30 Things We Never Knew About Australia

1. There Are 60 Different Kangaroos In Australia

Image source: Reddit

Hard to believe that there are over 60 different types of kangaroos in Australia.  The babies, carried in their mom's pouch, are only two centimetres long when they are born!  A healthy alternative to meat (vegetarians don't read on!), Australians eat their national animal and love a kangaroo burger on the barbie!

2. Australia Has Cleanest Air In The World

Image source: Illusion

Australia, particularly the island of Tasmania, has the cleanest air in the whole world!  If you love walking, seeing amazing views, especially Wineglass Bay and the Bay of Fires, then put this country on your bucket list.  Breathing in the freshest air is an added bonus.

3. Australia Invented The Selfie!

Image source: Bored Panda

Ever since the cell phone had a camera on it, selfies have been part of everyone's life.  They can capture a photo at a second's notice without setting up a tripod and then airbrush out anything they don't like!  Cameras can be traced back to the Ancient Greeks but it was the Australians who invented the word!

4. Australia Has One Of The Slowest Internet Speeds

Image source: Reddit

There is nothing more annoying than a slow internet speed.  It is enough to test anyone's patience!  Surprisingly, Australia is ranked 51 on the list of global average internet speeds.  It is even behind countries such as Kenya, Serbia and Bulgaria.  After a lot of arguing within Government, there has now been a roll-out of the National Broadband Network.

5. Australian Alps And THEN The Swiss Alps!

Image source: Reddit

We know lots of people visit Australia for its stunning soft, white beaches and the amazing weather.  Bet you didn't know that the Australian Alps are a great destination for skiing enthusiasts! Snow falls between June and September making Australia  the perfect place to go skiing during those months.

6. It's The Second Country In The World To Give Women The Vote

Image source: Black Shirts

Suffragettes in Australia emerged triumphant in 1902.  They were finally given the right to vote in federal elections and the right to be elected to Parliament.  New Zealand pipped Australia to the post, giving women the right 9 years earlier although it didn't allow them to be elected to the House of Representatives.  This came into rule in 1919.

7. Swimming Used To Be Illegal

Image source: Reddit

Between 1838 and 1902 it was illegal in Australia for anyone to swim during daylight hours where they may be seen.  There was limited access to swimming costumes, no changing sheds and the public decency laws meant that it was unlawful to swim at the beach until it went dark in the evening!

8. Australia Sells Its Sand To The Middle East

Image source: Reddit

It's crazy to think that despite being home to the world’s biggest hot desert, the Middle East actually imports its sand from Australia. Yes, you read that correctly!  Made up mainly from garnet, Australian sand is perfect for cleaning and sandblasting.  Who would have thought?

9. First Proof Of Life in Australia

Image source: Reddit

Shark Bay in Western Australia is a special place.  Bluey green algae fossils which are called stromatolites, date back to around 3.5 billion years!  These fossils are the oldest evidence of life on earth and they continue to grow in abundance on the Western Australian coast even today.

10. Only One Person Has Died In 40 Years From Spider Bite

Image source: Reddit

Here’s a fact about Australia to put your mind at rest.  Since the introduction of anti-venom for the Sydney Funnel Web and the Redback Spider, it's almost unheard of to die from a spider bite.  There has only been a single recorded death in 45 years of a young male dying from a redback bite back in 2016.

11. First Police Force In Australia Was Called Night Watch

Image source: Geography Scout

The first Australian police force  was established in 1789 to guard Sydney Town and it was called the Night Watch.  As most of the town's population were convicts, the Governor picked a dozen of the bet behaved prisoners he had known for a year to keep law and order!

12. Rarest Species Can Be Found In Australia

Image source: Reddit

Australia can brag as being home to the only two species of egg laying mammals in the world!  They are the duck billed platypus and the echidna.  Australia's other claim to fame is that it also has two dozen of the most venomous snakes wriggling around the country

13. Melbourne Is The Sporting Capital Of The World

Image source: SBS

Melbourne must surely win the title as the sporting capital of the world.  The top events in the sporting calendar are held here annually.  These are the Australian Open (tennis) and the Formula 1 Grand Prix.  The city is also home to natives who are obsessed by the game of Aussie Rules football.

14. Part Of Uluru Is Underground

Image source: Reddit

Uluru is surrounded by scrubland in the red centre of Australia and is known to be sacred to the Aboriginal tribes in the area.  The weirdest fact about Australia’s Uluru is that it's listed twice as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, on both the natural and cultural lists.  Two and a half kilometres of the rocks are underground

15. Victoria Was First Place For Mandatory Seat Belts

Image source: Reddit

Motor vehicles have been manufactured with seat belts for many decades but it was not compulsory, back in the day, to wear them.  In 1970 Victoria became the first place in the western world to make seat belts mandatory by law.  A year later, the rest of Australia followed.

