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	<title>Australia Forum</title>
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	<link>http://www.ausforum.com</link>
	<description>The Aus Forum for people living in, working in or moving to Australia</description>
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		<title>Victoria</title>
		<link>http://www.ausforum.com/general/victoria.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.ausforum.com/general/victoria.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 08 May 2009 12:32:51 +0000</pubDate>
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				<category><![CDATA[General]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Commonly referred to as VIC, Victoria has the smallest land area of any state in Australia, but it also boasts as being the most urbanized state in the country, ahead even of NSW. The population here also has the highest density among all the other states. Like many other areas in Australia, Victoria&#8217;s original boom [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Commonly referred to as VIC, Victoria has the smallest land area of any state in Australia, but it also boasts as being the most urbanized state in the country, ahead even of NSW. The population here also has the highest density among all the other states. Like many other areas in Australia, Victoria&#8217;s original boom in population stemmed largely from the gold rush during the 1800s, resulting in a surge of immigrants coming into the state to test their fates in search of a fortune in gold. Today however, most people live in the state capital of Melbourne, for a variety of reasons not even remotely related with gold mining.<span id="more-25"></span></p>
<h3>A Golden History</h3>
<p>Much of Victoria&#8217;s history lies in the gold rush. This started during the mid-1800s, when the first discoveries at Ballarat, then Bendigo brought along one of the largest influxes of immigrants wanting to have a chance at striking gold in the state. During this time the number of the population swelled from less than eighty thousand to almost five hundred fifty thousand people, many of them Chinese immigrants brought in as mine workers. The gold rush in thiis state was so great that Victoria became the source of one-third of the entire gold output in the world. The gold rush has also led directly to the enrichment of the state and its transformation as the financial capital of both Australia and New Zealand, the neighboring colony also under British rule. However, during the seventies and eighties the city of Sydney has overtaken this city in terms of being a business capital in the country.</p>
<h3>Population Demographics</h3>
<p>There are over five million residents in Victoria, making it the densest state in the country when it comes to population compared to land mass. The largely Caucasian population also has descendants of the original immigrants in the state that came in to work in the mines. Compared to the rest of Australia however, Victoria has a higher average age for its residents at thirty-seven years old.</p>
<p>The state capital of Melbourne is the densest city in the state as well, with over seventy percent living in the capital. The urbanization has also crept up on Victoria, and many people live in urban centers, and the state only has around ten percent that live in rural areas. The state is also a largely Christian environment, with over sixty percent of the population belonging to several Christian religious groups, and the state has Buddhism as the largest religion outside of Christianity.</p>
<h3>Economic Conditions</h3>
<p>Victoria has always played a large part in the economic background of the country, from the time of the Australian gold rush up to present times. It&#8217;s the second largest economy in Australia, and counts for a quarter of Australia&#8217;s gross domestic product, mostly coming in from finance, property, and insurance services. Before those industries became dominant in the state however, Victoria has had an extensive background in manufacturing which at present still counts as the biggest income producer in the state.</p>
<p>Agriculture is the industry which uses the most land among all the different industries present in Victoria. Over sixty percent of the land mass of Victoria is dedicated to the agriculture-related sector, and the output produced by all this land counts for a quarter of the entire produce of the country. Livestock is an important part of the agricultural sector in Australia, having fifteen million sheep in the state and almost three million beef cattle, both used for export to other countries and for domestic consumption. It is also the leading producer of dairy products, and produces two-thirds of the milk production of the country. Other notable contributions to the economy from agriculture include sheep and wool, which accounts for twenty percent of the total wool production in Australia, and Victoria, also exports breeder sheep to other countries and ships sheep to be slaughtered out into the Middle East.</p>
<h3>Property Investment in Victoria</h3>
<p>The center of all the real estate action in Victoria is in Melbourne, which houses the most number of residents in the whole state. Housing is also becoming more of a rare item in the city recently, with vacancy rates throughout the capital and even suburbs on the outer edge having the lowest records ever in the country. Within the past year, property values in Melbourne have increased five percent during a peak period of three months. The average price of property in the city of Melbourne is now almost two times the state average, at over four hundred thousand dollars in Melbourne compared to the rest of regional Victoria, whose properties average in the range of two hundred fifty thousand.</p>
<p>Rental properties are the best type of investment in Victoria, with the great demand for housing units for lease in the state and much more in the capital, and the low vacancy rates ensure continuous profits from your property. In the inner portion of the capital, properties are vacant less than one percent of the time, and the different rules for real estate rental management make for a very different playing field in the rental market compared to the rest of the country. The small number of investors in this area may be part of the cause of the current situation in Victoria, but in any case your capital investment would surely go a long way in Victoria.</p>
<p>For lower-value properties which are much easier on the pocket, regional Victoria offers the best mix of value, occupancy, and earning power for your amount invested in the property. If you&#8217;re willing to pay the significant price premium however, the greatly increased demand for properties in Melbourne can more than make up for the price difference in properties, with a much more lucrative market compared to the rest of the state, and you can reap all the benefits of investment in properties here if you can overcome the price barrier of Melbourne compared to the price levels throughout the state.</p>
