Background: Aboriginal settlers arrived on the continent from Southeast Asia about 40,000 years before the first Europeans began exploration in the 17th century. No formal territorial claims were made until 1770, when Capt. James COOK took possession in the name of Great Britain. Six colonies were created in the late 18th and 19th centuries; they federated and became the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901. The new country took advantage of its natural resources to rapidly develop its agricultural and manufacturing industries and to make a major contribution to the British effort in World Wars I and II. In recent decades, Australia has transformed itself into an internationally competitive, advanced market economy. It boasted one of the OECD's fastest growing economies during the 1990's, a performance due in large part to economic reforms adopted in the 1980's. Long-term concerns include pollution, particularly depletion of the ozone layer, and management and conservation of coastal areas, especially the Great Barrier Reef.
February 26th 2008Oceania » Australia » New South Wales » Jindabyne Done loads of travelling since we left on the oz bus!!! just a little tatster..a 15k hike...saw wild roo's and wombats and a squeeky beach..
We had to get up at about half 5 to catch the Oz bus aroun ... 6 photos[full story]
January 22nd 2008Oceania » Australia » New South Wales » Jindabyne There is a lovely road which passes through the Alpine and Snowy River National Parks as it crosses from Buchan in Victoria to Jindabyne in New South Wales. The road is remote; more than half of its ... 11 photos[full story]
January 21st 2008Oceania » Australia » New South Wales » Jindabyne After the Phillip Island tour our bus driver dropped me off at a train station, by myself, on a Saturday night so I could head an hour outside the city to meet up with some Young Lifers that were goin ... [full story]
Map of Australia
Australia's Flag
