My Australia

Introduction.

This blessed and peaceful country is known as the "Land of the Southern Cross", after the star pattern so prominent in Australian skies and by which many explorers and travellers have found their way to safety. Australia is a young nation but we have a rich and historic heritage and still acclaim the men and women who pioneered our country.

Australia is a land of contrasts, many moods, great strength, vivid variety, and strange beauty. Much of the country is arid desert yet that area is also majestic and colourful with imposing canyons and immense rock outcrops. There is, however, another face to the land. Much of the northern part of the continent is tropical with world heritage rainforests, white beaches and idyllic islands fringed with reefs. As you travel south the beautiful beaches continue along a breathtaking coastline with captivating scenery right down to the cool English charm of Tasmania. There is exotic flora and fauna that cannot be found anywhere else on earth and

It is a land, too, rich in promise and natural wealth. Our primary producers are some of the most efficient in the world and produce everything from grain, sugar, sheep and cattle to timber, dried fruit, wine and cheese. There are, however, other products coming from the ground which have been and still are the basis of a mining boom in Australia. Whole mountains of iron ore, cliffs of bauxite, sweeping reefs of nickel, manganese added to the rich base built on silver-lead and zinc, copper ore, gold, coal, oil and natural gas from the sea-bed as well as mineral sands. Australia has it all and massive recovery projects are happening and bringing wealth to this nation.

The long distances between cities and towns and from one side of the continent to the other have always been a challenge for transport and communications in Australia. It has always been necessary, therefore, to keep up with the latest innovations and to constantly advance technology so that these important lifelines are able to work efficiently for industry, commerce and agriculture to counter the isolation of the "tyranny of distance".

Australia's people are gregarious, warm and charitable with a unique view on life. On the one hand they are easy going and laid-back, with a larrikin sense of humour and a penchant for telling good yarns. On the other hand they are strongly independent and can be innovative and enterprising knowing that they need to invest in their own future. They are determined that Australia should become known as "the clever country".

We are now an urban nation that came together from many sources. Most of the population live in cities and regional centres with all the comforts of the twenty-first century. They can enjoy the theatre and see the latest play, opera or ballet and attend art galleries and exhibitions. They can enjoy cafe's and restaurants with food from all over the world. Sport is popular and readily available as an observer or as a player. Most events are affordable and facilities are excellent.

Australia welcomes those who choose to migrate to this great country. It has always been country of immigrants; the first coming in 1788 against their will. They were the convicts and their guards who carved a civilization out of an ancient land. Today, Australia's people are immigrants or the descendants of immigrant pioneers and this has enriched us and lead to a colourful tapestry of nationalities with many and varied traditions giving us a mature multicultural culture. All these traditions are underpinned by Australia's indigenous "Dreamtime" folklore based on tens of thousands of years of spiritual aboriginal art and culture.

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