Welcome to Australia. It is an
island and a continent and consists of two land masses, the mainland
and Tasmania. In area it is the sixth largest country and the
smallest continent. It is about the size of the mainland states of
the US, excluding Alaska, and approximately 24 times the size of the
British Isles. Australia is one of the oldest continents and the
effects of over 250 million years of erosion have turned it into a
flat, low lying and stable land mass. It has a wide variety of
landforms and much of the flat inland is desert which at one time
was a fertile area with many lakes and marshes. Some of the old
lakes survive today as salt lakes like Lake Eyre in SA with the
lowest elevation below sea level. The highest peak is Mt Kosciusko
in the Australian Alps in NSW
Whilst Australia is often thought of as a dry
thinly populated land, this is only true of the inland or outback
areas as the east coast is heavily populated. The huge interior is
hot and dry with vast expanses of sandy desert or stone plains
giving way to shrub savannah or mallee scrub. The main mountains are
along the east coast, known as the Great Dividing Range. In coastal
regions the environments range from tropical rain forest in the
north, to pastoral lands and forest in the east and south east, to
alpine country in the Snowy Mountains and central Tasmania.
Australia 's deserts are as vast as the Sahara and the snowfields
huge and picturesque. The surfing beaches are among the best in the
world and is a land of unique flora and fauna
Canberra (meeting
place) was specifically built as the capital city and the seat
of government, situated in the small state of ACT
POPULATIONAustralia's
population today is roughly 22 million people. The country's vast
openess means it has the lowest population density in the world with
only two people per square kilometre with few living in rural areas.
Three quarters live in cities and major towns within 50km of the
coast with about 458,000 Indigenous people living mainly in the
inland and North
.
CLIMATE Australia is a continent that experiences avariety of climates due to
its size, but tends to be warm and sunny without distinct
seasons
CULTURE It is is
as broad, varied and multicultural which is
reflected in the country's food, lifestyle and cultural practices.
Australia has an important heritage from its indigenous people,
which plays a defining role in the cultural landscape.This diversity
of influences creates a cultural environment in Australia that is
lively, energised, innovative and outward looking. It
is founded on stories of battlers, bushrangers and
brave soldiers. Of sporting
heroes, working heroes and plucky migrants. It’s all about a
fair go and the great outdoors. Also defines itself by innovative ideas and a
thriving arts scene
RELIGION There is a steady decline in the number
of Australians who state that they follow a religion of any
description 22 per cent. But the majority stated they were
Christian 61per cent. Among those there were 25 per
cent Catholic, Anglican and other Christian denominations. The
Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam and Judaism numbers are increasing
VISITORSOf
all travel destinations, Australia remains one of the more attractive
choices. It offers a wide variety of things to do, sites
to see and family attractions. In this land of dazzling
scenery, big blue skies and wonderful beaches It's charming friendly inviting faces make
all the difference
HISTORY
European exposure to
Australia occurred in 1606, when the Dutch explorer, Willem
Janszoon, sighted and then landed on the Cape York Peninsula
ABORIGINALS Initial inhabitants of Australia travelled by
boat from far SE Asia, and from the Torres Strait islands during the
last Ice Age
EDUCATION The
system of
education is of a highest standard and enjoys international
renown
ENVIRONMENT Australia is one of the oldest continents and
the effects of over 250 million years of erosion have turned it into
a flat, low lying and stable land
mass
DRUGSCannabisis the most widely used illicit drug in Australia
.
News
Chelsea Basham -‘I make my
own Sunshine’ Title of the album which she
wrote, and is warm, down
home wise
and positive and she’s also very funny. I think people will certainly get to
know Chelsea by listening to
her album. She’s twenty two years old Australian and
this
is an album about her
life so far.I’m very impressed with her debut album which
was released in August on Compass Bros.
Records. Webpage
.
.
Time for Australian
independenceFormer Australian PM’s Malcolm Fraser and Paul
Keating, have urged Australia to become
independent of the world's super powers. They don't want Australia
to replace one dependency with another, including an alignment with
China, but want to create stronger ties with independent countries
in the region, such as Indonesia. Malcolm said that "Not many
Australians realize that throughout our history we have
behaved as though we were dependent on a great power like Britain
and now a puppy dog to America."
