really start happening until well after the Second World War. The Australian National University opened in 1946 followed by the Canberra School of Music in 1965. Points of Interest Australian War Memorial Canberra is home to the Australian War Memorial which opened in November 1941. Combining a shrine, world-class museum together with an extensive archive the Australian War Memorial pays tribute to the sacrifice of Australians who died at war. The Australian War Memorial is open everyday between 10.00am-5.00pm and located at Cnr Treloar Crescent & Anzac Parade, Campbell ACT 2612. The Floriade Festival If you like flowers, this festival is for you. Essentially a stunning display of Canberra's spring flowers from mid September to mid October. Find out more about the Canberra Floriade Festival Parliament House Upon Capital Hill rests a huge four legged flag mast that marks the location of Parliament House . The building cost around $1.1 billion dollars and took seven years to build. It is 300 metres wide and 300 metres long and its roof is covered with grass.

With a good percentage of the building open to the public between 9am and 5pm this is well worth a visit. Parliament House is located on Parliament Drive, Canberra ACT 2600. Australian Sport - Tourism Australia Australian Sport Australia.com does not support the internet browser you are using. Please upgrade to a more recent browser so that you can explore the destinations and experiences that await you as you plan your Australian holiday. The official Australian tourism website. This site uses cookies. Find out more . Add Share Sport is something of a national obsession in Australia. We're avid followers of ‘footy', which covers everything from rugby union to the uniquely Australian AFL. We play backyard and beach cricket all summer and turn out in our thousands to watch the iconic Boxing Day test at Melbourne's MCG. Summer is also the season we become amateur commentators at our Grand Slam tennis tournament. We have lush, championship-designed golf courses across the country and host many premier golf events. Our marathons attract hundreds of thousands of runners and rev-heads everywhere know about our car racing events such as the Formula 1 Australia Grand Prix. Popular Sports in Australia Australia's Summer of Cricket In Australia, it’s just not summer without cricket.

We play it at our picnics and barbeques, in our backyards, on our beaches, roads, in parks and world-class stadiums. Indoors, the Australian cricket team with their trademark baggy green caps, dominate our television screens. In Australia, cricket is almost a religion, uniting players and fans from all walks of life. Great Golf Courses of Australia Great Golf Courses of Australia AFL - The Australian Football League AFL - The Australian Football League AFL - The Australian Football League From March to September Australian Rules Football (AFL) teams fight it out to make the top eight and qualify for the final series held in Melbourne in September. AFL is Australia’s most attended sporting league, with passionately-supported teams in Sydney, Adelaide, Perth and Brisbane. Close to 95,000 fans pack the stands of the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) for the grand final while millions watch it worldwide on television. There’s nothing like being there for the final series. The entire city takes on a carnival atmosphere as excited fans cheer their teams to victory. It is a truly unique Australian experience.

Top five places to ski in Australia Top five places to ski in Australia Surfing in Australia Australia's surf beaches, where first-class waves for all surfing abilities crash, are born from the Pacific Ocean in the east, the Indian Ocean in the west and the Southern Ocean in the south . Visit iconic Bells Beach, near Torquay, the gateway to Victoria's Surf Coast on the Great Ocean Road. In New South Wales, Byron Bay, Newcastle, Sydney and its south coast offer a superior swell. Hang out in Burleigh Heads or coast along one of the world's longest waves at Snapper Rocks on Queensland's Gold Coast. In South Australia, great surf beaches dot the Fleurieu, Yorke and Eyre peninsulas as well as the Limestone Coast. In Western Australia, Perth, Margaret River and Esperance are home to an abundance of surf beaches. Brave Tasmania's Southern Ocean swells in Hobart, Bruny Island, Launceston, Devonport and Marrawah. You'll find a wave to yourself on our uncrowded and pristine coastal beaches.

11 Day 10 Night Australian Open Finals with the Reef & Sydney Attend both Austalian Open finals before exploring the Great Barrier Reef and Sydney From $ 6,295 /per person Change your country and language Change your country Business Events © Tourism Australia 2017 *Product Disclaimer: Information on listed products and services are provided by the operator and were correct at the time of publishing. Rates are indicative based on the minimum and maximum available prices of products and services. Please visit the operator’s website for further information. All prices quoted are in Australian dollars (AUD). Tourism Australia makes no representations whatsoever about any other websites which you may access through this website. Some websites which are linked to the Tourism Australia website are independent from Tourism Australia and are not under the control of Tourism Australia. Tourism Australia does not endorse or accept any responsibility for the use of websites which are owned or operated by third parties and makes no representation or warranty in relation to the standard, class or fitness for purpose of any services, nor does it endorse or in any respect warrant any products or services by virtue of any information, material or content linked from or to this site.

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Question: Australian Capital Territory is entirely surrounded by what state?
Answer: New South Wales