Nice to Know in Australia

One of the benefits of travel is that it allows the traveler to have a first hand look into the culture of a given city and country. There’s nothing like being in a foreign land and experience interacting with the locals, seeing the historic monuments, hearing the local music, and appreciating the food. Travelers could best prepare for an upcoming trip, not only by reading about the places to see and things to do in a given place, but also by enriching their personal knowledge by doing a bit of research beforehand. This should help travelers make the best travel itinerary suited to their needs and based on what a foreign city or country has to offer.

Australia is at the top of many travel itineraries. Its natural landscape is simply breathtaking, while the people are warm and welcoming. Our Travel Guide Australia is a thoughtful reference that travelers could use while in this island continent. Learn about some of the things that have made Australia famous such as the animals native to Australia. Seeing the fauna in Australia is one of the reasons many travelers decide to make the trek Down Under. The Aboriginal people are also one of the things that Australia is famous for. Geographic isolation for millions of years contributed to the number of unique flowers, some of which are state flowers, animals and land formations in Australia, making it a travel destination that is truly awe-inspiring, striking and would leave you with thousands of memories and keepsakes

Animals Native to Australia

The vast outback of Australia is home to a number of unique and delightful animals that are native to the land. After all, Australia is home to about 10% of the biodiversity of the whole world. The country is also home to more than a million animals and species that can only be found in Australia. Also, the country is the natural habitat of more than 80% of the world’s 378 mammals, and 96 of the world’s 869 reptiles. This is why the animals native to Australia continue to be a top draw for many travelers visiting the country.

Australia is home to the most number of various kinds of marsupials anywhere in the world – kangaroos, koalas, and wallabies. Koalas are commonly associated with Australia. They are nocturnal creatures that normally live high up on gum or eucalyptus trees. Wallabies are related to wallaroos and kangaroos but are smaller.

The emu is the largest bird in Australia. In fact, this bird is included in the coat of arms of the country. Emus have come to symbolize progress because these animals could only go forward. Also, these birds cannot fly. Emus have a stride that could reach up to three meters and are able to run as fast as 50 kilometers per hour. These large birds are found in the outback as well as in the northern tropical woodlands of Australia.

Echidnas are creatures unique to Australia. These are egg-laying mammals covered with long spikes as protection from aggressors. By rolling into a ball or burying itself in the ground, echidnas are able to hide from their natural enemies such as the dingoes, eagles and dogs. These mammals could be light brown in color if found in the north, and have a darker shade if found in the south. Another name for echidnas is spiky anteater because they eat termites. Travelers might find these creatures when bush walking and are likely to be seen against rocks during rainy or windy weather.

The kookaburra is another familiar Australian animal, thanks to the famous children’s song about this bird that is a member of the Kingfisher family. This creature makes a sound similar to a hyena laughing. Kookaburras are typically found in forests and wooded areas. However, these have been known to find their way to residential areas, such as the suburban areas of Sydney because of the running water available.

Dingoes are wild dogs found in Australia. Travelers shouldn’t be deceived by their appearance because they can be quite ferocious. These animals attack kangaroos, wombats, possums and wallabies. These are also nocturnal creatures and have a lifespan of up to ten years in the wild. The Aboriginal people consider the dingo as a spiritual animal treat it as a creature of high importance. Dingoes, unlike dogs, rarely bark and only do so as a warning.

The wombat is a close relative of the koala because it is also a marsupial. However, its pouch faces backwards instead of forward. This protects its young when the mother digs and burrows into the ground. It is a gentle looking creature with short legs. The wombat is typically a slow moving creature with very small eyes that prefers to sleep long hours and take more than half a day to digest its food. Wombats are commonly found in the mountain areas, especially in eastern Australia, as well as in Tasmania, especially in Dove Lake Walk at Cradle Mountain.

The extremely shy platypus has the bill of a duck, a tail like that of a beaver’s and otter’s feet. It is found only in Eastern Australia and some parts of Tasmania and is the sole representative of the Ornithorhynchidae family. Like the echidna, it is a monotreme, meaning it lays eggs rather than gives birth to its young. The male platypus has venomous spur on both its hind feet. The platypus is one of the icons of Australia and is the state of New South Wales’ animal emblem.

Finally, there is the Tasmanian Devil. Many travelers are familiar with this creature, thanks to the lovable cartoon character that is its namesake. This animal looks like a combination of a dog and pig, with fangs and a black coat of fur. It is known to make a loud noise and is the only meat-eating marsupial left on the planet. It is a natural predator of wombats, smaller kangaroos, snakes and small reptiles. These are only found in Tasmania. Travelers could find these creatures at the Tasmanian Devil Conservation Park near Port Arthur and Hobart.