Senior Australian of the YearNorthern Territory indigenous community
leader Laurie in her
nineties has witnessed generations of change sweep across the island
of her birthplace, Murrungga. She has played a crucial role in
passing down local ecological knowledge amongst different age
groups
Address Leading brain surgeon Charlie Teo has called for
tolerance. He
asks that all Australians to see how
immigrants have
contributed to our nation and to appreciate that a rich and
prosperous country such as
ours has a moral and global responsibility to share its
resources
Australian of the Year Awards Its your opportunity to recognise and reward
someone who makes you proud to be Australian. You are invited to
nominate a friend, family member, community leader, colleague or
even someone famous. Anyone you believe makes our country a
better place to live. Nominate online or download a nomination
form. For assistance call 1300 655
193
.
Places
Discover Australia Natural
treasures cover a breathtaking diversity of landscapes. Australia
has so much for you to explore, whether you want nature, wildlife,
outback adventure, islands, rainforest or reef. Our unique beauty is
spread across eight states and
territories
Visit
Australia In
every part of our vast continent you'll find a wide range of unique
experiences and attractions that are sure to deliver
the most original and memorable
holiday
Australia's hidden gemsYou'll never find these in the
guidebooks.How you can get on stage at the
Sydney 'Opera House' NSW and 'Taronga Zoo' for meetings
with koalas and
kangaroos
Discover its laid-back
vibe, natural beauty,
surfing and lighthouse. It is the most easterly point in Australia.
I lived and worked there and even bought
land. It used to be a surfers secret, but now
a tourist destination
.
.
ACT-
Canberra Our Capital City and seat of
Government
Canberra is Australia's capital, home to its
most iconic galleries and museums. See the bushland surrounding the
capital and view Namadgi and the stunning Australian Alps
region
The Dreaming Australian Indigenous
people have stories of when the ancestral
beings moved across the land
and created life and significant geographic features
Lakalinyeri
ArtsIt is
Ngarrindjerri owned located in the township of Strathalbyn South Australia. Works are
available from communities Australia wide. From SA to the Kimberly
in Western Australia
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Adelaide Hills -
SAJust 20 minutes drive from
Adelaide city, Judy explores the Hills a popular destination with
locals and international visitors alike, who come to kick back and
enjoy South Australia
Kangaroo
IslandIn South Australia and like a safari park but
without fences, people or cars. Watch kangaroos box,
meets sea lions and koalas, and even sees an echidna, otherwise
known as a spiny anteater
North West TasmaniaExploring the North West region, some of
Australia's most spectacular natural beauty including rugged
coastline, the Tarkine wilderness area and breathtaking Cradle
Mountain.
Print journalists bid farewell Job cuts within the print media industry due to
the rapidly evolving world of digital media sees Hobart's Mercury on
the move and journalism veterans looking back with mixed
feelings
.
Bruny
IslandIt is in Tasmania, off the southern coast and
has spectacular beaches, incredible wildlife and amazing food. Visit an artisanal cheese maker,
an oyster farm, a berry farm and Australia's southernmost
winery
WA - Perth & Margaret
RiverDiscover towering forests, gourmet wine and
food, sublime beaches and a laid back culture in Western Australia
Displays jewels of cultural
conservationVoluntary conservation
agreements between traditional owners in the
Kimberley's WA, and the Australian Federal Government have
proved a successful land management scheme and the Wanumbal Gaambera
people have expanded it to include cultural
protection
Alice Springs in NT Tanami Desert, Simpson Desert and
MacDonnell Ranges. Throw yourself into hot air ballooning, quad bike
rides, bushwalking, and camel rides. It’s the Aboriginal art
capital, with plentiful vibrant galleries and culture
tours
Sketching the Top EndTalitha Kennedy
inspired by the Top End's natural beauty is making artworks as part
of the interactive exhibition being held in
Darwin
Welcome
from the Anangu
peopleUluru National
Park Centerpiece is Uluru, also known as Ayers Rock.
