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.FACTS ABOUT AUSTRALIA

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National Anthem

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HISTORY

The first people in Australia were the Aborigines who came from Asia about 50,000-60,000 years ago.They didn't live in towns but travelled around the country hunting and looking for food and water.

An Aboriginie

James Cook

Spanish navigator Luis Vaez Torres was the first European to see Australia. Then came Dutch explorers who sailed to Australia and called it New Holland.

Captain James Cook was the first Englishman to sail around Australia and map it . He landed at Botany Bay which is now Sydney.

In 1788 English prisoners were sent to Australia and started settling there . This was the start of european settlement in Australia

(For more information click here)

Australian marsupials
Australian birds
Australia landmarks
Australian reptiles
Famous Australians
Our class
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Size

Australia is the only country in the world that occupies a whole continent. It is 7,692,030 square kilometres, that's 30 times bigger than New Zealand

australia

States and Main Cities

Australia has six states. They are ;

  • South Australia

  • Western Australia

  • Northern Territory

  • Queensland

  • New South Wales

  • Victoria

Its main cities are Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Canberra ( the capital ), and Sydney.

Population

Australia's population was 18,311,500 in 1996.

There are only 386,049 Aboriginals

Most people live in the main cities and along the coast. Not many people live in the middle of the country because there is no water and a lot of it is a desert. 85% 0f the population live on 1% of the country.

National Anthem

The Australian national anthem is Advance Australia Fair. It was written by Peter Dodds McCormick around 1900.

Australians all let us rejoice,
For we are young and free;
We've golden soil and wealth for toil,
Our home is girt by sea;
Our land abounds in Nature's gifts
Of beauty rich and rare;
In history's page, let every stage
Advance Australia fair!
In joyful strains then let us sing,
"Advance Australia fair!"

When gallant Cook from Albion sail'd,
To trace wide oceans o'er,
True British courage bore him on,
Till he landed on our shore.
Then here he raised Old England's flag,
The standard of the brave;
With all her faults we love her still,
"Brittannia rules the wave!"
In joyful strains then let us sing
"Advance Australia fair!"

Beneath our radiant southern Cross,
We'll toil with hearts and hands;
To make this Commonwealth of ours
Renowned of all the lands;
For those who've come across the seas
We've boundless plains to share;
With courage let us all combine
To advance Australia fair.
In joyful strains then let us sing
"Advance Australia fair!"

While other nations of the globe
Behold us from afar,
We'll rise to high renown and shine
Like our glorious southern star;
From England, Scotia, Erin's Isle,
Who come our lot to share,
Let all combine with heart and hand
To advance Australia fair!
In joyful strains then let us sing
"Advance Australia fair!"

Shou'd foreign foe e'er sight our coast,
Or dare a foot to land,
We'll rouse to arms like sires of yore
To guard our native strand;
Brittannia then shall surely know,
Beyond wide ocean's roll,
Her sons in fair Australia's land
Still keep a British soul.
In joyful strains then let us sing
"Advance Australia fair!"
 

Click here to hear the music

There are many good sites with facts about Australia and its history . You can use the GOOGLE search engine below to find some.This is a "safe search" which means its filtered for children. Our class use this search engine and we like it.

Google