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		<title>New South Wales Australia</title>
		<link>http://www.ausforum.com/general/new-south-wales-australia.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.ausforum.com/general/new-south-wales-australia.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 08 May 2009 12:30:10 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[General]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[During the 1800s, a lot of people moved into New South Wales, in hopes of being one of those who would strike it lucky and find gold in what is now the most populous state in the whole of Australia. A hundred thousand people moved into New South Wales, making the population rise up some [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>During the 1800s, a lot of people moved into New South Wales, in hopes of being one of those who would strike it lucky and find gold in what is now the most populous state in the whole of Australia. A hundred thousand people moved into New South Wales, making the population rise up some thirty-three percent, or one third of the population before the gold rush. This was a sign, marking the beginning of NSW (as New South Wales is commonly called), transforming it into one the most populous state in all of Australia.<span id="more-21"></span></p>
<h3>Geography of NSW</h3>
<p>New South Wales is a coastal state, and is further divided into four sections. It&#8217;s on the easternmost side of Australia, and occupies a humongous amount of space, at eight hundred and ten thousand square km, and the coastline measuring over two thousand kilometers in length and facing the Tasman Sea. To the north of the state lies Queensland, and on the southern end of NSW is another, much smaller state, Victoria. The southern border of the state of NSW is South Australia. The Western Plains occupies a large portion of the state, around two-thirds of the entire land area, and its use is limited during other time periods because of the lack of water.</p>
<p>The four main cities in New South Wales are mainly coastal towns that have grown with the passage of time into some of the most populous cities in the country. Sydney, the capital, along with Newcastle, Gosford, and Wollongong all lay along the coastline in the eastern end of NSW. All in all, the population of the state clocks in at seven million inhabitants.</p>
<h3>NSW&#8217;s Economy</h3>
<p>New South Wales has traditionally had an industrial background. However, that has all changed since the 1970s, when shipbuilding and steel production, back then some of the largest industries in the state, began being replaced by newer types of industries such as banking and finance. Sydney has been at the forefront of all this, and in recent years with the rise of information technology the economy has become more diversified than ever, and agriculture in NSW, though still playing an important role, has lessened its impact on the economy of the state over the years, and is set to decline even more in terms of economic share. Sydney is one of the main areas of the information technology in Australia, with companies having their headquarters in the city.</p>
<p>Still the biggest industry by far, coal mining is still one of the main exports of New South Wales, accounting for over A$ five billion, or around twenty percent of the total volume of exports coming from the state. Another rising industry is tourism, with plenty of people coming in to Sydney for their vacation and business, needing almost ten percent of the total workforce in the city devoted to this industry.</p>
<h3>Influence of Sports</h3>
<p>Enjoying a healthy background in sports is one of the trademarks that New South Wales has. It&#8217;s an essential part of the culture of the people of NSW, and team sports are the most popular in this state. Whether it&#8217;s Rugby, Soccer, or Cricket, the people of NSW enjoy a good round or two of these sports, and tournaments between professional teams quickly turn into major events on the calendars of residents, and a lot of fans turn up for every game.</p>
<p>Cricket is the most popular ball game in New South Wales, and the state is home to the most dominant team in domestic cricket, the NSW Blues, which won the first class competition a total of forty-four times. The ANZ stadium is the home of the NSW Blues. Aside from cricket, the state also has three clubs in the A-league for football, out of a total of eight in the country.</p>
<h3>Investing in New South Wales</h3>
<p>With such a large land area, it&#8217;s no wonder New South Wales has one of the biggest real estate markets in Australia, and a lot of millionaires has made their way up to the top by buying and selling properties in the country. If you&#8217;re contemplating a purchase of a land area in NSW, there are many factors to consider, and the playing field is considerably different compared to other real estate markets because of the sheer size of the state.</p>
<p>Location would be one of the key considerations you should look for when investing in real estate in NSW. The best properties are those that are within ten km from a capital city, and the reason for that is for prospective buyers, having easy access to facilities like shopping malls and hospitals far outweighs the price premium for a property. Closer locations also mean less travel time to and from work.</p>
<p>For the vacation properties segment in New South Wales, however, it would be better to stick with a listing close to the beach, mainly because a vacation home in the vicinity of the coast would make for a more attractive rental home compared to one that is closer to the Western Plains than the beach. In Sydney, Manly is the prime beach area that commands high price premiums.</p>
<p>If you have an attractively-priced property outside of the ten-kilometer radius, however, check if it&#8217;s in a suburban area, which could spell the difference between a good deal or an overpriced property. If it is, you could be in luck, just compare it to similar properties in the area before you make the purchase so that you can have a benchmark in selecting a good price point. Rental homes or whatever property you have, it&#8217;s always better to have a housing unit somewhere near malls, hospitals, schools, or some other area that sees high traffic and is an integral part of city life. With these guidelines in mind, searching for properties in New South Wales should be a lot easier, along with segregating between ideal properties for different purposes.</p>
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		<title>South Australia</title>
