Sure it's got deadly spiders, snakes and sharks, but they don't stop people from coming here, never mind living here. And for good reason. From the prehistoric gorges of Kakadu National Park, to the white sails of the Sydney Opera House, Australia is a country as big your imagination.

Kick back on a beach as white as your mother's wedding dress in Western Australia; lose yourself in the labyrinthine laneways of culture-rich Melbourne or be humbled by red desert sunsets over Uluru. Turn south to visit hundred year old giants that loom large in the forests of Tasmania or take on Sydney, a heady mix of surf, sun, money and sex, and you'll soon realize Australia is a place to be discovered, not feared.

As if that weren't enough, visitors flee to the Whitsunday Islands, the Ningaloo Reef or the immense Great Barrier Reef and spend days under the water defending themselves from kaleidoscopic marine life, colossal whale sharks, giant turtles and mischievous dolphins.

Ask an Australian what issues make them tick and you'll get a diversity of responses to match the multicultural mix. In general, they're a pretty laid-back mob and the fundamentals of family, friends and fun tend to keep them relatively placated. So yep, it's a tough life down under. But only if you're averse to wide open skies, dramatic landscapes, countless activities, fine wining and dining, and friendly locals. We know, because we've done our research.