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Newcastle Beach Australia

Key Destinations When Moving to Australia

By Kirsty Collingwood

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Summary: With its beautiful coastline and desirable way of life, Australia is a popular destination for people to migrate to from afar. Collingwood provides an overview of Australia's six states and two territories for those considering a move there.

With its stunning landscape, beautiful coastline and desirable way of life, Australia is a popular destination for people to migrate to from afar. With six states and two territories there is a great choice of places to consider relocating to. Here, each state is explained, helping to give you a more informed choice of which state will best your lifestyle before you move 'down under'.

New South Wales is Australia's most diverse state and home to the largest and most popular city for Britons to migrate to, Sydney. New South Wales is home to over 780 national parks and reserves that range from the bush, outback deserts, rainforests and waterfalls. With eleven universities in the region, NSW is a good consideration for further study and education. In 2009-10 New South Wales had a total 66,000 people migrate in comparison to Victoria where 60,400 migrated to.

Sydney is one of the most vibrant cities in the world and the financial and economic epicentre of the nation. As new industries like information technology and the financial services sector have replaced the old, many multinational corporations now have their Australasian headquarters based in the Sydney Central Business District. There are five World Heritage sites to explore in Sydney including the world-famous Opera House.

Another city popular for relocation is Canberra, the country's capital city in Australian Capital Territory. It is the political centre for the country with Australia's federal government based there. Canberra was chosen as the nation's capital in 1908, as a compromise between Sydney and Melbourne, the two largest cities. The median house price in Canberra is lower than Sydney and Melbourne but higher than all other capital cities. Canberra experiences hot, dry summers and mild winters with heavy fog and a rare spot of snow in the Central Business District. The planned city is a young capital often known for its pockets of bush land reserve. These bush lands have national park status and extend almost as far as the city centre and right across half of the Australian Capital Territory.

Another state to consider relocating to is Victoria, the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically it is the smallest mainland state and is bordered by New South Wales to the north, South Australia to the west and Tasmania to the south. Victoria is seen as the sports capital of Australia and is home to the Australia Rules Football and plays host to many international sporting events, including the Grand Slam tennis tournament, as well as the Australian Formula One Grand Prix. Melbourne, the state capital, has Victoria's highest centralised population with almost 75% of Victorians living there. Finance, insurance and property services are Victoria's largest income producing sector, whilst the community, social and personal services sectors are the state's biggest employers. Melbourne is also home to the world's largest tram network and it is the second most popular form of transport around the city.

South Australia is home to Adelaide, voted the most livable city in Australia by the Property Council of Australia. It has also recently been listed in the Top 10 of The Economist's World's Most Livable Cities in Australia and with a population of 1.1 million, is the fifth most populated city in Australia. The coastal city is renowned for its cultural influence on the country and hosts many art and music festivals throughout the year. Despite all of the cultural sophistication connected to the region, South Australia's economy is based on the manufacturing and defence technology industries. Almost half of cars made in Australia are made here at the General Motors Holden plant in Elizabeth. Adelaide is the driest of Australia's capitals and experiences a Mediterranean climate with hot summers and light infrequent rainfall unreliable throughout the summer. In winter, frosts are rare and most of the rainfall occurs in June. Adelaide has a rural feel, with close proximity to the wine regions and Adelaide hills, but still has all of the amenities of a large city.

Further north of NSW, Victoria and South Australia is the state of Queensland, often referred to as the sunshine coast. It is a popular destination in which to settle due to its stunning weather; inhabitants experience mild winters and tropical summers allowing for a great outdoor lifestyle. To the north of the state is the Great Barrier Reef, a registered World Heritage Site and the world's largest single structure made by living organisms. And to the south is the state capital Brisbane, Australia's fastest growing capital. Brisbane city is only a short drive north to the magnificent beaches of the sunshine coast or south to the Gold Coast, famous for its magnificent shopping, surf and nightlife, only increasing the attraction of this great city. Brisbane has an average population age of 33, making it a youthful place to live. Over a quarter of the population was born overseas and more than 15% of the population speak a language other than English as their native tongue.

It is also worth noting Western Australia for its wine region and mining community, where the main settlement for people from overseas is the city of Perth. The state is known for being home to approximately 540 species of birds and a significantly large number of plant species. Also known as the 'City of Light', Perth is known for being the starting point for many of the Australia's brightest and internationally recognised celebrities; including Hugh Jackman, the late Heath Ledger and British-based comedian Tim Minchin. Western Australia is steeped in colonial history, hence why the region has an extremely high proportion of British-born residents. Perth is known for its strong community culture which is centered around their many beaches. The climate is warm all year round helping to encourage the relaxed outlook of residents – the best way to get talking to a Perth resident is to join them for a drink at one of the many famous boutique breweries in the city.

However, if you are looking for an alternative slice of Australian life away from the normal hotspots to settle, why not consider the red deserts of the Northern territory or the wilderness of Tasmania?

Whether you prefer the natural beauty of the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland, the desirable lifestyle found in New South Wales or sports-mad Victoria, the choice is yours - Australia has it all.

For more information about worldwide destinations please visit www.moveoverseas.co.uk.

About the Author

Kirsty Collingwood is a Marketing Manager at Crown Relocations, an international relocation company and global mobility specialist with over 180 offices in more than 55 countries worldwide. The company handles over 100,000 relocations each year to any destination and manages every step of the journey from visas to property management and packing up.


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