As many of these photos suggest, Australians seem to have a great sense of humor about themselves and their country–making a visit seem even more enticing. Especially when you combine that with the unique animals and natural wonders. Did you know Australia has camels and penguins as well as its most famous and beloved cuties?
FIRST, SOME AMUSING SIGNS
I have no idea what this sign means. No walking your sheep on the road?
O.K. Before we move away from signs, I have to add this one even though it’s from New Zealand, not Australia (because there are no wild kiwis in Australia.)
An albino kiwi. Too cute.
ANIMALS
Though the unique, interesting and often cute animals of Australia could easily fill an entire post, these images are picked mostly because they highlight the interaction of the animals with their human neighbors.
Camping hazard, like raccoons and bears in the US?
Yikes!
A tourist attraction?
I believe this is a frilled lizard.
An estimated 10,000 to 12,000 Camels, imported into Australia between 1860 and 1907, were used as draft and riding animals by people pioneering the dry interior. With the introduction of motorised transport in the 1920’s, large herds of Camels were released and they have established “Free-range” herds in the semi-arid desert areas of Australia. The estimated population of camels is 150,000 and 200,000.
Called fairy penguins or little penguins found in S. Australia and New Zealand.
Of course Australia’s Great Barrier Reef deserves it’s own post, so here’s a taste. Stretching over an area of approximately 133,000 square miles (344,400 kilometers) the Great Barrier Reef can be seen from outer space and is the world’s biggest single structure made by living organisms. It is composed of over 2900 individual reefs and 900 islands.
NATURE
Uluru, or Ayers Rock, is a massive sandstone monolith in the heart of the Northern Territory’s Red Centre desert, 450km from the nearest large town, Alice Springs. It’s sacred to indigenous Australians and believed to be about 700 million years old.
The unique orange, grey and black stripes of the Bungle Bungle range are the result of alternating bands of sediment, each with different clay content. Deposited in the Ord Basin 375 – 350 million years ago, the effects of wind from the desert and rainfall over millions of year shaped the domes. Photo by Paddy Ryan.
Kennedy Range National Park, honeycomb rocks.
King George Falls, The Kimberley region in Australia’s west.
More Kimberly region
More Kimberly.
Cockburn Range, El Questro, Kimberley
Eroded Rock Formations, the Pinnacle Desert, Nambung National Park, Western Australia
Kakadu National Park in the Northern Territory.
From the wetlands of Kakadu.
Magpie Geese at the freshwater wetlands, Kakadu National Park. Image by Simon O’Dwyer.
Aboriginal rock art found in rocky outcrops that have afforded shelter to Aboriginal inhabitants for thousands of years, Kakadu.
Image by Dustin M. Ramsey (Kralizec!)
Image by Toursim NT, Image by: gallery Tourism NT. Via Wikimedia Commons
A river in Kakadu National Park, Australia
More Kakadu from the air.
Cape Crawford in the Northern Territory.
Cape Crawford. Picture by Vanessa Hunter
Murphy’s Haystacks are ancient, wind-worn pillars and boulders of pink granite estimated to be over 1,500 million years old set in the middle of a wheat field.
Murphy’s Haystacks again.
Wave-Rock by Christof In Oz
“The 12 apostles”rock formations in Southern Australia named that even though there were never more than 10.
Apostles at sunset.
The Pinnacles are limestone formations contained within Nambung National Park in Western Australia. The raw material for the limestone came from seashells in an earlier era that was rich in marine life. These shells were broken down into lime-rich sands that were blown inland to form high mobile dunes.
More Pinnacles
The following are a few random images where I lack most info except to know it is Australia.
Thanks to John and Howard.
Ooops, I guess wherever I got that image that said it was Australia was wrong. Thanks for the correction.
What a beautiful country…was very impressed. Hopefully, one day I can visit this beautiful place and thanks to Graham and Beth for sharing the photos with me.
Absolutely beautiful and interesting. Well done!!!!
Words fail me as I try to grasp the immensity of these wonders that our Creator has placed in this country.
The photography is astounding..
I see my Email is here as well as on the other side. I have been to NZ and I find the Aussies as nice. One thing I heard, hoping it isn’t true. The Abos have restricted people from climbing the Rock. Tell me it’s NOT so. We were there in 1987. We cooled a Bottle of wine before we went up. The up is easier then the down. We sat in our VW camper sipping wine till our legs stopped quivering. People going up/down won’t hurt the Rock in a few thousand decades
This country is fantastic, my husband Gordon and myself toured from the south right up the east coast of Queens land, to port Douglas, out on the great barrier reef , that was lovely seeing all the colored fish Korundi railway.All of this was done on our touring bikes, which we took with us from ENGLAND, this was in 1994 and we were away three and a half month.GREAT
Beautiful country. Visiting Australia next month and I am really looking forward to it
Magnifique….Thank you for these beautiful images
Fantastic photography – love Australia, but never saw half the country in 2010. Would love to go back and explore more. Thanks for sharing.
Sadly you are not allowed to climb Ayers Rock (Uluru) anymore.
Wonderful photos – but aren’t the “Apostles” in Victoria – not South Australia?
I agree with Sharon Y Green (October 18 2015) that God created many beautiful things for us. But, unfortunately not many of us know their value. I wish you could send me some more natural views from any country as I am a paralysed person and never go out but such view give life I love nature more than anything .Thank you so much to bring smile on our face.
