"Golden beaches, baked red deserts and glamorous cities. An ancient indigenous history and a young, vibrant culture: welcome to Australia! Stick around, hang out with us a while. With this bestselling guide to the Land Down Under tucked under one arm, let us show you why Lonely Planet calls Australia home.

o RELAX and let us take care of it: planning your holiday Down Under has never been so easy. o GET AROUND with the help of 193 maps to town and country, beach and mountain - and everywhere in between. o TREAT YOURSELF to the best wining and dining that Australia has to offer, served on a platter by our expert food and drink author.

o MEET THE LOCALS - Bouncing 'roos, half-stoned koalas and sleepy wombats: Australia's fascinating wildlife is demystified in our full-colour Environment chapter. o PUT YOUR FEET UP at Australia's best and best-value accommodation, handpicked by our troupe of roaming authors. "