Australia

G'day! It has always been a dream of mine to travel to Australia. I love the outdoors, hiking, watersports including scuba diving, and the relaxed atmosphere that Australians seem to live in. Here are some important things to know about Australia and some of the best places to visit while you're down under.

Map of Australia



History and Demographic Information

Australia was discovered by Dutch explorers in 1606, but they did not colonize the new land. Not until 1770 was the eastern half was claimed by Great Britain and settlements established. As the population grew, a total of six colonies were established. On January 1, 1901 the colonies formed the Commonwealth of Australia. Before the arrival of European settlers, there was a large indigenous population of Aborigines estimated to be near one million. In 2001, the population of Aborigines and the other primary native group, the Torres Strait Islanders, was counted at 410,003, which accounts for 2.2% of the total population. There are more than four hundred distinct groups of Aboriginal people in Australia. They each have their own cultures, customs, and languages. There is a difficult history between the Australian government and the indigenous Australian groups. From 1870 to 1970, many children of Aborigies and Torres Strait Islanders were forcibly removed from their families by the government. These children are known as the Stolen Generations. There are several reasons for their removal from child protection to a fear about mixing of racial groups. On February 13, 2008, a formal apology was issued by the government for the removals.

Aboriginal man playing the digeridoo, a traditional musical instrument

Listen to a Didgeridoo Performance

“One of the strongest prejudices that one has to overcome when one visits Australia is that created by the weird jargon than passes for English in this country.” Valerie Desmond

Dictionary of CommonAustralian Words and Sayings

Places to Visit

“Australia is an outdoor country. People only go inside to use the toilet. And that's only a recent development.” Barry Humphries

Great Barrier Reef

The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest reef. It is located off the northeast coast of Australia and has been used for thousands of years by the Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders, who fished and hunted in the waters around the reef. Four hundred different species of hard and soft coral make up the reef. Animals often seen in and around the reef include dolphins, whales, sea turtles, sea snakes, clownfish, snapper, coral trout, and many species of birds. Snorkeling and scuba diving are very popular and are the best way to experience the reef. There are also several beautiful beaches near the reef if you'd prefer to relax on land. One of the most beautiful is Whitehaven Beach, named for it's pristine white sand, on Whitsunday, Island. It is accessible by boat from the mainland.



Arial view of a portion of the reef





















Uluru or Ayers Rock

This amazing monolith, which is the largest in the world, is 348 meters high and 9 kilometers around. It is also called “The Heart of Australia” because of it’s location in the middle of the Australian desert. It is made of sand stone which changes color as the light changes during the day. The color can vary from light brown to deep red, with the most spectacular colors at sunrise and sunset. During rainy weather, Uluru looks silvery gray. It is considered sacred by the Aborigines, who have marked its holiness with petroglyphs, rock drawings, around the site for ten thousand years. Visitors can hike around Uluru or up to the top, though the indigenous people prefer that the site not be disturbed by hiking to the top. It is sometimes reported that people who take rocks from Uluru will be cursed. There have been many instances where people who removed such rocks attempted to mail them back to various agencies in an attempt to remove the perceived curse.



Uluru





Aboriginal petroglyphs at Uluru



Barossa Valley

This area is Australia’s most popular wine producing region. It is primarily known for producing red wines, specifically Shiraz. Other grape varieties grown in the area include Riesling, Semillon, Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon. The Bethany Vineyard was first planted in 1852 and is the region’s oldest vineyard. The best view of the valley is from Mengler Hill. The Barossa Vintage Festival is a week long festival held every other year at the end of April to celebrate the end of the harvest. There are 150 wineries in the region and over 80 cellar rooms and tasting rooms that are open to the public. One of the most well known and popular to visit is Penfolds Grange.



Vineyards in Barossa Valley



Penfolds Grange- Australia's most popular wine
















These are only a few of the amazing things to see and do in Australia. There's also exotic wildlife at the Australia Zoo, surfing, the Sydney Opera House, and much more. I can't wait to plan my trip!