The photo of the “Kiwi crossing” with the snowcapped mountains and the albino Kiwi are in Aotearoa (New Zealand), not Australia!
Dick,
Sorry about that. I think I said and knew kiwis are in New Zealand, but I didn’t know where. Thanks for righting it.
Fantastic photography, fabulous country
We visited Australia in the late 90’s and toured from Sydney to Melbourne. Amazingly unique sights. So much to see in the vast expanses of this country. Had hoped to return to see more of it but health issues have prevented a revisit. What a magnificent presentation. Thanks for sharing it.
Pictures are awesome, except the last one. She should be arrested and the same treatment done to her.
These pictures are wonderful! I’d love to have enough money to visit some day! Usually all we see are the nasty things that bite and squeeze and kill…. I loved the scenery!
Absolutely beautiful. Thank you! ! ! !
My daughter and I visited Ayers Rock a few years ago and we did NOT climb the rock. There is no danger of damaging the rock but the local people consider it to a sacred place and we chose to respect that.
Also, the rangers there told us that nearly every day they have to rescue someone from the rock since people don’t realize how hot it gets at about 10 and are overcome with the heat while on the rock. So someone has to go up and get them.
We saw some on the rock – mainly, it seemed, so they could have their pictures taken.
My wife and I have been to Aust. 3 times. The last time, we went
camping with friends. We traveled over 4000 miles and saw many
of the things you show here. It is a wonderful country and really
unique, but the best things about Australia are the people. They
can not seem to do enough for Americans. We love it all.
I made a mistake on our mileage. It was 14,000 miles not 4,000
I have made 25 tours in Australia and now I am part-Aussie. I love Australia and especially Australians!
This is great.
In 1999-2000 we spent 6 months driving all the way around Australia by car, from Perth down along the south side (the Nullarbor), up the east coast, up north, then along the top side back to Perth. We also went to Tasmania and the interior (Ayers Rock, King’s Canyon, Alice Springs area, Tom Price, etc). We visited every state and state capitol, NT, and Canberra, with LOTS of stops along the way. 17,000 miles total. Great trip. Great people! SO much to see! Many or your photos remind us of places we visited. Thanks for the memories!
The Aboriginal custodians of Uluru ( Ayers Rock ) have reopened it for climbing .
Peggy Shelton is quite correct . The “Twelve Apostles” are in Victoria and can be seen from the Great Ocean Road.
Thank you for your beautiful pictures. I am so fortunate to live in this beautiful country and have lots more to see and Queensland is home. I notice you corrected the Kiwis being in New Zealand, however the ‘Satans Kingdom’ sign appears to be in the USA, according to the small print in the bottom left hand corner anyway.
Absolutely awesome. I visited Oz land some years ago, but managed to see and visit only The Great Barrier Reef of all these locations, so time to go back and try again, but sooo much!!!
The 4th photo of the hole in the rock is at Kalbarri, in Western Australia.
Thanks Pauline.
I’m an Aussie but sadly have not lived in this beautiful, wonderful country since mid 1980. Not only is it the lucky country its God’s own land. Advance Australia Fair !
Great views
I am disgusted with the last picture. Why would you include it in such lovely photos. How can anyone condone such abuse of a kangaroo. Where is the RSPCA?
“A Brit with an Aussie nickname?” I hear you say!
My wife and I have a son in Melbourne and are visiting for the third time this Christmas—-hoping to visit some more of the wonderful places pictured!
looks wonderful would love to visit sometime
Had 15 years, in and around Aussie, I love the place, would go back tomorrow.
IGOT THE STUNNING PICS FROM RELATIVES ,MAKES WHISH ,ILIVED THERE TO BRIAN DAVIS ‘THANK YOU
My favorite place to visit is WA and the wonderful fun loving people who are the best hosts in the world.
I spent almost a year in Australia, 6 months of it was travelling around the entire country with a friend as well as into the center. The most amazing experience ever. I have some of the same photos and many I could add, like a sign that says floodway with a desert in the background (wrong season I guess).
By the way, the third to last photo of the rock with the big hole in it is called Nature’s Window in Kalbarri national Park, Western Australia, north or Perth.
Incrediible experience to see these fabulous photos…Well done, and memorable.
Thanks for the info.
Fraser Island ..the largest sand island on earth …north- east of Australia ..My wife and I visited the place some 10 years ago..
One could meet Wild Australian Dingo ..face-to -face ..
Just great …should deserve a visit ..make it 3/4 days .
George Liew …Melbourne
MINUNAT……
These pictures are awesome!
Thanks for sending them to me! Makes me want to go to Australia.
Fairy Penguins R on Phillip Island Victoria
I’m not sure about S.A.
Australia is on my bucket list, thanks for sharing the nature pics….one day, one day……..keeping my dream alive with your pics
Dusky – re your reply “Sorry about that. I think I said and knew kiwis are in New Zealand, but I didn’t know where,” Aotearoa is the Maori name for New Zealand.
Visited in late 60s and early 70s while serving in Southeast Asia. Came back again in the 80s to both Australia and New Zealand with my F-15s. Beautiful as everyone else has stated, but the people were absolutely amazing. Friendly, cordial and took to you like family, willing to show you around and make the visit so enjoyable. I just love the country and all it’s people. You are a treasure in and of yourselves.
There are penguins on Kangaroo Island which is part of SA.