23 Interesting Australia Facts

By Karin Lehnardt, Senior Writer

Published March 30, 2024

Australia is the only continent besides Antarctica that is fully south of the equator._[9]
Australia is the only continent that is also a country. It's about the same size as the United States._[9]
After James Cook claimed the continent for Great Britain, large numbers of European settlers started arriving in Australia in the late 1700s._[9]
Brisbane, Australia, hosts an annual cockroach-racing event. Over 7,000 people attend._[7]
The Australian Alps receive more snow than the Swiss Alps during the winter._[10]
Australians spend more money on gambling than any other nation._[6]

Kangaroos can leap over 30 feet in a single bound

Because the kangaroo can't walk backwards, it is featured on Australian army uniforms as a sign of never giving up._[12]
Australia has the longest fence in the world. Known as the dingo fence, it is 3,488 miles (5,614 km) long._[1]
Uluru, or Ayers Rock, is a famous sandstone rock in Australia and is one of the largest rocks in the world. The Aboriginal people of the area consider it a sacred resting place for ancient spirits._[11]
Australia has over 60 wine-growing regions._[9]
Australia is home to the largest sand island in the world, Fraser Island._[5]
Aboriginal people arrived in Australia about 50,000 years ago. Researchers believe that they traveled from Asia across what are now submerged land bridges._[9]
Eighty percent of Australia's animals are unique to the continent. You won't find koalas, kangaroos, or dingoes anywhere else in the world._[9]
The only continent without an active volcano is Australia._[3]

Australia is home to the "12 Apostles," which are several limestone towers standing along the coast. They are a famous feature of the Great Ocean Road

Nearly 25% of Australians were born in other countries, including the UK, China, Vietnam, North Africa, and the Middle East._[12]
Australia is the only place in the world where kangaroos are native, and there are over 60 species of kangaroos. They are the largest marsupials on Earth._[9]
In Australia, they have a thong-throwing competition. Participants stand behind a line and throw their footwear, or thongs (known as "flip-flops" in the United States), as far as they can._[8]
Tasmania is part of the Australian continent._[9]
Australia is home to the world's longest golf course. Nullarbor Links stretches over 850 miles (1,365 km) along the Eyre Highway._[2]
The Sydney Opera House is one of the most iconic buildings in the world. The architect, Eero Saarinen, said he used an orange as inspiration for the shape of the opera house's shells._[9]
Australia is home to many of the deadliest species on Earth, with over 36 species of poisonous funnel spiders and 20 species of venomous snakes, including the world's most venomous snake, the taipan._[9]

Australia is home to the most venomous snake in the world, the inland taipan

In the 1840s, camels were introduced into Australia to help explorers travel in the Outback. There are now over 1 million feral camels in the country._[4]
Koalas are endemic to Australia. The word "koala" means "no drink" or "no water." In the Australian bush, koalas rarely drink water; the majority of their water intake comes from eating fresh eucalyptus leaves._[9]