Australia: A Primer for Those Considering a Trip Down Under

With about three million square miles of land, Australia is approximately the size of the United States. However, the population staggers at about 20 million whereas the U.S. population is well over 290 million. Reasons for this are not hard to find, one of them being that few habitable places for humans exist in the vast region of Australia. However, throughout time, the culture and history has made these few habitable regions worth visiting. Australia, possessing such wonders as the Great Barrier Reef along its northeastern border, and the wildlife of Western Australia, has always had something to provide to tourists from all over the world.

New South Wales

Sydney, New South Wales, is known for its combination of beaches, city life, and mountain ranges. With 3.7 million people, Sydney holds much of the country's population. With popular attractions such as the Sydney Opera House, as well as numerous museums and art galleries, the city draws tourists in from all over the world. Just like almost every country in the world, Australia has suffered through several bloody wars in its history. Similar to the U.S., Australia has had a hand on the events happening in Iraq, and the war is just as controversial in Australia as it is in the United States with a part of the country supporting a following of the U.S. led war and others taking part in anti-war rallies. You can experience a touch of this history at Fort Denison. Fort Denison was first built as a source of confinement for hardened criminals, but later it found a higher significance as a defense of the Sydney Harbour against Russian warships. Later, since the fort was never attacked, it found a new purpose as a clock tower and a way to measure harbour tides. It has been used this way for more than 130 years up to the present day. The learning objective of this trip is to allow for an understanding that Australia suffers through war just the same as the U.S.

Western Australia

If you're an adventure seeker, you will find Western Australia enticing. In Perth, near the coast of Australia you can explore the ocean depths and swim along side the world's largest fish, the whale shark at Ningaloo Marine Park. The whale shark can reach more than 12 meters in length and weigh more than 11 tons! You will also see dolphins and other aquatic wildlife.

It has been said that in Western Australia the western grey kangaroos are more common than people. This is especially true in the region of Western Australia, especially the Gascoyne Junction. These kangaroos primarily thrive in dry regions of the inland, and prefer open grasslands. Although the females are smaller, the males can grow up to 2 meters in height. Other forms of wildlife in this region include red kangaroos, cockatoos, and lizards. It is also home to some of the most beautiful flowers in the world, such as the sturt pea. In these areas, desert is common and the human population is low. Interestingly, all major cities but one are located along the borders of the country.

Northern Territory

If you are looking to learn about the Australian aborigines, the Northern Territory is the place to go. We will explore the aboriginal perspective in Alice Springs. The aborigines have lived here for 30,000 years, and have maintained a culture with food, music, medicine, customs, legends, and art in harmony with the arid environment. This land would be very difficult to prosper on, yet the aborigines excelled on it. To make it through their rough way of living, the aborigines told legends to keep their minds active. These stories were always a part of their culture and were told amongst the children as well as adults. Some legends were taken very seriously, providing them with a sense of knowing about the world around them and how to act in it, and others were less serious but seen as entertainment.

The aborigines are still a strong, influential part of Australia's culture. Aborigines are not as prevalent as they were in the 1800's, but their personal values are still commonly expressed in the Australian way of life. Now we head to the last leg of our journey, Queensland, where we will explore the Great Barrier Reef.

Queensland

Queensland is home of the Great Barrier Reef. The Great Barrier Reef contains the world's largest collection of coral reefs, with 400 types of coral, 1,500 species of fish, and more than 200 species of bird life.

For this reason, scuba diving is a popular pastime in the area. Here you will be able to see the aquatic life of Queensland. Anemone fish habituate in sea anemones, which have stinging tentacles to protect the fish so that it can lay its eggs with relative safety. Most fish living in the Great Barrier Reef have some form of defense mechanism similar to this. The Nudibranch, a snail, has a poisonous exterior, which is obvious to predators by its psychedelic skin tone.

The Great Barrier Reef is still considered to be in good condition. With the help of donations, low pollution rates, and endangered species acts for those who need it, the reef should remain this way for the foreseeable future.

Enjoy your visit!