Flora and Fauna

Despite large tracts of dry and barren land, much of Australia is well vegetated. Plants can be found even in the arid centre, though many of them grow and flower erratically. Unique Australian native plants such as the sturt desert pea, kangaroo paw and waratah have evolved over time and are often only found in small micro-climates.

Australia's distinctive vegetation began to take shape about 55 million years ago when Australia broke from the super continent of Gondwanaland, drifting away from Antarctica toward warmer climes. As the rainforests retreated, due to the gradual drying of the continent, plants like the eucalypts and wattles (acacias) took over.

The gum tree (or eucalypt) is found everywhere in Australia except in the deepest of rainforests and the most arid regions. Gum trees vary in height and form from the tall, straight hardwoods to the stunted, twisted snow gum with its colourful trunk striations. Other distinctive gums are the ghost gum with its distinctive white trunk and the beautiful salmon-coloured Darwin woollybutt gums.

Monotremes are regarded as virtually living fossils and Australia has two - the platypus and the echidna. They are both egg-laying mammals, which suckle their young on milk, and have survived partly due to above-mentioned isolation and because they have become so highly specialised. The platypus can be found in the eastern areas of Australia, with the echidna widespread, from the deserts to the alps.

The gum tree features in Australian folklore, art and literature. Many varieties flower, the wood is prized and its oil is used for pharmaceuticals and perfumed products. About 600 varieties of wattles are found in Australia, growing in a variety of conditions. Many wattles have deep green leaves and bright yellow to orange flowers. When the country is ablaze with wattle during the late winter and spring, the choice of wattle for our national floral emblem and green and gold for our national colours is obvious.

Australia is blessed with a fascinating mix of native fauna, which ranges from the primitive to the highly evolved. The Australian landmass is one of the most ancient in the world, and because the sea has kept it isolated from other continents, Australian fauna is very distinct.

Monotremes are regarded as virtually living fossils and Australia has two - the platypus and the echidna. They are both egg-laying mammals, which suckle their young on milk, and have survived partly due to above-mentioned isolation and because they have become so highly specialised. The platypus can be found in the eastern areas of Australia, with the echidna widespread, from the deserts to the Alps.

Kangaroos are probably the most instantly recognisable Australian mammals and they range from the tiny tree kangaroos to the 'big reds', which can be up to 2 metres high and weigh 90kg. The extraordinary breeding cycle of the kangaroo is well adapted to Australia's harsh and often unpredictable environment. The kangaroo embryo can be held in a temporary state of suspended development if food or water becomes scarce.