These additional online resources can help you get ready for your studies in Australia. The comprehensive collection of sites guides you in learning more and testing your knowledge.

Check out the Country Profiles to find information on most any country in the world - including Australia.

Frommer's has detailed information on sites, self-guided walking tours, restaurants and more.  Search for the city or country you're interested in, and start digging.

Lonely Planet has lots of good information. Click on a continent, then the "Places" link, followed by the country.

Another very good site is Destination 360. Use the map to click on a continent, then choose the country you want to explore, or go directly to the country by choosing from the list below the map. For each country, you'll find an overview, articles on cities and excellent coverage of the most visited sites.

To learn the ins and outs of Australian culture and how it differs from ours, look at the incredibly detailed Countries and their Cultures website. You'll find information on everything from national symbols and ethnic relations to etiquette and food. Another great site is Kwintessential, which gives insight into some of the basics in terms of cultural attitudes and values.

The "Australia at a Glance" page of the Australian government's official site is a great place to start your exploration of the land down under; it also has links to other great resources and pages. The official Australian Tourism site will inform you about "all our states and territories" through an interactive map, as well as give information on visas, weather, currency, safety and more. 

The Australian government has a site on the country's indigenous cultural heritage, with loads of information and links to other related sites. Dreamtime.net gives background on aboriginal culture, stories and timelines. You should also visit the AboriginalArt.com site to learn about the music, art and culture of Australia's aboriginal peoples. For a brief orientation to aboriginal origins and art, check out OneWorldMagazine.

For up-to-date details on Australia's current events, search the NY Times pages, or for a local flavor, browse The Australian (a national paper), the Sydney Morning Herald, the Herald Sun of Melbourne or the regional Alice Springs News.

Sydney

The regional New South Wales site at visitnsw.com has information on Sydney and the surrounding area. Sydney.com site has pages about getting around, destinations, tours and more. 

Learn about the incredible Sydney Opera House at sydneyoperahouse.com, and while you're there, maybe grab some tickets for a performance during your visit. You might also want to look for information on the Sydney Aquarium and the Powerhouse Museum, both in Darling Harbor. If you're interested in contemporary art, check out Museum of Contemporary Art to see what's going on while you're there. You can also check out the Australian National Maritime Museum or the Sydney Observatory.

Learn all about "The Alice" on the regional tourism website for Alice Springs. The site on Uluru/Kata Tjuta National Park has information on the park's plants and animals, aboriginal culture and more. Or visit Uluru (Ayer's Rock) to learn more about this destination's history and relevance to aboriginal culture. Diaminta Tours' site has information about the land systems of the outback.

Cairns/Port Douglas

The regional Port Douglas + Daintree site is a good starting point for the activities and adventures in tropical North Queensland. The Daintree Rainforest site has information on the rainforest, are aboriginal history, climate and more. 

There are multiple sites on the Great Barrier Reef. The Australian government's site on the GBR is a good place to start. You can also check Marine Park Authority for official statistics and information on visiting the reef. GreatBarrierReef.org is an online magazine devoted to the natural wonder. The National Geographic site has great detail on the Great Barrier Reef, including a "virtual world," where you can see the coral and creatures living in the reef. Learn about reef formations and their inhabitants at Barrierreefaustralia.com.

Still haven't found what you are looking for? The Charles Sturt University of Australia has an extremely impressive list of resources on the Guide to Australia. It allows searches by category, such as culture, Olympic medals, education and more.