Common Australia Questions

For over 42,000 years there has been one continent that stands out from the rest for its geographical beauty. The smallest continent in the world is home to the mighty nation of Australia. It is a land filled with forests, deserts and the Great Barrier Reef home to thousands of different species of fish and coral. Australia has a long history dating back thousands of years and one that is sure to intrigue any would-be visitor.

With over 21.3 million residents this island is one of the largest in the world. For years before the colonization of Australia people only knew the great land as the "unknown land in the South" but since its discovery a new culture and demographic has opened up for the rest of the world to enjoy. This article will cover some of those interesting facts that may leave you intrigued enough to want to visit this great country and continent.

Where is Australia located?

This great continent is located not too far from Asia and is surrounded by the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is home to over 21 thousand miles of coast line and is largely made up of dry, arid land called the outback. It is separated from Asia by two seas: the Timor and Arafura Sea. Along with Australia comes the Great Barrier Reef that lies off the north-east cost and goes for 1,250 miles. It is the largest reef system in the world and is home to thousands of different species of marine wildlife and coral.

Why is it named 'Australia?'

Australia is named for the Latin world "Australis" and literally means "Southern." The name came to be from early explorers such as the Romans. Many people had heard of some unknown land in the south but it was not until 1625 that the term Australia was actually used to describe this wild and untamed land.

Who first discovered Australia?

The earliest settlers of Australia were the indigenous people that arrived via a land bridge over 48,000 years ago. Many early maps and histories suggest of a land in the South that was unknown but it was not until 1606 that Dutch navigator Willem Janszoon mapped this large continent.

In 1770 New South Wales was claimed for Great Britain and on January 26th, 1788 the British Crown Colony of Port Jackson was officially established by Captain Arthur Phillip. The Western part of Australia was claimed by Great Britain in 1829.

Who rules over Australia?

For many years it was the British that fully ruled over the land of Australia. It was not until 1986 that Australians became free to rule over themselves in the Australia Act. Before this time many of the legislative decisions were handled by the Queen and Parliament. The three branches of government worked together with British officials and Australian officials to govern the land fairly and with proper representation.

What is the Australia Act?

The Australia Act of 1986 was a revolutionary act that allowed the inhabitants of Australia full power over their judiciary and legislative branches from the United Kingdom. No longer would the individual states have someone put into office by people a thousand miles away. It was essentially giving Australia even more rights under its own nationhood. The independent states of Australia benefited greatly under this act unlike its predecessor the Statute of Westminster 1931 which gave more power to the Australian people as a whole but lacked giving the individual states more power away from the British throne.

Who were the first inhabitants of Australia?

It is estimated that the first inhabitants of Australia came to the continent via a land bridge about 48,000 years ago. These inhabitants were from South-East Asia and Melanesian people which inhabited the Torres Strait Islands and parts of northern Queensland. Some of the indigenous people were ancestors of the Aborigines. Later these indigenous Australians suffered great declines in their numbers due to white settlers and convicts assigned to penal colonies located within Australia. The settlers brought with them many diseases that the indigenous people were not immune to and as a result died from the afflicting diseases.

Was Australia really used as a penal colony by the British?

Yes, surprisingly enough Australia was known as a continent for convicts. But to be fair not every state or province was founded to be a penal colony. States such as Victoria and Western Australia were originally founded as "free" but later would accept convicted inmates in their area. One area in particular had one of the largest jails; Port Arthur, Tasmania was the largest area in which convicts were put into incarceration. Perhaps it was because this was a new territory deemed "wild" and "untamable" that led many to advocate Australia's use as a penal colony. The fact that it was an island also added to the appeal of being able to ship off convicts away from the more civilized areas.

What is the environment and geography like of Australia?

Australia is a very diverse land mass. While the majority is made up of arid, dry land called the outback, there are also many different ecosystems to be found. There are tropical rainforests, mangrove swamps, the coastline and let's not forget the Great Barrier Reef. Australia is home to the largest naturally occurring reef system in the world. It spans over 1,200 miles. There are also temperate land areas where a majority of Australia's crops are grown. An interesting fact about Australia's geography is that the ocean currents greatly affect the weather and the climate of the continent, often producing cyclones.

Is Australia a continent or a country?

Australia is both. It is the smallest continent in the world and it is a country. It is home to millions of people both indigenous and immigrants. It was once connected to South-East Asia via a land bridge but that was thousands of years ago.

What is the wildlife of Australia like?

The geography is varied so you can expect that the fauna of Australia is just as varied. You have fantastical creatures that seem to be something out of a story tale such as the platypus or the echidna. There is also the wombat, saltwater and freshwater crocodiles that are some of the biggest in the world. You absolutely cannot forget about the kangaroo or the koala. There are also emu and the kookaburra. You can also find many of the world's most poisonous snakes when traveling through the tropical forests, mangroves and outback. One mammal, in particular, is often associated with Australia and it is the dingo. As you can see there are plenty of species of fauna to look and interact with if you visit Australia.





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Today's Tip On Australia

The aboriginals of the Daruk, Eora and Guringai tribes began in Sydney Australia as long as 40,000 years ago have left their mark on this popular Australian city; the name of a city suburb, petroglyphs and rock carvings, paintings or seafood shell piles all show evidence of early civilizations. Europeans sailed over in 1788, arriving with England's First Fleet, which was a ship full of prisoners. Originally designated as a penal colony, Australia's fortune changed when gold was discovered. It attracted settlers from all around the world who arrived, settled and set up an official government.


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