Every week, iPhoneography Oz invites one of its Instagram followers to cover a topic about Australian society. Two months ago Melbourne hosted the Australian Grand Prix, the first round of the Formula 1 World Championship. @anneeadams was there and this is a preview of what she experienced.

iPhoneography Oz: Who are you in less than 140 characters?
anneadams: I'm a semi-retired early childhood teacher. Now I'm an iphoneograher. I love travel, reading, painting and mobile photography.

iOz: Your photo shows The Roulettes opening the Australian Grand Prix. Can you explain what it is?
a: The Roulettes are the Royal Australian Air Force's elite formation aerobatic display team. Their planes are PC-9/A's. They flew past my living room window on their way to perform at the Australian Grand Prix. Their aerial acrobatics were fantastic! I was really happy to get this photo because last year I didn't grab my phone fast enough.

iOz: What is life is like in Melbourne during the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix?
a: Melbourne is really busy and buzzing during Formula 1 week. We have lots of international visitors here. Melbournians really get into the spirit. I can hear the F1 cars from my place and see the crowds of people heading to the track around Albert Park.

iOz: If you were stuck in Australia with an unlimited budget and a week in front of you, what would you do?
a: Unlimited budget - wow!! I'd go to the Kimberley. I'd love to explore this remote and unique area of Australia. I'd stay at Cape Leveque Bush Camp and take a scenic flight over The Bungle Bungles.

iOz: What was one of the best travel experiences you've ever had in Australia?
a: Australia is so vast and so diverse! If I have overseas visitors I love to take them on a road trip down the Great Ocean Road in Victoria. You can enjoy the spectacular 'shipwreck coast' views. My visitors love to see kangaroos and koalas in the wild and I love the eucalypt forests of The Otways. There are pics from these trips on my IG account. For myself, my iconic trip was when I went to Uluru and Kata Tjuta in the Northern Territory. Most Aussies live in coastal cities but the outback is the soul of Australia.

iOz: What's your favourite photo on the blog?
a: Hard to choose!!! I like all the pics of the outback and those of the Australian beaches. How about the one of the Car Eating Cows sign :)

iOz: What kind of photos can our readers see on @anneadams's Instagram feed?
a: My IG feed is very eclectic. It veers between art edits, travel shots, street photography, and views from my daily life. It's like a visual diary. Doing painterly edits is my favourite way to express myself creatively.

iOz: What will you be doing for the next hour?
a: I will be having a coffee in Hawthorn. Melbourne has the best coffee and I love it!!!

iOz: We're switching roles, ask us anything!
a: Have you considered having a presence on EyeEm?
iOz: Travel blogging is really exciting but really time-consuming as well. That's the reason why we only focus on Instagram. However we're always looking for help from new volunteer collaborators. If you have a passion for Australia, contact us!

iOz: A last word?
a: Mobile photography is an absorbing addiction. It's enriched my life. Nowadays I take notice of the beauty around me rather than taking it for granted.

Photo captured by @anneadams. To be featured, follow @iPhoneographyOz and tag your own iPhone photos with #iOz. Any image taken in Australia and tagged with #iOz is eligible.

Every year, between January and March, Australia hosts some of the first stops on the world sport calendar. Of course there are the Australian Open (Tennis) and the Australian Grand Prix (Formula 1) which are held every year in Melbourne. Each January, there is also the Tour Down Under (Cycling), which attracts thousands of visitors from across the world as it makes its way around South Australia. The young cycling race, in comparison with the legendary Tour de France, began in 1999 (Lance Armstrong was already using performance-enhancing drugs at that time) and has since grown considerably to become the biggest cycling race in the southern hemisphere. First event on the UCI WorldTour calendar, the Tour Down Under welcomes every year the world's best professional cyclists for the kick off of the cycling year. Adelaide Hills, the Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale: since the Tour Down Under visits astounding beaches, world famous wine regions and charming country towns before the big finale on the streets of Adelaide, it is such a great opportunity for visitors to discover South Australia's gems in a week-long festival of cycling. Blending sport and tourism, this cycling event is definitely part of the things to do in Adelaide.

What do you think? Have you followed the Tour Down Under race? What is your favourite Australian sporting event? Let us know in the comments below!

