One of the most remarkable aspects of the Aboriginal culture is their belief of the Dreamtime or the sacred time of the world’s creation. Stories of the Dreamtime are depicted in bark painting and rock art as well as lyrical music, which are handed down from generation to generation and has remained intact for at least 50,000 years. Dances are also major feature of the Aboriginal culture and tradition portraying the creation myths as well as recent events of historical significance.

The Portuguese, Spanish and Dutch explorers have landed on the continent but it was not until the late 18th century that a European settlement really started with the arrival of settlers and prisoners from Great Britain. Australia was a penal colony of the British Empire until the system was abolished around the mid-1800. The former prisoners and other pioneers founded six colonies and these are New South Wales, Tasmania, Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria and Queensland.

The colonial past of this land has inspired the Australian affinity for social equality, for justice and liberty, and for the will to survive in new and largely unfamiliar lands and situations very much like the pioneers of the land.

During the gold rush of the 1850s, immigrants from all over the world, such as Europe, North America and China, traveled to Australia in search for the gold and the riches buried beneath the red sands of this vast continent. These immigrants brought with them their unique culture to merge with the flourishing culture of the settlers and the long-standing Aboriginal tradition. However, this period of prosperity was short-lived and the 1890s was a time of financial recession.

After the Second World War, Australia promoted immigration from Europe and later on, immigrants from Asia and elsewhere begun coming in and building new lives in the Land Down Under. Once again, Australia experienced another cultural transformation. From then on, this vast arid land has undergone so many transformations and Australia is now one of the highly industrialized countries in the world.

Another distinct feature of the Australians is their sheer love for sports. There are more than 120 national sports organizations and thousands of state, regional and even local sports associations. Australian athletes have proven time and time again in international sports competitions that they can step up to the challenge. Football, cricket, and water sports are just some of the favorite sports of the Aussies. Since most of the populations are living within easy access of the coast and the sea, it is not surprising that the beach and the water is a central part of the Australian lifestyle.

As a steady stream of immigrants arrive, the multiculturalism of Australia is further defined with more than 20 percent of the population being foreign born and another 40 percent are of diverse cultural background. Most Australians are multilingual, speaking a second or third language after English, the most popular of these being Cantonese, Greek, Italian, and Arabic.

Australia has indeed come a long way from the land it was in the 18th century. Today, it is one of the most culturally diverse countries in the world by blending the past with the present and forging an enduring future for the next generations of Aussies.

Jo is a writer for ‘Australian Travel Visas Ltd’ (http://www.australiantravelvisas.co.uk), experts in arranging Australian visas. If you are trying to apply for an Australian Working Holiday Visa in order for you to stay for a year in Australia and obtain work as well or if you are not sure which Australian travel visa is most appropriate for you then you should take a look at Australian Travel Visas Ltd.

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The Australian National University. This university is considered as the best university in Australia and was established by an Act of Parliament in August 1946. The university is located in Canberra and offers many programs and degrees in various fields of expertise. It also has adjunct research facilities together with institutions of advanced studies. It has consistently topped many of the surveys comparing the educational institutions in the country.

The University of Sydney. This is the oldest university in Australia, established in 1850. It has though changed throughout the times and has sixteen separate faculties that cover many disciplines offered in the University. It is also one of the top 100 universities in the world.

The University of Melbourne. This educational institution is the second oldest in the country, after being established in 1853. Owing to its great record in education, the university enjoys the largest financial endowment amongst the universities Down Under at $1.1 billion in 2008. This financial windfall is used for the many programs and researches undertaken by the many individual faculties of the University of Melbourne system.

The University of Queensland. After being established in 1909, it is the fifth oldest institutional in Australia. There is a wide range of programs and degrees offered in the University. It also has been at the forefront in cancer research making it one of the leading recipients of grants for this kind of research. Under the ambit of the University are eleven other colleges, six major research institutions that cover many scientific fields.

The Monash University. The university is the largest university in Australia with over 56,000 students in its population. The university’s facilities are spread all throughout Victoria with adjunct institutions in Italy, Malaysia, India and South Africa. The university also offers many programs and degrees, both at the undergraduate and graduate levels making it one of the best schools in the country.