16. Australia Has A Huge Obesity Problem

Image source: Reddit

It's a sad fact that over sixty per cent of Australians are overweight and one Aussie develops diabetes every five minutes.  So when you see images of the beautiful Aussie beaches and athletic people, with a minimum of a six pack, running into the sea, remember this is not the reality!

17. Melbourne Was Going To Be Batmania

Image source: Visit Melbourne 

Melbourne used to be a small settlement on the Yarra River and it was originally founded by John Batman.  He came across Central Melbourne in 1835 and decided to call the village "Batmania."  This was short lived and it was renamed with its current name, Melbourne.

18. It Has The World's Longest Golf Course

Image source: Business Insider

Australia has a weird thing - the longest golf course in the world.  It stretches for 850 miles, starting from the Eyre Highway along the southern coast of Australia and it crosses the Nullarbor Plain at the Great Australian Bight.  How long would it take to finish a round then?

19. Only Country To Have Aircraft Land In Its Central Business District

Image source: Reddit

The only city in the world where aircraft can land in its Central Business District is Perth. It's ranked as one of the world's most liveable cities, perfect for students.  Fixed wing aircraft can safely land at Langley Park, an open area at the District.  That is what you call cool!

20. Inspiration Behind Sydney Opera House

Image source: Archi.au

The Sydney Opera House is one of the world's most famous and most distinctive buildings.  Its architect was Eero Saarinen and its design was inspired by the citrus fruit, the orange!  Saarinen used an orange to explain the shape of the shells to those interested.

21. Australia Has A Dingo Fence

Image source: Bored Panda

Another totally weird fact about Australia is that it has a Dingo Fence, a pest exclusion construction that's 5,600 kilometres in length, longer than the Great Wall of China and Fraser Island!  It runs from Jimbour East, Queensland and finishes at the West of Eyre peninsula.

22. This Country Has Camels!

Image source: Reddit

We've mentioned that Australia provided the Middle East with sand and here's anther mad fact.  Australia houses more camels than Egypt and actually exports the animals to Saudi Arabia!  People don't believe it's true when they hear it as it's the last thing they would have thought of!

23. Cab Drivers Are Super Friendly

Image source: Reddit

If you get into a cab in Australia, don't expect to sit there in silence.  Australian cabbies are renowned for their chit chat, discussing everyday stuff and also facts about the country.  Maybe they do it to get a good tip from the passenger but, regardless, they love to talk!

24. They Celebrate Thong Throwing!

Image source: Hills to Hawk

Before you decide to look away, don't worry.  Australians call their national footwear flip flops thongs!  Every year on 26th January the Australian tradition is to take part in a "Thong Throwing Competition."  Simply throw your thong as far as you can and the flip flop that travels the furthest is the winner.  Whatever floats your boat!

25. Most Australians Live On The Coast

Image source: Reddit

With the large deserts of central Australia, this means that the vast majority of its population live on the shores of the country, almost 90%.  The cities of Perth, Sydney and Melbourne are iconic, buzzy but the hundreds of smaller beach towns have unbelievable coastlines.

26. Great Barrier Reef Has Largest Eco-System In The World

Image source: Reddit

The Great Barrier Reef is the pride and joy of Australia, made up of nearly 2,500 individual reefs and visible from space. It stretched halfway down the eastern coast of the country, meaning there are plenty of places to use as jumping-off points to explore the kaleidoscopic coral.

27. Australia Has 60 Wine Regions

Image source: Reddit

There are no shortage of wine regions in Australia, the majority being in New South Wales and Victoria.  The vineyards yield a wide variety of grapes, from Sauvignon Vert to Chardonnay. Western Australia is also known for having a large number of vineyards, all easy to reach from Perth. has a number of vineyards that are all reachable from Perth,

28. Fraser Island Is The Largest Sand Island In The World

Image source: Reddit

The largest sand island in the world can be found in Fraser Island in Queensland.  There are over 150 dingos on the island so it's a great opportunity to see these wild dogs.  Word of warning though - keep your distance as they can get extremely aggressive if approached.

29. Indian Pacific Train Has Longest Straight Section Of Track

Image source: Reddit

There are a large number of spectacular rail journeys around Australia.  The Indian Pacific railway lies between Sydney and Perth and it has the longest straight section of track than anywhere else in the world.  It can take you across the Nullabor Plain through the Avon Valley and into Perth.

30. Australia Has Highest Risk Of  Skin Cancer In The World

Image source: Reddit

It's a sad fact that melanoma is the most common cancer in Australia and two out of three Australians will suffer with it by the time they are 70.  The intensity of the sun is the reason for this huge figure and applying regular sunscreen every day is an absolute must.