Australia has spectacular rainforests, deserts, mountains, plains, flora, & fauna. The culture too is diverse with an ancient aboriginal culture existing alongside a modern urban European society contrasted with the isolation of the vast Australian outback. View our collection of photos and see both the old and new in the Land Down Under. Read more →
Australia is an island continent surrounded by thousands of smaller islands ranging in size from Tasmania (about the size of Ireland) to tiny coral cays. In the Great Barrier Reef alone there are over 900 tropical islands. The main continent is similar in size to the USA mainland or Europe so there is plenty to see. Situated below Asia, Australia is like nowhere else on Earth and the animal life is so exotic, it seems almost alien.
As the only country to occupy a single continent, the climate varies. The top third lies above the Tropic of Capricorn where tropical rainforest gives way to drier savannah plains. In the centre of the landmass lies the second largest area of desert in the world after the Sahara. Below the desert areas the climate becomes more temperate and green and the south-east coast is where most of the countries population resides. Heading up the east coast it gets warmer, but the land remains green due to the Great Dividing Range mountain range that ensure the coast traps enough clouds to provide enough rainfall to sustain cities. Below the continent is the temperate island wilderness of Tasmania where the landscape resembles nearby New Zealand more so than the rest of Australia.
Author & photographer: David Johnson (Virtual Australia). Providing a credit or link is appreciated.
Our content: logos, site names, text, photos, and website design are protected by international copyright law.
Original versions of our photos can be purchased / licensed & web versions can be shared subject to conditions.