Australia The Land Down Under

• OFFICIAL NAME: Commonwealth of Australia

• CAPITAL: Canberra

• TOTAL AREA: 7,700,000 sq.km (6th largest)

• POPULATION: 22.5 million people (2011)

• HEAD OF STATE: Queen Elizabeth II

• PRIME MINISTER: Julia Gillard

• GOVERNMENT: Constitutional monarchy

• LONGEST RIVER: River Murray , NSW to SA (2,740 km)

• HIGHEST POINT: Mount Kosciusko, NSW (2,375 km)

• CURRENCY: Australian dollar (AUS $)

• GDP (WEALTH): $1.6 Trillion (13th largest)

• RESOURCES: Coal, zink, nickel, gold, wool

• EXPORT MARKETS: Japan, China, South Korea, India, US

• NATIONAL HOLIDAY: Australian Day , 26th January

• NATIONAL SYMBOLS: Kangaroo and emu

• NATIONAL ANTHEM: Advance Australia Fair

Prime Minister Julia Gillard

Fast Facts

Australia is situated below the equator in the lower part of the southern hemisphere, between the Pacific and the Indian Oceans. Australia is a continent, a country, and an island at the same time. Australia has 6 states, 3 internal territories, and 7 external territories.

Pacific Ocean

Indian Ocean

Geography

ACT

Jervis Bay

Territory

This is a form of government in which a monarch, (a person who inherits a throne) has some limited power to rule. The main source of power is from Parliament, (a group of elected leaders who represent the people of the country). In addition to the UK, 15 other countries, including Australia, share the same monarch–Queen Elizabeth II.

Constitutional Monarchy

The Queen’s Official Title in Australia: Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, Queen of Australia and Her other Realms and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth

Badge of the House of Windsor The Queen’s personal flag

The Australian dollar (AUD) is the third-most-traded currency in the world.

The $100 note features a singer and a soldier; $50–an aboriginal writer and inventor; $20–the Royal Flying Doctors, a priest, and a convict; $10 –poets; $5–the Queen and Parliament House.

Australian Money

The coins all feature Queen Elizabeth II on one side. On the other side the $2 coin has an aboriginal tribal elder; the $1 coin has five kangaroos; the 50c coin has the Coat of Arms; the 20c coin has a platypus; the 10c coin has a lyre bird; the 5c coin has an echidna.

Australia’s indigenous people have lived here for thousands of years, long before Europeans arrived.

Aborigines

In 1770, Captain James Cook discovered Australia. He landed south of present day Sydney, and claimed the east coast for King George III of England, on August 22.

In 1788, Captain Arthur Philip led the “First Fleet” into Port Jackson in Sydney. “Convicts” (prisoners from Britain’s over-crowded jails), were transported to Australia until 1848.

In 1851, gold was discovered about 300 km west of Sydney. People rushed to the gold fields to find their fortunes. This attracted robbers called “bushrangers”.

History

January 26, 1788 marked the landing of Captain Arthur Phillip at Port Jackson in present-day Sydney. “Australia Day” commemorates this event and celebrates the country’s “multiculturalism,” diversity, and tolerance.

Australia Day – January 26

Bush rangers were runaway convicts in the early years of the British settlement. They would hide from the authorities in the “bush” (the Australian country-side), and even though their crimes often included robbery and murder, many people think of them as “folk heroes”.

More than 2000 bushrangers roamed the Australian bush but Ned Kelly is by far the most well-known and romanticized outlaw. Like many other bushrangers, Ned Kelly was hanged–at Old Melbourne Gaol, in November 1880.

Bush Rangers

Australia is a pluralistic society with more then 100 different cultures. People from English, Scottish, Irish, and Italian decent make up about 90% of the population. People from China, India, and the Middle East make up about 7% of the population. Aboriginal people make up less than 1% of the population. Australia has the 15th highest migration intake in the world.

Immigration

The climate of Australia varies widely due to its large geographical size, but the largest part of Australia is desert or “semi-arid”.

Climate

The south-east and south-west corners have a “temperate” climate and fertile soil.

The northern part of Australia, with rainforests and grass-lands, is “tropical”.

Australia often experiences heat waves, droughts, and bush fires, as well as floods and cyclones.

Parts of Australia in Victoria, New South Wales, and Tasmania have heavy snow!

