Russell Falls, Tasmania, Australia

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The Russell Falls, a tiered–cascade waterfall on the Russell Falls Creek, is located in the Central Highlands region of Tasmania, Australia. The Russell Falls are situated on the eastern boundary of Mount Field National Park, 100 metres (330 ft) downstream of the Horseshoe Falls, approximately 70 kilometres (43 mi) northwest of Hobart via the Brooker and Lyell highways. Accessible by a paved walking track, the falls are a popular tourist attraction. The waterfall descends over horizontal marine Permian siltstonebenches, while the vertical faces of the falls are composed of resistant sandstone layers. They were first named the Brownings Falls after the original discoverer, circa1856, but were known as the Russell Falls after 1884, by which time they were already a popular tourist attraction. The Falls Reserve was established in 1885 and in 1899 the Russell Falls were selected as one of eight images to be used on a set of pictorial postage stamps, aimed at promoting the then colony's growing tourist industry.

Eastern Grey Kangaroo

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The eastern grey kangaroo (Macropus giganteus) is a marsupial found in southern and eastern Australia, with a population of several million. It is also known as the great grey kangaroo and the Forester kangaroo. Although a big eastern grey male typically masses around 66 kg (weight 145 lb.) and stands almost 2 m (6.6 ft.) tall, the scientific name, Macropus giganteus (gigantic large-foot), is misleading: the red kangaroo of the semi-arid inland is larger, weighing up to 90 kg.

Barossa Valley, South Australia

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The Barossa Valley is a valley in South Australia located 60 km northeast of the Adelaide city centre and which is notable as a major wine-producing region and tourist destination. It is the valley formed by the North Para River, and the Barossa Valley Way is the main road through the valley, connecting the main towns on the valley floor of Nuriootpa, Tanunda, Rowland Flat and Lyndoch.

Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia

The Sunshine Coast metropolitan area is the third most populated area in the Australian state of Queensland. Located 100 km north of the state capital Brisbane in South East Queensland on the Pacific Ocean coastline, its urban area spans approximately 60 km of coastline and hinterland from Pelican Waters to Tewantin. At the 2011 Australian Census the urban area's population was 209,263, and the metropolitan area's was 270,270, making it the 9th most populous in the country. It is the administrative centre for the Sunshine Coast Region Council municipality, the fourth most populated local government area in Australia with over 306,909 residents.

Australia... A Big Country!

Australia is a developed country and one of the wealthiest in the world, with the world's 12th-largest economy. In 2012 Australia had the world's fifth-highest per capita income. Australia's military expenditure is the world's 13th-largest. With the second-highest human development index globally, Australia ranks highly in many international comparisons of national performance, such as quality of life, health, education, economic freedom, and the protection of civil liberties and political rights. Australia is a member of the United Nations, G20, Commonwealth of Nations, ANZUS, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), World Trade Organization, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, and the Pacific Islands Forum.

Map of Australia

After the European discovery of the continent by Dutch explorers in 1606, Australia's eastern half was claimed by Great Britain in 1770 and initially settled through penal transportation to the colony of New South Wales from 26 January 1788. The population grew steadily in subsequent decades; the continent was explored and an additional five self-governing crown colonies were established.

On 1 January 1901, the six colonies federated, forming the Commonwealth of Australia. Since Federation, Australia has maintained a stable liberal democratic political system that functions as a federal parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy comprising six states and several territories. The population of 23.6 million is highly urbanised and heavily concentrated in the eastern states and on the coast.

Australia map

Australia officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is an Oceanian country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area. Neighbouring countries include Indonesia, East Timor and Papua New Guinea to the north; theSolomon Islands and Vanuatu to the north-east; and New Zealand to the south-east.

For at least 40,000 years before the first British settlement in the late 18th century, Australia was inhabited by indigenous Australians, who spoke languages grouped into roughly 250 language groups.

Western Australia map

Western Australia  is a state occupying the entire western third of Australia. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Southern Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east. Western Australia is Australia's largest state with a total land area of 2,529,875 square kilometres (976,790 sq mi), and the second-largest country subdivision in the world – however, a significant part of it is sparsely populated. The state has about 2.565 million inhabitants, around 11% of the national total. 92% of the population lives in the south-west corner of the state.

Flag of Australia

The flag of Australia is a defaced Blue Ensign: a blue field with the Union Jack in the canton (upper hoist quarter), and a large white seven-pointed star known as the Commonwealth Star in the lower hoist quarter. The fly contains a representation of the Southern Cross constellation, made up of five white stars – one small five-pointed star and four, larger, seven-pointed stars.

