G’day, mate! Welcome to our list full of wondrous and terrific facts about Australia, a.k.a. the Land Down Under or just Oz. Be sure to fasten your hiking boots, grab a bottle of bug spray and your heaviest SPF, and let’s dig into these fun facts about Australia that will tell you all about this truly wonderful, absolutely unique, and totally crazy land.
Now, before you start reading these interesting facts about Australia, you might already know some stuff about it. For instance, everything in Oz is upside-down compared to how we see things, the toilet water whirlpools counter-clockwise there, and koalas might chew off your toes while you’re asleep. And while these completely crazy notions might seem fun, the actual cool facts about Australia will shed light on the beauty of this country – from oceans to rivers, to plains and the Australian Alps… Really, it’s just so diverse and breathtaking; you could only believe what you’re about to read if you’re visiting Australia and seeing it all with your own eyes.
However, if you’ve opened this article hoping to find some weird facts about Australia instead of the normal stuff talking to you about places to visit in Australia or its prettiest beaches, you can be sure you’ll find plenty of those here too. Yet, to read them, you’ll need to scroll on down below and read the actual list! Once you are there, rank these wonderful facts the way you like them and share this article with your Aussie friends to verify them.
#1 Australia Has Multiple Pink Lakes!
Here’s how you get a pink lake – you need salty water. The lake turns pink in the summer when the salts and algae in the water combine. That’s all there is to it. Most pink lakes change color frequently, generally from lilac to a brilliant bubblegum pink color throughout the day and at specific times of the year. Few pink lakes are consistently pink. There is no reason why you cannot swim in a pink lake, but the majority of pink lakes in Australia are off-limits since the locals are attempting to preserve them.
Image source: Aussie Oc, bioRxiv
#2 Daintree Rainforest One Of The Oldest Rainforests In The World
Australia had a warm, humid environment with constant rain throughout its territory millions of years ago. With no arid outback or chilly climate as today, it was a wholly tropical country. The region rapidly became overrun with rare creatures and ancient plant life as a result of the region’s constant rainfall and humid temperature.
Image source: Bob Linsdell, daintreerainforest.com
#3 Australia Has 3 Times More Sheep Than Humans
Australia has a massive population of 74.722 million sheep. That’s almost three sheep per person in Australia!
Image source: William Suhr, entegra.com
#4 “No Worries, Mate” Is Basically The National Motto Of The Country
One characteristic of Australian culture that historians, sociologists, and linguists all seem to agree on is that Australians tend to find humor in life’s less amusing moments; people who complain or can’t keep a positive outlook in the face of difficulty are labeled sooks and wusses. Aussies also enjoy informality; familiarity and warmth are preferred in any situation.
Image source: Australian Paralympic Committee, Jonathan King
#5 Australia Was The 2nd Country In The World To Give Equal Political Rights To Both Men And Women
The Constitutional Amendment (Adult Suffrage) Act was approved by the South Australian Parliament on December 18, 1894. A decade-long fight to get more women involved in politics finally led to this legislation. It allowed women in the colony to run for parliament and gave them the right to vote. Just one year earlier, in 1893, New Zealand was the only nation to have done it.
Image source: State Library of Queensland, foundingdocs.gov.au
#6 Voting Is Mandatory In Australia
Australia requires all citizens to vote; therefore, failing to do so could result in a fine. A fine of AU$20 is imposed for first-time offenders, with a maximum penalty of AU$180, and it is regularly enforced.
#7 There Is A Mountain Called Mt Disappointment
Explorers Hume and Hovell gave Mt. Disappointment its name in 1824. They were disappointed to learn that the summit’s dense forest growth prevented them from seeing Port Phillip Bay.
Image source: Justin, MESSRS. W. H. HOVELL, AND HAMILTON HUME
#8 Wollongong Is One Of The Top Cities That Have The Least Polluted Air In The World
This seaside city in Australia offers not only breathtaking scenery but also fresh air. It ranks highly among the least polluted cities in the world, with yearly PM2.5 readings of about 4.51 g/m3. In comparison, in the world’s most polluted city Bhiwadi, India, yearly PM2.5 readings reach 106.2 g/m3.
Image source: Maksym Kozlenko, airly.org
#9 The Most Well-Behaved Convicts Comprised The First Police Force Of Australia
Governor Phillip appointed the Row Boat Guard and Night Watch. These individuals were chosen among the prisoner population’s best-behaved inmates. The Sydney Foot Police took over as the Night Watch’s replacement in 1790, and they remained an organized unit (later known as the Sydney Police) until all of the NSW colonial police forces were combined in 1862.