The University of New South Wales. Established in 1949, the University of New South Wales leads the country in the field of teaching and research. There are many fields that the university has made groundbreaking developments such as AIDS research, social policy research and renewable energy among others.

The University of Adelaide. This university is one of the “group of eight” schools in Australia. This highly specialized university has five faculties that focus on engineering, computer and mathematical sciences, health sciences, humanities and social sciences and the professions. Most of its educational innovations were often done in partnership with the private business allowing for new breakthroughs for commercial purposes.

The University of Western Australia. The university was established through an Act of Parliament offering degree programs in architecture, social sciences, arts, law and the physical sciences. It is also one of the largest landowners in the country due to its agricultural science programs.

As can be seen, these institutions of higher learning have all the experience, expertise and facilities to mold individuals passing through its halls. As stated in Australia Forum, the “Universities in Australia are now a vital element of not only the educational service but also the economy as they continue to attract the best minds in Australia, and many international students, who often transfer their skills to the Australian economy.” This is the catalyst which keeps the Australian economy stable and the foundation for the further growth and development in the country.

This article has been provided by Jose Marc Castro, the online editor at the Australia Forum – the primary community for people moving to Australia. The site also provides information and advice on matters such as Universities in Australia.

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It is a land filled with forests, deserts and the Great Barrier Reef home to thousands of different species of fish and coral. Australia has a long history dating back thousands of years and one that is sure to intrigue any would-be visitor.

With over 21.3 million residents this island is one of the largest in the world. For years before the colonization of Australia people only knew the great land as the “unknown land in the South” but since its discovery a new culture and demographic has opened up for the rest of the world to enjoy. This article will cover some of those interesting facts that may leave you intrigued enough to want to visit this great country and continent.

Who first discovered Australia?

The earliest settlers of Australia were the indigenous people that arrived via a land bridge over 48,000 years ago. Many early maps and histories suggest of a land in the South that was unknown but it was not until 1606 that Dutch navigator Willem Janszoon mapped this large continent.

In 1770 New South Wales was claimed for Great Britain and on January 26th, 1788 the British Crown Colony of Port Jackson was officially established by Captain Arthur Phillip. The Western part of Australia was claimed by Great Britain in 1829.

Who rules over Australia?

For many years it was the British that fully ruled over the land of Australia. It was not until 1986 that Australians became free to rule over themselves in the Australia Act. Before this time many of the legislative decisions were handled by the Queen and Parliament. The three branches of government worked together with British officials and Australian officials to govern the land fairly and with proper representation.

What is the Australia Act?

The Australia Act of 1986 was a revolutionary act that allowed the inhabitants of Australia full power over their judiciary and legislative branches from the United Kingdom. No longer would the individual states have someone put into office by people a thousand miles away.

It was essentially giving Australia even more rights under its own nationhood. The independent states of Australia benefited greatly under this act unlike its predecessor the Statute of Westminster 1931 which gave more power to the Australian people as a whole but lacked giving the individual states more power away from the British throne.

What is the environment and geography like of Australia?

Australia is a very diverse land mass. While the majority is made up of arid, dry land called the outback, there are also many different ecosystems to be found. There are tropical rainforests, mangrove swamps, the coastline and let’s not forget the Great Barrier Reef. Australia is home to the largest naturally occurring reef system in the world.

It spans over 1,200 miles. There are also temperate land areas where a majority of Australia’s crops are grown. An interesting fact about Australia’s geography is that the ocean currents greatly affect the weather and the climate of the continent, often producing cyclones.

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Europeans first began to reach the area at the beginning of the 17th century. The first undisputed sighting of the Australian mainland was by the Dutch sea captain, William Janszoon in 1606. The Dutch are known to have chartered the western and northern shorelines of the continent during the 17th century, but made no attempt at settlement of what they called at the time “New Holland”. In 1770, British navigator, James Cook mapped parts of the East coast of Australia: the region today known as New South Wales. Cook claimed the area for Great Britain.

