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Researched by Amanda J.
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Introduction
Australia is the only country that is also a continent. Australia is the sixth largest country but the smallest continent. In Australia there are wide-open plains (known to the Australians as the “out back” or interior.) Australia’s nickname is “the Land Down Under” because it is entirely in the southern hemisphere. Australia’s capital is Canberra. This exotic land is full of interesting nature and history!
Cities
Australia’s three biggest cities are Sydney, the oldest and the largest
city Melbourne, the second largest and Canberra, the third.
Australian Ways of Life
Australians have a highly interesting way of life because they have
many different climates. In the open plains (the Outback) it
is hot and dry most of the year. On the east side of Australia
they have warm summers and mildly cold winters. With such different
climates there are different types of houses. In the outback’s plains it
is common to find a house underground but uncommon to find one above ground.
Australia’s ways of life is very different depending on the climate!
Wildlife
Australia has a wide variety of animals. One of the most
well known animals is the kangaroo. There are many kinds of kangaroo. There
are the red, gray, and tree kangaroos, but there are also the wallaroo
and many more. Gray and red kangaroos are the biggest; they can be six
feet tall and can weigh two hundred pounds. They have large,
strong hind legs and small front legs. They have a long thick tail for
balance and support. There are 48 different species in
the kangaroo family that are all different sizes. They eat
grass and herbs but graze mostly in the afternoon. The kangaroo
is the national animal of Australia. It appears on the coat
of arms along with an emu. Kangaroos are marsupials and so
are koalas. They are two of the 182 marsupials.
Koalas
A koala is another well-known Australian animal. A koala
eats more than two pounds of eucalyptus tree leaves every day. The koala
is a tree dwelling animal, which means it stays in a tree most of the time
unlike the kangaroo, which is ground dwelling. The koala carries
its babies in its pouch until it is old enough to cling to its mother’s
back. It stays there until it is old enough to fend for itself.
There are many more Australian animals. Some reptiles are the salt-water
crocodile, the fresh water crocodile, alligators, the thorny devil, the
desert death adder, the amethystine python, the shingle-backed skink, and
the perentie lizard.
Salt-water Crocodile
The salt-water crocodile is the biggest living reptile on earth.
Some of the biggest males are seventeen feet long, which is a little smaller
than a minivan. These crocodiles do live in saltwater but can
also be found in fresh water rivers. The size of the prey depends
on the size of the “salty”. Bigger crocs will go for buffalo and domestic
cattle. Smaller ones will go for turtles, snakes, chickens,
and other birds.
History
The first Australians were called Aborigines. They had the island
to themselves for 50,000 years. They survived by hunting and eating
plants. There were never more than 3,000 of them, because of animals
and diseases. A traditional ceremony is baby smoking. The mother
of the baby and the tribe chief performs it. They put the newborn baby
in a cloth or basket and rock it in the smoke of a large fire. This is
done when the baby is about two days to a week old. They have very different
artwork from ours today. They show everything in their work from
surroundings to their interests. A common design includes some type
of kangaroo. Some designs even have the insides of kangaroos on them.
Resources
Australia has a wide variety of agricultural products like cattle,
wheat, wool, sugar, barley, oats, rice, potatoes, chicken, eggs, beef,
cotton, and vegetables just to name a few. Some natural minerals
Australia has are lead, industrial diamonds, gold, natural gas, copper,
iron ore, coal, aluminum ore, nickel, and tin. Australia ships these
products to many different countries like Japan, the United States, the
United Kingdom, New Zealand and Germany.
Rivers and Lakes
Australia has an interesting water flow because the rivers and lakes
dry up. Most rivers flow for about ten months or more, until they
evaporate. It takes 10 or 12 rainfalls to fill a river. Permanent
rivers and lakes are rare in the interior. Most lakes in Australia
are salt-water lakes. In the dry season they become swamp beds or
clay pans. Lake Argyle is Australia’s largest artificially created
fresh water lake.
Sports
Australia has a wide variety of sports and games.
Rugby is similar to football, netball is similar to basketball, and cricket
has a few similarities to baseball.
National Holidays
Australia Day
Australia Day is celebrated on January 26. It is based
on a day in 1788 when the Europeans first landed in Australia.
Anzac Day
Australians celebrate Anzac Day on April 25th. It is based that
day in1915 when troops from Australia and New Zealand In a group called
ANZAC landed in Turkey to fight in World War 1. Most Australians
attend Military parades in the morning. Veterans and soldiers play
a betting game.
Queens Birthday
Queens Birthday honors the day when Queen Elizabeth the second was
born. She was Queen of Australia because Australia was originally
claimed by Britain. The Queen’s birthday is really in April But the holiday
is celebrated on the second Monday in June. This is because the king
of Britain, Gorge V’s, birthday is in June. For this holiday Australia
has no special traditions.
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