The flag's original design (with a six-pointed Commonwealth Star) was chosen in 1901 from entries in a competition held following Federation, and was first flown in Melbourne on 3 September 1901; this date has been proclaimed as Australian National Flag Day. A slightly different design was approved by King Edward VII in 1902. The seven pointed commonwealth star version was introduced by a proclamation dated 23 February 1908. The dimensions were formally gazetted in 1934, and in 1954 the flag became recognised by, and legally defined in, the Flags Act 1953, as the "Australian National Flag".

In addition, there are other official flags representing Australia, its people and core functions of government.

Big Mertens Falls, Kimberly, West Australia

Big Mertens Falls is another attractive waterfall on the Mitchell Plateau in the remote Kimberley region. It sits on an adjacent drainage from Mitchell Falls so you can see both falls together on an aerial tour. We happened to see this waterfall while doing the aerial tour to Mitchell Falls. And from what we could tell, this seems to be the only way you can see the entire falls (relatively safely). For if you're on the Punamii-Unpuu Trail from Mertens Creek to Mitchell Falls, I think you're only passing by the top of the falls. Therefore, your view of Big Mertens Falls won't be that great, and it seems some daring scrambling would be necessary to get better views, which I wouldn't recommend doing given the rugged terrain and steep drop offs.

Kookaburra

Kookaburras  are terrestrial tree kingfishers native to Australia and New Guinea, which grow to between 28–42 cm (11–17 in) in length. The name is a loanword from Wiradjuri guuguubarra, onomatopoeic of its call. The single member of the genus Clytoceyx is commonly referred to as the shovel-billed kookaburra.

The kookaburra's loud call sounds like echoing human laughter. Kookaburras are not closely associated with water. They are found in habitats ranging from humid forest to arid savanna, as well as in suburban areas with tall trees or near running water.

Northern Beaches in Sydney, Australia

 The Northern Beaches is an area in the northern coastal suburbs of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia, located near the coast of the Pacific Ocean. This area extends south to the entrance of Port Jackson (Sydney Harbour), west to Middle Harbour and north to the entrance of Broken Bay. The area was formerly inhabited by the Garigal or Caregal people in a region known as Guringai country.

The Northern Beaches district is usually considered to be the area of the Northern Beaches Statistical Subdivision, comprising fully the local government areas of Manly, Warringah and Pittwater. The 2011 Australian census found the Northern Beaches to be the most White and mono-ethnic district in Australia, contrasting with its more-diverse neighbours: the North Shore and the Central Coast.

Sydney Harbour Bridge, Australia

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The Sydney Harbour Bridge is a steel through arch bridge across Sydney Harbour that carries rail, vehicular, bicycle, and pedestrian traffic between the Sydney central business district (CBD) and the North Shore. The dramatic view of the bridge, the harbour, and the nearby Sydney Opera House is an iconic image of Sydney, and Australia. The bridge is nicknamed "The Coathanger" because of its arch-based design.  Furthermore, the bridge is ubiquitously known to Sydney siders simply as "the Bridge".

Austalian Native Fauna, Newcastle, New South Wales

The fauna of Australia consists of a huge variety of animals; some 83% of mammals, 89% of reptiles, 24% of fish and insects and 93% ofamphibians that inhabit the continent are endemic to Australia. This high level of endemism can be attributed to the continent's long geographic isolation, tectonic stability, and the effects of an unusual pattern of climate change on the soil and flora over geological time. A unique feature of Australia's fauna is the relative scarcity of native placental mammals. Consequently the marsupials—a group of mammals that raise their young in a pouch, including the macropods, possums and dasyuromorphs—occupy many of the ecological niches placental animals occupy elsewhere in the world. Australia is home to two of the five known extant species of monotremes and has numerousvenomous species, which include the platypus, spiders, scorpions, octopus, jellyfish, molluscs, stonefish, and stingrays. Uniquely, Australia has more venomous than non-venomous species of snakes.

Streaky Bay, South Australia

Streaky Bay is a coastal town on the western side of the Eyre Peninsula, in South Australia just off the Flinders Highway 303 km north west of Port Lincoln and 727 km by road from Adelaide. At the 2006 census, Streaky Bay had a population of 1,059.

The town of Streaky Bay is the major population centre of the District Council of Streaky Bay, and the centre of an agricultural district farming cereal crops and sheep, as well as having established fishing and tourism industries.

Capital Cities Of Australia

Australia, or colloquially, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is an Oceanian country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands.

Queensland, The Sunshine State

Queensland is the second-largest and third-most populous state in Australia. Situated in the north-east of the country, it is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. 

Ocean Beach, Denmark, Western Austraia

Ocean Beach is a tourist attraction located about 5 kilometres South of the town of Denmark in Western Australia.

Merewether Beach, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia

Merewether is a suburb of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, located 3 km (2 mi) from Newcastle's central business district with a population of around 10,000. The suburb stretches 3 km (2 mi) from Merewether Beach in the east to Adamstown in the west.