The Natural Wonders of Australia
Australia is home to many natural wonders and has long been celebrated for its wine production; climate differences allow a wide array of grape varieties to flourish here.
Australians prize sincerity, humor and informality over pretentiousness and tend to downplay their own academic or professional achievements rather than seek excessive recognition. Australians distrust those seeking too much recognition.
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Beaches
Australia is home to some of the world’s most picturesque beaches, from tranquil coves to jaw-dropping sunset views. It’s easy to find your ideal stretch of sand here with over 60,000km of coastline offering something for every taste – from intimate coves to open beach stretches.
Bondi Beach in Sydney is an iconic, popular beach that never ceases to impress. Set within a protected bay so the waves don’t become too severe, it offers stunning coastal walks for access and boasts abundant local wildlife including wallabies, wombats and Tasmanian devils – this beach truly never ceases to be memorable!
Jervis Bay on NSW’s south coast stands out as one of Australia’s whitest sand beaches, boasting sparkling shores that back onto Booderee National Park where sunbathing kangaroos also love lounging in its soft sands. Additionally, this destination is an exceptional Great Barrier Reef marine life hotspot.
Meat Pies
Meat pies are an iconic food item in Australian Football (aka Aussie Rules). Made by hand-sized pies filled with diced or minced beef, onions or mushrooms and covered by puff pastry crusts – essentially little stews you can pick up and devour with one hand!
– Stewing the beef cubes first will help preserve their texture, giving this classic beef pie flavour! As an optional extra, add a salty umami taste by including some Vegemite (if available).
Shortcrust and puff pastry can both be prepared well ahead of time and stored in either the fridge or freezer, providing plenty of time for baking later on. When making ahead, it is wise to blind bake before adding filling, so as to prevent sogginess later.
Wine
Australia is widely recognized for its winemaking expertise. Although Australia does not boast centuries-old traditions in wine-growing like France, Italy or Spain do, their wines produce here remain of exceptional quality.
Australia is divided into numerous wine regions, and many vineyards can be found along its southern coastline. While certain coastal regions are ideal for producing delicate varietals such as Pinot Noir or Chardonnay, others provide better conditions for heartier varieties like Shiraz.
Australian winemakers are well known for their cutting edge techniques and blending practices, often reintroducing ancient varieties back into production. Wineries from regions such as Yarra Valley and Adelaide Hills produce wines with distinctively citrusy and vibrant fruity profiles; you’ll also find an impressive array of Sauvignon Blanc with more restrained yet elegant profiles from Australia.
Snags
Australians enjoy barbeques, and nothing could be more quintessentially Australian than a sizzling plate of sausages (snags). The term is used indiscriminately throughout Australia to refer to any variety of sausage, from traditional pork and beef varieties to those featuring exotic ingredients like kangaroo or emu meat.
Snags have long been a symbol of Australian camaraderie and outdoor lifestyle, often served on bread or soft rolls topped with tomato sauce, mustard and grilled onions for quick, easy dining on-the-go.
Popularity of democracy sausage has even extended to polling day, when local vendors set up shop at each polling station and provide voters with delicious democracy sausage as they fulfill their civic duty.
Slipper Lobster
Slipper lobsters, more commonly referred to in Australia as Moreton Bay Bugs or Balmain Bugs, belong to the Scyllaridae rock lobster family but lack large front claws found on true lobsters.
These crustaceans tend to stay hidden during the daytime, preferring caves and crevices as hiding places. At nighttime they come alive again to feed on small crustaceans as well as detritus.
When purchasing bugs, it is wise to select ones from local farms as this will often mean both cheaper prices and fresher samples. Balmain bugs can easily be distinguished from Moreton Bay bugs; Balmain ones feature eyes that are closer together at their centers while Moreton Bay ones typically feature eyes further apart on their heads.
