44 Interesting Facts About Australia

Here are 44 Interesting Facts About Australia.

1-5 Interesting Facts About Australia

1. When the USA’s first space station Skylab crashed in Australia in 1979, Australia issued the USA a fine of $400 for littering, which remained unpaid for 30 years. – Source

2. There are Target stores in Australia with the exact same logo, name, and branding that have no affiliation with the actual Minneapolis-based retailer all because Target didn’t trademark their name in Australia. – Source

3. It is cheaper to fly to the USA from Australia to buy Adobe’s Creative Suite than to buy it within Australia. – Source

4. Mick “Crocodile” Dundee was based on an actual person who survived 56 days in crocodile-infested outback Australia. He died in a police shootout after he killed a cop while high on amphetamines. – Source

5. While Australia might have all kinds of deadly animals, the entire continent has been rabies-free since 2010. – Source

6-10 Interesting Facts About Australia

6. In 1970 due to a wheat production quota dispute between a Farming family in West Australia and the Government, the family declared their land to be independent from Australia and created a legal micro-nation called the Principality of Hutt River which exists till today. – Source

7. Burger King is called “Hungry Jack’s” in Australia, as the name was already trademarked by a takeaway food shop in Adelaide. – Source

8. Australia is the only Western democratic government in the world to not have a Bill of Rights. “Western democratic government” is a style of government, not a geographic determination. – Source

9. Australia committed genocide against the Aboriginal, native people from 1910-1970 in an effort to create a “white Australia.” – Source

10. There is a mountain in Australia named Mt. Disappointment, named as the explorers found the view from it subpar and wanted to reflect that. – Source

11-15 Interesting Facts About Australia

11. There is a suburb in Australia called Surfers Paradise that has “Meter Maids” who are dressed in bikinis and feed expired parking meters to promote the area and preserve goodwill. – Source

12. In 1859, English settler Thomas Austin released only 24 rabbits onto his property in Australia, stating “The introduction of a few rabbits could do little harm and might provide a touch of home, in addition to a spot of hunting.” By the 1920s the population reached 10 billion. – Source

13. The first-ever modern commercial refrigerator was built in Australia in 1856 to keep the beer cold. – Source

14. In Australia, voting is compulsory and citizens over 18 are fined if they do not vote. – Source

15. A 2012 episode of Peppa Pig was banned from Australia as the central message that spiders were not to be feared was deemed “inappropriate for an Australian audience.” – Source

16-20 Interesting Facts About Australia

16. In 1932, Australia declared war on its local Emus due to them eating crops. Despite Australia having better weaponry, the Emus survived and won the war. – Source

17. Nobody has died from a confirmed spider bite in Australia since 1979, but deaths do occur due to being surprised by them, while driving, etc. – Source

18. In 1999, an Iraqi refugee fled to Australia and lived off their welfare system. Years later after he became successful, he walked into the local welfare office and tried to pay back every cent with an $18,000 check. – Source

19. Australia straight-up lost Harold Holt, Prime-minister in 1967. He still hasn’t been found. – Source

20. You are most likely to survive a trip to ICU with a severe infection in New Zealand and Australia than anywhere else in the world, despite an increase in the severity of infections. This is partially due to the fact that all patients have 24-hour one-on-one nursing. – Source

21-25 Interesting Facts About Australia

21. A large pizza in Australia (11”) is smaller than a medium pizza in the US (12”). – Source

22. The record for the fastest cancellation of a TV show belongs to Australia’s Naughtiest Home Videos, which was pulled midway through its first episode. – Source

23. In their “coming of age” ritual, aboriginals in Australia cut a “birth control” hole in the base of the boy’s penis and insert into it a splinter to keep it from closing. Urine and semen come out of the hole unless the sub-incision is plugged with a finger. – Source

24. There is a Lake Disappointment in Australia. It was named by an explorer who followed creeks to it hoping for a freshwater source but found a saltwater lake instead. – Source

25. When a mountain was found to be taller than one of Australia’s highest mountains, Mount Kosciuszko, their names were swapped so that Mount Kosciuszko remained the highest mountain in Australia. – Source