Australia is a country in the southern hemisphere that occupies a substantial landmass with a total area of 7.6 million square kilometres, making it the 6th largest country in the world and the largest and most populous island in Oceania and a place with many natural and manmade landmarks. It has been home to many different indigenous people for thousands of years and many immigrants from European cities. Read a selection of Interesting Facts about Australia and learn What is Australia Famous For?
Discovery of Australia
Australia has been home to many indigenous groups for thousands of years, but the discovery of Australia is attributed mainly to one man, Captain James Cook. In 1770, Cook set off on a voyage aboard the Endeavour and set ashore on what he called Eastern Botany Bay. Shortly after this visit, in 1788, the first fleet of convict ships arrived with the British settlers. This period marks the beginning of Australia’s settlement and has been referred to as The Convict Era.
The first fleet of ships arrived in Australia carrying more than 700 convicts. The majority of these convicts were not responsible for the crimes they were accused of but were forced into it by unfair laws and conditions back in England. In fact, many were just petty criminals rather than murderers.
Many people have been led to believe they would be granted their freedom if they survived. This was not the case, and many colonists were forced to endure brutal treatment from the military, hostile settlers, and climate.
Australia first name was New Holand, when as Dutch first discovered it in 1606. then it starts to call as New South Wales and part of Australia. Before the Federation on January 1 1901, Australia is known as the Commonwealth of Australia.
Australian Flag
Australia’s flag is called The Australian Flag. It was designed in 1901 by a British-born Australian citizen living in Sydney, Mr. William Stevens
The Australian flag contains the Union Jack on the top left corner but with a seven-pointed star in the right of it. The flag also contains 5 stars which represent each of Australia’s smaller states (New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania and Western Australia) as well as one large star – The Commonwealth Star – in the centre to symbolise the federation or unity between them.
Australian Cities and the Australian States
Since its independence on January 1 1901, Australia is divided into six states: New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and South Australia (in order from north to south).
The vast majority: Over 90% of Australia’s population live on the coast, mainly in urban areas. Australia’s largest cities are Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide.
Canberra – Australia’s Capital City
Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, has an estimated population of 402,600 in 2016 and is Australia’s capital city. It was established as the capital during the formation of the Commonwealth of Australia on January 1 1901.
Australia Nicknames
Australia is commonly known as the Commonwealth of Australia, and its inhabitants are referred to as Australian. The name “Australia” is often used broadly, referring to the island continent and adjoining islands to the west, where the country is now concentrated.
The name comes from Latin (terra australis), meaning “southern land”. This was an anglicization of the Latin term “Terra Australis” applied to the whole continent, having been coined in 1663 by the Dutch seafarer Abel Tasman, who sailed along and mapped parts of the western coastline of the landmass during his first voyage on behalf of the Dutch East India Company.
The Land Down Under
In today’s world, Australia is often referred to as ‘The Land Down Under. It was first used in the early 1800s when people realised that Australia was a long way from England on the other “under” side of the globe.
Oz
Oz is an abbreviation for the word Australia and has been used as a nickname for the country.
Straya
This is an abbreviation of “Australia”, which is used as slang or friendly banter. It can also be used sarcastically if someone has done something wrong – Ocker: This one means redneck, and it’s not always meant nicely!
Facts about Australian people and ethnic majority
Facts about Australian Geography
Australia is surrounded by two oceans: the Pacific Ocean and by the Indian Ocean. one could say that Australia is the largest island in the world, but Australia is not considered an island but a continent and the largest island is Greenland.
Uluru Rock
Uluru (previously named Ayers Rock) is a large sandstone rock formation located in Central Australia. It was named after an Aboriginal word meaning “honey”. The rock is 3.6 km long, 1.9 km wide and has a vertical height of 348 meters.
Pink Lakes in Western Australia
Have you heard about Pink Lakes? there are quite a lot of them around the world and some of the most spectacular Pink Lakes you can find in Western Australia
The highest mountain – Mount Kosciuszko
Australia highest point is Mount Kosciuszko, 2228 meters (7430 ft) above the sea. Polish explorer named the mountain after the Famous Polish freedom fighter, who was a general in the army of the revolutionary nation of Poland in the 18th century and
Australian Great Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef is the largest and most extensive coral reef system on Earth. It is composed of around 3000 individual reefs, 900 islands and 300 continental islands. The size of the entire system is 2500km long and 2,600km wide, which would cover an area greater than Germany or the United States, including Alaska.
Australian Alps
The Australian Alps are an area of the Great Dividing Range that includes the Snowy Mountains and Mount Kosciuszko, the highest peak in Australia. It has more than three-quarters of Australia’s snowfields and glaciers. Australian Alps every winter get more snow than the entire country of Switzerland.
Fraser Island
Fraser Island is the world’s largest Sand Island. Hervey Bay is the stepping point of Fraser Island. The white shoreline surrounds the clear blue waters. Swimming at champagne pools can be done through the narrow pools at the edge of the ocean.
Tasmania
Tasmania is the best and most popular destination for every traveler who wants to explore authentic Australian culture and nature. Breathtaking landscapes, unspoiled wildlife, rich colonial heritage and excellent outdoor activities are just a few things that can make your stay in Tasmania unforgettable.
Tasmania has been recognized as the world’s cleanest air and cleanest water.
