A Guide to Australia
Australia is well known for its vibrant beach culture, but there’s so much more to discover here besides that. From economic ups and downs to cultural shocks and political crises and wars – Australia offers plenty of unforgettable experiences!
European settlement of Australia began with Captain James Cook’s arrival at Botany Bay. Botany Bay lies at the core of southeast Australia, which features a temperate Type C climate zone.
Table of Contents
Location
Australia, located in the Southern Hemisphere and bordering both the Indian and Pacific oceans, comprises both mainland Europe (Australia) and Tasmania as well as numerous smaller islands.
Australia boasts a varied terrain that features deserts and mountain ranges of all sizes. Its coastal lowlands boast abundant plant and animal species while its interior boasts expansive savannahs and tropical rain forests.
Australia’s southeastern shore is home to Sydney, one of Oceania’s largest cities and Australia’s main port. Sydney serves as both a business and tourism center while Canberra, its capital city, is situated at its southeast corner in mainland Australia and houses government agencies and schools. Australia borders Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Timor Sea Islands Territory (Coral Sea Islands Territory), Solomon Islands Vanuatu New Caledonia as well as New Zealand to its northeast and southeast.
Climate
Australia has an array of climates, from tropical to semi-desert in the northern regions to sub-tropical conditions further east and south as well as temperate conditions on its west coast around Sydney and Melbourne. Furthermore, several large wetlands can also be found here.
Northern Australia experiences heavy rainfall during its “wet season”, from October to April. The majority of this rain falls from humid north-westerly winds or tropical cyclones.
With Australia’s compact shape, its Great Dividing Range blocks rain from moving too deeply inland; thus explaining why there is often little seasonal variation between southern and eastern Australia. Unfortunately, temperatures have been rising and extreme heat days are increasing – due to both human activities as well as natural causes like greenhouse gases.
Languages
Australia, often perceived as being monoglot, is in reality a diverse nation boasting numerous languages. This diversity can be seen both within its indigenous populations as well as global migration patterns shaping Australia’s linguistic diversity.
Australian English is both the national language and primary medium of instruction in schools, making up one of its three official languages. Australian English features its own distinctive variation known as “strine”, as well as various slang terms that distinguish its unique dialect from international varieties of the language.
Australian languages stand out for their lack of fricative consonants and use of lenition to distinguish stops from sibilants. Another notable characteristic is coronal articulations requiring tongue movement in front to produce sounds.
Food
Though many Australians consider Vegemite the national dish, there’s much more to Australian cuisine than just classics and cliches. Here are some typical Australian foods worth trying if Vegemite doesn’t sound appealing.
Damper is a wheat flour-based bush bread traditionally baked over campfire coals or served for breakfast on toast, often featured as part of Australian restaurant menus as an ingredient in Kangaroo Steak dishes.
Australian families tend to make fairy bread as a treat for children, typically using white bread slices, butter, and hundreds and thousands candy (composed of small colorful sugar specks). A must try! Additionally, Australians are known for creating flavorful soups featuring chicken and corn that children will absolutely adore!
Culture
Australia’s culture has been heavily shaped by British traditions, with influences from indigenous sources creating its unique Australian identity. Iconic figures such as country music icon Slim Dusty, dadaist Barry Humphries and Yagan have helped develop our distinct Australian character.
Australia is famous for its honesty and sense of humour; people here embrace an easygoing casualness that creates an enjoyable way of life. Their sporting achievements and appreciation of nature are well known around the world; in 1890 A B Paterson famously composed Waltzing Matilda as their unofficial national anthem which remains well known today.
Australian Constitution prohibits interference by government with religion; however, since Australia was founded members from various faiths have held public office. Australia operates under a democratic parliamentary system with federal, state and local governments as well as an independent judiciary system.