Unfortunately, many of these indigenous animals are on the endangered species list. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature has identified Australia as the country with the most number of extinct species. There are 427 fauna being threatened with extinction right now. This means that Australia is a country in the world that has the most number of animals that are being threatened. The causes of the extinction are varied, from climate change to habitat destruction and invasive weeds. In response to the growing environmental threat to its biodiversity, the Australian government has enacted measures to help preserve these creatures.

Both the banded hare wallaby and the bridled nail-tailed wallaby are facing extinction. The northern hairy-nose wombat is another animal that is endangered. Other animals on the list are the Tasmanian Forester Kangaroo, a sub-species of the gray kangaroo is only found in Tasmania, the corroboree frog, quokka, quoll, Western swamp turtle possums and pygmy possums and the red-tailed phascogale. The Tasmanian Tiger has not been seen since 1936 although search for this animal still continues. The lesser bilby, numbat, leadbeater’s possum, Eastern barred bandicoot, Lumholtlz’s tree kangaroo and Australian sea lion are some of the animals that are now extinct.

While most of the animals in Australia are quite harmless, there are also those that are extremely dangerous and poisonous. The great white shark lives in the open waters of the southern coasts of Australia and there had been quite a number of accidents and even loss of lives involving this great fish. Some of the snakes found in Australia, like the taipan, brown snake and tiger snake are extremely dangerous when provoked. In the waters in some parts of Australia are other predators like the salt water crocodile, the box jellyfish, stone fish and the blue ring octopus. On land are the venomous red back spiders as well as the funnel web spider.

Most animals native to Australia could be seen in the many zoos found all over the country. Travelers can also see these in their natural environment when going in a bush walk or visiting a conservation park.

Aboriginal People of Australia

The Australian Aborigines are referred to as the people that were native inhabitants of the land for about 45,000 years, prior to the British colonization. At its peak, it is estimated that there were about 300,000 Aborigines in Australia from 500 different tribes. Today, they comprise only about 2.3% of the population of Australia, which translates to about 517,000. The majority of Australian Aboriginals are located in the Northern Territory.

The term Aborigines comes from the Latin words ab origine, which translates to “from the origin.” The people originated from South East Asia or perhaps Africa, before settling in the island continent that is now known as Australia. Genetic research has shown that the Australian Aborigines are the oldest continuous population to be found outside of the African continent.

The Aborigines are found in the northern region and are used to living in some of the harshest and most remote regions in the land. In fact, they are known to be able to live through long droughts, which could sometimes last as long as eight months.

They are hunter-gatherers and are considered nomadic people. However, they were clever in creating a number of tools and weapons. The most famous of these is the boomerang. This wooden weapon returns to the hunter when it is thrown properly. A woomera is another weapon crafted by the aborigines. Unlike the boomerang, a woomera is a tool to aid the propulsion of long spear so it could be thrown over longer distances.

At the same time, the Aborigines are considered the first people to use stone tools for grinding seeds. They are also thought to be the first people to ground the edges of stone cutting tools resulting in better precision and handling. They are also known to have invented the didgeridoo, a wind instrument made of hollow tree branches, normally about one meter to three meters long. It is believed to have been used by the Aborigines some 1,500 years ago and the Kakadu residents in the Northern Territory for nearly 1,000 years.

The various aboriginal tribes have their own culture and are known to have more than 200 distinct languages. From these various tribes, three distinct cultural groups based on their geographic location have emerged, the Northern, Central and Southern Aborigines. The tribes found in the north and south have thrived, mainly because of the natural sources, the ocean and woodlands, are plentiful. On the other hand, the central aborigines are the least dense due to the harsh living conditions in the region.

Unlike other tribes, these Aboriginal tribes are headed by elders and religious leaders. There are no chiefs in the tribes. Also, they lived harmoniously with others, since they did not fight over land and simply coexisted with other tribes. They are also quite religious and have a strong sense of spirituality, with each tribe believing in a specific deity. Their gods are classified as creation beings, ancestral beings and totemic beings. They believe in the concept of reincarnation. One of their sacred places in Australia is Ayers Rock.

A famous Aboriginal custom is the walkabout. This is a coming-of-age ceremony for the males of the tribe. During a walkabout, an adolescent male is made to live out in the wild for about six months. This spiritual journey retraces the paths taken by their ancestors, helping the young man to forge a connection with his tribe and at the same time teaches him how to survive in the wild. The walkabout is celebrated with song, dance and story telling for the tribe.

The Australian Aborigines are known by other names, such as Bama, Koori, Murri, Nunga and Noongar. Anangu and Palawah also refer to the Aborigines

Australia’s Special Land Formations

Australia is a country with a fascinating landscape, with land formations that are very attractive, fascinating and intriguing.

