With its mighty 18,000km coastline, eastern Australia practically wrote the book on beach life and watersports. Should you manage to drag yourself away from the ocean, you'll find the rest ain't so bad either: mountain ranges, rainforest, outback and three vibrant capital cities will keep you busy during low tide.

• Maps galore
• Focus on sustainability and eco-tourism options
• Environment and history chapters by expert authors
• Increased coverage of indigenous culture
• The sweetest sleeps in the east