All About Australia

1. Internet In Education
EME 6053
Alan L.

2. AUSTRALIA

3. ALL ABOUT AUSTRALIA

4. Interesting Facts:
Cities, States & Territories
The Commonwealth of Australia is a union of six states and
various territories. The Australian mainland is made up of five
states and two territories, with the sixth state of Tasmania being
made up of islands. In addition there are six island territories,
known as external territories, and a claim to a territory in
Antarctica.

5. Interesting Facts:
Weather
Australia experiences temperate weather for most of the year but the
climate can vary due to the size of our continent. The northern states
typically experience warm weather much of the time, with the
southern states experiencing cooler winters. Australia is also one of
the driest continents on earth with an average annual rainfall of less
than 600 millimeters. Like all countries in the southern hemisphere,
Australia's seasons are opposite to those in the northern hemisphere.
December to February is summer; March to May is autumn; June to
August is winter; and September to November is spring.

6. Interesting Facts:
Geography
•Australia is the world‟s largest island - but smallest continent, covering 7.69
million square kilometers.
•It is the sixth-largest nation after Russia, Canada, China, the United States
and Brazil.
•Australia is also the only continent that is governed as a single country.
•Australia‟s ocean territory is the third-largest in the world, spanning three
oceans and covering around 12 million square kilometers.
•Australia currently has a population of almost 23 million people.

7. Must See Attractions
Sydney Opera House
Ululu
Great Barrier Reef
Bungle Bungle

8. Must See Attractions:
Sydney Opera House
Opening in 1973, this multi-venue performing arts centre in
Sydney, Australia was conceived and largely built by Danish
architect Jørn Utzon. It is one of the busiest performing arts
centers in the world, hosting over 1,500 performances each year
attended by some 1.2 million people

9. Must See Attractions:
Uluru (Ayers Rock)
Uluru is one of Australia's most recognizable natural
landmarks. The sandstone formation stands 1,142 ft high
(rising 2,831 ft above sea level), with most of its bulk
lying underground, and has a total circumference of
5.8 miles.

10. Must See Attractions:
Great Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system
composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching
for over 1,600 miles over an area of approximately 133,000
sq. miles.
The Great Barrier Reef can be seen from outer space and is the
world's biggest single structure made by living organisms

11. Must See Attractions:
Bungle Bungle
Located in Purnululu National Park, these 350 million year
old sandstone domes, rise over 300 meters. The Bungle
Bungle was “discovered” by a film crew in an airplane in
the 1980‟s. The Bungle Bungles gain their tiger-stripes
from black algae growth that permeates the more porous
layers of the rock, and a glossy orange build up of
manganese and iron staining.

12. Unique Animals
Kangaroo
Koala
Tasmanian Devil
Wombat

13. Unique Animals:
Kangaroo
Kangaroos are herbivorous, eating a range of plants and, in some cases, fungi.
Most are nocturnal but some are active in the early morning and late
afternoon. Different kangaroo species live in a variety of habitats. Kangaroos
of all sizes have one thing in common: powerful back legs with long feet. Most
kangaroos live on the ground and are distinguished from other animals by the
way they hop on their strong back legs. A kangaroo‟s tail is used to balance
while hopping and as a fifth limb when moving slowly.
All female kangaroos have front-opening pouches that contain four teats. This
is where the „joey‟, or young kangaroo, is raised until it can survive outside the
pouch.

14. Unique Animals:
Koala
The koala is broadly similar in appearance to the wombat (its closest living
relative),but has a thicker coat, much larger ears, and longer limbs. The
koala has large, sharp claws to assist with climbing tree trunks. Weight
varies from about 31 lb for a large southern male, to about 11 lb for a small
northern female. The koala's five fingers include two opposable thumbs,
providing better gripping ability. The koala is one of the few mammals
(other than primates) that has fingerprints. Koala fingerprints are similar to
human fingerprints; even with an electron microscope, it can be quite
difficult to distinguish between the two.

15. Unique Animals:
Tasmanian Devil
The Tasmanian devil is a carnivorous marsupial, now found in the wild only on the
Australian island state of Tasmania. The size of a small dog, it is the largest carnivorous
marsupial in the world. It is characterized by its stocky and muscular build, black fur,
pungent odor, extremely loud and disturbing screech, keen sense of smell, and ferocity
when feeding. The Tasmanian devil's large head and neck allow it to generate the
strongest bite per unit body mass of any living mammal, and it hunts prey as well as
eating household products if humans are living nearby. Although it is usually solitary, it
sometimes eats with other devils and defecates in a communal location. Despite its
rotund appearance, the devil is capable of surprising speed and endurance, and can climb
trees and swim across rivers.

16. Unique Animals:
Wombat
These marsupials, are short-legged, muscular quadrupeds,
approximately 39 inches in length with a short, stubby
tail. Wombats dig extensive burrow systems with rodent-like front
teeth and powerful claws. One distinctive adaptation of wombats is
their backwards pouch. The advantage of a backwards-facing
pouch is that when digging, the wombat does not gather dirt in its
pouch over its young.