Alternatively, venture inland to the red heart of the continent, the Outback, where meeting another person outside town is an event worthy of note and hospitality is a matter of survival. After the rain of the wet season has subsided, the Outback teems with wildlife, from kangaroos and wallabies to crocodiles and barramundi.

For a taste of the real Australia and the sound of broad accents, you can also visit the Cape York Peninsula - one of the last great wilderness areas on earth with huge cattle stations and Aboriginal communities - and the Atherton Tablelands, a lush and cool plateau that's reached by a scenic train journey traversing foothills, ravines, waterfalls, precipitous drops and trestle bridges.

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