Australia boasts more to offer than its iconic animals: Fraser Island is the world’s largest sand island and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Did you know Tasmania has some of the cleanest air in the world? Read on for even more interesting Australian facts!
1. The Sydney Opera House was inspired by an orange
Australia boasts some spectacular wildlife, but there are many less obvious facts about its land that are worth noting. For instance, its iconically spiky koalas are actually some of the world’s most endangered marsupials and feature an armored outer layer designed to keep predators at bay – reaching up to 25 cm (10 in).
Koala bears possess some of the strongest skin on earth, which helps them recover after falling off trees or other obstacles. Furthermore, these mammals can reach speeds up to 55 km/h during sprinting sessions!
If you have ever visited Australia, it might come as a shock that the Sydney Opera House was inspired by an orange. Jorn Utzon, its architect, was drawn to this design because peeling an orange allows one to observe how all its segments fit together into an ideal sphere – an inspiration which led him to design sail-like roof panels on his opera house roof design.
One of the fascinating facts about the Sydney Opera House is its impact on contemporary architects – even today – such as Mies van der Rohe who considered it “devils work”, while Frank Lloyd Wright didn’t see it as architecture at all! Yet it remains one of the world’s iconic landmarks and is widely revered.
One interesting fact about Australia is that Canberra translates to “woman’s cleavage” in Aboriginal, so named due to its position between two mountains. 2. Australia boasts 60 wine regions producing around 1.3 billion litres annually. 3. Kangaroos and emus were selected as symbols for Australia because neither can walk backwards, symbolizing forward thinking culture. 4. The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest coral reef system visible from space; 5. One Australian man attempted to sell New Zealand on eBay!
2. The Sydney Harbour Bridge was cut by a cavalry officer
The Sydney Harbour Bridge is one of Australia’s most beloved landmarks, taking six years to construct. Now an international symbol, its construction was an ambitious undertaking undertaken when Sydney was struggling economically during the Great Depression; families were uprooted from their homes while unemployment reached unprecedented heights; but its construction provided much-needed jobs that helped families remain together and unemployment drop considerably.
However, this project was widely controversial from its inception. Many parties opposed the bridge as too costly; nevertheless, state government persevered and it was completed in 1932. A key player behind its construction was John Job Crew Bradfield; he tirelessly worked on its specifications while travelling internationally to investigate tenders for tendering opportunities.
At the bridge’s opening ceremony, NSW Premier John Lang was set to cut its ribbon when an individual dressed in military uniform rode up on his horse and cut through it using his sword before him – declaring it open “in the name of decent citizens in New South Wales”. Although immediately arrested for this act of rebellion against authority, its symbolic value has become part of Australian folklore.
Even amid its contentious history, Australia’s Sydney Harbour Bridge stands as an engineering triumph. As the only bridge that spans a natural harbour from CBD to North Shore and connects CBD and North Shore respectively. Furthermore, this world’s second longest single span bridge can carry up to one million vehicles daily!
These are just some of the fascinating facts about Australia that will pique student interest and engage your class, but there’s plenty more out there for you to discover! From quick facts for opening class each morning to hooks that will get students engaged during lessons – Australia offers it all!
3. There are 3.3x more sheep than people
Australia is home to some of the world’s most exotic plants and wildlife, from lush rainforests to ancient rock formations and gorgeous beaches. Additionally, this country is full of interesting facts such as having three times more sheep than humans!
Unbelievably, Australia is home to around 6.6 million sheep compared with only 22.7 million people! That’s an enormous amount of wool!
Australia boasts 60 wine regions that produce around 1.3 billion litres annually – not to mention, its larger population of camels than Egypt!
If you want to see some of Australia’s breathtaking natural beauty, Fraser Island should be your destination. As one of the largest sand islands and a UNESCO World Heritage site, Fraser Island features ever-shifting dunes which create a breathtaking landscape.
Kangaroos and emus were selected to represent Australia on its coat of arms because neither species can walk backwards, representing our forward-thinking culture. And as for why they didn’t choose koalas instead, that may carry Chlamydia which can cause reproductive problems if exposed.
As there are so many interesting and amusing facts about Australia, these are only some to get your mind racing! For more information about this incredible nation, be sure to browse through our wiki page dedicated solely to Australia.
This wiki page offers tons of helpful information on Australia’s geography, history, culture and food! Perfect for both teachers and students learning more about Australia! Plus it’s enjoyable and simple to read! So what are you waiting for – start exploring Australia now and you won’t regret it – don’t forget to share this article with your friends and family as well – thanks for reading!
4. The kangaroo is only one centimetre long when it is born
Australia is an incredible land filled with unique wildlife, beautiful beaches and bustling cities that is sure to charm every visitor. From its iconic national animal to the vibrant coastlines and much more besides, Australia holds many treasures for all visitors to discover. Read on to discover some of its most interesting facts and trivia.
Although many associate kangaroos with Australian outback environments, they actually spend most of their lives living in urban settings. These marsupials can leap 9 meters with one hop and live in groups known as mobs; their pouches keep young warm throughout gestation period – and this incredible creature weighs over 50 kg when full grown! Despite its small size and diminutive frame, however, kangaroos are extremely powerful animals which weigh in excess of 50kg when full grown! Interestingly enough, their gestation period is one of the shortest in animal kingdom, with new born babies only being two centimetres when born!
As it’s impossible for humans to keep track of these animals in the wild, kangaroos have long been revered as important symbols of Australia and are widely valued globally for their meat – considered healthier alternatives to beef and lamb products.
Australia boasts some of the cleanest air in the world; Cape Grim in northwest Tasmania reportedly has air quality 1,000 times purer than Melbourne on a good day! Furthermore, Australia is home to some breathtaking natural sights including Daintree Rainforest in Far North Queensland and Uluru (Ayers Rock) in Central Australia – two sights which cannot be beat!
Australia is a huge country with diverse climate zones, making it no surprise that its biodiversity is extraordinary. Australia alone contains 1,500 types of spiders, 4,000 types of ants and 350 different kinds of termites – not to mention 17 poisonous snake species! Furthermore, its arid regions boast incredible floral diversity and are world renowned.