Western Australia - The Golden State

Western Australia is simply huge. There is no good way to describe the huge open spaces of outback WA. It just goes on and on forever. Flat. Dry. Desert.

Perth is an amazing city. There is no other word for it. So clean and organised, it is probably Australia’s most liveable city, ahead of Melbourne, but the isolation and distance from anything else possibly gets in the way.

The land of the afternoon breeze
People who watch cricket on television have no doubt seen a game played at the WACA, the main cricket grounds in Western Australia. As the heat of the afternoon drags on and saps the strength from one and all, the commentators usually start talking about the Freemantle Doctor, the amazing afternoon breeze that sweeps across from the coast and brings a cool refreshing wind to everyone in the city.

Facts about Western Australia
Just a touch under 2 million people live in Western Australia, and about 1.4 million people live in Perth.

The majority of the population are of European descent, but a growing number of Asians are calling WA home.

Major cities in Western Australia
For most people Western Australia begins and ends with Perth. There are however some other small towns and cities across the state that have their attractions, particularly for people keen tot work in a particular industry.

Some of the larger towns include: Bunbury, Kalgoorlie, Albany, Geraldton, Port Hedland and Broome.

Top 5 attractions in Perth
On the top of most people’s list is the Botanical Gardens, a huge area of land located very close to the city centre.

This is closely followed by Perth Zoo, AQWA – the Aquarium of Western Australia, Shark Bay and then the Museum.

How many international students are there in Western Australia?
During 2003 there were 13,000 international students in Western Australia. That's less than Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland, but more than Tassie and South Australia.

Most popular beer
A bit of a challenge here – some say its Export, others say Bitter and some swear by VB. It’s a hard call.

Major Universities
University of Western Australia, Curtin University of Technology, Edith Cowan University
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