The first British colony was established in New South Wales on January 26th, a day that is now remembered as “Australia Day”. The British formerly claimed the western portions of Australia in 1859, and during the 19th century a whole series of separate British colonies were established around the continent. Much of this British colonization was based upon the transportation of convicts to penal colonies, and it was only in 1848 that the transportation of convicts to New South Wales stopped.

The arrival of Europeans had a drastic effect on the indigenous aboriginal population. This fell dramaticly from a high of 350,000 due to the infectious diseases, forced resettlements, and other factors. Indeed, although the issues remain highly controversial and disputed, some historians have characterized the events of the period as genocide.

In 1850s, the European population increased further thanks to a gold rush, and between 1855 and 1890, each of the six British colonies was separately granted responsible government – while the the colonies were autonomous in their internal affairs, they Britain retained control of foreign affairs and defense. In 1901, the six colonies were united in a federation known as the Commonwealth of Australia.

Australia participated in both World War I and World War II as part of the British Empire. To many Australians the events of the world wars, especially the Gallipoli campaign in World War I, and the Kokoda Track Campaign in World War II, were important milestones in Australia’s path to independent nationhood.

Legally, Australia first moved towards independence from Britain with the Statue of Westminister in 1931 (although Australia did not ratify it until 1942, but then back dated its effect to 1939), which granted effective independence in most matters. Australia however did retain some constitutional ties with Britain for another 40 years, these only finally be severed with the passing of the Australia Act in 1986. It should be noted that the British Queen Elizabeth II is also Queen of Australia, and a 1999 national referendum rejected becoming a republic.

First published at http://www.travelguide2australia.com/p1_history.php – Visit this link for more details, books, pictures, and more!

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Studying Law in the professional environment of Australia provides a lot many opportunities to students. The biggest temptation for students to join law courses is the bright future of law students. These courses bring along status, prestige and wonderful employment opportunities.

Law schools in Australia provide legal training across many areas so open doors of variety of sectors like politics, business, international law, intellectual property law, banking and legal studies related to sports, health, and the media. If you have already graduated in any other discipline then your law degree would be of three years. After secondary schooling degree would probably take four to five years for completion.

Many schools allow you to take ‘double degree’: that is, in a five years period a student undertakes two degrees in parallel – one of them law and the other might be Arts, Commerce or Science. In that case, you would finish your tertiary education in Australia with two degrees. Main universities and schools of Law are following:

Monash university- Victoria-Melbourne: Monash University is among the top three universities of Australia. Studying law at Monash offers a lot of flexibility to students. Monash provides in-depth coverage of all sectors related to law. The impressive resources and reputation of Monash University is bound to escalate the career growth of all students. The staff at Monash helps in developing critical thinking and skills for research and analysis. Monash Law is a high quality, innovative course for a changing world and produces graduates for Australian and international employers.

Murdoch University- Perth: Murdoch University has a progressive outlook and is totally committed to quality. These factors make Murdoch’s Law School the natural choice for students from whole world interested in a career in the Law. The curriculum of law school has been moulded to meet the needs of our modern society. Course is having a strong international perspective so offers opportunities across the world. Many of the ex-students of this university work with organisations such as the United Nations, in places such as Kosovo and the Gaza Strip with the United Nations Peace Keeping Force, and in New York at the United Nations.

University of New South Wales-Sydney: UNSW Law School graduates are held in the highest regard in Australia and overseas. UNSW has got international recognition due to large number of its students getting Rhodes, Fulbright and other prestigious scholarships every year. The Law School has had 5 Rhodes Scholars in the last 7 years – an achievement which is not matched by any other university in Australia. University offers various courses like Law in information age, Sport and law in western world, Cyberspace law, Criminal law, Children and law, commercial law, Disability rights and law, Industrial law, Insurance law, Media law, Public interest litigation, Laws of banking, Social security law and Sports law.

University of Sydney: University of Sydney has one of the world’s finest Law Schools. Sydney Law School is famous for its commitment to excellence in legal education. This was the first Law School to be established in Australia. University concentrates on small group teaching of its undergraduate programs and the extensive range of postgraduate programs. Special emphasis is given on international and comparative law.

