If you haven’t yet visited Australia then you probably don’t fully appreciate what you’re missing. It is an amazing country of contrasts, from busy cities like Sydney and Melbourne, to the unspoilt natural wonders of Kakadu National Park in the Northern Territory. A tour around Australia will be the experience of a lifetime.

Australia, the sixth largest country on the planet, is vast, and stretches 2,547 miles from east to west, and 1,975 miles from north to south, with about 18,600 miles of continuous coastline. Yes, Australia is massive but most of it is uninhabited, or more precisely, uninhabitable. The locals call it “the outback”, which really means desert, or semi-desert land. Most of Australia’s population (more than 22.5 million as at April 2011) is concentrated on the east coast, where the land is generally more fertile.

Now let’s start our tour around Australia.

Although most international tourists fly in to Cairns, Brisbane, Sydney, or Melbourne, we’ll start this tour around Australia right in the middle at Alice Springs. Known locally as “Alice”, the town is best accessed by plane from a major city. If you want to really treat yourself, take the famous Ghan Train, which runs from Adelaide in the south to Darwin in the North. For most tourists, the main reason for visiting Alice Springs is to see Ayres Rock (also called Uluru). Ayres Rock is truly spectacular and has to be seen to be believed.

A huge jump to the north-west coast of Australia is the town of Broome which is renowned for its pearls, camel rides, crystal clear turquoise water, white sandy beaches, and an average year-round temperature of 90°+ F (30° C).

Head south 1367 miles and you’ll eventually reach Perth, the capital of Western Australia. Perth is a beautiful thriving city and the main service center for the mining industry (gold, diamonds, nickel, coal, iron ore, alumina, mineral sands, oil, and natural gas).

Head east on your tour around Australia 1,673 by car (or on the Indian Pacific Train) and you’ll reach Adelaide the capital of South Australia. Adelaide is steeped in character, history and charm and it often called “The City of Churches.”

Head south-east and you’ll eventually, (yes, Australia is a big country) reach Melbourne, the capital of Victoria. Melbourne is a wonderfully cosmopolitan city and is known for its great shopping and delicious food. Melbourne has many restaurants and businesses run by descendents of early and recent immigrants from Italy, Greece and Asia. The city boasts the world’s largest tram network which adds greatly the character and charm of Melbourne city.

Travel 546 miles over the border north-east to the New South Wales capital of Sydney. This city is most famous for its Opera House and the Sydney Harbor Bridge. The city is built around one of the most beautiful harbors in the world and in 2010 was ranked as one of “the 10 most livable cities in the world.” There’s always something happening in Sydney and plenty to do, whether it’s a visit to Darling Harbor, Bondi Beach, Hyde Park or the Royal Botanical Gardens, not to mention the various museums and other wonderful attractions Sydney has to offer.

Follow the coast north 574 miles to Brisbane, the capital of Queensland. You may want to stop off and stay along the way at Newcastle, Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour, and Byron Bay. Just south before you reach Brisbane is the Gold Coast, which is a great family holiday destination, Queensland’s Gold Coast is renowned for its Surfers Paradise skyscrapers, nightlife and exciting theme parks – Dreamworld, Sea World, Movie World, Whitewater World, and Wet ‘n’ Wild.

An hour or two north of Brisbane is the “jewel in the crown”, Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. Here you’ll enjoy an ideal year-round climate with an average summer temperature of 82°F (28°C) and a winter average of 68°F (20°C). The Sunshine Coast has many of Australia’s most beautiful white sandy beaches including Noosa, Coolum, Maroochydore, Mooloolaba, Kawana, and Caloundra.

Not far from the ocean is the picturesque hinterland region with its natural beauty and spectacular views over the Sunshine Coast. Tourist attractions (apart from the wonderful Sunshine Coast beaches) include Australia Zoo where you’ll see Crocodiles, Kangaroos and other wildlife; and Underwater World at Mooloolaba where you’ll see sharks, turtles and other amazing sea creatures.

The Sunshine Coast attracts a lot of visitors including many from around Australia who end up never leaving and prefer to live and work in paradise. There are several popular canal suburbs on the Sunshine Coast; the best being Kawana Island, Minyama and Pelican Waters.

Further north along the Queensland Coast are the towns of Hervey Bay, Bundaberg, Gladstone, Rockhampton, Mackay, and Townsville. These towns and cities are generally very prosperous and benefit from tourism, mining, sugar cane, cattle farming and fruit-growing.

The next major stop in tropical north Queensland is Cairns, gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, and the tropical rain forests of Cape Tribulation. A trip on the over-head Skyrail to Kuranda or out to the reef is a must.

We’re not quite finished this tour around Australia. A long journey to the west will get you to the Northern Territory capital of Darwin. You’ll certainly see crocodiles here, as they thrive in Darwin’s tropical climate. Darwin doesn’t have a winter or summer; it has a wet season and a dry season and is certainly well worth a visit.

We’ve almost traveled full circle, but believe me, Australia is a huge country with so much to see. You’ll need to plan to vacation for at least a month if you possibly can, and you still won’t see a fraction of what Australia has to offer.