Australia is one of the most enticing and lusted-after countries in the world. It has beaches, mountains, jungles, cities; every kind of holiday you could ask for all in one (huge) place. It’s no surprise so many of us up and move there every year. However, there are also some lesser-known facts about Oz you’d be intrigued to know before heading there for a holiday. Remember to prepare first, of course!
The coast is the place to be.
Despite the country’s massive size, more than 80% of the population live on (or near to) the coast in Oz. Almost 75% of the total landmass is unable to support agriculture due to water shortages, but head to the coast and you’re sorted. You’ll find all of the major cities along the coastline, as well as a host of other incredible landmarks, beaches and national parks.
Love the hippy life? Head to Bondi Beach. Need to get all those popular landmark pics for the ‘gram? Sydney is where it’s at. Want to go snorkelling? The Great Barrier Reef is THE place to do it.
Beaches galore
Following on nicely from the above, Australia has more than 10,000 (yes, really) beaches along its coastline. If that doesn’t sound impressive enough, it would probably take you over 27 years to visit them all if you really wanted to. From the golden sands of Sydney and Bondi, to the powder white Whitsundays, surrounded by crystal-clear water as far as the eye can see, it’s no wonder Australians are all tanned and crazy about surfing.
Strange laws
The country has some pretty unique laws. For example – did you know that it’s illegal to wear pink hot pants on a Sunday when in Victoria (confused face)?
Here are two more weird examples (out of many): only electricians who are fully-licensed are able to change a light bulb, and you’re not actually allowed to walk on the right-hand side of the road. Strange, but all apparently very true.
Wildlife
Yes, we all know Australia is renowned for its creepy crawlies and distinct wildlife (over 80% of its wildlife is completely unique). But what you didn’t know is that, despite this, it’s very unlikely you’ll ever get bitten by one of these critters – or worse.
Only 0.01% of the population are sent to the hospital each year with anything related to a venomous bite or sting. Plus, half the fun of being in Oz is all about spotting some of these unique wildlife. You may not be in a hurry to find a huge spider running out in front of you, but parrots in the streets of Sydney and kangaroos bouncing across the land are just some of the joys of being in Oz.
Hit the slopes
Now, it may not be the first place springing to mind when you talk about skiing, but (believe it or not) Australia has some pretty amazing ski resorts. The Australian Alps are nestled between Victoria and New South Wales and are open when most of the slopes we’re so accustomed to in Europe and America are closed for summer. This means if you ever fancy a skiing holiday in the middle of July you know you can hop on a plane to Oz and do exactly that. There’s skiing, snowboarding, and even mountain hiking to get you energised.
Plus, the Aussie mountains get more snow than ALL of Switzerland in one year – who knew?