Image source: Simpsons fan 66, police.nsw.gov
#10 An Australian Man Has Tried To Sell New Zealand On E-Bay For 3000 AUD
With a starting bid of only one cent, competitive bidding quickly increased the price of the premium piece of South Pacific real estate to $A3,000 before eBay decided to end the auction. Daniel Feiler, a representative for eBay Australia, told the New Zealand Press Association that “clearly New Zealand is not for sale,” adding that 22 bids had been placed before the business took any action.
Image source: Michal Klajban, smh.com.au
#11 Former Prime Minister Bob Hawke Set A World Record For Sculling 2.5 Pints Of Beer In 11 Seconds
Hawke was once regarded as one of Australia’s finest prime ministers and had a personal popularity rating of 75%. While Hawke’s political accomplishments stand on their own, his charisma, characteristic Aussie demeanor, and love of beer all contribute to his legendary status. While attending Oxford University in the UK, Hawke developed a reputation as a beer enthusiast. He entered the Guinness Book of Records in 1954 for consuming a yard glass, or two and a half pints, of beer in just eleven seconds.
Image source: Albatross2147, beerisok.com.au
#12 The Great Barrier Reef Is The Largest Living Structure On Earth
The Great Barrier Reef stretches 1,429 miles over around 133,000 square miles and is the world’s biggest coral reef system. The reef may be found off the coast of Queensland, Australia, in the Coral Sea. The reef comprises around 3,000 distinct reefs and is big enough to be seen from space. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority of Australia oversees many of the Great Barrier Reef as a marine protected area.
Image source: Ank Kumar, UNESCO
#13 Unlike Other Continents, Australia Does Not Have An Active Volcano
In general, active volcanoes are found along the main tectonic plate borders. Because there are no plate boundaries on the Australian continent, they are uncommon there. Nonetheless, Heard Island and the surrounding McDonald Islands are home to two active volcanoes 4000 kilometers southwest of Perth in the Australian Antarctic Territory.
Image source: Tristannew, ga.gov.au
#14 Former Australian Prime Minister Harold Holt Went Missing And Nobody Has Been Able To Trace Him To Date
On the afternoon of December 17, 1967, Prime Minister Harold Holt dove into the waves at Cheviot Beach in Victoria. He was never heard from again. Despite a thorough search, no body or other evidence was discovered. No hints existed to explain his disappearance. Fast-emerging allegations, rumors, insinuations, and conspiracy theories have persisted to this day.
Image source: Australian News and Information Bureau, nfsa.gov.au
#15 The Dog Fence Is 3x Longer Than The Great Wall Of China
The Dingo Fence, stretching for 5,614 kilometers (3,488 mi), is a pest-exclusion fence used in Australia to keep dingoes out of southern Queensland’s sheep flocks and the continent’s relatively fertile southeast (where they have mostly been eradicated).
Image source: Peter Woodard, R. J. Downward, J. E. Bromell
#16 Melbourne Was Briefly Known As Batmania
John Batman arrived first in June 1835, writing the iconic phrase in his diary: “The river was deep and full of fine water about six miles upstream. A community will be located here.” Many people still lament that Batman’s accomplishment is not seen as our founding event and the source of our identity. As a marketing strategy, Batmania would blow the “most liveable city” out of the water in the present.
Image source: Melbpal, trove.nla.gov.au
#17 87% Of Australians Live Closer Than 50 Km To The Coast
In Australia, 87% of the population resided within 50 kilometers of the shore in 2019, up from 85% in 2001. This means the coast is now home to more than 22 million Aussies. Coastal townships and villages are now experiencing population expansion, formerly focused on urban areas.
Image source: DAVID ILIFF, Australia SoE
#18 The Great Ocean Road Is The World’s Largest War Memorial
The Great Ocean Road’s construction was finished in 1932. The 151-mile (243-kilometer) stretch of road between the Victorian towns of Torquay and Allansford is regarded as the most significant war memorial in the world. The highway is now a well-liked tourist destination, and in 2011, it was added to the Australian National Heritage List.
Image source: Photo by DAVID ILIFF, transportationhistory.org
#19 Australian Alps Get More Snowfall Than The Swiss Alps
One of the rare sites where it snows most of the year is in the Australian Alps, a portion of the Great Dividing Range. Interestingly, the Australian Alps receive more snow than all of Switzerland combined! Although Tasmania, which also has a sizable alpine environment, is not included in the region, it accounts for most of the alpine environment on the mainland.
