Incorporating the spectacular beauty, Australia has a lot more to offer than anyone can really imagine. Right from its vibrant cities to its scorched red deserts, it is undoubtedly a land of dreams for every backpacker.
Talking about the land area, Australia is considered to be the sixth biggest country all across the globe. It is officially known as the Commonwealth of Australia lying in the Southern hemisphere with Sydney as its largest city. Australia has six states, two major mainland territories and other minor ones. The majority of its middle continent is desert and the land is very dry. Australia is a home for kangaroo, the kookaburra, the koala, the emu, and the platypus and apart from this, majority of the settled American colonies belong to Britain.
Area: 7.692 million sq. km
Population: 24,799,050
Capital: Canberra
There exists much difference in the weather conditions of the six states and the territories in Australia. In the tropical north, one might experience a wet and dry season whereas talking majorly about the country, it has four seasons incorporating summer, autumn, winter and the spring. The weather conditions here are totally opposite to that of the northern hemisphere. This means that you’ll be witnessing summer from December to February, autumn from March to May, winter from June to August and spring from September to November.
Australia is a hub of varied languages being spoken by its existing population of more than 24 million. Also apart from English, Italian is the fifth most spoken here. The de facto national language of Australia is English and this diverse country’s languages are being influenced by 160 other languages. Presently, there are 200 existing languages being communicated here. 1.4% of the population speaks Italian and 1.3% is indulged in speaking Arabian language. The main religion of Australia is Christianity however, other religions i.e. Sikhism, Hinduism and Islam are followed by selected groups of people.
Time: The three time zones followed by Australia are Australian Western Standard Time (AWST), Australian Central Standard Time (ACST) and Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST).
Electricity: The standard electricity voltage in Australia is 230V with a standard frequency of 50Hz. If the standard voltage in your own country lies somewhere between 230 volts- 240 volts, then you are capable of using your own electrical appliances in this country.
Weight & Measurement: The Metric system is used by the Australians for the weight and measurement purposes.
Telecommunications: The facilitation of communication is done through the usage of varied electronic devices such as telephone, radio, computers and television. Telephony and the broadband networks are playing a key role in the current telecommunication scenario of Australia.
The national currency of Australia is the Australian Dollar that is symbolised as ‘$’. It is available in the denominations of $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100. Talking about the coins, they come in the form of 5, 10, 20 and 50 cent. The services for the exchange of this currency is available at hotels, international airports, varied banks and also some of the selected Australian shops. The banks in the country are opened from Monday to Thursday usually between 9:30 am to 4:30 pm and their duties extend to 5:00 on Friday. For cash withdrawal, ATMs are easily available but looking on the remote areas, these services might be limited to some extent. But to be on a safer side, inform your bank in advance if you intend to use you Debit or Credit cards while travelling here.
Are you a fan of traveling? Do you love exploring the beaches and ioslands? In addition to this, are you an animal lover too? And are little confused about where to travel next? Then Indonesia is the perfect choice for you!
Australia’s culture is a Western culture and is derived from Britain. It is a diverse country that believes in welcoming each and every person irrespective of his/her caste, creed, race or religion. They carry a welcoming nature and belong to a multicultural, rich society. The place is a home to many of the unique and alluring landscapes which are serving as an attraction for tourists, students and workers from each nook and corner of the world. The Australians follow some of the most common Australian values that you also need to look upon and accordingly accept in case you are planning to visit the country. Some of the key elements of these values include freedom of speech, freedom of association and most importantly, equality of men and women.
Talking about its geography, it is influenced by the Australian continent. Approximately 16 percent of the land in Australia is considered to be sacred and is owned by the indigenous people.
The rural and the regional areas of this country have a less costly affair of all the expenses than the cities and one shall surely experience a different way of living here.
There is no special or official dress code followed by the inhabitants in Australia. If they are indulged in the office life, they need to dress formally with a clean and tidy look and when they are generally in their homes or somewhere else, they shall wear a casual or a funky outfit.
