Backpacking in Australia Introduction

Backpacking across Australia gives you the chance to get up close and personal with locals, as you hitch a ride, catch a train or head out on foot “Down Under.”

You’re probably wondering where Australia gets its trademark name – Down Under? Well, according to the hit song by Men at Work, Australia is the “land down under, where women glow and men plunder.” But it wasn’t the famous pop ode to Oz that provided the nickname. Australia is often referred to as the land “Down Under” because of its geographic location. The island nation lies between the Indian and Pacific Oceans, southeast of Asia and south of the equator.

From rainforest to reef

The awesome terrain of Australia covers 7.7 million square kilometers, offering backpackers enough travel options for years of trekking. Most tourists are probably aware of The Great Barrier Reef, Ayer’s Rock, The Sydney Opera House and a multitude of kangaroos hopping across the red dirt. But did you know that Australia also has craters, swamps, snow peaks and giant kelp forests underwater?

Undoubtedly, the sheer vastness and variety of Australia's natural beauty is its greatest attraction. The landscape ranges from sandy white foreshores to dense tropical rainforest and rocky deserts. With so many diverse environments, Australia is the only single country to make up a continent. No wonder so many backpackers want to explore it from rainforest to reef.

The face of a nation

With its vibrant melting pot of cultures, Australian cities blend Europe’s laidback café lifestyle with a passion for sport and the great outdoors.

Immigration in Australia has welcomed new Australians from all walks of life to make up its population of 20 million. With immigrants from the UK, Italy, Greece, South Africa, China, Vietnam and more, Australia has a truly cosmopolitan face.

The great sporting nation’s cultural diversity is a key part of its national identity. According to the 2001 Census, 23% of Australians were born overseas. An additional 20% had at least one parent born overseas. And an impressive 200 languages are spoken across Australia, which makes it mighty difficult to carry that many language books.

Australia’s first land dwellers, the indigenous Aboriginals, are said to have roamed the big island for some 20,000 years. They carry on a rich tradition of dreamtime, with their stories and art relating to the landscape. According to Aboriginal belief, all life as it is today – human and animal – is part of a vast unchanging network of relationships, which can be traced to the spirit ancestors of the Dreamtime. Animals feature prominently in the legends, which are featured in Australia’s colourful indigenous art.

Beach, bush & BBQs

With summer temperatures that can reach 40°C (104°F), Australia is a backpacker’s paradise, which flourishes with outdoor adventure from beach to bush. Friendly barbecues with prawns or sausages thrown on the “barbie” are one of Australia’s greatest claims to fame. Make sure you experience this traditional Oz cookout on your holiday – it’s the quintessential Aussie kick-back-and-relax time, and the best place to sample Aussie beer.

From surf to snow

Your adrenalin is bound to get a work out when you’re traveling through Australia. Surfing is the great pastime down the coast, with beaches like Bells, Bondi, Noosa and Triggs famous for wicked waves.
But you’ll need to pack more than just a board and a bathing costume. The lowest temperatures in Australia have been recorded in the Snowy Mountains, where Charlotte Pass (elevation 1,760 meters) recorded -23.0°C(-9.4°F) on 28 June 1994. Temperatures below -10°C (14°F) have also been recorded in central Tasmania.

Of course winter chills can also offer thrills and spills on the slopes. Popular Australian ski resorts include Mt Hotham, Falls Creek, Thredbo and Mount Buffalo. Young people are known to congregate on the great white for Spring Break style partying. Aussie ski bunnies like to warm up with cocktails and conversation at the many restaurants and nightclubs in the snow.

Natural wonders

Inland lie the great Australian deserts, and right in the Red Center of Australia is Uluru (also known as Ayer’s Rock). The world’s largest rock is sacred ground to Aboriginals, and is an inspiring landmark steeped in spiritual and geological history.
In the West, you’ll find the Kimberley Ranges, home of the world’s largest diamond producer. Along the coast of Western Australia is Broome, which houses some of the finest South Sea pearls in its deep blue waters.

And of course, let’s not forget The Great Barrier Reef, a coral wonderland, which draws snorkellers and scuba divers from all over the world. There are 2,800 stunning coral reefs to explore at this underwater Eden. Make it an aquatic adventure to remember by taking an underwater camera, and look out for the dugong and the large green turtle, which are threatened with extinction.

True diversity

Australia is a breathtaking country, whose moods and features change as you travel through its vast landscape: from bustling urban cities to awesome natural sculptures, shaped by the hands of Mother Nature.

If you want to lie on some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, you can do it here. Or you can rise to the challenge of the Croc Hunter Steve Irwin and experience some of the most fascinating wildlife anywhere in the world. In the land of crocodiles, anything is possible – by crikey!

Fast facts on Oz