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Frankreich-Blog
Australia’s fascinating wildlife
15. January 2007
I have just returned from a three-week holiday to Australia and what a fabulous country it is to visit. I went with five friends and we saw and did many different things. One of the aspects I found most interesting while there though was seeing the different wildlife that can be found in Australia. It is a vast country, larger than the continent of Europe, and it is home to many animals that aren’t found on any other continent.
My trip to Australia began in Cairns in far northern Queensland, where the climate is tropical. Average temperatures hover between 25 and 35 degrees Celsius pretty much all year round. Although it is very humid, I found it a very pleasant place to be. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to take a boat out to the Great Barrier Reef to go snorkelling. I saw coral, fish and turtles, to name just a few, and it’s easy to see why the Great Barrier Reef is such a precious natural resource for the world. Many of the species that live there cannot be found anywhere else in the world.
Also in Cairns I was able to spend a day exploring the rainforest in the Daintree National Park, which has been designated a World Heritage Site. I undertook a trip down a river that contained crocodiles and I was lucky enough to see a couple of crocodiles in their natural habitat. They are impressive creatures and they are a protected species in Australia, which means that they cannot be killed even if they have attacked a human being. Many of you may be familiar with Steve Irwin, who became famous as the Crocodile Hunter and brought some of Australia’s wildlife into people’s living rooms through his television programmes. He was sadly killed by a stingray while filming off the coast of Australia last year, very close to the area which I visited. His zoo and wildlife park live on though, helping to promote the cause of the animals he cared deeply for and teaching children and adults alike all about them. Do you have any recollections of watching Steve Irwin on television?
Another place I visited on my trip was Sydney. Although Canberra is the capital city of the country, Sydney is Australia’s biggest and most vibrant city. It is without doubt the best city I’ve ever visited. The harbour is what makes the city so special. You can actually climb to the top of the famous Sydney Harbour Bridge, which I did, and the views are spectacular. I also visited Taronga Zoo and Sydney Aquarium. I was able to see some special Australian wildlife, including koala bears, kangaroos, snakes, spiders and sharks. If you ever get the chance to see a shark close up, I definitely recommend you do so. They live off the coast of Australia and they too are protected species.
Have any of you been Down Under to Australia? What were your impressions and favourite sights? It is a long flight to get there, but it’s well worth it to see a country that is very different from any country in Europe. Do you find wildlife in general interesting? What are your favourite animals? Maybe you have pets at home, although I suspect that crocodiles, sharks and snakes would not be the easiest animals to look after! I’d love to hear from you if you’ve been to Oz as I’ve yet to meet anybody who did not think it was the best country they’ve ever visited.
Learn more about Australia as a country and its fascinating wildlife:
Australian Wildlife Conservancy
Wildlife Tourism Australia
Australia Zoo – Home Of The Crocodile Hunter
Eintrag unter: culture,environment
7 Kommentare Kommentar schreiben
1. Anne Mette | 16. January 2007 um 01:35:26
Thank you for the wildlife links!
We´re going down under in a fortnights time. Mintox!
2. Nathalie Braun | 22. January 2007 um 19:06:10
Hi!!
thanks for your long report about Australia. It was very interested and good for understanding;)….because my english isn’t very good…
unfortunalety, ihave never been there, but I know a lot about it, because I have learned many things in the english lesson about Australia. What do you think about the Australian inhabitants?….I’m thinking about spending a year in Australia for correcting my english….
I would be happy about an answer and maybe you have time for correcting my mistakes;)…
have a nice evening
Nathalie Braun
3. Administrator | 22. January 2007 um 20:19:57
Hello Nathalie
Thanks for posting a comment about Australia. It really is a great country to visit and I’d definitely recommend that you spend a year there if you get the chance. You’ll see some amazing sights, meet some amazing people and get to spend a whole year in the sunshine! And then you’ll come back speaking fluent English, which can’t be a bad thing. Incidentally, your English is not bad at all and there are very few mistakes which would need to be corrected.
I have always found Australian people to be very easy to get on with and they are certainly down to earth. They are very straight with you and tell you what they think, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
So there are countless reasons to visit Australia – the wildlife, the people, the weather and the chance to learn the language.
4. Bettina Herowitsch-Putz | 24. January 2007 um 14:32:31
Hello!
I have already been to Australia twice and can only agree with you. For me, too, Australia is the most wonderful place on earth I have ever been to. As we travelled around a lot, we got to know many different places of this outstanding continent. The part of our journey I liked best was the trip from Broome in the northwest to Darwin, as we got a glimpse of what real Australia is like. I also liked Sydney, but I’m afraid it can’t compete with the natural wonders Australia has to offer. When we went through the Outback for about seven days, we saw breathtaking gorges with unforgettable waterfalls I will never forget. It was like being in paradise. I really hope I can go there again one day.
I like reading your entries!
Bettina
5. Julia Burkhardt | 26. February 2007 um 21:07:27
Hi Michael,
thank you for giving me more information about the wonderful continent of Australia. I’m very interested in learning more from Australia because in my opinion it’s a fantastic country with a beautiful scenery and an endless number of different animals. Besides the landscape is so multifaceted- just take a look at Outback! I’d really like to go there one day. If that’s possible, of course I’ll visit Uluru and travel into the Outback and of course going surfing. I’ve never stood on a board before but I really want to learn it- it must make lots of fun! Have you ever been surfing before? Is it very difficult? And I think going there is the best opportunity to improve my English. Now I hope I haven’t make too much mistakes! I would be very happy to hear from you!!!
Julia
6. Administrator | 26. February 2007 um 21:40:45
Hi Julia
I’ve never actually tried surfing but I imagine it’s like anything else – quite difficult at first but easier as you get more practice.
I too would love to visit Uluru one day and I hope to have the chance to return to Australia to do this one day.
Michael
7. Neil Hewett | 14. March 2007 um 01:59:16
My company is in the business of presenting some of Australia’s most unique wildlife in natural habitat. Interestingly, the greatest opportunities occur after nightfall, at the centrepiece of Australia’s Daintree World Heritage rainforests
Temperature, rainfall and moonlight all have profound effects on wildlife behaviour. The most ideal conditions occur on the hottest, wettest and darkest nights. By contrast, the coldest nights in the middle of a dry period with a full moon are unlikely to reveal any fauna whatsoever.
One of the most frequently asked questions is, “What are we likely to see, tonight?” Apart from the incomparable grandeur of old-growth tropical rainforest, the question cannot be answered, because of the unpredictable nature of wilderness, which differs on a nightly basis. It is also very important to appreciate that sight is not the only faculty.
Cooper Creek Wilderness nightwalks ethically immerse participants into the very depths of the world’s oldest surviving rainforest. There are no artificial structures linked to the security of a roadside carpark. Inhabitant guides select a different trail on successive nights to showcase the authenticity of the nocturnal landscape and particularly in terms of its habitat values. Access may be unsuitable for persons with limited mobility; wildlife behaviour and fauna sightings are unpredictable. Participants need to accept the risks and uncertainties associated with a genuine wilderness experience.
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