		<link>http://www.ausforum.com/general/south-australia.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.ausforum.com/general/south-australia.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 08 May 2009 12:28:21 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[General]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ausforum.com/?p=18</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Sometimes you need to have it all. Whether it&#8217;s a bustling city background, a calm and relaxing environment where you can enjoy yourself and take time out, or maybe even a nice suburb where you can raise your kids and shop in the different malls, South Australia has something for everybody. You can have a [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Sometimes you need to have it all. Whether it&#8217;s a bustling city background, a calm and relaxing environment where you can enjoy yourself and take time out, or maybe even a nice suburb where you can raise your kids and shop in the different malls, South Australia has something for everybody. You can have a nice time living and working in the centermost state, along the lower portion of Australia. It&#8217;s a great place to live in, and you won&#8217;t be disappointed when you get to see what the state has to offer to you.</p>
<p>The state of South Australia enjoys its origins as a planned state from the very beginning, compared to other states in the country that originally started out as penal colonies, where convict settlements abounded and pretty much paved the way for urbanization and a new start. Now, the state is famous for having a vibrant cultural background and a nice economy supporting it as well.<span id="more-18"></span></p>
<h3>Geography and Climate</h3>
<p>South Australia is placed smack dab in the middle of Australia&#8217;s southern end, and sits beside Western Australia on its left and Victoria along with New South Wales on its eastern part. The fourth largest in size, South Australia is just around fifteen thousand square kilometers short of reaching one million square km in land area. Most of the arid portions of the country are located in this state, and South Australia is the fifth largest in terms of population despite its large size. Most of the people in this state reside in Adelaide, the state capital, and the most fertile areas are those in the coastal areas and on the River Murray&#8217;s path.</p>
<p>South Australia can be quite hot at times, with January and February reaching temperatures of fifty degrees Celsius on the high end and averaging at twenty-nine degrees Celsius during these months. July is perhaps the coolest time of the year in South Australia, as the average temperature is a low fifteen degrees Celsius. The southeastern part of the state is much cooler than the hot and arid northern portion, and most of the agricultural activities are centered here because of the better suited conditions for agriculture and farming.</p>
<h3>South Australia&#8217;s Economy</h3>
<p>Contributing fifteen percent of the total gross output of the state, the manufacturing sector is one of the biggest industries in South Australia. Different industries have set up their manufacturing plants here, with the automotive industry cranking out almost half of the Australian automobile production at forty-four percent of total volume.</p>
<p>Pharmaceuticals, electronics, and other consumer goods are also being produced in the state. These are not only for domestic consumption, but also for exports, giving ten billion Australian dollars of export revenues each year. Other than that, food and drink production in Southern Australia is also valued at ten billion dollars, quite a lump of change for the state.</p>
<h3>The State Capital</h3>
<p>Over one million people reside in the south Australian capital of Adelaide. The city ranks as the fifth largest among the cities in the country, and like Victoria, Adelaide was also named after Queen Adelaide.</p>
<p>Adelaide is renowned for its rich cultural background and festivals, but it&#8217;s also the state capital of South Australia. Government functions in the state along with financial institutions mostly have their headquarters here in the city. The layout of the city was planned in a grid formation and the city planners also put in some room for public squares and parks in the metropolis. As the first free settlement, Adelaide has a lot of stuff to live up to and it has done wonderfully even in present times. Over seventy percent of the entire population of the state of South Australia live in the city, and the religious backgrounds of the people here has over half identifying themselves as Christian. The birth rate of the city population is in decline, and now over one fourth of the population are aged fifty-five and above. Correspondingly, the state also has the least children of any Australian city at less than eighteen percent compared to twenty for the national average.</p>
<h3>Investing in South Australian Properties</h3>
<p>Most of the investors in South Australian properties are British, seeking to find a better retirement home with a warmer climate than if they were to buy properties in their homeland. South Australia is also among the states in the country that is currently experiencing high growth rates, alongside both Victoria and New South Wales. South Australia also now has the lowest average mortgage size among the six states at two hundred thirty thousand dollars for a property, compared to three hundred and sixty thousand for New South Wales. To the keen investor, this represents a good opportunity to strike a good deal with landowners in the state for properties that offer high growth potential and low prices.</p>
<p>The stable economic growth and political background in South Australia, like the rest of the country, is one of the best starting points you can look out for in locations where you can put your investments with. The biggest investments are yet to come into the region, with twelve billion dollars set to be invested in southern Australia over the next few years, and this is sure to make the real estate market appreciate greatly in price as territory becomes more valuable.</p>
<p>The infrastructure development also ushers in new growth for the real estate market in Australia. You&#8217;ll be likely to find commercial and residential properties shifting constantly in price along with the market, as more and more international investments come into the state each year. For you the investor now is the perfect time to put your money in with property developments in South Australia while the prices are relatively cheap and you can see tangible property growth even in this stage, a sure sign of a healthy investment. South Australian properties provide some of the best blends of growth and stability seen anywhere in the world, leading to a more lucrative investment opportunity.</p>
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		<title>Western Australia</title>
