The Cardrona Bra Fence, New Zealand

PD Photo: The Cardrona Bra Fence, a controversial tourist attraction in Central Otago, New Zealand, photo taken on 24 March, 2006 by Adam Buczynski

The Cardrona Bra Fence was a controversial tourist attraction in Central Otago, New Zealand, where passers-by started to hang bras on a rural fence. The Bra Fence had its origin on a day between Christmas and New Year 1999, when four women's bras were found hanging to the wire fence. As news spread, more bras began to appear, but the bras were removed anonymously. This attracted more people, and by October 2000, the number of bras was about 200, and in early 2006, the number of bras attached to the fence was about 800. As the fence rested on a public road reserve, the local Council determined the bra fence was a traffic hazard and an eyesore and ordered the bras on the fence to be removed. It seems that the Bra Fence is a piece of history now, but there are thousands of photos of the Bra Fence on the worldwide web for posterity.

Auckland, New Zealand’s largest metropolitan area

Photo: Skyline of Auckland, New Zealand, from Westhaven Marina

With about 31 per cent of New Zealand's population the Auckland metropolitan area is the largest in the country. Auckland also is the home to the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world. In recent times, many people of Asian ethnicity have settled in the city.

New Zealand is situated about 2,000 kilometers (1,200 miles) southeast of Australia across the Tasman Sea. Its closest neighbors are New Caledonia, Fiji and Tonga. The majority of New Zealand's population is of European descent, while the indigenous Maori are the largest minority.

The 2009 Mercer Quality of Living Survey ranked Auckland at # 4 spot in the world on its list, while World's Most Livable Cities index of 2010 published by The Economist ranked Auckland in 10th place. In 2008, Auckland was classified as an Alpha-City in the World Cities Study Group’s inventory by Loughborough University.

The City of Sails, as Auckland is popularly called, has its harbour dotted with hundreds of yachts. With around 135,000 yachts and launches, it has more yachts per capita than any other city in the world. About one in three Auckland households owns a boat.

Viaduct Basin hosted two America's Cup challenges (2000 and 2003), and its restaurants, cafes and clubs add to Auckland's vibrant nightlife. With the sheltered Waitemata Harbour at its doorstep, Auckland hosts many nautical events. There is a very large number of sailing clubs in Auckland, as well as Westhaven Marina, the largest in the Southern Hemisphere.

The up-market shopping areas Newmarket and Parnell, and Otara's and Avondale's flea markets offer a colorful kaleidoscope of shopping experience to international tourists and local visitors. The Auckland Art Gallery is the repository of many national treasures while many other historical and cultural artifacts are displayed in popular museums such as the Auckland War Memorial Museum or the Museum of Transport and Technology. Exotic animals and other creatures can be seen at the Auckland Zoo and Kelly Tarlton's Underwater World. The Waitemata Harbour has some of the best swimming beaches at Mission Bay, Devonport, Takapuna, and the west coast has famous surf spots such as Piha and Muriwai.

Milford Sound, New Zealand

Photo: Milford Sound, one of New Zealand's most famous tourist destinations

Milford Sound is a fjord in the south west of New Zealand's South Island, within Fiordland National Park and the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage site. Geologically, a fjord is a long, narrow inlet with steep sides, created in a valley carved by glacial activity.

In May 2008, Milford Sound was named the top destination in the world, determined based on the opinions of TripAdvisor's six million members, the world's largest online travel community, ahead of Cayo Largo in Cuba, Rhodes in Greece, and California's Lake Tahoe. Milford Sound topped the list of 100 global destinations.

Romney sheep and its lambs

Photo: A Romney sheep and its lambs in New Zealand

Romney sheep, also known as Romney Marsh and called by the local farmers as the Kent, is a breed of sheep with its origins attributed to England. The Romney a long-wool breed since 1800, is an economically important sheep breed in New Zealand, especially in the exports of meat and wool.