When it comes to planning the details of the study and travel on the land of kangaroos, many students are left with the same uncertainty: whether or not to live in one of the biggest cities in Australia? This is because there are those who believe that to study abroad and have an immersion in English and the local culture, the ideal is to live in a small place and, preferably, located in the interior of the country – is it really?
After all, bigger and consequently more populous municipalities can make all the difference in your experience. Proof of this is that there will be no shortage of entertainment, leisure and cultural options to enjoy, tourist spots to visit and, of course, more transport alternatives for municipal, national and even international trips.
Oh, and more: in addition to the native speakers, there will be many other international students to meet and have someone to practice the English language with. For these reasons, we’ve listed the top 5 cities in Australia – according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics 2016 – that could be your study destination. Check out our post and learn more about them!
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Table of Contents
Sydney
The first one is Sydney. After all, it is the most populous in the nation. Plenty of people, no? And no less! The region has an excellent public transport infrastructure, the main airport in Oceania and several internationally renowned educational institutions (such as the University of Technology Sydney and the University of Western Sydney).
But it doesn’t end there, as the city is known for having dozens of beaches (such as Bondi Beach, Maroubra, Bronte Beach etc.), for preserving the area where the colonization of the country began (the famous The Rocks) and, to top it off, for being a reference when it comes to nightlife.
The reason? Simple: there are neighborhoods known for concentrating several options of live venues, nightclubs, bars, restaurants, pubs and much more. Some examples are Surry Hills, King Cross and Darlinghurst.
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Melbourne
Busy throughout the year, the city hosts numerous events ranging from sports to cinema, attracting people from all over the country. Some of the most popular are Formula 1 – Australian Grand Prix, Moomba Festival, Melbourne Music Week, Australian Open and Moonlinght Cinema.
In addition, Melbourne is known for its many green and wildlife conservation areas that contrast with the local skyscrapers, reinforce Australians’ concern for nature and, to top it off, offer numerous outdoor activities for city residents, as is the case of:
- Botanic Garden;
- Carlton Gardens;
- Dandenong Ranges National Park;
- Healesville Sanctuary;
- Moonlit Sanctuary Wildlife Conservation Park.
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Brisbane
Completing the podium of the three biggest cities in Australia, Brisbane is the most chosen destination by lovers of good adventure. That’s because in the free time of classes it is possible to take advantage of the city’s scenery to make climbs that take place in groups both day and night on the bridge that crosses the Brisbane River, the Story Bridge.
But not only that. The region also has the Cliff Park and Toogoolawah Skydivers Club, which are very popular meeting points for those who like and want to try adventure sports (including extreme sports, such as skydiving).
To top it off, Brisbane is the closest major city to some of Australia’s biggest tourist attractions. Not far from The Great Barrier Reef visitors can easily visit the reef and surrounding areas. Sailing Whitsundays with Wings takes visitors to Hamilton Island and the rest of The Whitsunday Islands. Just another advantage of visiting or living in Brisbane city.
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Perth
The fourth city that couldn’t be missed in this post is Perth. Famous for being a hub of business – and thereby providing great job opportunities in Australia for both natives and foreigners – it also stands out in the country for its variety of cultural and entertainment options.
The list is long and diverse, but includes, for example, the Art Gallery of WA, the Perth Concert Hall and His Majesty’s Theatre. The Northbridge district concentrates the main nightclubs and pubs in the region.
Other than that, parks such as Sir James Mitchell Park, Colier Park Golf, McCallum Park and Piney Lakes Reserve play a big role in the location, as they function as the lung of the municipality and, in addition, are outdoor sites. for the population to practice sports free of charge, such as golf, soccer, walking, running, cycling, etc.
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Adelaide
To complete our list of Australia’s biggest cities, there is Adelaide. Located on the south coast and 727 km away from Melbourne, it stands out for mixing the atmosphere of a countryside town with the effervescence of a coastal town.
No wonder places like Henley Beach, Glenelg Beach and Semaphore Beach are busy during the summer, while spring is the perfect time to enjoy the area’s parks and forest reserves, such as Morialta Conservation Park, Cleland Conservation Park and Onkaparinga River National Park.
In autumn and early winter, there are tourist routes through the wineries of McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley and Adelaide Hills, which are the great local highlight, since the south of the nation holds a large part of the national wine production.
As you’ve seen, Australia’s biggest cities share one common characteristic: they all lie on the country’s coastline – something related to the region’s continental characteristics and also to the shape of British colonization. Thus, in addition to the attractions and particularities of each place, the population has the chance to maintain a strong relationship with nature and beach culture, in addition, of course, to adventuring in surfing and other outdoor sports.