Australia has many public holidays and celebrates many festivals. One of the most important festivals here is the Australian day that is fondly enjoyed and celebrated by each and every Australian on 26th January. Apart from this, Christmas Day on 25th December and the New Year are acknowledged with keen interest by the country through the common expression of partying and gifting each other.
Explore the immense, wide- open spaces and the fascinating landscape of Australia but not through flights, instead by wheels. The country facilitates you with the best self-drive experiences through the beautiful scenes between the urban cities and the perfect beaches. Australia offers every kind of road trips be it in length, difficulty or the number of landscapes covered. Get out and hit the Australian roads with your own perfect vision for this dream destination.
The type and the surface of the road networks in Australia vary greatly. The point that needs to be noted is that the Australian drivers drive from the right hand side. It follows a stricter list of rules and regulations for driving on the roads. The highways and the expressways are easy and smooth to be travelled presenting you with beautiful scenes during your self-drive. Apart from this, talking about the signs and symbols on the roads in Australia they are nothing less than those in other countries and are thus quite clear and understandable. Driving on roads here is easy but you need to get ready for the long distances, rules and regulations and the Outback roads.
The Sydney Harbor Bridge is considered as one of the most marvellous attractions in Australia. As notified, this tourist attraction is also renowned as the world’s tallest steel arch bridge having a height of 134 metres. Climb the Harbour Bridge, stand on the top and enjoy the whole 360 degrees view of Sydney that undoubtedly looks alluring. The bridge acts as a connection between Sydney central Business district and the North Shore that lies across the Sydney Harbour. In case you are an adventure lover and in Australia, climbing up this bridge and reaching its top is no less than an activity filled with fun, thrill and excitement.
Situated in the Western Australia, the horizontal falls are breath-taking. They are situated deep in the Kimberley region. Its coast witness the rising of the red cliffs and the dotting of 800 islands in the turquoise coloured sea. It is featured as one of the most exotic natural features of Australia. The activities at this place are no less than an adventure in which you can jump on the jet boat and experience the immense beauty and purity of the crystal clear water of through these massive waterfalls. Here, you can enjoy the delicious lunch at the Talbot bay which is considered to be a really calm place.
The Cape Tribulation is known as the home to two of the planet's richest ecosystems - coral reef and rainforest. Here, they are witnessed producing a great view when they meet along the splendid white beaches. Also, the oldest rainforest of the globe i.e. Daintree Rainforest is situated here where you will experience a zip-line tour incorporating surfing through the canopy of this natural beauty and hear about our ecosystem. It is a hub of remote beaches and the scenic landscape. Whether it be the guided night walks, jungle surfing or swimming, the Cape Tribulation serves as an all-in-one package for your exquisite trip to Australia. Take some time out for nature and communicate as deeply as you can by being in close connection with the rainforests and the wildlife of the cape Tribulation.
Majorly acknowledged as one of Australia's legendary 4WD adventures, the Gibb River Road is a hub of the most interesting thrilled and antique activities. Hike in the wild, swim in the gorges’ cold water, experience sunset like never before on safaris and experience the relieving natural hot springs. It commences from the Derby situated on the west coast and concludes at the Wyndham on the state's eastern border. The best time to visit this place is anytime from May to October. If you want a risky four wheeler experience, you are at a perfect place as it requires real guts to try all the adventurous activities at the Gibb River Road.
Thanks to the environmentalists who made efforts to prevent the Franklin River from being dammed and thus, the travellers are able to enjoy one of the world’s greatest rafting adventures. Located in Tasmania, if we talk about the wildlife present here you might commonly find wallabies, platypus, and black cockatoos. The river paves its ways through the Gordon Franklin Wild Rivers National Park and World Heritage area. There is no need for you to be an experienced person in this one but obviously you have to be physically fit to be eligible for trying out the rafting on the Franklin River. If you really aspiring to visit one of the most beautiful places of Tasmania, then the Franklin River for sure has to be there in your ‘to-visit’ list.