Image source: Brett Stanley, Adam Blackshaw
#20 There Is A Cockroach Race Held Annually For Australia Day
When cockroach racing started in Australia 38 years ago, two Australian bar patrons argued: “About which suburb had the biggest and quickest roaches.” That’s the origin story of this amusing spectacle according to the pub where the races are still ceremoniously staged today. In 2018, race heroes Kim Car Squashian and Kanye Pest were among the favorites to win.
Image source: Michael Zimmer, Dave Freeman, Neil Teplica
#21 Rocks From Arizona’s Unkar Group (Grand Canyon) And Tasmania’s Rocky Cape Group Were Likely Part Of The Same Formation 1.1 Billion Years Ago On The Supercontinent Rodinia
Although the Grand Canyon in Arizona and the Australian island of Tasmania are separated by around 12,900 kilometers (8,000 miles), scientists have discovered recently that some of Tasmania’s oldest rocks appear to have come directly from the Grand Canyon. According to a study, these two dissimilar places were once a single rock formation in the long-gone supercontinent of Rodinia more than a billion years ago.
Image source: Jhannon23, Geological Society of America
#22 Australia Has Almost 12,000 Beaches Along Its 60,000km Coastline
It would take just about 32 years to visit them all if you’d spend a day for each one! Seems like life in Australia truly is a beach.
Image source: Maksym Kozlenko, Australia.com
#23 Over 80% Of The Animals In Australia Can Be Only Found There
Australia has very high levels of endemism (species found exclusively in Australia) compared to other nations: 46% of birds, 69% of mammals (including marine mammals), 94% of amphibians, and 93% of reptiles. Most other groups, including the eucalypts, are located in Australia or the neighboring region.
Image source: Caterpillar100, Dr Ian Cresswell and Dr Helen Murphy, CSIRO
#24 Indian Pacific Train Has The Longest Straight Section Of Train Track In The World
It’s one of the very few trains in the world that fully crosses a continent! Following the conclusion of gauge conversion efforts in South Australia and Western Australia, the train debuted in February 1970 and has been running ever since.
Image source: Public Domain, Modelling the Railways of South Australia Convention
#25 K’gari Island Is The Largest Sand Island In The World
In addition to more than 250 kilometers of pristine sandy beaches with long, continuous stretches of ocean beach, the region also boasts beautiful blowouts and over 40 kilometers of cliffs made of sand that is an array of vibrant colors. Magnificent vestiges of tall rainforest growing on tall dunes may be found inland from the beach, and this phenomenon is considered unique in the entire globe. In addition, the island contains half of the world’s perched freshwater dune lakes, creating breathtaking and varied scenery.
Image source: John Robert McPherson, Unesco
#26 Australia Is The Planet’s Sixth Largest Country
After Russia, Canada, China, the USA, and Brazil. Although it is the world’s largest island and the smallest continental land mass, at 7 692 024 km2, it only makes up 5% of the 149 450 000 km2 total land area of the planet.
#27 Native To Australia, The Kangaroo And Emu, Symbolize The Nation Moving Forward, As Neither Animal Can Move Backward Easily
The Southern Cross constellation, kangaroos, emus, the six Australian states, Golden Wattles and Waratah Flowers, black opal gemstones, and the six Australian states are only a few of the significant symbols that frequently feature in Australian iconography and culture. But mostly, it’s the koalas!
Image source: Will Hore-Lacy, psych-law.lab.asu.edu
#28 Over 400 Languages Are Spoken In Australia
Around 23% of those polled said they spoke another language than English at home. Less than 1% of people worldwide speak an indigenous language, including those of the Torres Strait Islanders.
Image source: Hawkeye7, racismnoway.com.au
#29 The Word “Mate” Was Banned For Less Than 24 Hours
Global Language Monitor, a non-profit organization that tracks language use, published a list of politically correct terms and phrases. Due to a prohibition on using the term “mate” by security personnel at Parliament House in August, Australia earned the tenth spot on the list. The directive was resisted by Prime Minister John Howard and Labor leader Kim Beazley because they argued that the word “mate” was intrinsic to Australian culture. However, within a day, the ban was lifted.
Image source: JJ Harrison, abc.net.au
#30 Australia’s Broadband Internet Ranked 5th Slowest In OECD (And 79th Out Of 179 Globally)
In December 2019, Australia dropped three spots to 68th place overall out of 177 nations. With only 41.78Mbps, Australia’s average download speed is less than half the world average.
Image source: Isabell Winter, speedtest.net
#31 Uluru, Standing In The Northern Territory Of Australia, Is The Largest Monolith A.K.A. Rock In The World
This enormous monolith, known as Uluru, is 348 meters high, 3.6 kilometers long, and 9.4 kilometers in circumference. The earth was raised and folded from the initial horizontal sedimentary strata some 300–400 million years ago, tipping the rock and forming this gigantic creation.
