Cities canberra

Canberra is the federal capital of Australia /1927/. It is also the administrative centre of New South Wales. Its population is 280,000. The city is situated in a wide valley, scattered wit gum trees on the both sides of the dark blue Lake Burley Griffin. The Molingo River flows through Canberra. A dam on the river forms Lake Griffin. An American architect planned the city. It is a “cyclist's paradise”. Canberra is home of the Australian National University and the University of Canberra. Australian's Parliament (1988), a National Gallery, the National Library, the National Science and Technology Centre, the High Court, and the Old Parliament and 75 embassies.

SYDNEY

Sydney is the chief city and port of Australia, capital of NSW on Port Jackson, an inlet (1 mile wide and 8 mils long) of the Pacific. Population of Sydney is over 3,5 million. Sidney has few thousands of aborigines. Sidney has no slums but some Aborigines live in substandard housing. The city covers 4,700 sq. miles. Sydney is gateway to Australia. Kingsford Smith International airport is the nation's busiest. It lies in beautiful hills near 60-km wonderful beaches. The people of the capital, “Sydneysiders”, say that Sydney is the ''most beautiful city on earth". It has a perfect Mediterranean climate, and fresh sea air.

Sydney is Australia's oldest city. Captain Cook stopped near here in Botany Bay in 1770. Sydney received its first shiploads of convicts, 750 men and women on January 26, 1788. Captain Phillips, the first governor chose the sit and named it for Viscount Sidney. About 1800, a farmer named John Macarthur brought the first Merino sheep to the area. This breed created wool industry and attracted many free settlers.

Nikolai Miklouho-Maclay (1846-1888) visited Sidney in 1878. He took part in the intellectual and scientific life of the city. He established a marine biological station in Australia. He worked there for several years. He married Margaret Robertson /d.1938/ in 1848. They had 2 sons. He died in Russia at 42. On the wedding rings and on the grave of Miklouho-Maclay at his request was written "NDCDU" - Nothing but Death Can Divide Us. Miklouho-Maclay's parents were by origin from Malyn, Zhytomyr Region, Ukraine. There is a collection of his papers in Sydney. A bronze sculpture was brought to Sydney from Russia in 1996 to mark his 150^th anniversary. His grandsons live in Sydney.

Sydney also is the most modern place in Australia. Its buildings are the highest and its colours are the brightest. A lot of Australia's cultural life is found here. Artists, writers, opera singers all live here. Some people call the city “the Paris of the Pacific”. But Paris hasn't got such sea, sand, sun, surf and Bondi Beach to relax and have rest.

Sydney has one of the most spectacular harbours in the world where snow-white yachts sail lazily under the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The centre of Sydney consists of elegant buildings. The Centerpoint Tower stands majestically beside David Jones Department Store, “the most beautiful store in the world”.

George Street, the city's main street, runs to the centre of downtown side. The down town area includes high-rise buildings. Heart of the town includes Hyde-Park, the Domain and the Royal Botanic Gardens and the Parliament House. King Cross includes many nightclubs and restaurants. Hyde Park Barracks, now a museum, originally housed male convicts. An Island in Sydney Harbour is called Pinchaut because it served as a prison where it inmates often went hungry. Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Tunnel which runs under the harbour, link downtown with the suburbs. The large recreation areas are Royal National Park and Ku-Ring-Gai Chase.

Peddington is an area of beautiful houses one hundred years old near the centre of Sydney. The Australians call it "Paddo". It is a good place to live in but very expensive.

The famous Sydney Opera House (1973) looks like sails or waves when they break on the beach. It is set like a diamond against the blue waters. The Danish architect J. Utson designed it. It is one of the finest buildings built in the 1990s. The State Library owns a huge collection of books. The Art Gallery displays works by Australian and European artists. You can see here Tom Roberts' /1856/ picture "Bailed up" - a story of the gold-rush; Margaret Preston's (1875-1963) "Implement Blue" /1927/ - a "still life" of shadows.

Sydney has 30 beaches, among them a surfing beach, Bondy and Manly. The Festival of Sydney begins with fireworks on January 1 and lasts the entire month. The royal Easter show, held in April, resembles a country fair.

Sydney is an industrial city of textiles, food processing, foundries, motorcars, machinery, plastics and petrol refining. 14, 300 plants employ 1,2 millions workers. The Sydney's exports include coal, meat, wheat and wool. To reduce pollution, Sydney built 3 outfalls; they run under the seabed up to 4 km out to sea. But water pollution remains a problem. Port Jackson is crossed by a single-span arch bridge built in 1932. Sidney has 5 universities. University of Sidney /18,000 students/ was founded in 1850 and University of NSW in 1958.

Sidney is the host of the 27^th Olympic Games 2000. The Sidney 2000 Games, and the Para Olympics Games for disabled athletes to follow enjoyed wide community support. 200 countries participate. There were 27 sports on the program. The 2000 Olympic Games focused on two primary zones - Sydney Olympic Park and the Sydney Harbour Zone. Sydney Olympic Park at Homebush is being built on former industrial land. It is an environmental triumph for Sydney. It will be the site of the Olympic Stadium for 110,000 spectators and the Athletes' Village for 10,000 sportsmen and 5,000 team officials.

PERTH

Perth is the capital and commercial centre of Western Australia. Population of Perth is over 500,000. It lies along the Swan River near the west coast of Australia, 12 miles from the Indian Ocean. It is called “Australia's front door to Europe”. Perth is sunny and cosy city.

James Stirling, a British naval officer, founded Perth in 1829. The city grew rapidly after settlers discovered gold. Mining discovery in the 1960s led to further growth. The business centre is on the north bank of the river. King's Park includes area of vegetation (405 hectares) known as bush. It takes time to go up the hill where King's park is. You will see a beautiful panorama of the city: green sports fields, the beautiful Narrows Bridge and lazy curves of the Swan River dotted with black swans. The black swan is the only species of swan native to Australia.

Perth has a warm sunny climate. Boat and swimming are very popular. Perth is the home of a museum, an art gallery and reference library. A major casino complex was opened in 1985.The industrial plants are far from the centre of the city. The main industries include motorcars, food processing, building materials, and light manufactures. Refineries process bauxite, nickel, and oil. Tourism is also an important economic activity. State University of Western Australia near Perth was opened in 1911.

BRISBANE

Brisbane is the capital, the chief port and commercial centre of Queensland. Its population is over 1,300,000. It is situated on the Brisbane River near Moreton Bay. Brisbane has a mild sub-tropical climate with a warm summer and a mild winter. It is a "Holiday City".

In 1823, the British explorer John Oxley became the first European to reach the area. It was first settled as a penal station in 1824 established by Sir Thomas Brisbane, governor of NSW. The town was named for him. Brisbane became the capital in 1859.

Several dams were built to control floods. In 1974, a flood damaged 14,000 houses. The fair was part of Australia's 200 celebrations. An attractive park was developed on the fair ground. The best way to enjoy the view of the city is from the top of the mount Coottha, seven miles from the City Hall. The Brisbane or "Brissy's" style is "no style": There are many fine buildings, both old and new. The Brisbane River gives character to the city. Never were there such serpentine curves. The river is big enough to allow big ocean going ships to berth right in the city.

Among the showplaces of the city is the Observatory, originally built by convict labour in 1829 as a mill; Parliament House, a fine example of French Renaissance architecture, Centenary Pool overlooking the lovely Victoria Park. There are colourful parks and gardens in the city. The Botanical Gardens are near the centre of Brisbane. The Garden City of Toowoomba is famous for its annual Carnival of Flowers. Brisbane is the home of 3 Universities: Queensland University was founded in 1911