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For over 40,000 years, people have been arriving awestruck on this far-flung island at the edge of the earth. Australia’s diverse population testifies to the fact that, time after time, the strange and fantastic land made the long journey there worthwhile. Even for today’s visitors, the continent retains a magical, dream-like quality unlike anywhere else. Because of its isolation, Australia is home to thousands of unique plant and animal species; it also contains 15 World Heritage Sites. Shimmering cosmopolitan oases are populated by denizens entirely genuine in their mantra of “no worries, mate.” Where else can you enjoy world-class wine tasting, get dangerously close to a saltwater croc, learn to play the didgeridoo, snorkel in expanses of ancient coral reef, and dance the night away at the largest club in the Southern Hemisphere? What other continent offers a bustling metropolis like Sydney on the same platter as the vast Outback, the rainforests of Cape York, and the colored sands of Fraser Island? The locals have discovered this ancient continent’s secret, and so will you: it’s not a dream, it’s Australia.