Photo captured by @photographiqueau. To be featured, follow @iPhoneographyOz and tag your own iPhone photos with #iOz. Any image taken in Australia and tagged with #iOz is eligible.

It has been a long time since we planned to be in Cairns on 14 November 2012. Why? Because Cairns and Great Barrier Reef region is the only place in the world where the total solar eclipse can be seen on 14 November. Although, after having read this article, you will understand that Cairns was not the best place to see it... Seeing this natural phenomenon is rare, especially from land. It is only the eighth total eclipse of the twenty-first century. It is supposed to be visible along a strip of land about 200 kilometres wide which crosses the top of eastern Australia and the Coral Sea. Many eclipse-watchers took a flight to Cairns from all over the world. We are talking about 70,000 people coming for a two minutes glory of darkness. Special events such as Eclipse 2012, a huge hippie festival, and the Solar Eclipse Marathon in Port Douglas have been planned in the area to celebrate. But wait a minute, the sky is heavily overcast in Cairns! It might be 5 or 6 in the morning but the clouds are already up (are Mayans behind this one too?). Not the kind of eclipse we were expecting. We thought that a solar eclipse occurs when the Moon (not the clouds) passes in front of the Sun. Suddenly, a break in the clouds. We can see for the first (and the last) time the dark disk of the Moon obscuring the intensely bright light of the Sun. Asian tourists are hysterical and engage in an "Eclipse Style" dance (a dubious variation of Gangnam Style). A few minutes later, we experience a magic moment when the eclipse reaches its totality (even if we can not see it directly). It looks like someone somewhere just turned the light off. At this particular moment we understand why seeing a solar eclipse is an extraordinary privilege. Total darkness. Birds are lost. Then a few minutes later, they start to sing like they do in the morning. It is dawn again and the day can actually begin. So when is the next eclipse? 20 March 2015.

Australia's major sporting event is... a horse race! Even if it is difficult to imagine for a European (after all we know the Australian sport through the Wallabies), the Melbourne Cup is a very important date in an aussie calendar. The flat race has been held since 1861. It occurs every year on the first Tuesday in November at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, which hosts on this special occasion more than 100,000 spectators. That day, the whole country stops. It is even a public holiday in Melbourne and in the Australian Capital Territory. Elsewhere, many workers cease all activity, go to the pub, have beers and watch the race on TV (photo). And that day, even if the main show goes on the track, many Australians are dressed in traditional formal raceday wear (sometimes wearing amusing costumes)!

Running a marathon is a huge personal achievement. On this occasion some people, like Sarah, even run it as a part of a humanitarian project. Running a marathon among one of the most scenic urban landscape on the planet is a unique opportunity. Like the world's largest marathons, from New York City to Paris, via London, Sydney Marathon is a sporting event taking in some of the city's most spectacular and historic landmarks. Part of the Blackmores Sydney Running Festival, the event has three others distances to chose from so there is a run to suit all fitness levels (and they all go over the Harbour Bridge): Half Marathon (21 km), Bridge Run (9 km) or Family Fun Run (3.5 km). After going over the Harbour Bridge, the Marathon course continues into the Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney. The runners then head to Moore Park and Centennial Parklands where they run along the Allianz Stadium, Alessandro Del Piero's new playground since he has recently joined the Sydney FC. The second half of the race takes place in Sydney's central business district, close to Darling Harbour before finishing on a high note in the idyllic setting of Circular Quay. Approaching the finish line, on the ramp onto Sydney Opera House Forecourt, the crowd is so close and noisy that one could feel like being at the Olympics. Absolutely magic! Taking part in such a huge event is also an opportunity to "visit" a city as large as Sydney without the hassle of traffic. The 2013 Blackmores Sydney Running Festival will be held on Sunday 22 September!
For the record, on this occasion, Loïc set a new personal best in the marathon.

iPhoneography Oz was a guest of Blackmores Sydney Running Festival.