Uluru is the Aboriginal term for the rock that is now combined to its previous name. The official name of the formation now is Ayer’s Rock/Uluru. It is a very symbolic and special site for Aborigines, particularly to the Anangu tribe, its traditional owner. Uluṟu is located in Alice Springs, part of the Northern Territory and within the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, which is a World Heritage Site. Uluru’s height, or what could be seen above ground, is 348 meters or 1,142 feet. Its circumference is 9.4 kilometers or 5.8 miles. It is like an iceberg whose larger portion is below ground. The red sandstone formation consists of several domes, waterholes, springs and natural caves with ancient rock paintings.

In the Blue Mountains close to Sydney in New South Wales is the Three Sisters. This is a rock formation consisting of three thick towers. The three soft sandstone pillars lined up in a row were formed by erosion near a cliff in Echo Point in Katoomba. The scenic view of Jamison Valley that could be seen from its lookout point is breathtaking. The Three Sisters, named Guenedoo, standing 906 meters, Wimlah, standing 918 meters and the 922-meter tall Meehni look quite stunning when the floodlights are turned on regularly at ten in the evening.

One of the very famous reef formations in the world is the Great Barrier Reef, located in the Coral Sea in Queensland, Australia. It is the largest living coral reef system in the world and is composed of 900 islands. It is 2,600 kilometers or 1,600 miles long, covering an area that measures 133,000 square miles or 344,400 square kilometers. This World Heritage site could be seen from outer space. The reef system supports a diverse aquatic life, some of which are endemic to it. The present coral reefs that started to grow 20,000 years ago spawned from older reefs that date back 600,000 years in the past.

Australian Endemic Plants

Australia also has a variety of plants that are endemic to the country. Some are icons of the different states in Australia. There are five species of waratah growing in Australia, found in New South Wales, Tasmania and Victoria. The hardy bush or tree has 10 to 20 centimeter-long and two to three centimeter-wide oblong leaves with dense and large flowers that might have a diameter of about 6 to 15 centimeters. The natural colors of the flowers are red, pink and creamy white. The waratah is the state flower of the New South Wales and the name of the state’s rugby team.

Sturt’s Desert Rose is the state flower of the Northern Territory. It is a hardy shrub that could live up to ten years. It is a relative of the cotton plant and its cup-like flower, whose diameter could be up to 12 centimeters, has five delicate-looking petals arranged in a whorl, with colors that range from pale pink, purple to maroon. It has a dark red center and a small white cotton spore in the core.

The royal bluebell on the other hand is the floral emblem of the Australian Capital Territory. It is a flower that grows in the wild. It has a very striking deep blue or purple color that cannot be properly duplicated on film or even the computer screen.

Western Australia’s floral emblem is the Red and Green Kangaroo Paw. It is only found in this particular state in Australia and although not endangered, is protected by the state and a special license is needed to collect the very unusual flower. A variety has deep pink and lighter green coloration. The flowers appear between the months of August and November.

Around the bushland of Sydney grows a profusion of daisy-like flowers with 10 pointed petals. Although the flannel flowers look like daisies, the plant is actually a member of the carrot family. The leaves, branches and stems of the shrub are gray in color and covered with fine hair. The flowers are either white or cream in color, with a diameter that range from five to eight centimeters. The flannel flower, a Sydney icon, is also found in some parts of Queensland. It was used as an emblem during the celebration of the New South Wales’ century of federation. Likewise it is the mental health awareness symbol in Australia.

On the southwest section of Western Australia grows the wax flower. The evergreen plant belongs to the myrtle family. The tiny, elongated and aromatic leaves contain oil glands and emit a very pleasant smell when crushed. Its showy flowers have five colorful petals, with ten stamens protruding from a deep colored center. Colors vary and could be all white, white with dark orange centers, dark purple center with white or pale purple petals and dark purple center with white outer rim, with purple petals edged in white.

The national flower of Australia is the wattle, a member of the acacia family. Other wattle species have thorns but the one that thrives in Australia does not have thorns. There are 1,300 species of acacias scattered around the world and 960 of them are endemic to Australia. The wattle flowers are sunshine yellow in color and grow in long clusters.

Another unique Australian native flowering plant is Xanthorrhoea, which, like the platypus is the only member of its sub-family. The plant is a monocot and 28 species grow in the country. The leaves look like spiky, long leaves of grass. The flower grows from a very long upright stem that could grow up to four meters. Some flowers are stimulated by a bushfire. The slow-growing plant increases in height at the rate of about one inch or 2.5 centimeters a year. This means that a Xanthorrhoea plant that is five meters tall is 200 years old. The flowering spike is used by Aborigines as fishing spear and the resin produced by the plant is used in spear making and as adhesive and sealant by them.

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