Seasons

Winter June, July, and August

Spring September, October, and November

Summer December, January, and February

Autumn March, April, and May

Australia’s seasons are in the opposite months of America’s seasons!

Time and Dates

Sydney is 18 hours AHEAD of San Francisco!

Dates are written using the day first followed by the month. So January 26 is:

26/01/12

Some of Australia’s most famous destinations are the Sydney Opera House, The Great Barrier Reef, and Ayers Rock.

Landmarks

The Union Jack represents Australia’s historical link with Britain. The large seven-pointed star represents Australia’s six states and one territory. The small stars form the Southern Cross–a prominent feature of the southern hemisphere night sky.

Australia’s Flag

The official emblem of the Australian Government, Australia’s coat of arms was granted by George V in 1912. The arms consist of a shield containing the badges of the six states. The supporters are native Australian fauna–a kangaroo and an emu. Australian native flora, wattle, also appears in the design.

Australia’s Coat of Arms

The Golden Wattle (Acacia pycnantha) was officially proclaimed the Floral Emblem of Australia on 1st September, 1988.

Australia’s National Flower

Australia’s Official National Anthem

Advance Australia Fair Australians all let us rejoice For we are young and free We've golden soil and wealth for toil, Our home is girt by sea: Our land abounds in nature's gifts Of beauty rich and rare, In history's page let every stage Advance Australia fair, In joyful strains then let us sing Advance Australia fair.

Beneath our radiant Southern Cross, We'll toil with hearts and hands, To make this Commonwealth of ours Renowned of all the lands, For those who've come across the seas We've boundless plains to share, With courage let us all combine To advance Australia fair. In joyful strains then let us sing, Advance Australia fair.

Australia’s Unofficial National Anthem

Waltzing Matilda

The original lyrics were written in 1895 by poet, Banjo Paterson.

Once a jolly swagman camped by a billabong Under the shade of a coolibah tree, And he sang as he watched and waited till his billy boiled: "You'll come a-waltzing Matilda, with me."

'Twas Mulga Bill, from Eaglehawk, that caught the cycling craze; He turned away the good old horse that served him many days; He dressed himself in cycling clothes, resplendent to be seen; He hurried off to town and bought a shining new machine; And as he wheeled it through the door, with air of lordly pride, The grinning shop assistant said, "Excuse me, can you ride?"

Poetry of Banjo Paterson

Mulga Bill’s Bicycle

The poem was written in 1896.

Marsupials are a type of mammal that carry their young in a pouch. Kangaroos, koalas, possums, wombats and the Tasmanian devil are all marsupials.

Mammals & Marsupials

Australians love sport – especially cricket, swimming, tennis, and footy!

Sports

Less than a quarter of Australian Christians attend church weekly, yet a quarter of all Australian school students attend church affiliated schools, and the Christian festivals of Easter and Christmas are public holidays.

Religion

Clap sticks and the didgeridoo are traditional aboriginal instruments. Traditional Aboriginal art typically represents the “Dreaming,” the way Aboriginal people explain life and how their world came into being. Modern Australian art includes colorful paintings by designer, Ken Done.

Music & Art

L to R: Russell Crowe (Gladiator), Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman (Australia), Steve Irwin (Crocodile Hunter ~ 2006), Bindi Irwin (Free Willy)

Famous Aussies

Recreation

Many Australians live near a coastline and so they like to spend their spare time at the beach– sunbaking, enjoying water sports, and barbecuing with family and friends.

Australians love road trips – driving on the LEFT hand side of the road!

Road Trips

Australians are very proud of Australian made products!

An outback hat with corks helps keep the flies away.

Driza-Bone jackets stay dry even in the wettest weather!

Ugg sheepskin boots are now popular all over the world.

Clothing

Australians love to eat sausage rolls, meat pies, vegemite, and lamingtons!

Food

The school year in Australia starts in January and ends in December. Most students wear school uniforms. Hats are mandatory in most schools and almost all children learn to swim at a very young age.

School Life

Aussie Slang

Arvo Afternoon

Barbie A barbecue

Bob's Your Uncle There – done – easy! Not a problem!

Billabong A watering hole

G‘day Hello

Heaps Lots and lots

Onya, mate Good on you, well done

Sanga Sandwich

She'll be right mate It will all be OK

Stone the crows! What a shock!

True blue A true friend

Uni University

White cuppa Tea with milk added