Sydney Opera House

As one of the most photographed and famous (if controversial) performing arts venues in the world, the pearly shells of the Sydney Opera House are synonymous with Australia's image - an iconic and irreplaceable part of Sydney's skyline. Built on Bennelong Point - and named for the Cadigal tribal elder captured and befriended by Governor Arthur Phillip - Eugene Goossens, Director of the Conservatorium of Music, announced its imminent arrival via a contest inviting architects worldwide to participate. Danish architect Jrn Utzon's uniquely fluid sketch won. (Apparently, the other designs were ugly and square. Can you imagine another UTS building on the Harbour's edge?). Formally completed (without Utzon, who'd been sacked) in 1973, the building's distinctive design has been pondered and interpreted in variously from shells, to waves, even a family of swans. Utzon never revealed his vision, only that he relied on spheres to make the architectural feat happen. The Opera House is all about performance, invitation and suspense. From walking through its intricate corridors, to its aesthetically pleasing and sound-enhancing performance halls, to its slanted windows (so you can look into the Harbour without a reflection), there's plenty to marvel at. Today, the Opera House offers different tours that allow you to get intimate with the building, including some hosted in different languages and full experience' packages. But if you don't feel like shelling out, it's still free to sit on the steps for a quick lunch and walk by the water and gaze in marvel at those 1,056,000 pearly, self-cleaning Swedish tiles.

The city of Sydney

Sydney /sdni/[3] is the state capital of New South Wales and the most populous city in Australia. It is on Australia's south-east coast, on the Tasman Sea. In June 2010 the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people.[1] Inhabitants of Sydney are called Sydneysiders, comprising a cosmopolitan and international population.[4] The site of the first British colony in Australia, Sydney was established in 1788 at Sydney Cove by Arthur Phillip, commodore of the First Fleet, as a penal colony.[5] The city is built on hills

surrounding Port Jackson, which is commonly known as Sydney Harbour, where the iconic Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge are prominent structures. The hinterland of the metropolitan area is surrounded by national parks, and the coastal regions feature many bays, rivers, inlets and beaches, including the famous Bondi and Manly beaches. Within the city are many notable parks, including Hyde Park and the Royal Botanic Gardens. Sydney is a high-ranking world city for quality of life. It has hosted multiple major international sporting events, including the 1938 British Empire Games (now known as the Commonwealth Games), the 2000 Summer Olympics and the final of the 2003 Rugby World Cup. The main airport serving Sydney is Sydney Airport[6] and its main port is Port Botany.

Ballarat Wildlife Park

Ballarat Wildlife Park is an award winning Park that is owned and operated by Greg Parker and his family. Founded in February 1985 through a passion for conservation of wildlife and the environment. The Parker family have long realised the value of allowing people and animals to come together in a relaxing, friendly and educational environment. The selection of animals is truly unique and features animals that can only be described as natural wonders of the world! Children can experience close contact with koalas, wombats, kangaroos and even crocodiles. Ballarat Wildlife Park houses a rich collection of native Australian wildlife in 16 hectares of natural bushland. Guided tours run every day at 11 am and animal shows running weekends, school holidays and public holidays from 1.30 pm. Throughout the week they have 'Meet the keeper' running from 1.30 pm. On-site at Ballarat Wildlife Park there is a beautiful coffee shop and also a great souvenir shop. For further information on Ballarat Wildlife Park, contact the friendly staff.

The South Island (Mori: Te Wai Pounamu) is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean. The South Island covers 150,437 square kilometres (58,084 sq mi)[1] and is influenced by a temperate climate.

As it has a 33% larger landmass than the North Island it is often known as the "mainland", however only 23% of New Zealand's 4.4 million inhabitants live in the South Island. In the early stages of European (Pkeh) settlement of the country, the South Island had the majority of the European population and wealth due to the 1860s gold rushes. The North Island population overtook the South in the early 20th century, with 56% of the population living in the North in 1911, and the drift north of people and businesses continued throughout the century.[

Crown Metropol Perth Hotel

Entertaining Perth, Western Australia since 1985

Officially opened in 1985, Crown Perth is a fully-integrated entertainment precinct that is renowned for its world-class facilities, entertainment, premium restaurants and luxury accommodation. Its home on the eastern banks of the Swan River is only minutes from the Perth CBD and both domestic and international airports. Crown Perth features:

A 24-hour Casino 405-room luxury Crown Metropol Perth 291-room Crown Promenade Perth An award-winning range of restaurants and bars A nightclub A convention centre and meeting rooms A 2,300-seat theatre and 20,000-seat indoor stadium A host of recreational facilities, including an 18-hole public golf course, resort-style pool, day spa, retail outlets and riverside cycling trails

Enjoy World-Class Facilities and Accommodation

The combined 696 hotel-room capacity and variety of offerings on one site also makes Crown Perth one of the most desirable conference and exhibition destinations in Australia. As one of Western Australia's leading entertainment destinations, Crown Perth is proud to play host to some of the world's greatest artists in the Crown Theatre Perth and The Dome at Crown Perth. Entertaining and Employing the People of WA Crown Perth welcomes more than seven million visitors a year (on average, 19,000 people a day), and our staff play a vital role in the achievement of the company's vision to create a worldclass entertainment precinct. As WA's largest single-site private employer, Crown Perth provides dynamic and diverse career opportunities for its 5,100 plus workforce. Our Role in the Crown Limited Group In September 2004, Crown Perth, formerly Burswood Entertainment Complex, was acquired by Publishing and Broadcasting Limited (PBL), then one of Australia's largest and most diversified media and entertainment groups. In December 2007, PBL underwent a de-merger and Crown Limited acquired the gaming assets of PBL. As a result, the complex became part of the Crown Limited Group and following the completion of a $750 million refurbishment, changed its name to Crown Perth in September 2012, to reflect the Crown brand.