"JustinJansen's new Australia Page " a Australia Travel Page by JustinJansen

My first visit was for 6 months between November 1997 and May 1998, second visit from December 1999 to January 2000 and the last visit between October and December 2002.
Spent time in all states except Tasmania! So this could be the next goal in a forth coming 2004 visit!
In the next chapter I try to outline what are real happenings in my opinion in every state!
I visit the first two times Australia as a tourist and did some general things and some backpacking! The last time was pure for bird watching, and off course you also do some general stuff although this is less!

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finally touching Ayers Rock, february 1998

Australia is the only country in the world to occupy a single continent. The continent is a land of contrasts, that contains many different climates and unique flora and fauna.
Many people think that New Zealand is the nearest country to Australia but its not its Papua New Guinea. However New Zealand and Australia combined make up the area called Australasia and Oceania.
Australia is about the same size in area as the United Stated excluding Alaska. It measures about 37.000 km of beach and is the same size as Europe. Its 7,682,300 km? in size, and about 192 times biger than the Netherlands (40,000 km?). But the population is small with only 18,6 million inhabitats (growth rate 1.4%) making Australia the most sparsely populated continent after Antarctica. From the inhabits are 94% European descent, 4% Asian and 1,5% Aboriginal and English and the Aboriginal languages is the main spoken word in Australia.

The climat in Australia is varied and ranges from tropical to sub alpine. Australia is also the oldest landmass on earth and the most eroded of all continents, the nearby island state Tasmania being the exception. This vast landmass is also the most stable of all continents, with few major fault lines. This means that Australia lacks high mountains such as what you find in neighbouring New Zealand. However all the eons of erosion have formed some of the strangest geographical features on earth, such as Ayers Rock in the Northern Territory, or the Bungle Bungels Mountains, and The Pinnacles of Western Australia.

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Made a signpost at Ouyen )Victoria jan 1998

Australia is also the driest inhabited continent on earth, but the eastern seabord where the majority of the population is concentrated, is a lush and fertile area, with a climate ranging from temperate to tropical.The main mountain area is known as the Great Dividing Range or Eastern Highlands. This long mountain chain seperates the green eastern seabord from the barren Outback. The southern end of the Great Dividing Range has an area known as the Snowy Mountains, or otherwise known as the Australian Alps. This area actually recieves more snow than Switserland, and is the only suitable area for skiing in Australia. Australia also contains many pockets of tropical and temperate rain forest on the eastern coast, but the predominate forest in Australia is Eucalypti forest.
The south west corner of Western Australia has a Mediterranean climate and the Northern regions of this continent have areas of Rainforest and below that areas of savanna grasslands. Tasmania the island state in the south has large areas of temperate wilderness and steep mountains.
The vast interior of Australia is known as the Outback. The Outback is the name given to the vast deserts in the centre of the Australian Continent. However it is very hard to define excacly where the desert starts and finishes. Most people define this area a feeling rather than a physical location. When you have travelled for hundreds of miles from civilisation, and when you realise you are in the middle of nowhere, or you are struck with awe at the sheer size and emptiness of the landscape, then you know you are in the Outback. The Outback is a harsh environment with a very small population, so you need to be prepared if you decide to travel here. Travellers are expected to notify the authorities when making such trips and it is also wise to carry spare petrol and water incase you brake down.
But the Outback for all its dangers, has a rugged beauty about it and it is a great expierence to be so far away from civilisation.

The full country name is Commonwealth of Australia and not only Australia, and is a Independent member of the British Commonwealth. Major products/industries are Minerals, oil, gold, wool, cereals and meat.