		<link>http://www.ausforum.com/general/western-australia.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.ausforum.com/general/western-australia.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 08 May 2009 12:26:08 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[General]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ausforum.com/?p=15</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Covering one third of the total land area of the country, Western Australia is an icon of sorts representing the country, and a combination of the modern settlements in Australia with untouched geography in the area. It&#8217;s the second largest territory in the world that&#8217;s classified below a country status. Western Australia offers a glimpse [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Covering one third of the total land area of the country, Western Australia is an icon of sorts representing the country, and a combination of the modern settlements in Australia with untouched geography in the area. It&#8217;s the second largest territory in the world that&#8217;s classified below a country status. Western Australia offers a glimpse of the frontier nature that got the country started on its way to becoming a full-fledged nation and not just a convict settlement.<span id="more-15"></span></p>
<h3>Western Australian Geography</h3>
<p>One of the interesting things about the geography of Western Australia is that due to its humongous size, at more than two and a half million square kilometers, the state is so spread out, making the state capital Perth much closer in distance to Jakarta in Indonesia, than to Canberra, the national capital. Much of the state&#8217;s geographic features are also extremely old, in fact, the region&#8217;s topography resembles what it was millions of years ago before continental drift pushed other continents together to form mountains and other diverse features.</p>
<p>The old age of the landscape also has some significant impacts on the environment surrounding Western Australia. The nitrogen content is only half of what should be considered normal for agricultural purposes, as is the phosphorous levels, much less than what is required for growing plants naturally in the area. The agriculture here is heavily reliant on fertilizer methods to make sure that produce grows healthy during this time.</p>
<h3>Climate Conditions</h3>
<p>Because of the large size of the land area of Western Australia, there is also a huge difference in climate conditions in various locations within the state. The coastal area of the state, located on the southwest portion, is the area with a temperate climate zone and is the area of choice when looking for a residential settlement or agricultural land. This area has a diverse biosphere, ranking it in the top nine for biodiversity in the terrestrial class. Climate change has affected the area as with much of Western Australia, and the state government is undertaking plans to help cope with this new situation.</p>
<p>The central portion of the state has a desert environment, also classified as semi-arid in scientific terms, and has a minimal amount of rainfall at around two hundred fifty mm annually. Most of this rainfall is brought about by cyclones, which occur randomly during the summer months. There are few residential settlements here, and the activity that has the most use of the geographic conditions is the mining of different minerals.</p>
<p>Tropical weather is experienced by the northern portion of the state, and monsoons are the norm in this area. Rainfall is at one and a half thousand mm yearly, but normally there is very little or no rain during the months of April until about November. Another climate set is present near Albany, as the Stirling Range has enough elevation for snow to fall given the right conditions. Otherwise, snow is a rare sort of event when it comes to the surrounding area.</p>
<h3>Economic Conditions</h3>
<p>The economy of Western Australia is pretty much based on mining, and has the highest output among all the states in the country, as well as the highest output per capita. Lots of materials are mined from the state, including mineral-based and petroleum products. Aluminum is one of the more significant products, Western Australia counting for one-fifth of the total world production. It also produces fifteen percent of the world output for iron, ranking it third in the world. The biggest fish is gold, counting for three-fourths the entire output of Australia. Other mining output products include diamonds from Argyle diamond mine, and coal, used mainly as fuel for power plants.</p>
<p>Agriculture still has an important role in Western Australia, even with the arid conditions in some other portions of the state. Exports count for three percent of the total Gross State Production or GSP, and include wheat exports, wool, and barley. Cattle production is the biggest in the country, with half of the national cattle output coming in from this state alone. Although the state just has ten percent of the total national population living within its area, it counts for thirty percent of the total revenues from exports in Australia. Growth due to unprecedented demand has led to severe shortages in labor, and as a result, the government has launched an initiative to entice more people to move into the state.</p>
<h3>Investing In Western Australian Properties</h3>
<p>Western Australia is among the best states to invest in when it comes to the real estate market. With the people coming into the state for work, especially with large expatriate populations coming into Western Australia, real estate here is experiencing a high level of demand that far exceeds supply. Most of the working class in this state also opts to go for rental homes because of the high interest rates, so if you&#8217;re going in for rental properties, you&#8217;re in luck here.</p>
<p>Mortgage options are also some of the best in Western Australia, having lots of opportunities to choose from when it comes to investment, combined with interest-free packages for properties normally going for five years, and sometimes even going for ten years total. A rising average income level is also one of the indicators that demand for housing will grow at a sustainable rate.</p>
<p>Perth also has the highest capital growth anywhere, with thirty percent of annual growth being a common occurrence. Through five years&#8217; time, housing prices increased at an overall rate of one hundred and twenty five percent. It&#8217;s a performance that can hardly be matched anywhere else. With such strong growth, along with opportunities that make investing in Western Australia easier than ever, you&#8217;ll be hard-pressed to find property markets in the country that offer better returns for your money. Western Australia is not only experiencing large growth in terms of industry, but also the overall economy as well. Now is the time to put your money in with property markets here in Western Australia.</p>
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		<title>Queensland Australia</title>
		<link>http://www.ausforum.com/general/queensland-australia.html</link>