Image source: ga.gov.au
#32 Australia Has 65 Distinct Wine Regions
Australian wine is passionately autonomous and is produced by a thriving community of farmers, winemakers, viticulturists, and vignerons, thanks to the country’s distinctive climate and environment. More than 100 grape varieties are produced in 65 different wine areas, giving the freedom to create outstanding wine in a distinctive style. As the Aussies are not constrained by convention, they keep testing the limits in search of the most intriguing, diversified wines available.
Image source: Greg Rinder, CSIRO, australiawine.com
#33 The Longest Running Competitive Surfing Competition Is Held In Bells Beach
Rip Curl Professional on Bells Beach is a famous World Surf League Championship Tour destination. You have to win it to ring it, as the saying goes. Bells Beach is a fantastic location, in or out of the water, and has a reputation as one of Australia’s top surf beaches. Bells is a beautiful cliff face; there isn’t much of a “beach” there. The cliff-top parking area’s views are breathtaking, and a fantastic place to see local surfers out in the sea.
Image source: Chensiyuan, visitgreatoceanroad.org.au
#34 In Australia, You Can See The Largest Herd Of Camels In The World
There is a single camel herd that is thought to have about 750,000 camels. It can occasionally be problematic because so many camels are in one herd. For instance, if this herd of camels decides to cross the road, it may result in a prolonged period of complete traffic halt.
Image source: Jjron, worldpopulationreview.com
#35 Canberra Is The Capital Of Australia
The 1901 Constitution stipulated that the Parliament would convene in Melbourne until a new parliament house was constructed in the new capital. The Parliament would select a location at least one hundred miles (160 km) away from Sydney. A new site in Yass-Canberra became a workable compromise. About one hundred miles (160 km) from Sydney, this sizable territory provided fresh air, a reliable water supply, and a vibrant environment.
Image source: Petaholmes, nca.gov.au
#36 Australia Is The Flattest Continent
Australia was identified as the world’s flattest continent by NASA. Its low average height (300 meters) is brought on by its proximity to a tectonic plate’s center, where there aren’t any volcanic eruptions or other geologic factors of the kind that would otherwise elevate the terrain of other continents.
Image source: Calistemon, education.nationalgeographic.org
#37 Anna Creek Is The Largest Cattle Station In The World
Some Australian sheep and cattle farms are so enormous that they get termed ‘stations’. The largest is Anna Creek, which spans 15,746 square kilometers of the desolate South Australian outback. That is larger than Montenegro, East Timor, or Northern Ireland to indicate scale!
Image source: Kerry_Raymond, williamscattlecompany.com.au
#38 The Worlds Biggest Cockroach Statue Is In Port Wakefield Road, Lower Light, South Australia
In 2013, the enormous statue was on the verge of being destroyed, but local outcry allowed it to be saved. After that, the cockroach was brought back to the spot where it still stands today.
Image source: Andy Farnsworth, bigthingsofaustralia.com
#39 Melbourne Cup Is A State Holiday
Melbourne Cup Day is a public holiday for everyone who works in metropolitan Melbourne and some regions of Victoria, however, it is not a holiday in some rural Victorian cities and towns that host their own spring carnivals. “Cup Day,” as it’s generally known, is the biggest horse racing event in Australia, home to more racecourses than any other country in the world. The day is a component of the Melbourne Cup Carnival, which is a weeklong celebration.
Image source: Chris Phutully, Alex Gionfriddo
#40 Burger King Is Called Hungry Jacks
Hungry Jack’s is the Burger King Corporation’s master franchise in Australia. Yet in 1991, the Burger King Corporation opened its doors in NSW using the Burger King brand for reasons too dull to go into here. Everyone decided that the strength of a single Australian brand and the 30-year history of Hungry Jack’s trademark was the best choice after three perplexing years.
Image source: Hjanko, hungryjacks.com.au
#41 Queensland Is Home To Lung Fish, A Living Fossil
Even though all extant lungfishes are currently restricted to continents in the Southern Hemisphere, they were formerly present on every continent (millions of years ago). They flourished throughout the Devonian Period, or the so-called “Age of Fishes,” which lasted about 400 million years. Extant lungfishes are often called ‘living fossils’ – relics of an ancient lineage and appear to have changed little since the Devonian.
Image source: David J. Stang, Rick Taylor
#42 Capertee Valley Is The World’s Second Largest Canyon
The escarpment is dominated by sandstone cliffs that descend into a wide chasm that has formed the landscape over millions of years.
Image source: Sardaka, Karl S. Kruszelnicki
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