Sydney, Stadium Australia. September 2000. Cathy Freeman, Australian athlete of indigenous origin, lights the Olympic flame. A few days later, in the same stadium and in her famous swift-suit (exposed at the National Sports Museum in Melbourne), she wins a gold medal for the women's 400 metres and becomes the first athlete who lit the Olympic flame to win a gold medal at the same games. These are two of many unforgettable moments of some of the greatest sporting events in Australian history which has occured at ANZ Stadium (formerly known as Stadium Australia). The venue located in the heart of Sydney Olympic Park is the only stadium in the world to host five professional sports on a regular basis (rugby, rugby league, Australian football, football and cricket), in addition to large entertainment events. Guided tours of what is known as one of the world's finest and most technologically-advanced stadiums are also organized several times a day. Experiencing the thrill of running through the players' tunnel (with original Sydney 2000 Olympics cheering crowd sound) and standing on a genuine Sydney 2000 medal dais (photo), just like Cathy Freeman did 12 years ago, is quite an exciting experience for sports enthusiasts. A must see during a stay in Sydney!

iPhoneography Oz was a guest of ANZ Stadium.

iPhoneography Oz gives a try to Guest Blogging! We are going to regularly invite a blogger to cover a topic about Australian society. Today, Sarah gets the ball rolling. Just like us, she is about to run the Sydney Marathon (Blackmores Sydney Running Festival) on September 16. Except that she is going to run in a dress!

This is a guest post by Sarah Forsterling of Social 4 Social

Lots of my friends are freaked out about turning 30. That it means they should be well on their way to wherever they had decided they wanted to get to when they were 21. But for some reason that is not me. Not sure if it is because I look young, have ringlets and don't wear much makeup or just because I see 30 as an opportunity to mark where you want to go. You are old enough to have an idea of the sort of person you want to be and the sort of attitude and energy you want to encourage in those around you. So I am pumped about turning 30 in two weeks time.

I love to do lots of things. I love reading, writing and running. I love spending time with my family and friends. And I love being empowered to make the decisions that affect my life. So I thought why not mark my 30 milestone by doing something that encourages all of these things - health, fitness, appreciation for the outdoors and education.

For my birthday I am not asking for presents or champagne. Instead, I am running the Sydney Marathon in a school dress, asking my family to join me and asking my mates to donate $10 to help send girls to school in Sierra Leone.

Not your typical 30th birthday celebration, but one which I will remember and one which I hope encourages me, and those around me, to continue to be positive, motivated and realise you can always have an impact.

I am going to turn 30, being hot, sweaty and healthy. Surrounded by motivated people, taking in some of Australia's best sites and being proud of helping share the joy of education with deserving girls. Hard to beat that.

If you feel like supporting Sarah you can do that over here, she would love it. Or you can find her on twitter or pop over to see her blog.

Photo captured by @sarfos. If you would like to guest post for iPhoneography Oz, send us a message and we will give you the details about how YOU can allow the iOz community to experience a preview of Australian society.

As part of our training for the Sydney Marathon (Blackmores Sydney Running Festival) taking place on September 16th, we participated in the Boston Bay Wines Half Marathon organized by Port Lincoln Triathlon Club. This race which starts and finishes at Boston Bay Wines is, beyond the sporting event, an original way to discover the bay of Port Lincoln, one of the world's largest protected natural harbours, on the southern tip of Eyre Peninsula. Friendly atmosphere, setting new personal bests over the distance, views of the ocean all followed by a pasta party at the Boston Bay Wines restaurant: a challenging and successful day!

iPhoneography Oz was a guest of Port Lincoln Triathlon Club.

Adelaide is regarded as Australia's capital of culture. It is a city of festivals which also hosts many international sporting events each year. Downtown, in the district of North Terrace, the architectural legacy of the first settlers in 1836 is well preserved, which gives an elegant aspect to the city. It is there that Adelaide's various cultural institutions are grouped. We had the opportunity to visit the Art Gallery of South Australia. This gallery, founded in 1881, houses some of Australia's greatest art collections in one of the most beautiful buildings of the city. It has a collection of 38,000 works (paintings, sculptures, photographs, etc.) from Europe, North America, Asia and Australia of course (including one of the largest collections of Aboriginal art). Until August 5, the Art Gallery of South Australia is hosting two exhibitions related to the colonization of South Australia:

• South Australia Illustrated: Colonial painting in the Land of Promise
• Bounty: Nineteenth-century South Australian gold and silver

iPhoneography Oz was a guest of Art Gallery of South Australia.

