What Makes Australia So Special?
Australians are known for being welcoming and generous individuals who believe everyone deserves equal treatment.
They love playing sport, including swimming, surfing, sailing, tennis, cricket and their own invented game – Australian rules football. Additionally they enjoy drinking wine ranging from traditional shiraz varieties to experimental “orange” varieties; plus eating damper (a bush bread made with flour, water or milk) and fish and chips as part of a varied diet.
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Unique Wildlife
Australia’s wildlife is as distinctive as its landscape, from cuddly koalas to fierce Tasmanian devils – animals found nowhere else can only be found here!
Australia is home to 56 bird species, from colourful parrots and the laughing kookaburra to the laughing kookaburra. Keen birders may spot migrating humpback whales along Australia’s coastlines from May until November.
Australia is a reptile lover’s dream come true, home to over 140 species of snake, lizard and two types of crocodile – not forgetting its unique endemic animals such as quokkas which have often been called “world’s happiest animal.” Quokkas only reside on Rottnest Island in Western Australia where you’ll also find the famous quokka that lives. Furthermore, an echidna features porcupine-like spines like reptiles but has an animal pouch like mammals such as bandicoots (hunt for truffles), while bettongs are accomplished ecosystem engineers capable of creating over 100 teacup-shaped holes overnight!
The Great Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef is one of the world’s most spectacular ecosystems, featuring coral and marine life of incredible variety, each species playing its part to support resilience against climate change and other local threats such as water quality degradation, coral bleaching and crown-of-thorns starfish outbreaks.
The Great Barrier Reef is home to over 1,500 fish species, 132 shark and ray species, 30 whale and dolphin species and six of seven marine turtle species in existence – not to mention 70 Traditional Owner groups with deep spiritual connections that extend back thousands of years.
The GBR provides Australia with over $6.4 billion annually in economic, social and cultural benefits. You can support it by selecting eco-friendly accommodations and participating in marine-friendly activities or getting involved with research or volunteering – these opportunities allow us to see and experience its true wonder first-hand!
Ancient Cultures
Recent discoveries regarding Australia’s Indigenous heritage reveal an intricate web of ancient cultures, and documentaries about them offer an eye-opening glimpse into a remarkable civilisation that flourished long before European colonisation.
Australian Aboriginals claim they are the world’s oldest continuously inhabited civilization, supported by DNA studies that trace their ancestry back 50,000 years to an unexplored hominin cousin.
Ancient rock art in Australia provides an intimate insight into Indigenous spiritual beliefs. Rock shelter paintings such as Mungo Man and Mungo Lady dating back around 42,000 years provide evidence of burial rituals and mysterious beliefs systems; coastal sites reveal shell middens with fish hooks suggesting complex fishing techniques.
Indigenous Australians still take pleasure in traditional bush tucker today, having passed down knowledge about which plants and animals to forage from generation to generation. At Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park you’ll find Aboriginal guides who share Tjukurpa (creation stories) with visitors so they can gain a deeper insight into its spiritual significance.
The Australian Way of Life
Australians enjoy a laidback lifestyle that celebrates both its abundant natural landscapes and rich cultural heritage. Australia’s beaches, outback wilderness areas, urban cities and cafes provide ample opportunity for outdoor activities like surfing, hiking and barbecuing; whilst Aussies also love socialising at cafes while watching sports such as cricket, Australian Rules Football (AFL), rugby league football (RLF), tennis soccer field hockey basketball.
Friendships between people of opposite sexes are becoming increasingly prevalent, and women and men often cohabit before entering marriage. Australians have also increasingly delayed having children until later in life and become more individualistic in their approach to work and personal lives.
Adjusting to Australia’s casual culture can take some time. Learning basic etiquette like greeting others with a firm handshake and maintaining eye contact as well as getting acquainted with local slang will be essential in adapting successfully to life in Australia. Furthermore, getting a bank account makes managing money simpler for students who rent apartments or utilities bills and pay part-time work wages much simpler.