Bond University: One of the Top-Ranked Australian Law Schools, it was the first private university of Australia. The Bond Law School provides a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate degrees which will surely equip you for careers in the legal profession, business and government. The School has expertise in all major areas of law. Faculty of law is in Queensland. Bond was listed by Forbes as one of the most expensive universities of world and the most expensive university of Australia for 2008.

Other important law schools include- University of New England- Law School, University of New Castle- School of Law, James cook University and Flinders University. All the universities specialize in one or more disciplines with in Law. So Australia is the best choice if you are interested in making a career in the field of Law.

1. Questacon, Canberra

Canberra’s Questacon is Australia’s National Science and Technology Centre. This modern museum offers visitors a range of exhibitions, interactive displays, tours and activities. Exhibits include a wide array of topics from dinosaurs to photography, sound and light, measurements, weather and general science. Exclusive private group night tours can be arranged.

2. Australian Museum, Sydney

Australia’s first museum, the Australian Museum, was established opposite Sydney’s Hyde Park in 1827. This internationally recognised museum focuses on natural history and indigenous research, in addition to exhibitions and community programs. Some of the areas of research being undertaken at the Australian Museum include anthropology, indigenous programs, earth sciences and environmental sciences.

3. Hyde Park Convict Barracks, Sydney

The Hyde Park Convict Barracks are in Macquarie Street, Sydney, alongside the Sydney Mint. These barracks are a significant part of Australian history, being built in 1818 to house working convicts. They have since been used as a female Immigration Depot and asylum, law courts and government offices. Today this important piece of history is a museum depicting the lives of convicts and includes many artefacts.

4. Old Melbourne Gaol, Melbourne

Australia’s oldest prison, the Old Melbourne Gaol, lies along Russell Street along with the city’s historical Magistrates’ Court and the former Police City Watch House. Visitors can explore all three of these historic sites, collectively known as the Crime and Justice Experience. This gaol’s best known prisoner is undoubtedly the infamous bushranger, Ned Kelly. Today’s visitors to the Old Melbourne Gaol can get a glimpse at what gaol life was like back in the 1800s.

5. Norman Lindsay Gallery and Museum, Faulconbridge

The works of Norman Lindsay, world-famous Australian artist, writer and creator of The Magic Pudding, live on at his gallery and museum at Faulconbridge, NSW. The gallery and museum is operated by the National Trust. With carefully manicured lawns and gardens, this also makes an ideal setting for a wedding or corporate event.

6. National Automobile Museum, Tasmania

Tasmania is home to many wonderful attractions including the National Automobile Museum, located opposite City Park. This museum is a must for car enthusiasts, exhibiting a wide range of vehicles from the last one hundred years and more. Along with regular displays, the National Automobile Museum also has special exhibits, including restored cars and motorcycles and prestigious cars such as Bentleys, Mercedes-Benz’ and Rolls-Royces.

7. The Bradman Museum of Cricket, Bowral

Even if you are not an avid cricket fan, there’s no denying that Sir Donald Bradman was an Australian legend. The Bradman Museum is next to the Bradman Oval in Bowral, New South Wales, directly opposite what had once been the Bradman’s home. Visitors can explore the history of cricket, along with a range of significant cricket memorabilia.

8. National Film and Sound Archive, Various Centres

The National Film and Sound Archive (NFSA) collects and preserves Australia’s precious audio-visual heritage. While they have a major role in the technical side of preserving and storing these materials, they also have a number of libraries and centres open for the public. These centres are located in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Hobart, Adelaide and Perth. The NFSA also has a more specialised centre in Canberra – the Centre for Scholarly and Archival Research.

9. Powerhouse Museum, Sydney

The Powerhouse Museum is at Darling Harbour, in a building that was once the old power station in Ultimo. It has a wide and varied collection including areas of science, history, technology, industry, design, music, arts, transport and space. Visitors can explore via a range of exhibits and interactive activities such as audio phones, touch screens, experiments, theatres, performances and guides.

