Big Cities In Australia and NZ

Sydney
Sydney is the largest and also the oldest city in Australia. First European in that places was Captain James Cook, who shipped on his Endeavour and who discovered a safe bay, which he called Port Jackson. That time, in the USA blustered the War of Independence and Britain needed a place for their convicts. Sir Joseph Banks (who accompanied Cook) recommended this place - the place around Botany Bay. First "batch" was carrying more than 700 convicts, about 200 sailors and their families. Captain Arthur Phillip (the first governor of the new colony) said, that Port Jackson was "...the finest harbour in the world in which a thousand sail of the line may ride in perfect security.". Phillip anchored there in 1788 and named it for Lord Sydney (Secretary of State for Home Affairs and Colonies). In 1850s many diggers sailed there because of the discovered gold. Till 1900, to Sydney (and to whole Australia) sailed many people, who made from Sydney the largest city in Australia. Now four million of inhabitants live in Sydney, in the area of 1,600 square kilometres. It is prosperous city and a business centre of Australia.
The most famous building is Sydney Opera House. It took 16 (1959 - 75) years and $102 million to build this unique building. The silhouette of its curves looks nobly and its picture with Harbour Bridge (built in 1932) may not be missing on any picture of Sydney. In Sydney you can also visit a ZOO which is trying to preserve the wildlife of many species. The ZOO offers a hands-on experience for the young - it means, that you can touch the animal. The ZOO is situated in sight with the Opera House, so you can have a picture of an elephant with the Opera House behind.

Melbourne
Melbourne was established in June 1835. John Batman from Tasmania with his colleagues thought out a plan of establishing a town in the area of Port Phillip. Three months later, an expedition under leading of John Pascoe Fawkner arrived to start a similar settlement. Within a year, the area became sufficiently settled, that Colonial Governor in Sydney gave it an official status and named it after the British Prime Minister. In 1837 Governor Bourke directed Robert Hoddle to design the town plan (Hoddle planned wide streets, which give a plenty of room for characteristic trams). After this, squatters moved rapidly there and in 1851 Victoria with Melbourne was proclaimed a separate colony. Like in Sydney, the 1850s brought thousands of immigrants to Melbourne and made from it a busy and big city. The climate of Melbourne is pleasant the whole year and each season has got its special features.
Victoria is called Garden State and its capital is Garden City. It really deserves it - you can see a park on each step... Indeed, over one quarter of area of the whole city is identified for parkland and around the whole city you can find flowers and others on more than 3,000 ha.

Canberra
The capital city of Australia, Canberra, is situated in the Molonglo Valley, in the Australian Alps. Canberra is not the largest city in Australia, but its status of the capital got because of rivalry between 2 biggest cities - Melbourne and Sydney. Canberra is situated between them and it has got its own territory (A. C. T. - Australian Capital Territory), so no state can have got the privilege of having the capital in its territory... Canberra is a very young city - its construction began in 1913 (a design competition for building a city for accommodation of 25,000 people won an American architect Walter Burley Griffin), and since 1927 it is the capital. The population was not so numerous in time of building, but now about 300 000 people live there and the number grows fast. In centre of the town we can find Lake Burley Griffin - on its shores stand the National Library. We can find there over 3 millions of books. There they save also the diaries of Burke and Wills (log books of Captain Cook) and papers of the first Australian Prime Minister. The Canberra's Floriade Spring Festival is very popular. The autumn in Canberra is beautiful - the trees shine in many colours and it look happily. The Parliament House is a unique building situated on Capital Hill. Above it (by 81 m higher) the Australian flag is raised. The Lake Burley Griffin offers a place for windsurfing, catamaran sailing, paddle boating and its 35 km long coast offers places for sitting and watching for activities on the water or admire colourful flowers. In 1961 the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) was established to provide the first class coaching and training. The Complex includes the Bruice Stadion (Canberra Raiders), tennis courts (outside, inside), baseball, football, soccer... The scenery of this complex looks really great and imposing. The Australian War Memorial is dedicated to 110,000 Australians who died for the King and Queen in wars over the past 120 years. More than 800,000 people pass the AWM each year. Life-like dioramas report the hardship and technology of wars. It is a review of last 120 years of battles. So we can find there a bomber of WW2 near a biplane from WW1 or oil paintings depict the scenes of war.

Auckland
Auckland is the largest city in New Zealand and they say, that it is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Like many other cities in New Zealand (and in Australia) it is situated on the coast, and it its nickname "The city of sails" said, that it is very important harbour.
In a book about Auckland there is a section "don't miss" so I choose some tips: In Auckland museum you can find 24 metres long Maori War Canoe (built in 1836), which can carry more than 100 men. The MOTAT (Museum Of Transport And Technology) is something like our Technical Museum, but it is much greater. Or you can visit an underwater ZOO - "The Underwater World" with shark tanks etc. which reminded me a movie "Jaws III.". Also we can not forget the ZOO. In the book I found the beginning of the song "We are going to the ZOO"(!!!!!). Or would you like to visit the Victoria Paul Market which looks (in the picture) like the most active part of Auckland - you can find there everything from restaurants to clothes shops. For culture-vulture I would recommend Auckland City Art Gallery - not only for its collection but because also that "A CAG is one of the city most lovely historic buildings". Or you can watch some of sport match (and believe me, that there are many of them...) - in baseball, football, horseracing...

Christchurch
Christchurch is situated on the East Island of New Zealand and it is the second largest city in New Zealand. The history of Christchurch began in December 1850 when four ships ("Charlotte Jane, Randolph, Sir George Seymour, Cressy") arrived at Port Cooper (now Lyttelton). The families on broad were from Canterbury, so they named first four avenues after the first Superintendents of Canterbury - Bealey, Fitzgerald, Moorhouse, Rolleston... Like Melbourne, it is called "Garden City" and this name sits well - many cycle paths and walkways are marked by trees etc. (indeed you can find green everywhere where was a free place). I choose some extra places and buildings. The first is Christchurch Boys' High School which is traditional state secondary school with a strong academic and sporting history (dating back to 1881). Its present site is on Straven Road. One of the most treasured historic buildings is Provincial Government Chambers. The interior is noted (in the brochure) for the sympathetic use of wood and stone and also for the barrel-vaulted ceiling. It is open daily for public viewing. What really attracted me was the picture of the Air Force Museum at Wigram - because I know that the British (I mean the whole nation including New Zealanders, Australians etc) are proud of their war victories and they built many things to recall it. They said that the audio visual techniques make from the collection of military aircraft a live history of New Zealand Military Aviation. For biologist I would recommend the Canterbury Museum with special ornithological section. For historic building lovers I would recommend the "old" university site which is full of historic and architectural interests. The Arts Centre of Christchurch is responsible for the state of this buildings (it is responsible for the restoration projects not only here but also for Court Theatre, Southern Ballet, Academy Pictures Theatre etc.).