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		<pubDate>Fri, 08 May 2009 12:23:50 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[General]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[On the northeastern side of Australia sits the second-largest state, named after Queen Victoria (who, keen observers will note, has another state, Victoria, also named after her). This is the third most populous state in the country, after NSW and Victoria. Queensland is also the state under which Brisbane, its capital, belongs. Often referred to [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>On the northeastern side of Australia sits the second-largest state, named after Queen Victoria (who, keen observers will note, has another state, Victoria, also named after her). This is the third most populous state in the country, after NSW and Victoria. Queensland is also the state under which Brisbane, its capital, belongs. Often referred to as the sunshine state because of the warm climate, Queensland has most of the population in the state residing near the coastline, and to the east of the state already lies the Pacific Ocean.<span id="more-11"></span></p>
<h3>Geography and Climate</h3>
<p>The state capital of Brisbane is also part of the coastal community of most of the state, and is about one hundred km away from the border of New South Wales when traveling by motorway and NSW is also directly south of the state. Queensland also has the largest city in terms of land area anywhere, Mount Isa, taking up over forty thousand square km of land area.</p>
<p>A lot of natural wonders are located within Queensland, including the beaches in the state like the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast being the most well-known of the beaches there. Off the coast one would find a world heritage site, the Great Barrier Reef, the largest living coral reef in the world. The area occupied by this reef stretches to almost three hundred fifty thousand square kilometers, and can even be seen right from outer space. This is one large area when you think about it, and as a single structure made by living organisms, it&#8217;s the largest as well. There are four other world heritage sites located in Queensland, including fossil sites left behind by mammals, located in the Gulf Country. The Central Eastern Rainforest Reserves and Queensland&#8217;s Wet Tropics area are also located well within the state.</p>
<p>The climate pattern in a large portion of the state is of the tropical variety, and most of the tropical portion of the state is capable of growing bananas, the staple agricultural product of the state and an icon in itself. Inland however, it&#8217;s a different story with a much drier environment that is a typical condition of the western portion of Queensland. The nicest weather can be found on the coastal areas, which provide for fairly consistent temperature levels throughout the whole coastal zone. In all, there are basically two types of weather pattern in Queensland, summer and winter, the former having lots of rainfall and humid days, and the latter having minimal rainfall and higher average temperatures. The lowest average temperatures are experienced in Brisbane at fourteen degrees Celsius, and Longreach having the highest temperatures recorded here at thirty-one degrees.</p>
<h3>Queensland Economy</h3>
<p>Tourism has a significant impact on the economy of Queensland. It&#8217;s because of the high volume of traffic in the state for domestic visitors, second only to New South Wales in volume, and the travelers contribute a significant amount to the economy, to the tune of eleven billion dollars annually in the overnight visitor market. That&#8217;s not the end of the picture as there is also a market of two and a half billion dollars coming from day visitors to the area.</p>
<p>The economy in Queensland is also the highest in Australia, with growth within ten years covering 1992 up until 2002 well above those of other states. Five percent growth was shown by the state of Queensland compared to less than four percent for the rest of the country. Aside from tourism, one significant industry in the state is mining, which is another backbone industry and is a large contributor to the fueled growth of the state, making it the fastest growing within the forecasted future periods. Other strong industries include agriculture, as well as livestock and dairy products being significant export contributors to the GDP.</p>
<h3>Investing In Queensland Properties</h3>
<p>One of the best things about living in Queensland is the low cost of living exhibited by the state, especially in the state capital of Brisbane, which among all the capital cities across the country has the lowest cost of living. Housing however is another matter entirely, with Brisbane being third highest in terms of cost in purchasing a housing property. But still, this hasn&#8217;t dissuaded buyers from scooping up properties in the state, because of the large draw of tourism here. In fact, five major theme parks are all set within the state of Queensland, and this contributes significantly to the strong tourism industry.</p>
<p>The real estate market in Queensland is still trying to cope with the high level of demand for properties all across the price range throughout the state and more so in the state capital, Brisbane. The population growth in the state is also showing a constant pattern and has led to a very strong real estate market. Infrastructure is also being updated constantly to meet the growing demands of a bigger population.</p>
<p>With six hundred fifty new residents calling Queensland home every week, it&#8217;s no wonder there is a decisive lead of demand over supply in real estate in Queensland. With projected demand for the next twenty years at almost six hundred thousand homes, now would be a great time to capitalize on this demand and investing with property developers to help you make your money grow within the properties market here in Queensland.</p>
<p>A good decision would be to invest in rental homes in Queensland, not only for the tourism market but also for the working class who will be moving into the area for work, thus ensuring that there will be a strong demand for rental properties where you&#8217;ll be investing and a low vacancy rate for these as well. You can check government statistics that show the expected increase of the population, and you can simply deduce that all these people have to live somewhere and you won&#8217;t have a shortage of clientele. In any case, Queensland is a good market to show where you can get a nice, healthy profit from your investments.</p>
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		<title>Propety in Australia</title>
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		<pubDate>Fri, 08 May 2009 12:21:16 +0000</pubDate>
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				<category><![CDATA[General]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Australia is a country of so many extremes,  being the sixth largest country in the world (50% larger than Europe) but having the lowest population density in the world, some 2 people per square kilometre.  The country has historically strong links to Britain, with the Queen still the official monarchy of the country, [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Australia is a country of so many extremes,  being the sixth largest country in the world (50% larger than Europe) but having the lowest population density in the world, some 2 people per square kilometre.  The country has historically strong links to Britain, with the Queen still the official monarchy of the country, although the history of Australia is very colourful. Initially populated by the aborigines, the country was used as a place to ship prisoners many years ago. Slowly but surely the aborigine influence in the country was reduced, and western style values introduced.<span id="more-8"></span></p>