It's sacred to the Anangu people, the traditional owners of the
land, and take part in an indigenous art
workshop
Get back to QueenslandCairns, Mission Beach, Mareeba, the
Daintree, Rockhampton, Capricorn Coast, Townsville,
Magnetic Island, the Whitsundays, Brisbane and
Toowoomba
Inspired by
GippslandRich
and diverse, with striking natural beauty. Gippsland is blessed with some of the
most unique and diverse natural
landscapes in the world
Strzelecki Track GibbslandWalking
track through two National Parks, takes you through stunning diverse scenery with unique wildlife
.
Palm Beach and
Great Barrier Reef
Southern
Barrier Reef Journey northward
along the sparkling Queensland coast. Dive into the warm pristine
waters, and visit Bunderburg and Rockhampton
.
People
Sen. Richard Di Natale'sfirst
speech He was
elected to the Australian federal parliament in 2010 and is the
Greens first Victorian Senator. His portfolios include health,
multiculturalism,gambling and sport. This is his first
speech to the Senate, delivered August last
year
Peter Whish
-WilsonAustralian Greens Senator for
Tasmania, who replaced Bob Brown gives his first speech to
Parliament
.
Judges go bushReport of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal
Deaths in Custody 1991, recommended judges get a better
understanding of Indigenous culture and there is one
group who are taking up that
challenge
Josh’s World Dad Gary and mum
Lisa lent him a camera for a week so he could
document his
life
Famous AustraliansWho have
been successful in their chosen fields of endeavour.
The music is by
Australian Tommy Emanuel whose career
spans over three decades. A household name in Australia, he’s
gained tens of thousands of loyal fans on all five
continents. He’s been
described by some of the biggest names in the industry as the
greatest guitar player alive today
Songs of JoySlim
Dusty remains the undisputed king of Australian country
music. He sold more records
in Australia than any other artist and his life story has been well
documented
Country of migrants
Most came from the UK and Ireland but today
many from Europe and Asia too. Almost one quarter of the population
are born overseas, coming from over 200
countries
MulticulturalismEuropean governments
are declaring multiculturalism a failure, with many conservatives in
Australia hastening to agree. But is a multicultural approach to
integration and diversity really as destructive as critics say?
Tim Soutphommasane is a very proud first generation
Australian, the son of Lao immigrants to Australia in the early 80s,
and a man who has gone on to build a stellar reputation as a
political philosopher and commentator, so in demand he's recently
been involved in the UK Labour party's searching policy review. He
asserts that unlike other countries, Australia's version of
multiculturalism is of nation-building proportions, and that it
should be celebrated as such. 80 per cent take up citizenship within
10
years
Migrants that fled war-torn Europe after World
War II helped transform Australia's physical, cultural and culinary
landscape. In northern Victoria for instance, the Tripodi family's
orchard flourished through hard work and
enterprise
A refugee
success story. Bashir
Yousufi is an orphan who fled Afghanistan leaving behind
three younger brothers.
He's now a high school student in Sydney Australia with a passion
for the country that gave him refuge. See Asylum
Seekers
Asylum numbers downAsylum seekers arriving in Australia and NZ has
dropped according to a
report by the UN
Out of detention Refugee rights team have just returned
from inspecting Australia's remote detention facilities. Their
findings were shocking as long term, indefinite detention is
crushing people. It's a policy of trauma, misery and suicide, and it
must
end
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Republic
You Me Unity with Alison Takes us through the process of
preparing and handing over the report to the Prime Minister on
Constitutional Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
peoples
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Keating and Adams The Australian
Republic is mostly about how Australians
see themselves and would give the country and incredible
psychological boost were it to happen. He
wasthe only Australian leader to tell the Queen
her service to Australia was no longer relevant and that Australia should become a
Republic
Role of head of state We have
distinguished ourselves in so many ways and we are fortunate in this
country to have the kind of leadership it would take to begin the
transition to a republic, unlike other conservative nations of the
Commonwealth. We have a Prime Minister who believes in a Republic
.
Prime Ministers Song Prime Ministers, Julia
Gillard, Kevin Rudd, Paul Keating and Bob
Hawke
Chelsea Basham -‘I make my
own Sunshine’
The Dreaming
North West Tasmania
Uluru-Kata Tjuta National
Park
Songs of Joy
Keating and Adams