Australian Animals
The majority of Australian animal species are marsupials. Kangaroos and koalas are some well-known Australian animals.
There are only two mammals in the world that lay eggs: the platypus and the echidna, and both are animal pieces native to Australia.
The Tassie Devil is a carnivorous marsupial that exists in Tasmania only. It can grow up to 1m long and weigh up to 5 kgs, eating insects most of the time.
The cassowary is a large flightless bird that is one of the most dangerous birds in the world.
There are 36 different species of funnel-web spiders and 20 kinds of venomous snakes. Australia has more species of reptiles than any nation on the Earth. Great Barrier Reef is the largest coral reef in the world. It contains more than 1,000 reefs and over 600 species of fish. The world’s largest sea-food crocodiles are as large as 22 ft (6.7 m). This crocodile fish is a living fossil dating from the Triassic age 350 million years. There is only one place that still has the lungfish on the planet. We only possess twenty snakes in Australia, and twenty of them are poisonous.
Indigenous Australians
Aboriginal people are the indigenous people of Australia that have lived on the land since 50,000 BC. These people were isolated from the rest of the world until Dutch sailors discovered them. Right now, most of them live on reservations in the Australian outback and have a different way of life than the other Australians. However, the aboriginal culture is they are still part of Australian culture today.
The first white people to arrive in Australia were the Dutch, who landed on the western coast of Australia in 1606. They were followed by the Portuguese, who reached northern Australia around 1619. It wasn’t until 1770, when James Cook landed on the east coast, that European settlement began. Great Britain decided to colonize Australia in 1788 and sent Arthur Phillip, who was the first governor of The Colony of New South Wales.
Australia has over 60 separate wine regions.
The major wine regions in the area lie in Victoria and New South Wales. The Southern Highlands, the Tumbarumba Valleys and Alpine Valleys are considered to be Australians’most beautiful wine regions. West Australian has another number of vineyards that can all be reached by Perth, so you can travel out of the city to sample wines. Among these are several in Victoria and New South Wales, with some of the best vineyards of Australia in Sydney and Melbourne. The wine regions of Australia range from Sauvignon – Vert to Chardonnay – and Chocnay varieties of grape and many of Australia-s most beautiful vineyards.
The wine cask was obviously invented in Australia.
The longest fence in the world
Australia is home to the longest fences in the world. It is a fence that protects Australia’s most dangerous animals from getting out and hurting people. The fence is called the “Dingo Fence.” It stretches over 5,614 miles (9,000 kilometers), and it’s longer than the Great Wall of China
The longest straight section of railway track
There is the Indian Pacific between Sydney and Perth, and the railway runs across the country. Stopping in Adelaide is a must. Enjoy food gourmets, art museums and the wide-open areas that the city offers. The railway ride is a beautiful way that you get to see the variety of Australia’s countryside. Enjoy views of the Blue Mountains, Flinders Range and the Avon Valley. Enjoy the ride over Nullabor Plain before riding through fertile Avon Valley and into the fertile Avon Valentine Vallance and the Flinders Ride the train to Perth. The Indian Pacific is one of Australians most popular railway rides.
The longest highway
The longest highway in the world is Highway 1 in Australia. It’s 5,577 miles (8,903 kilometers) long and was started to be built in 1932 to connect Sydney and Darwin with a highway that is able to be used by traffic during the wet season. Today it is one of the most important highways for Australians
The Great Ocean Road is the world’s largest war memorial.
The Great Ocean Road is one of Australia’s best-known drives. Built by returning soldiers after World War 1, the road was dedicated as a memorial for those who died during the fighting. The route stretches between Allanford and Torquay, ideal for a surface highway between Melbourne and Adelaide. The 12 Apostles (one of the Australian Landmarks) and Split Point Lighthouse are the popular sites on this winding road. Between June and September, you can spot Southern Right Whales around the coast at migration times in the winter to observe them in the Winter seasons.
Fun Facts about Australia
Australia is the only continent without the active volcano
The first police force unit in Australia was established in 1789, and it was made up of 12 best behave convicts.
Kangaroos and Emus cannot walk backwards, and that’s the reason why they are featured on the Australian Coat of Arms.
A koala bear’s favourite food is Eucalyptus leaves, and it sleeps 20 hours per day.
Wombat poop can be used as a natural sunscreen because
Australian Rules Football (ARF), called as well Australian football, was invented in 1858 to keep Cricketers busy during the offseason.
Australia is home to one of the largest cattle stations in the world at Anna Creek Station, which covers an area larger than Belgium. It includes 300,000 head of cattle and is supported by over 500 km²
Danish architect Jorn Utzon designed the Sydney Opera House, and it took 17 years to build this magnificent building.
Melbourne has the second largest just after Athens largest Greek population – Facts about Greece.
Australia is home to the largest cattle station, which is bigger than the size of some European countries.
Australia has many famous beaches, including Bondi Beach, one of the most famous beaches in the world. It is located on a beautiful coast with blue waters surrounded by white sand and green trees, which makes it an ideal place for swimming.
Australia Facts summary
Australia is known for its natural beauty, and the many animals that call it home. The rich culture of indigenous Australians are also part of what makes this country so unique. If you’re thinking about traveling to Oz sometime soon, we hope our list has given you some ideas on where to go and how to plan your trip! And if not? We can help with that too – just let us know!