<h3>About Australia</h3>
<p>The country was originally made up of six separate states, although they formed a union in 1901 to create Australia. It was not until Captain James Cook arrived in 1770, that the country was actually discovered by the Europeans.  A place of immense beauty, stifling hot weather conditions and one of the most laid back social attitudes in the western world.  Australia really is a special place.</p>
<p>Many of the worlds main mineral companies have originated from Australia, as the land of &#8220;Oz&#8221; continues to supply a large majority of the worlds precious metals, etc.  The economy has been fairly strong for some time, although historically there have been large peaks and troughs in line with the swing in commodity prices. This dependence has since been diluted with the country now offering a broader more diverse business scene.</p>
<p>While the mass media portray Australia as a vast and varied land, it is difficult to actually appreciate the size and beauty of the land.  Golden white beaches give way to golden white desert land, with many towns and settlements hundreds of miles away from the hustle and bustle of main stream Australia.  The famous flying doctor is still in existence, and many of the families rely on the internet and other modern day technology to actually educate their children.  A vast and prosperous land, with many investment opportunities.</p>
<h3>Property Market in Australia</h3>
<p>As the business base of Australia has moved away from the dominance of natural resources, the economy has become much more balanced. Still growing and adjusting to the changes, the economy has been one of the better performing worldwide, since 1990. Relatively stronger than most of their European counterparts in the worldwide down turn in early 2000, the economy has thrown up a number of interesting opportunities for foreign capital.</p>
<p>Due to the sheer size of the country, and the extreme difference in population per kilometre, the market for property in Australia is very diverse.  Historically it is the main inland cities of Melbourne and Sydney which have pushed the Australian property market ahead, although the coastal areas with strong popular tourist attractions also performing well.  Quality Australian property will always hold an attraction to the foreign investor as the infrastructure in many parts of the country is weak, and sometimes nearly non-existent.</p>
<p>While the vast majority of Australians own their own homes, there is a strong rental market which now represents 29% of all dwellings in the country.  There are very many similarities with the UK and Australian economies and style of government, although the fundamental difference is that Australia will never run out of land to develop, although the quality of local services may well diminish the further away you move from the main cities and coastal towns.</p>
<p>The Australian property market has been relatively strong for some time, but due to the high concentration of attractive properties in a limited number of areas, the market can show large short term fluctuations.  These tend to flatten out as the slow but sure expansion of the larger cities continues, and investors also look for cheaper alternative areas in the less populated parts of the country.  To spot Australia&#8217;s next growth city could throw up a very lucrative investment.</p>
<h3>Why Invest in Australia</h3>
<p>Australia offers a unique investment opportunity for those looking at the longer term picture, due in the main to the strong economy, increase in gross domestic product, buoyant labour market and a western style attitude to attracting outside investment.</p>
<p>As the business and employment markets continue to develop with opportunities in all areas of the country, we are seeing a slow shift from owner buyers to long term rental agreements.  This market is expected to grow further in the coming years, and offers would be investors a quality long term income stream, together with the potential for long term capital growth.</p>
<p>While air travel from Britain and other parts of Europe is lengthy, there are a number of commercial routes from Europe to Australia as the country continues to retain strong ties with European counter-parts.  The free market culture is proving very successful, producing a number of larger Australian corporations who have diversified all over the world &#8211; media being one of the main exports.</p>
<p>Add in the ease with which finance is available &#8211; often on a short term agreements, allowing maximum tax relief on loans (usually 5 &#8211; 10 years, rather than in excess of 20 years in the UK) &#8211; not to mention the attractive landscapes and scorching hot weather, it is easy to see why tourism is playing a larger and larger part in the economy of Australia.</p>
<h3>Outlook For Australia</h3>
<p>Historically the Australian economy has seen a number of volatile phases, although over recent years there are signs of a more gradual increase which looks set to continue. The forecast is underpinned by a stable interest rate outlook, proactive government policies to resist the threat of over heating, a thriving employment sector and stable inflation.  These all add up to a great scenario for long term property value appreciation, although there will always be &#8220;hot spots&#8221; in the country, due to the vast difference in population density.</p>
<p>The buy to let market has been showing particular strength, and is currently offering rental returns in the region of 8% &#8211; 9%, while properties in Australia a showing capital appreciation averaging approximately 10% per annum.  The government are also increasing expenditure outside of the major cities and tourist areas, which is encouraging property investors to consider looking further afield than just the high population density areas.  The country has a lot to offer both the tourism industry and the overseas investor, with the Australian property market particularly attractive.</p>
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		<title>The Last Few States of Australia</title>
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		<pubDate>Fri, 08 May 2009 11:28:54 +0000</pubDate>
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		<description><![CDATA[In Area, Western Australia is considered the largest state in Australia. It covers 1/3 of the mainland&#8217;s western portion. It is being bordered by the Northern Territory and South Australia. Thus, it is also stated as the world&#8217;s 2nd largest sub-national entity.
