Australia captures the imagination more than any other country. Many people who travel there associate it with summer. In this land of boundless opportunity and easygoing hospitality, the stories are as long as the roads and the laughs are as plentiful as the beer. That’s why Down Under is considered such a lucky place to live.
What to do and see in Australia
When planning trip to Australia, travellers often have to weigh time, money, and distance when determining where to go. It’s possible to spend months touring Australia’s Outback, national parks, and beaches, or you can visit the country’s three most famous attractions in just two weeks by booking a “Sydney, Reef, and Rock” vacation package. These are only a few of Australia’s most popular tourist destinations.
When to Visit Australia for the Best Weather
The coast has reliably warm summers, with frequent but brief heatwaves that can push temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius. As one moves inland, the heat increases. However, the short days of winter exacerbate the already depressing atmosphere in Victoria. Tasmania is a great place to visit any time of year, but summer is ideal for seeing the island’s outdoor attractions due to the mild temperatures and lack of rain.
Australian society and customs
Whether it’s the matey mentality or the truly beautiful outdoors, everything about Australia is a result of the country’s size and population – or lack thereof. Australia is roughly the same size as the United States, but with a population of just 24 million, it has one of the world’s lowest population densities. In stark contrast to the vitality of its modern culture, much of central and western Australia, the bulk of the country, is excessively arid and flat. The cities, most of which were established after the middle of the nineteenth century, however, radiate a youthful vitality.
The Outback
The Outback, a legendary desert that extends far into the country’s epic interior to the west of the Great Dividing Range, is the most well-known landscape. For up to 70,000 years (just 10,000 years after Homo sapiens is thought to have emerged from Africa), this region has played host to the oldest surviving human culture. Its distinctive ecology is characterised by bright blue skies, cinnamon-red earth, deserted gorges, and geological features as bizarre as the wildlife.
Today’s Australia is a coastal nation because of the extreme conditions inland. The majority of the population resides in a suburban, southeasterly arc stretching from southern Queensland to Adelaide, all of which is within 20 kilometres of the ocean. Especially Europeans frequently find the hedonism of urban Australians, who emphasise the usual New World principles of material self-improvement through hard work and hard pleasure, to be a welcome change from their own more sombre traditions. The pleasant weather allows people to spend more time outside, where they engage in activities like going to the beach and having a “barbie” with friends and family.
The original inhabitants of Australia
Although tourists may tyre of the laid-back suburban lifestyle, there are opportunities to learn about Australia’s indigenous people and their culture at museums, tours, and archaeological sites across the country, particularly in the Northern Territory. Many Aborigines, particularly in central Australia, have kept to their ancient ways of life, complete with their own languages, customs, and modern conveniences. In contrast, most Aboriginal people in urban and rural areas are mired in a cycle of prejudice, poverty, and limited prospects for advancement that frequently leads to poor health and substance misuse. Aboriginal Australians have a life expectancy that is ten years lower than the rest of Australia. In Australia, there is still a long way to go until racial inequality is eradicated.
