Australia
Australian Icons
Icons of Australian culture are almost as well known by Australians and visitors as our official symbols.
Four well known icons are highlighted below.




The Sydney Opera House
Uluru
The Akubra Hat
Vegemite
The Sydney Opera House
The Sydney Opera House at Night
Image courtesy Sydney Opera House
The Sydney Opera House is one of the most recognisable buildings of the modern world. Open since
1973, it has come to represent ' Australia'. The Opera House, with a roof evocative of a ship at full sail,
was designed by renowned Danish architect Jørn Utzon.
Uluru
Uluru at Sunset
Source: AUSPIC
Uluru is one of Australia’s most recognisable natural icons. Located in the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National
Park in the Northern Territory, Uluru is a unique and beautiful place that is of spiritual and cultural
significance to the traditional indigenous landowners, the Anangu.
The Akubra Hat
An early Advertisement for Akubra
Source: Akubra Hat Company
The Akubra captures Australia like no other item of clothing. Ubiquitous in the outback, the Akubra is
worn by people from all walks of life, from the diggers with their slouch hats in two world wars to the
official uniform of Australian athletes at international sporting events. Whether suave and respectable or
worn and battered, Akubra hats are can be seen all over Australia.
Vegemite
Many Australians love Vegemite - it is a unique and well-loved icon. This strange looking black spread,
made by blending brewer's yeasts, is one of the richest known sources of B complex vitamins. Australians
traditionally eat Vegemite spread thinly on buttered toast, sandwiches and biscuits.
The Australian National Flag
The Australian National Flag consists of three parts set on a blue field. The first part is the Union Jack,
acknowledging the historical link with Britain. The second part is the Southern Cross (a constellation of
stars only visible in the Southern Hemisphere), representing Australia’s geographical location in the
world. Finally, the Commonwealth Star represents Australia's federal system of government. Originally,
the Commonwealth Star had six points (for the six states), but in 1908 a seventh point was added to
represent the Territories of the Commonwealth of Australia.
Australia's National Colours
Australia's national colours are green and gold.
Geography and Climate
Australia's Land Mass
Australia comprises a land area of about 7.62 million square kilometres.
Although this is just five per cent of the world's land mass (149.45 million square kilometres), Australia is
the planet's sixth largest country after Russia, Canada, China, the United States of America and Brazil. It
is also the only one of the largest six nations that is completely surrounded by water.
Australia’s land mass is:



almost as great as that of the United States of America
about 50 per cent greater than Europe, and
32 times greater than the United Kingdom.
Geographical and Climatic Features
Australia is the smallest of the world’s continents. It is also the lowest, the flattest and (apart from
Antarctica) the driest.
The highest point on the Australian mainland is Mount Kosciuszko, New South Wales, at 2228 metres
above sea level. The lowest point is the dry bed of Lake Eyre, South Australia, which is 15 metres below
sea level.
The mainland and Tasmania are surrounded by many thousands of small islands and numerous larger
ones. Nearly 40 per cent of the total coastline length comprises island coastlines. As an island nation,
coastlines play an important role in defining national, state and territory boundaries.
Nearly 20 per cent of Australia’s land mass is a desert. Rainfall across Australia is variable. The rainfall
pattern is concentric around the extensive arid core of the continent, with rainfall intensity high in the
tropics and some coastal areas.
Climatic zones range from tropical rainforests, deserts and cool temperature forests to snow covered
mountains.
Within this climate, plants and animals have evolved on a geographically isolated continent, through a
time of a slowly drying climate, combined with continuing high variability. The uniqueness of much of
Australia's flora and fauna is at least partly due to these features of the climate.
adapted from
http://www.pm.gov.au/australia/geography.cfm