Queensland (Qld) takes up the North Eastern section of Australia and is known as the ‘Sunshine State’ due to the state being mostly in the tropics. The Great Barrier Reef can be found in Queensland and its capital city is Brisbane.

New South Wales (NSW) is Australia’s most populated state and its capital city is Sydney (home of the world famous Harbour Bridge and Opera House). It is located in the South East of the country and was founded in 1788.

Western Australia (WA) takes up the entire Western third of Australia and is its largest state. Most of its population (and it is one of the least populated states considering its size) is located in its capital city, Perth.

Victoria (Vic) is in the South East corner of Australia and is the smallest mainland state. With the discovery of gold in 1851, Victoria became a leading industrial and commercial centre. The capital city of Victoria is Melbourne and this is where the majority of the population resides.

South Australia (SA) is found in the South Central region of Australia, its capital city is Adelaide. South Australia is home to the ‘Great Australian Bight’ (a large open bay) the part of the country that looks as though it has a bite mark!

Australia’s Capital Territory (ACT) is the state capital of Australia and its capital city is Canberra. Canberra is the home of the Australian government and where the Parliament House is located. The ACT is also a popular place to visit during the winter months due to its many snow fields.

Northern Territory (NT) has been the main home to Indigenous Australians for more than 40,000 years. It has an abundance of national parks and is home to the world renowned Uluru. The capital city of the Northern Territory is Darwin.

Tasmania (Tas) (also known as the ‘Apple Isle’) is Australia’s island state and is in the South East. Again most of Tasmania’s population is located in its capital city which is Hobart. Tasmania is exclusively the home of the carnivorous marsupial, the Tasmanian Devil.