Living in Australia

Australia has a high standard of living. Australia has a huge amount of natural resources and a lifestyle which is among the best in the world.

Australia has a wide range of climates and landscapes, from tropical rainforests to dry deserts to snowing mountains. Australian native plants and animals have fascinated the rest of the world as there is nothing like them anywhere else on earth.

Sydney is the oldest and largest city in Sydney. It was founded in 1788 by eleven ships from Britain, which we call the First Fleet. Since then, it has grown into a bustling, dynamic city. Sydney is the capital of the state of New South Wales. Two thirds of Australia’s finance industry is in Sydney and many multinational companies have their Australian headquarters here, making it an excellent choice for studying business or accounting.

Sydney is very multicultural. Almost a third of “Sydneysiders” were born in other countries. There are cultural events and restaurants from all over the world. Many suburbs have taken on the feel of a particular country. 

Sydney has a temperate climate with average temperatures ranging from 27⁰C in summer to 17⁰C in winter. The coastal suburbs in the east enjoy sea breezes in summer and the suburbs at the base of the Blue Mountains in the west experience icy blasts in winter. Sydney has a comfortable lifestyle. Sydney is very liveable, with relatively low crime rates. The Economist’s 2021 Safe Cities Index rated Sydney as the fourth safest city in the world. But you do pay for it: Sydney has a reputation as one of the most expensive cities in the world.

Sydney is also a place of natural beauty. The captain of one of the First Fleet ships, who became the first colonial Governor, called his landing spot “the most beautiful harbour in the world.” The Harbour is world famous and a popular place for cruise ships from Europe and America. You can still find untouched bushland surprisingly close to the centre of the city in, for instance, Lane Cove and Kuring-Gai Chase National Parks.