Some Interesting Bits About Australia

For many people, Australia is a rather interesting and exciting place that they want to explore. This is the reason why countless of applicants troops the Australian immigration services yearly in order to get hold of their Australia visas. However, even before you fill up your own Australia visa application form, here are some interesting facts that you might want to know about the country.

First up, most of us have already known since grade school that Australia is the smallest continent in the entire world. However, some experts also consider Australia as the world's world's largest island. This one is due to the fact that there are some evidences that Greenland, the currently consider largest island, might in fact be three smaller islands. This one is not official yet, though, as they need up to gather more proof.

Regarding animals, Australia has the largest population of marsupial (pouch bearing) mammals in the entire world. In fact, this is where all marsupials can only be found, with the sole exception of a single specie of opossum found in North America (the smallest population). If you are not familiar with them, the famous kangaroo belongs to this group.

And here's one thing that you really haven't heard about Australian wildlife? Did you know that Australia has the largest population of wild camels in the whole world? These are of the one humped specie and inhabit the country's inland desert. And you thought that camels can only be found in Saudi Arabia.

And while you're at it, exploring Australia's natural wonders, it would be a good idea to travel to the Great Barrier Reef. The reef is recorded as the longest coral formation in the entire planet, with a total length of 2,012.5 km circling the whole continent. In fact, it is so large that it can actually be seen from outer s0pace. And here's an interesting bit of trivia, since the coral reef is made of of living animals (coral polyps) it can also be counted ass the worlds largest organism.

After delving with the country's natural wonders, it's time to take a peek at the people living in the country. One thing that you might not have known before is that Australia was originally a large penal colony for British convicts during the 19th century. In fact, 25% of all the locals living in the country today are descendants of these prisoners. Also, the second largest population of Greeks aren't found in Greece, but rather in Melbourne.

You will be able to learn more interesting facts about Australia once you get there. And you will surely be delighted in knowing them.

Preparing for the Australian Weather

For those holding an Australian working holiday visa and planning to have a good vacation in the country, making sure that everything goes well during leisure time is definitely a must. After all, you wouldn't want it to rain on your beach party. This is where being familiar with the Australian weather is every bit as important as knowing the best resorts to spend your weekends here.

For starters, the seasons in Australia is in a reverse order from those in the United States. This one is due to the fact that they lie in opposite parts of the globe, with the US located in the northern hemisphere while Australia is in the south. Thus, don't be surprised if you end up spending the Christmas season (which is, by the way, quite near already) in the beach here, rather than building snowmen in winter clothes.

Being a large country (it covers the whole continent, in case you don't know), Australia's climate vastly varies between its states and territories. This is very important if you want to know where to go if you want to do a particular activity during your vacation.

The coast up north in the Northern Territory and much of Queensland is in the tropical range, thus if you are planning to spend your time at the beach or sightseeing. On the other hand, if you are looking for something more temperate (and if you want to experience real snow), then try heading to the southern regions, including Victoria and Tasmania.

The inland regions of Australia are where you would not want to be most of the time. The areas here are virtually arid deserts which can have temperatures of up to 60 degrees during the day, with the night being on the colder extreme. However, if you want a bit of an exciting challenge during your stay, then you can go out and explore the many trails scattered in these regions. Just be sure to bring in plenty of water though.

Because of its varied climate, Australia's weather can also be very erratic. Thus, you need to be ready and check out the local weather report for signs of the many large cyclones that hit the country yearly. On the other end, you also need watch out for frequent droughts and heat waves that occur here, as they can also be quite devastating. One thing that you need to be really careful off are bushfires, especially if you are staying near the forest areas. These have been the cause of large loss of property and lives in the country every time they hit.

Best Place To Live In Australia

Australian immigration can be quite hard. You need to go through all the processes in order to secure yourself a visa. And that's not yet the end of it, as you need to find a place to live in when you arrive in the country. And this one can be much harder at times.

Luckily, for the case of Australian immigration information handed out by the embassy already contain bits on how to find places to live in the country. This can be useful when looking for your first home. However, there are still a few tips that you need to keep in mind in order to make your search productive.

First things first, there is no such thing as as best place to live in Australia. In fact, you will find soon enough that people in and out of the country will have different views on which one is the best. Thus it is still up to you and your preferences.

If you prefer the typical city life, for example, then the major ones, like Sydney or Melbourne, will be the best suited for you. On the other hand, if you want something a bit more idyllic, try living in the coastal areas, like Queensland, or try heading down south to Victoria and Tasmania.

Convenience is also an important aspect. This might either in consideration of your work, studies, or anything else that you might need. In order to make things much easier, try planning out how your daily life is going to be in Australia, even before you get there. Once you have mapped out everything, you can now decide which place to live in to better suit your needs.

Alongside convenience, you will also need to think about how everything will fit into your budget. Remember that you are still just begin to get settled in the country, and, unless you are very rich, you need to find out some place that you can afford. Here's a useful hint: housing rates are much cheaper in the western part of Australia. Also, rates are lower in the suburbs and the provinces than in the major cities.

At this point, it is also time to consider whether to take a house or rent one. Each, of course, have its pros and cons. For instance, getting a house in Australia requires you to make arrangements even before you land in Australia, including paying the necessary down payments. If you don't have that amount of money yet,then it would be a good idea to rent a place instead. Boarding houses are also quite numerous in Australia and can be a good temporary residence. Once you have earned enough money to move out, then you can start looking for a house at the location of your choice.

Once you have settled in Australia, it's now time to explore your surroundings. Here, you will find out if the place you chose is indeed the best, and if not, think what you can do to make it better.

Australian Cost of Living

One of the reasons why people apply for an Australia visas is to find a new and improved life. They go down under in search for a better and quality living. And for all the successful immigrants, they made a good choice because lifestyle in Australia is actually cheaper compared to other countries, especially those in Europe. Most of the cities in Australia belong to the world's least expensive. Although the lifestyle is greatly influenced by the Western, the per capita GDP is comparatively higher against Untied Kingdom and other European nations. Your income can keep up with an Australian life because most of people are cosmopolitan, meaning they are all right and good for anything on basic commodities.

For typical immigrants, starting won't be a problem because expenses are not that classy. A family of more than four can rent or buy their own house in a very fair amount. The average spending for shelter of an average family is A$800. Just the average and will definitely get lower than this. This is for the reason that the market of buying and selling properties is huge. With a vast selection, a middle class family can already buy their own house not too long, maybe four to five years after their arrival in the country. The costs for electricity and water consumption is also very cheap. Some states are offering free clean water supply. Even the lower class citizens get a privilege in the public housing by giving them discounts on the rental fee.

Education for your kids won't be another headache because the costs are fair and low. There are also some public schools that do not ask for tuition fees for primary and secondary schools. And even if they don't ask for too much money, they can provide education at its best. For colleges, there are education providers that offer scholarship programs to those that persevere for education.

A typical family can survive a month with just a budget of A$650 for food and drinks. Prices of most foods is just similar to that of the Americans which is 25 percent less expensive than in most countries in Europe. You can check out the accurate prices of commodities on the Australian Outlook newspaper. The common meats sold in a low price are from lambs or cows, milks can also come in a lower price because of the numerous ranches found inside the country. Fish is also sold in an affordable price. Expensive products were cereals, biscuits and beer and imported fish. Fruits and vegetables is abundant but the price fluctuates from time to time.

A$300 is the expected spending for clothing needs for a family with a member of four. And just like in many countries, local Australian clothes are sold cheaper compared to imported ones. People choose to look simple than elegant on ordinary days. Most Australians want to look casual than glamorous. There are many stores and shops famous for their inexpensive clothing and accessories.