The 6,000 sq m Australian pavilion is one of the Expo's largest.

The Australian pavilion forms a bridge between Chinese visitors and Australians and is designed to give visitors a better understanding of the depth and diversity of the Australian lifestyle, culture and people.

With the theme "ImagiNation", the pavilion is one of the largest in the Expo garden occupying an area of 6,000 sq m. It has received around 40,000 tourists per day. By May 26, over 1 million had visited in total. Visitors are welcomed by friendly bilingual staff.

"The Australian pavilion is a unique response to the red heart of Australia," said Lyndall Sachs, commissioner general of the Australia pavilion. "It is a very special building which is uniquely Australian."

The exterior of the pavilion is made of special weathering steel. From its installation in August 2009 to the opening of the expo in May 2010, the self sealing and highly durable steel will develop an increasingly deep, red-ochre color, evocative of the Australian outback.

"This dialogue between the pavilion and its surroundings is part of the dialogue between Australia and China which we are trying to explore in our pavilion," said Sachs.

Sachs said that the audio-visual presentation is the centerpiece of the pavilion and has helped the organizers to interpret the idea of "Better City, Better Life." The importance of balance in a city's development process is interpreted through the eyes of three children.

Another experience for visitors is to see the Australia pavilion mascot - Named Peng Peng it is inspired by the kookaburra, a bird native to Australia and famed for its calls that sound like laughter.

"It was because everyone is familiar with the iconic kangaroo and koala that for Shanghai World Expo, we decided to go for something a little different," said Sachs.

To give visitors a real taste of the culture and life in Australia, pavilion organizers have arranged performances to entertain visitors over the course of the Expo which will take place on the Rio Tinto stage in the atrium and on the Sand Bar Band Stage outside the pavilion.

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