10. National Maritime Museum, Sydney

To discover the history of the maritime industry, visit the National Maritime Museum at Darling Harbour. The role of this museum is to preserve maritime heritage while sharing it with future generations. This is carried out via a range of research and acquisition programs and exhibitions, along with providing creative, interactive events and community programs.

As well as these top 10 Australian museums, each state has its own state museum. These centres are generally full of interactive and static displays, special exhibitions and community programs and are well worth including as part of any luxurious travel experience.

Xu Lin, the director of national overseas Chinese teaching office, said, “Overseas schools have strong demand for Chinese teaching. Many students and parents longs for opening Chinese courses, but currently it is short of Chinese teachers. Its supply falls short of demand.

She said, “National overseas Chinese teaching office and Australia New South Wales education department signed a cooperation understanding memorandum, hoping to promote Chinese education in New South Wales and set up “Confucius classroom”. Currently, the Chinese teaching materials are mainly about the things that happened in China. The two parties together will design and develop the localized Chinese teaching materials that adapt to Australian local language cultural environment.”

Xu Lin stressed, “With the development of Chinese economy, Chinese education has become a world opportunity.” Generally speaking, listening and speaking of Chinese are relatively easy, and writing is the most difficult thing in learning Chinese. But Xu Lin assumed that Chinese writing is not difficult and its grammar is simpler than English grammar. According to a survey conducted by Chinese education department, in common mediae, you only need to master the 580 characters, you can deal with it freely.

Shi Shuangyuan, the director assistant of Sydney education bureau, said, ” NSW education department recognizes the importance of Chinese education to next generation and prepares to promote it in primary and secondary schools. The content of the memorandum includes: the programs of Confucius classrooms, bilingual schools, Chinese culture center and Chinese volunteers; developing students’ exchanges between NSW and China; setting up sister schools; enforcing high level mutual visits.”

Professor Shi Shuangyuan disclosed: according to the elementary plan, New South Wales will set up 3 Confucius classrooms and a bilingual school. The Confucius classroom will be located in Sydney, acting as trial “seed classrooms”. And then this classroom will be set up in schools in whole New South Wales. It has great significance.

Believe it or not, Australia is the world’s largest island yet smallest continent, and makes an excellent vacation destination for tourists and popular for students who want to study abroad in Sydney Australia. The country enjoys a beautiful subtropical climate nearly year round which is probably the reason why the locals are so friendly and welcoming. I have three good reasons why you should either study abroad Sydney Australia or plan to spend your next vacation in Australia. There is the beach and water activities; outdoors and wildlife activities; and human and cultural activities. You’ll be hard pressed to find a country do just one of these activities right. Australia does all of three.

The first thing you’ll notice during your school semester abroad or vacation abroad Sydney Australia is the fact you are surrounded by water. It is an island, after all. The most visited aquatic attraction in the world has to the Great Barrier Reef, off the northeastern coast of Australia. The Queensland coast is developed specifically around vacationers and students spending a spring semester abroad. Its varied activities range from scuba diving, snorkeling, sailing, swimming, surfing, fishing to simply enjoying the beautiful scenery.

Many people flock to vacation abroad Sydney Australia because of its great conditions for sailing, fishing and swimming. The beaches around the Indian Ocean are popular destinations for sportsmen looking for thrilling fishing. The southern coast line is a wonderful place to spend a school semester abroad because of its surfing, as the swells and waves are excellent, yet challenging. Moving inland, rafting, kayaking and freshwater fishing are popular activities to give a try during a school semester abroad, especially in the north of the state of Queensland and as well as Victoria and New South Wales.

Sydney, the postcard-city of Australia, can never be overlooked. Time abroad in Sydney Australia offers you a wide range of different and unique dining and sightseeing possibilities. From its beautiful bay to its dazzling opera house, the culture of Sydney, Australia sets this city apart from any other city in the world. On any trip to Australia or a plan to study abroad Sydney Australia, visitors and students have the chance to pass through the urban centers of the country. Take my word for it, they are worth every second to get to know and take in.