Torquay is a coastal town in Victoria, located at the eastern end of the Great Ocean Road. The small seaside town is home to the largest surf companies. It is also in Torquay where you will find the legendary Bells Beach, world famous for hosting the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach, the oldest international surfing competition. This beach was written in to the final scene of Point Break. In Torquay we took part in a surfing lesson given by Go Ride A Wave. The company, which has over 25 years experience, has various locations along the coast of Australia including the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast. With the approach of winter, a wetsuit is provided to students. Therefore it is very unlikely that you will be cold once in the water. The instructor is passionate and makes ​​sure that you get the most out of your experience. Within two hours, you are able to stand and to have fun on your board. What a great feeling!

iPhoneography Oz was a guest of Go Ride A Wave.

Sydney Opera House is probably one of the most famous buildings in the world and arguably one of the biggest icons of the city and Australia itself. It hosts Opera Australia, the Sydney Theatre Company led by Cate Blanchett and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, to which must be added a multitude of international artistic productions. But do not summarize the cultural and artistic scene of Sydney by its opera only. Because Sydney is a city of entertainment that hosts international sporting events (Olympics, Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, International tennis, etc.), renowned festivals (Vivid Sydney) or art exhibitions just to name a few. To appreciate how vibrant Sydney city is in winter, iPhoneography Oz was able to attend in the space of a few days three main events:

• Dappled Cities new album launch party at Oxford Art Factory, a venue inspired by Andy Warhol's Factory in New York;
• Simple Plan concert given as part of the international tour group at Hordern Pavilion, theater located in a huge park close to the stadium where Sydney FC evolves;
• The performance of DJ Shivers at Spice Cellar, an underground lounge bar located in Sydney CBD.

The writers were guests of Destination NSW.

Hobart is the capital of Tasmania and, with over 200,000 inhabitants, its largest city. It is also the second oldest city in Australia after Sydney. The summit of Mount Wellington, which rises at 1,271 metres above sea level is certainly the best view of the city. Hobart is also internationally famous for being home to the finish line of the annual Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. But the state capital is also steeped in history. It is one of the cities in Australia with the largest number of superbly preserved old buildings (Georgian architecture). Salamanca Place, which hosts the famous Salamanca Market every saturday, is not to be missed. Hobart's historic center is easily walkable. We joined Hobart Historic Tours for a guided walk. The tour, extremely informative, lasts an hour and a half. Pam, our guide, passed on her passion for history to us, which makes the experience very rewarding. A great way to discover Hobart! The organization offers various walks according to your particular interests.

iPhoneography Oz was a guest of Hobart Historic Tours.

Today we discover netball, after having experienced Australian football for the first time yesterday. Netball is a sport for women whose rules are inspired by basketball, minus contacts. We attended a game of the ANZ Championship, the pre-eminent netball league in the world. In Melbourne, Melbourne Vixens plays its home games at Hisense Arena, close to the Melbourne Cricket Ground. This arena also recently hosted the 2012 UCI Track Cycling World Championships. We will not hide the fact we had preconceived negative ideas about the sport. But we realized that these ideas are not justified if netball has become the main female team sport in Australia and New Zealand! The game is tight. The atmosphere in the stands is electric. Our prejudice has quickly dissipated. We ended up cheering and being stressed as true Vixens fans! For the record the Melbourne Vixens won their match that day against the Queensland Firebirds in the last seconds after being held throughout the game.

iPhoneography Oz was a guest of Melbourne Vixens.

The Melbourne FC invited us to attend a game of Australian Football League: a first for iPhoneography Oz. The game took place inside the prestigious Melbourne Cricket Ground, with opposing team the "Saints" of St Kilda FC, ​​another team from Melbourne. A dream place to watch a footy game! The atmosphere recalls the National Rugby League, but the game is even more intense. You can not get bored, it simply never stops! Soccer "starlets" players look like amateurs compared to them. For the record, although Melbourne FC lost that night, we will follow them throughout the season armed with our scarfs and our Demons horns (nickname of the team).

iPhoneography Oz was a guest of Melbourne FC.

