Did you know that from 2010 to 2020, fewer than 1% of non-Aussies* visited the land Down Under? It’s true! The number of international visitors to Australia during that time ranged from 5.27 million to 8.6 million—only a fraction of the earth's total population.
For those who might not be able to travel to Australia in person—for family visits or to simply explore—let’s do the next best thing and look at some fascinating and fun facts about Australia.
Do You Have Family from the Land Down Under?
History and Culture
- Australia is home to the Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders, who keep alive "one of the oldest surviving indigenous cultures" in the world.
- Dreamtime is foundational to Aboriginal spirituality and refers to their version of a creation story. The concept of Dreamtime gave rise to stories, rituals, and customs that are a key part of Aboriginal culture.
A piece of art incorporated into a hill that depicts a large snake inspired by Dreamtime. - In the movie The Princess Bride, Vizzini tells Westley that Australia is “entirely peopled with criminals.” Vizzini’s humorous falsehood actually has some basis in historical fact. The first group of settlers sent from the British Isles to Australia in 1788 included 850 convicts.
- The early settlers, convicts and non-convicts alike, relied on each other to survive in harsh circumstances. Their mutual dependence gave rise to the concept of mateship. This concept is “an essential Australian virtue of connection, friendship, and equality.” Aussies are quick to welcome and include others.
- Every culture has its slang, and Aussie slang is among the more colorful ones for English-speaking countries. Besides well-known phrases like “G’day, mate,” you’re likely to hear words like “brekkie” (breakfast), “daks” (trousers or pants), and “avo” (avocado) in Australian conversations.
Geography
- Australia is roughly the same size as the United States of America.
- Australia has about 26,000 km (about 16,156 miles) of coastline. Along the coast are over 10,000 beaches. No wonder over 85% of the population lives within 50 km (about 31 miles) of the coast!
- Uluru (also known as Ayers Rock) is one of Australia’s best-known geographic formations. Only 348 meters (1,143 feet) of this formation lies above the ground. The rest extends about 2.5 km (about 1.5 miles) below the earth’s surface.
- The Australian Alps get more snow annually than the Swiss Alps—in fact, more snow than all of Switzerland!
- Australia does not have any active volcanoes on the mainland continent. However, there are 2 active volcanoes in the Australia Antarctic Territory—one on Heard Island and one in the McDonald Islands.
Fauna and Flora
- Over 80% of the mammals and reptiles in Australia are unique to that land.
- Australia has its share of cute, lovable animals like kangaroos and koalas. However, it’s also home to scary creatures like funnel web spiders, Irukandji jellyfish, and of course, crocodiles.
- Australia has about 3 times more sheep (75 million) than people (26 million).
- Australia boasts an incredible diversity of birds, including parrots, pigeons, magpies, finches, black swans, and of course, the iconic laughing kookaburras. Australia is also home to 2 of the largest flightless birds in the world: the cassowary and the emu.
- In Australia, you’ll find over 30,000 plant species. Australia’s native plants include species of eucalyptus, acacia, evergreen trees, orchids, and ferns.
Innovation and Technology
Australia is home to a number of inventions that changed the world. Here are just a few of those innovations.
- The black box flight recorder
- The electronic pacemaker.
- Wi-Fi technology.
- The winged keel (used on the Australian boat that won the 1983 America's Cup).
- The original platform now used for Google Maps.
Food and Pastimes
- Aussies love their sports. This includes cricket, golf, tennis, swimming, and four codes of football, to name just a few.
- Australia is home to the Boulia Camel Races, an annual event that features the longest camel race in Australia, along with camel tagging competitions, children’s games, and fireworks.
- Christmas is in summer in Australia, which means that many families like to spend it at the beach. Seafood is common for Christmas dinner, along with Christmas crackers (they might not be what you think), a tradition with roots in the United Kingdom.
- If you’re looking for Australia’s national cake, look no further than the lamington, a butter or sponge cake dipped in chocolate and rolled in coconut. The cake’s appeal gave rise to National Lamington Day, celebrated each year on July 21.
- Given that most of the population lives near the coast, Australia’s interior offers plenty of prime spots for stargazing, including one in Winton, Queensland which is certified as a Dark Sky Sanctuary.
Your Journey of Discovery
Do you want to learn more about Australia and Australian research? Take a look at the following resources:
- Australia Genealogy (FamilySearch Wiki)
- Australia Genealogy Research (FamilySearch Community)
- Beginning Australian Research (FamilySearch Learning Center)
- Australia Historical Records (FamilySearch Historical Records)
- RootsTech Videos
Special thanks to Aussies Liz Solomon, Jason and Naomi Ellis, Dianne Friden, and Karen Waples for sharing their favorite fun facts!
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