Australia

When you first immigrate to Australia, you may not apply for citizenship just yet. You must stay there for two years as a permanent resident, compared to six months to one year for most other countries.

They call clothes, "clobbers."

The name QANTAS, which is a major airline for Australia, is an acronym for Queensland and Northern Territory Air Service.

The following animals were founded in Australia: the emu, the kangaroo, the kookaburra, and the koala.

Since candy is called "lollie", the game Candyland is actually called Lollieland in Australia.


One fun fact about Australia is that for 64 years starting in 1838, it was illegal to swim at a beach in the day.

Much of the world's opals come from Australia, which is usually anywhere from 85 to 95% at any given time.

Most of Australia's climate is hot. The record temperature was recorded in 1889 at 51.3 degrees Celsius. An easy way to tell what season it is in Australia is to relate it to what season it is in the United States. If the season is winter in America, then it's summer in Australia. The same is said for summer in America.

Males are "blokes" and females are "sheilas."

In terms of law in Australia, self-defense actually means you defended yourself only after you were physically harmed. In the U.S., there just has to be an intent or obvious threat to your life.

If you happen to be near The Great Barrier Reef and need to mail a letter or a postcard, you can. There is a mailbox located on the reef and uses the only stamp licensed by The Great Barrier Reef.

If something is terrific, it's "ripper."

French Fries are "chips" and potato chips are "crisps."

Fairy floss in Australia means cotton candy.

Did you know the platypus is only indigenous to Australia?

Channel 9 was Australia's first TV station, which started broadcasting in Sydney in 1956. The first radio station was started in 1912.

Bob Hawke, a prime minister of Australia, became inserted into the Guinness Book of Records by drinking 2.5 pints of beer in just 11 seconds in 1954.

Because the rainwater in Tasmania is some of the purest in the world, over five tons of the water was transported to Seoul, Korea to provide drinking water to Olympic athletes. Tasmania is also considered to have the best air in the world.

Australians celebrate Australia Day on January 26. Australia Day is the day in 1777 that Britain sent over the convicts to start a penal colony. Over 80 years, Great Britain sent around 160,000 convicts to the colony.

Australians called New Zealanders, "Kiwis."

Australia was the largest heard of wild camels wandering the deserts of Australia. Around 200,000 camels make their home there. Incidentally, about 20% of Australia is desert.

Australia uses money deemed the AUD, or the Australian dollar. Coins are 5, 10, 20 and 50 cent silver pieces and there are also 1 and 2 dollar gold coins. The coins are not made from silver and gold, they are just that color. Pictured on the coins are Australian animals like the kangaroo and echidna anteater. The money notes (equivalent to our paper money) are actually made from a plastic polymer to make counterfeiting nearly impossible.

Australia has no official language, but most Australians speak English. In fact, this is their national language by consensus instead of by law. Despite the deep English language heritage, they do have terminology and lingo of their own.

A barbecue girl in Australia is a "Barbie."