A visit to the Melbourne Cricket Ground should be on your things to do list during a stay in Melbourne. Why? Because the "Ground" or "G", as called by the locals, is the largest stadium in Australia and the ninth or tenth largest stadium in the world with a capacity of 100,000 spectators. It is ahead of the Camp Nou in Barcelona (Spain), home of FC Barcelona, and the Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). It also holds the world record for the highest light towers located in a stadium. It is an institution in Melbourne, home of the 1956 Summer Olympics and 2006 Commonwealth Games. But its use does not only serve national and international sport (cricket, football, Australian football, rugby etc.). The greatest singers and bands have performed here: David Bowie, Paul McCartney, U2, Madonna, The Rolling Stones, Michael Jackson, Elton John, Billy Joel and The Police.
We attended a tour at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Taking part in their guided tour is an unforgettable experience. The view from the top floor of the stands is nothing less than impressive. The guide makes sure you do not miss a thing about the behind the scenes of this architectural gem. Each tour lasts approximately one hour. The Melbourne Cricket Ground also hosts the National Sports Museum which will be discussed tomorrow.

iPhoneography Oz was a guest of Melbourne Cricket Ground.

We do not know where to begin to tell you why you should visit Melbourne. This is certainly one of the best cities in the world. Located in the southeast of Australia, bordering the vast Port Phillip Bay, Melbourne is the capital of the State of Victoria. It is often referred to the cultural and sporting capital of Australia. Melbourne is home of the Australian Open (tennis), the Australian Grand Prix (Formula 1) and the Melbourne Cup (horse race), three major events in their respective categories in the international scene. It is also recognized for its cultural scene, including museums, theaters and street art.
Melbourne is the second largest city in Australia after Sydney. It has over four million people, over one-third were born overseas. This multiculturalism is felt especially in the cuisine. The city has indeed countless multi-ethnic restaurants.
Architecture is no exception either. Along the Yarra River, the Central Business District (Melbourne CBD) is an interesting mix of historic buildings of Victorian era and modern skyscrapers.
The main drawback could be Melbourne climate. Melbourne is indeed the coldest Australian capital city in winter, although it remains within the limit of endurance (no snow).
Melbourne is a must see in Australia! We will focus on several major points of interest in the coming days.

Phillip Island is an island located south of Melbourne where nature has preserved its rights. There is not much to do and that is why we love it! This is a great place to admire the local wildlife, such as little penguins (as cute as seen in March of the Penguins), wallabies, sea lions and... Valentino Rossi, Casey Stoner and friends. In fact the Island is also home to Phillip Island Circuit, host of the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix.

Australia is the country of rugby rather than football (or soccer). Recently we attended a game of the NRL, but we thought we could give soccer a chance by attending Sydney FC game against Newcastle Jets. And what a surprise! The atmosphere created by the fans was as good as what you would find in certain Ligue 1 stadiums. Although the stadium was only half full, we were close to 15,000 spectators. The level of play of the A-League looks interesting and the show offered by both teams was certainly worth the trip. For the record, Sydney FC won 3-2. A modern stadium, a good atmosphere and some goals, all the essential ingredients for an awesome afternoon at the Allianz Stadium!

iPhoneography Oz was a guest of Sydney FC.

We recently attended a National Rugby League (NRL) championship game between two teams from Sydney area, namely Cronulla Sharks and Manly Sea Eagles (defending champion). The NRL is one of the most prestigious competitions of rugby league in the world and the most popular in Australia in terms of attendance, audience and merchandising. It operates on a franchise system in a closed championship (as in the NBA, NFL or NHL). It is composed of sixteen Australian franchises from the east coast and one from New Zealand. The atmosphere is similar to the one you can experience at the Montreal Alouettes or Université Laval's Rouge et Or. A must do during a stay in Australia!

iPhoneography Oz was a guest of National Rugby League.

Since the beginning of this project in Australia, we have taken an interest in as many activities as we can to share with you on iPhoneograhy Oz. This is how we came to attend our first rowing regatta on the Sunshine Coast. As we had no knowledge about the teams competiting for this kind of university rowing championships, we found the races a bit boring to follow (meaning not really exciting). However we were pleasantly surprised and touched by the team spirit and solidarity shown by the young athletes. The war cry of every competitor before entering the water (photo), distant cousin of the All Black Haka, is quite impressive.

What do you think? How to create a good team spirit in a sport team? What is good team spirit in sports? Let us know in the comments below!