With its stunning landscape, beautiful coastline and desirable way of life; Australia is a popular destination for people to migrate to from afar. Migration has long been associated with the nation and is reflected in Australian way of life and its culturally diverse society. Since the second world war, over six million migrants have settled in Oz from abroad. Being a continent in its own right, Australia is the sixth largest country on Earth, located between the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Comprising of six states and two territories, read on for advice in regards to which area could be best suited for your lifestyle when emigrating to Australia.

Queensland

Often referred to as the Sunshine State, Queensland is an extremely popular destination to settle in due to its stunning weather along the Gold Coast. Being Australia’s second largest state by area, the climate of inland Queensland can incur a monsoonal season in the far north and low temperatures further south. To the north of the state is the Great Barrier Reef, the world’s largest single structure made by living organisms and is a World Heritage site. The majority of this natural beauty is protected by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, an organisation that helps to limit human impact, from fishing to tourism. Born from the Moreton Bay penal colony, Brisbane is currently the state capital for Queensland and has been affectionately named "Bris Vegas" as a tribute to its nightlife.

New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory

New South Wales is renowned for its beachside communities, made famous by a certain television soap. The state is home to over 780 national parks and reserves that range from the bush, outback deserts, rainforests and waterfalls. With eleven universities in the region, New South Wales is a good consideration for further study and education. Being the capital of New South Wales, Sydney is the most popular destination for British inhabitants in the whole of Australia with it being the financial and economic epicentre of the nation. New industries like information technology and the financial services sector have replaced the old with many of multinational corporations having their Australasian headquarters based in the Sydney Central Business District. The Australian capital Territory is home to purpose-built Canberra is also the political centre for the country with the federal government based in the city.

Victoria

Finance, insurance and property services form Victoria's largest income producing sector, while the community, social and personal services sector is the state's biggest employer. Despite the shift towards service industries, the troubled manufacturing sector remains Victoria's single largest employer and income producer. Victoria is seen as the sports capital of Australia. The state is the traditional home of Australia Rules Football with the vast majority of teams that play in the Australian Football League being based in the region. It also stages holds many international sporting events, including the first Grand Slam tennis tournament each season, as well as the Australian Formula One Grand Prix.

South Australia

South Australia is home to the city of churches, Adelaide. The city is renowned for its cultural influence on the country. It was recently been listed in the Top 10 of The Economist’s World’s Most Liveable Cities in Australia and recognised nationally as the most liveable city by the Property Council of Australia. The city also hosts many art and music festivals throughout the year and is close to the infamous wine region, Barossa Valley. It is worth noting that despite all the cultural sophistication connected to the region, South Australia’s economy is based on the manufacturing and defence technology industries. Almost half of cars made in Australia are made in the state at the General Motors Holden plant in Elizabeth.

Western Australia

It is worth noting Western Australia for its wine region and mining community, the main settlement for people from overseas is the city of Perth. The state is know for being home to approximately 540 species of birds and a significantly large number of plant species. Also known as the ‘City of Light’, Perth is known for being the starting point for many of the Australia’s brightest and internationally recognised celebrities; including Hugh Jackman, Heth Ledger and British-based comedian Tim Minchin. Western Australia is steeped in colonial history, hence why the region has an extremely high proportion of British-born residents.

If you are looking for an alternative slice of Australian life away from the normal hotspots to settle, why not consider the red deserts of the Northern Territory or the wilderness of Tasmania? So whether you prefer the natural beauty of the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland, the desirable lifestyle found in New South Wales or sports-mad Victoria; it is vital that you get as much advice on moving to the country as possible.