The Western Australians or West Australians, as they call themselves, are also referred colloquially [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>In Area, Western Australia is considered the largest state in Australia. It covers 1/3 of the mainland&#8217;s western portion. It is being bordered by the Northern Territory and South Australia. Thus, it is also stated as the world&#8217;s 2nd largest sub-national entity.</p>
<p>The Western Australians or West Australians, as they call themselves, are also referred colloquially as &#8220;sandgroppers&#8221;. This is based from the insects found on Perth&#8217;s sand dunes.<span id="more-4"></span></p>
<h3>Western Australia</h3>
<p>Western Australia, amongst other Australian states, has the utmost output in terms of per capita. Extraction and exportation of petroleum and mining commodities make up the economy of Western Australia. These commodities would be alumina, iron, natural gas, gold and nickel. Thus, the top alumina extractor of Western Australia produces over 20% of the alumina worldwide. It is also the 3rd largest producer of iron ore worldwide. The iron ore being produced is estimated to be about 15% of the iron ore being produced around the world. Aside from iron ore, Western Australia extracts about 75% of the 240 tonnes of actual gold in Australia. The Argyle diamond mine, where West Australians extracts there diamonds from is just situated in their North West area. Collie holds the coal mine responsible for Western Australia&#8217;s domestic power.</p>
<p>The unprecedented demand of a large amount of resources for China recently strongly and positively affected the economy of Western Australia. It paved the way for a more powerful GSP growth. In fact, Perth emerged as the significant administration area for businesses that pertain to the oil, gas and mineral industries.</p>
<p>Another important contributor of Western Australia&#8217;s GSP would be from their agricultural exports. These would be barley, wheat; and product from sheep like meat and wool.  About 50% of the exports from live cattle are from Western Australia.</p>
<p>With regards to the tourism sector in Australia, it has become the most important and significant sector in Western Australia. Thousands and even millions visit this part of Australia ever year. Most tourists would come from Ireland, the UK, Malaysia, Japan and Singapore.</p>
<p>Since Western Australia comprises about 10% of the population in Australia, the export revenues they were able to meet have reached about 30%. Thus, with the recent bolstering of commodities, the figure has actually reached and even exceeded 40%. Western Australia now outweighs Victoria, New South Wales and even a combination of the two; in terms of generating export.  Excellent corporate activity, high income, mineral revenue, younger population and lower unemployment figures would only show that Western Australia has become a good provide of distinct financial subsidy for the other states in Australia.</p>
<h3>The Need for More Workers</h3>
<p>In fact, the bolstering of the economy of Western Australia was so strong it even produced a huge shortage on the labor sector. The government of Western Australia stepped forward and launched a worldwide appeal to urge skilled laborers and professionals to consider moving to Western Australia. Job vacancies have reached an outstanding level; and would continue to increase if the demands for many skilled workers are not met. This poses a threat to the government of Western Australia because these significant opportunities for more economic growth will be lost with the inability to produce skilled workers.</p>
<p>With regards to the compensation and income in Western Australia, it has surpassed the national average figure. The national average is about A$57,387; West Australians receive about A$61,662. This estimate was only as of 2007.</p>
<p>Like a chain reaction, the bolstering in economy of Western Australia caused a tremendous rise in the value of properties there. In 2006 alone, the average residential properties have increased their value to more than 40%. Although the values seem to have remained flat last year; it is still foreseen that it will continue to increase even at a much slower pace.  Perth currently ranks the 2nd in having the most valuable properties. Perth would come after Sydney. Their large projects in this state continue to fuel up the economy. Thus, the growth in population continues to push up the rental prices.</p>
<p>Significant manufacturing and refining industries are currently situated within Western Australia. This industry grows in accordance with the bolstering of Western Australia&#8217;s economy.</p>
<h3>The Top Industries of WA</h3>
<p>The exportation of Liquefied natural gas to Asia, the production of fertilizers and Petro chemicals by the North Western Shelf region have also contributed a lot to the economy of Western Australia. The largest stated export contract of Australia would be with China. This is for a contract to supply China with gas for a period of time. The contract is worth a whooping AUD$45 Billion.</p>
