This place is special to me because it describes my journey of relocating to a new city after living in my home country for 27 long years. The initial challenges and explorations are what this illustrated map is all about!
I and my partner [whom I call "Bunny" and is depicted as one here ;)] arrived in Melbourne in mid-year 2019. Melbourne being voted as one of the best cities to live in the world, we were very excited to discover the new city and somehow we managed to have a fair bit of it in the initial few months; from watching a footy game at the Marvel Stadium, watching penguins at the St. Kilda Pier to seeing KAWS at the National Gallery of Victoria. The crucial part was to find a place we could call our "Home", but after hopping from my sister's place to an interim Airbnb location and finally after a month finding our own house was a journey worth documenting. We were exposed to many different areas of Melbourne during the house-hunt in just one month of our arrival and eventually ended up exploring very interesting places and having some amazing experiences on our way.
After a few months, all I can say is - " Melbourne took my heart! "

Summers day spent at surfers paradise where we spent the holidays on the beach and visiting the theme parks - Gold Coast Australia.

I live in a beautiful coastal town on the east coast of Australia, 4 hours north of Sydney. There are lots of walks and places to see amazing native vegetation in the surrounding areas but my favourite is the one that follows the coast, and in the right time of the year you can even spot the annual whale migration.

This place is special to me because it was where I spent my 20s. I came to Wellington, New Zealand as an international student; and this place has greatly influenced who I have become. The city center is compact and everything is within 2km walking distance. The people are friendly, there are many places to eat and explore, and if you are lucky you may spot a Kiwi bird! I hope my map inspires you to consider Wellington as your next trip. We often say "Nothing can beat Wellington on a sunny day!" I love you Wellington. And thanks for the memories.

This place is special to me because, no matter what the season, this gorgeous valley in the Australian Alps has me enchanted with its ever-changing colour palette. From snow capped peaks in winter to golden leaves in autumn, it is my favourite place in the world to hike with my dog.

This place is special to me because, in the words of beloved broadcaster and naturalist, David Attenborough, "it's a place so extraordinary it is almost unbelievable". Only two hours after boarding a small plane in Sydney, myself, on of my closest friend and her lovely mum landed on Lord Howe Island and what I can only describe as absolute paradise. It is home to only 350 residents, up to 400 tourists and an abundance of animals, plants and sea life, many of which are endemic to the island. With virtually no cars, no keys to your accomodation, and no mobile reception or internet coverage it is the place to come and completely recharge your batteries and soak in the natural environment. Surrounding Lord Howe is the world’s most southern coral reef, and it only takes 5 minutes to get there from the shore. I’ve never seen such vibrant coral and abundance of tropical and sub-tropical fish, turtles, sting rays and dolphins. The rest of the time was spent hiking through the unspoilt forest and mountains, kayaking, cycling, watching the abundant bird life and eating the freshest fish I’d had in ages. There was no need to deprive ourselves of all modern day privileges though. Fine dining was only down the road at a nearby retreat as was a massage for those tired muscles. I feel so privileged to have experienced this World Heritage listed piece of heaven and hope to take my son one day before it too disappears (I might need to save up for the airfare though!). Despite the island’s conservation efforts, last summer was the worst coral bleaching seen due to warmer ocean temperatures. It would be a real tragedy to lose this unique haven.

This place is special to me because..it's vibrant, friendly, healthy and home. Brisbane is the capital city of Queensland, Australia. It's full of fun activities, fabulous beaches nearby, loads of beautiful parklands and a beautiful river that runs right through it. Come visit ! You wont regret it !

A map of the koala territories that I know of along the Murray River at Cobram & Barooga. I grew up on the banks of the Murray River in Corowa (just upstream from this map), but there was no koala population there. Since moving back to the area, it has been wonderful to find that the koalas are returning thanks to a very successful relocation and breeding program. I hope that this map will inspire people to visit our beautiful part of the world.

This place is special to me because it's one of the most magical place in the world and it has changed my life! I have met people there that have been so inspiring and I've experienced so many great things that it literally influenced the way I live today. I've been living a nomadic life for 6 years now travelling across 4 continents and nowhere else in the world have I seen so many pristine beaches and native wildlife in such a small area. Can you believe there are more than 100 beaches in less than 160km (100miles) of coast?! And how about meeting kangaroos, wombats, cockatoos, dolphins, whales and many more birds and animals almost on a daily basis?! You thought that would be it but you can also see powerful blowholes, impressive waterfalls, visit significant cultural places, eat at great vegetarian cafes, hike in the bush, surf... A friend of mine living in Huskisson one day described it as "living in Paradise"... well I totally agree on that!

This place is special to me because Australia is a place that both fascinates and terrifies me. Sydney is the capital city of New South Wales and is mostly safe from all of the deadly critters that call Australia their home, though maybe you'll catch sight of a kangaroo on one of the city's golf courses. Sydney is also home to one of the most iconic buildings in the world: the Sydney Opera House. Along with catching a performance there, visitors might decide to participate in the Sydney Harbor BridgeClimb if they're feeling daring. Sydney, Australia is also the setting of one of my favorite Disney films, "Finding Nemo".

Bondi beach is special to me, because It was one of the places I always wanted to visit when I was living in Europe. Now I am lucky enough to live in Sydney, very close to this iconic place. I find it absolutely amazing that I can go to the beach whenever I like and after 3 years I still feel like I am on holidays. What a great feeling! Why did I choose cockatoos? Because this noisy birds are all-around and they are absolutely gorgeous.

This was a once in a lifetime trip that I have been planning for years. My husband and I traveled from Minnesota, USA to Melbourne, Victoria, Australia and then to the North Island of New Zealand. These were some of the highlights from the trip.

Australia, a federation of six states and two territories, is one of the world's great economic and migration success stories. Australia is a unique, modern and dynamic trading nation with an ancient indigenous history, and a European cultural background. More than 85 per cent of Australians lives within 50 kilometres of the coast, making it an integral part of our laid-back lifestyle.

Melbourne is know as the world's best coffee city with more than 1,900 cafes. This map features 38 cafes in the iconic areas Brunswick, Fitzroy and the city of Melbourne.

I've had two fleeting visits to Singapore, squeezed in on business trips to Asia where I hop from one country to another in the blink of an eye. There's so much to explore in this tiny country and my Cityscape can only pick out a few highlights and even in the short time I've spent there I have vivid memories of the lush, green landscape. Walking through the enchanting, Botanic Gardens, eating Chilli Crab down by the Bay and having Afternoon Tea in Raffles Hotel were my highlights. I also loved exploring Little India and China Town, two contrasting neighbourhoods sitting together side by side. The magnificent Marina Bay Sands is an architectual masterpiece and makes your heart skip a beat when you look up and up at the tropical roof top garden.