Amazon.com Review
There are 2,966,155 square miles, three time zones, dozens of distinct ecosystems, and 25,000 plant species in Australia, not to mention numerous states, cities, and towns, each with its own ambience and character. Even if you were to spend a full year in Australia, you'd be hard-pressed to see it all.
Frommer's 2000 Australia, however, works hard to help set your travel priorities.
The guide begins with 16 pages of color photographs that span the continent, from Sydney's Harbour Bridge to the Great Coral Reef. The "Best of Australia" lists come next, highlighting the best beaches, restaurants, bush walks, and snorkeling, as well as outdoor adventures and small-town getaways. Once you've got an itinerary sketched out, the remaining 700-page guide goes local, detailing the highlights (and lowlights) by region. Intermixed are sections on the Sydney 2000 Olympic games, Australian history and culture, an online directory for Internet research, a pull-out map, and even an Aussie/Yankee lexicon to explain terms like ropeable (very angry) and cobber (good friend). Covering Australia is a tall order, one that Natalie Kruger and Marc Llewellyn (both Sydneysiders) dispatch with admirable skill and flair. --Stephanie Gold
About the Author
About the Authors Sydney resident Marc Llewellyn (chapters 3, 4, 5, 6, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16) is one of Australia's premier travel writers and a regular contributor to all of Australia's leading newspaper travel sections and travel magazines. As a member of the Australian Travel Writers' Association, he keeps his suitcase ready packed beneath his bed. He is also the author of Frommer's Portable Sydney and co-author of the Frommer's Australia from $50 a Day. Natalie Kruger (chapters 2, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11), another Sydneysider, used to be a public relations consultant for international and Australian airlines, hotel chains, tourist promotion boards, and tourist industry organizations until she realized it is more fun to be a travel writer because you get to say what you really think. She contributes to the travel pages of national Australian newspapers and is co-author of Frommer's Australia from $50 a Day.