New South Wales population is largely based in Sydney with 60% of the population. Other major population centres include Newcastle and Wollongong.

There are 11 universities in New South Wales, in Sydney these are the University of Sydney, University of New South Wales, Macquarie University, University of Technology, Sydney, University of Western Sydney, Australian Catholic University.

Universities located outside of Sydney include: University of Newcastle, University of Wollongong, University of New England in Armidale, Charles Sturt University, Southern Cross University.

The Hunter Valley located about 160 km from Sydney is well known for its many wineries. It is a popular tourist destination for people looking to escape the city rush and getaway for a break. Many businesses have opened in the region to ride on the successful tourism opportunity.

New South Wales product per capita is $45,153 per person. Its population density in one person per 8.45 square km. The density in Sydney would be significantly higher than this figure.

If you are visiting New South Wales and travelling around to take in the scenery and people would make a lovely holiday. If you are thinking about visiting Australia then it would be recommended that you leave the major cities and find out what charms some of the smaller towns have to offer.

With the 3rd largest number of international students in the English-speaking world behind the USA and UK,Australia has become many students’ choice of destination for international study. Over 250,000 international students now study in Australia. Our Australian Education system provides more than 15,000 internationally recognized courses that are all of world class standard.

Australia is the world’s smallest continent and the largest island. It is like nowhere else in the world. It has an area as big as mainland of the United States but has a population of only 20 million people. The population is comprised of over 130 nationalities which makes Australia one of the most multicultural countries in the world. This broad ethnic mix has created a rich cultural blend of languages, fashions, architecture and cuisines.

Whether you decide to study at a university, English college, international school, TAFE College or vocational institute you will receive a high quality education ensuring future success in your chosen career.

The Australian education and training system has four main sectors: universities, vocational education and training,schools and English language training colleges

The Australian education system has been created to allow students to easily move along training pathways from one from one qualification level to the next. Additionally students can easily transfer from one institution to a new one.

The top Australian universities listed below are all part of what is called the ‘Group of Eight’ Australian universities. These top Australian universities carry out the majority of all Australia research and development and between them secure on average than 60% of all Australian university research funding.

Top Australian Universities for research and Funding (Group of Eight). Universities are listed in alphabetical order:

> The University of Adelaide (Adelaide)
> The Australian National University (ANU)
> The University of Melbourne (UniMelb)
> Monash University (Monash)
> The University of New South Wales (UNSW)
> The University of Queensland (UQ)
> The University of Sydney (Sydney)
> The University of Western Australia (UWA)

For profiles of all the top Australian universities visit our Australian Universities directory on the StudyinAustralia.com website. Find top Australian universities in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Adelaide, Brisbane, Perth, Hobart, Darwin and many other cities around Australia. In Australia, the majority of universities are public. There are a total of 38 universities (and 4 private universities) spanning the eight states and territories of New South Wales, Victoria, Australian Capital Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory.

Every university and colleges that offers courses for international students must be accredited by the Australian Government ensuring that they publish their correct locations, courses, and tuition fees. International students that intend on studying in Australia will need to have a valid student visa for the length of their training in the country. Prospective student need to check with the Australian Embassy in your home country to see whether you are eligible to apply for a student visa prior to receiving your official confirmation of enrollment and then paying your tuition fees. You will additionally require Overseas Student
Health Cover (OSHC)

On arrival in Australia most institutions provide orientation for new students including organizing accommodation and other services required for your study abroad stay in Australia.

Living costs to study in Australia for international students are very affordable with a good range of options available whether you choose to live with other students or on your own. You can choose to live in the following types of accommodation: On Campus for between AU$100-250 PW or Off Campus in share accommodation, private rental accommodation, home-stay accommodation living with an Australian family or in budget hotels and guest houses.

One of the great things about studying in Australia is the fact that international students can work up to 20 hours each week during their semesters and full-time over their holiday periods.

You can use the StudyinAustralia.com website to learn more about Australia, degrees, language courses available, institutions, studying and living costs, application processes, student visas and more.