<p>Another known area in Western Australia is Kwinana. It is situated on the southern part of Perth. Oil refining is said to be conducted in this area. This is along with an iron plant being owned by a Rio Tinto. Aside from oil refining, nickel and alumina is also being produced here.</p>
<p>In Henderson, Austal yards are the area where shipbuilding is being conducted. Henderson is situated by the southern portion of Fremantle. Thus, Perth also has several light &amp; heavy engineering sectors, as well as factories for metal fabrication. This is why Perth is known to meet the demands for the mining industry. Building products and cement manufacturing, food processing, flour milling, automotive bodybuilding, animal-feed production, boat building and printing are the other light industries in Perth.</p>
<p>Small and major breweries are also situated in Perth. These would be the Carlton United Brewing at Mosman Bay, the Swan Brewery at Canning Vale, gage Roads Brewery in Fremantle, Little Creatures Brewery in Fremantle.</p>
<p>Other significant industries in Western Australia would be their fishing industries. This can either be for foreign export or local consumption. Other exports would be their prawns, crabs, tuna, shark and rock lobsters. It is in the West Coast where processing is being conducted.</p>
<p>Perth is also being considered as the center for finance and banking in the region. This would include the head offices of the state for all the major banks including the National Australia Bank, Commonwealth, ANZ and Westpac. It is also the home of the Woodside Petroleum Head Office; whose major offices are situated in Rio Tinto. This is also with the Western Mining Corporation and BHP.</p>
<p>Aside from this, the area is also the main center of Australia for gas &amp; oil administration; as well as mining and insurance companies. These insurance companies would include Aviva, AXA, SGIO and AMP.</p>
<p>All these industries make up the bolstering economy of Western Australia. The need for more skilled workers and the major job vacancies would only show how successful this state in Australia is. It should mean that many investors trust in the capabilities and the market of Western Australia.</p>
<p>There are a lot of tourist attractions in Western Australia. For their reserves, forests and parks;</p>
<p>1. Stirling Range National Park<br />
2. Poronqurup Range National Park<br />
3. Beedelup<br />
4. Warren National Park<br />
5. Valley of the Giants<br />
6. Tree Top Walk<br />
7. Ancient Empire Grove<br />
8. Kings Park<br />
9. Yanchep National Park<br />
10. Munda Biddi Trail</p>
<p>The renowned beaches of Western Australia:</p>
<p>1. Cable Beach<br />
2. Ningaloo Reef<br />
3. Middleton Beach<br />
4. Margaret River<br />
5. Lucky Bay<br />
6. Rottnest Island<br />
7. Cottesloe Beach<br />
8. Windsurfer&#8217;s Beach</p>
<p>Outback Adventures in Western Australia</p>
<p>1. Golden Outback<br />
2. Coral Coast<br />
3. Australia&#8217;s North West<br />
4. Gibb River Road<br />
5. Thundelarra Station<br />
6. Leeuwin Naturaliste National Park<br />
7. Cape Le Grand National Park<br />
8. Karijini National Park</p>
<p>Rivers and Lakes in Western Australia:</p>
<p>1. Lake Argyle<br />
2. Swan River<br />
3. Swan Valley<br />
4. Canning River<br />
5. Coast of Freemantle<br />
6. Avon River<br />
7. Blackwood River<br />
Family Attractions in Western Australia:<br />
1. Perth Zoo<br />
2. Scitech Discovery Centre<br />
3. AQWA<br />
4. Perth Mint<br />
5. WA Maritime Museum<br />
6. Swan Valley Wagon Trails<br />
7. Adventure World<br />
8. Mount Romance Scandalford Factory<br />
9. Kodja Place<br />
10. Caversham Wildlife Park</p>
<p>Top Events in WA:</p>
<p>1. Red Bull Air Race<br />
2. BMW Perth Cup<br />
3. Spring in the Valley<br />
4. Margaret River Wine Region Festival<br />
5. Johnnie Walker Golf Tournament<br />
6. UWA Perth International Arts Festival<br />
7. Ord Valley Muster<br />
8. Multiplex Avon Descent<br />
9. Australia Day Fireworks<br />
10. Rottnest Channel Swim,</p>
<p>Famous Night Spots and Pubs:</p>
<p>1. Subiaco Hotel<br />
2. Sail and Anchor<br />
3. Little Creatures<br />
4. Swan River Foreshore<br />
5. The Carine<br />
6. Belgian Beer Cafe<br />
7. Norfolk Hotel<br />
8. The Queens<br />
9. The Brisbane Hotel<br />
10. Sail and Anchor</p>
<p>Although land in Western Australia is very expensive, it is considered as a breeding ground for a lot of opportunities. Expatriates will love everything in Western Australia and the other attractions that other states of Australia can offer. Even if the rental would be quite pricey, it is still comparable and equal to the income you will receive.</p>
<p>If you are planning to buy a property or invest in Western Australia, you are making an excellent choice. The return of investment is not only guaranteed; it may even surpass all expectations. Rental yield is also ensured in this part of Australia. Thus, with all the businesses and major industries present here, you will find everything easily accessible and easily attainable.</p>
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