Scuttling into the office along wind-whipped, congested streets, the call of golden beaches, sunshine and wide open spaces has an irresistible appeal at this time of year.  And with two-hour flights to Australia being mulled over by Sir Richard Branson, we could all be jetting off for a long weekend down under before we hit retirement age.  Here are my top 5 reasons why a holiday to Australia ticks all the right boxes for London’s office worker – whether it’s for a fortnight in 2018 or four days in 2038.

Australia’s far from London’s madding crowds

With London’s population predicted to swell to ten million by the middle of the next decade, the capital is groaning at the seams.  In the Square Mile alone, the population is predicted to surge from 483,000 to a staggering 580,000 by 2026.  While the UK has 248.25 people per square kilometre, Australia in contrast has only 2.66 people per square kilometre.  It’s so sparsely populated that there are in fact more sheep than people.  One baa-lissful reason to escape to Australia’s wide, open spaces – far from the madding crowds of Oxford Street.

Australia has phenomenal beaches

Working in the UK’s great metropolis means that beach life is limited to pop-up rooftop beach bars where brave office workers hunker down in deck chairs to escape the chill winds of summer.  In contrast, Aussie life revolves around the beach with 50,000 kilometres of coastline and more than 10,000 beaches to choose from.  More than 80% of Australians live within 100 kilometres of the beach – making it a focal meeting point after work and at weekends.  They say that if you were to visit a new beach in Australia every day, it would take more than 27 years.  The perfect excuse to book a holiday to Australia again and again.

Australia has a surprising winter sports scene 

As die-hard ski fans mourn the end of Europe’s winter season, the Australian Alps are just gearing up to open. The season starts from mid-June and ends in late September/early October.  Head to the popular resorts of Tasmania’s Central Plateau, the Victorian Alps and the New South Wales Snowy Mountains and you may discover more snow than you did last year in Switzerland.    Plan your annual leave right and you can trade in the beach for a summer ski fix in the southern hemisphere.

Australia is ethnically diverse

One of London’s great selling points is its amazing ethnic diversity and it can be a culture shock when the capital’s office worker sets foot in more parochial parts of the world.  In Australia, there are more than 200 languages spoken including 45 different indigenous languages.  English is followed by Italian, Greek, Cantonese, Arabic, Vietnamese and Mandarin.  With such a cosmopolitan feel, you’ll feel right at home and a million miles away from the claustrophobic “Brits abroad” horrors of certain European resorts.

Australia has sizzling international cuisine

With such a melting pot of nationalities, it’s not surprising that, in common with London, Australia has an amazing array of international eateries.   Offering far more than mere “barbie” fare, Asian fusion is the dish-du-jour for the discerning Aussie diner.  Thai, Chinese, French, Japanese, Italian and Vietnamese offerings battle for culinary domination, with Indian, Mexican and Korean cuisine chasing hot on their tail. With such a diverse offer, the refined London palate certainly won’t be short of a hot, steamed bun down under.

This post is part of a campaign with Flight Centre.

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