Australia is the only nation that occupies a continent. With an area of 7,682,300 square kilometres it is the sixth largest country in area after Russia, Canada, China, the United States, and Brazil. It lies east longitude 113°9' and 153°39' between south latitude 10°41' and 43°39'.

The continent is one of the oldest land masses; continental bedrock exposed by erosion is more than 3 billion years old, and Australia is the flattest of the continents. After Antarctica, it has the lowest precipitation of any continent. Mean annual rainfall is 465mm. Vast areas are arid or semi-desert, unsuitable for settlement.

The average elevation is less than 300m, compared with the world's mean of about 700m. The Australian alps in the southeast contain Australia's highest ground, the highest peak being Mount Kosciusko (2228m).

Clear skies and low rainfall are characteristic of the weather on most of the continent. In mid summer (January), average temperatures range from 29°C in the north to 17°C in the south. In July, average temperatures range from 25°C in the north to 8°C in the south.

Summer is from December to February; autumn from March to May; winter from June to August; and spring from September to November. For most of the country the hottest month is January.

Australian soil generally does not show a correlation with climate, mainly because of the presistence in certain regions of leached soils formed in earlier, wetter climatic cycles. These soils, and many in the higher-rainfall areas, are low fertility, often needing trace elements as well as phosphorus, nitrogen, and sulphur. Artificial fertilisers can allow these soils to support highly productive pastures which have potential for mixed farming. Research for tropical pastures is being done on the leached, porous yellow and red earths, and grey and brown clays in northern Australia.

The sub-humid and semi-arid zones have large areas of less leached and more fertile soils such as red-brown and black earths, which are important to Australia's wheat industry. Seventy per cent of the continent is arid, so the better quality soil types are grazed extensively.

Rainfall varies from less than 150mm over the centre of the continent to more than two metres in parts of the tropics and Western Tasmania.

The continent's interior has few permanent watercourses. More than half the nation's runoff is from drainage regions remote from the major population centres. The Murray River and its tributaries are Australia's largest system, having a catchment of 1.06 million square kilometres in southern Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. Most of Australia's irrigated land is in the catchment and 60 per cent of exploitable suface water is committed.

Groundwater lies under most of the continent, but in varying quantity and quality. Much of the inland depends on it for stock and domestic consumption. The largest such resource, the Great Artesian Basin, is of 1.7million square kilometres mainly in Queensland and New South Wales.

The native forests of Australia are hardwoods and occur mainly in wetter coastal belts. The coexistence of rainforests and sclerophyll forests, unrelated botanically, is an ecological curosity. The best known native trees are the gums (eucalyptus, about 550 species) and wattle (acacia, 600 species). Wattles are akin to North American and European mimosa. Gums range in size from the 90m mountain ash to stunted arid-zone types. One, the jarrah, is one of the world's hardest and most durable woods.

Environmental Awareness

Australians are increasingly involved in conservation and other environmental issues. Since 1950, the number of conservation societies has increased from fewer than 50 to about 1000, with a total estimated membership of 800,000. This public awareness has forced successive Australian Governments to develop a national strategy on ecologically sustainable development. Ensuring that patterns of economic development are compatible with environmental and social sustainability over the longer term.

National programs have been established, focused on the protection and conservation of Australia's environment, including rain-forest conservation, reversal of tree decline, soil conservation, biodiversity and river water flow.

Today, Australia has prepared a draft national strategy for the management of its rangelands, and plays a leading role in the development of the United Nations Desertification Convention.

Australia leads the world in the environmental industry which is expected to double by the year 2000. More than 1,200 companies and organisations are involved in environmental goods and services, with world-wide expertise in areas such as water and waste water treatment, environmental engineering services, mining and industrial clean-up services.

National Parks

The first laws to protect scenic areas in Australia were passed in Tasmania in 1863. In 1879 New South Wales established the Royal National Park of 7,284 hectares south of Sydney. It was established because of the recognition of the need to preserve the unique beauty of Australia. The need for protection for areas of natural beauty was made evident in 1994 when a type of pine tree that was believed to have been extinct for more than 65 million years was found growing in Wollemi National Park.

Australia has around 28.2 million hectares of land, and 3,587 areas set aside for national parks, or other types of conservation purpose. National Parks cover just over 4 per cent of the Australian land mass and 14 per cent of Tasmania. They are generally administered by state national parks and wildlife services.

Parks are divided into three different types: World Heritage areas, National Parks, and other Conservation areas. There are eight World Heritage areas, areas which have properties of outstanding universal value, and are listed by the United Nations. The Great Barrier Reef, Kakadu, Lord Howe Island Group, Willandra Lakes Region, Shark Bay, Western Tasmania Wilderness Parks, Fraser Island, and Uluru are designated World Heritage areas.

The criteria for national park status is determined at state or territory level and varies considerably, as do management practices and permissible activities. They range through climatic zones from the tropics to the snow, from island, marine and estuary areas to vast deserts. The Lamington National Park in Queensland is set in the Great Dividing Range and is laced with foot trails. Like many other national parks, it has a "sense trail" designed to help blind people.

WORLD HERITAGE AREAS

FACT Only 11 natural areas in the world meet all four of the criteria needed to make World Heritage listing. Three of them are in Australia: The Tasmanian Wilderness, The Great Barrier Reef, and The Wet Tropics of Queensland.

Australia's Great Barrier Reef is the largest complex of coral reefs and islands in the world, comprising 3,000 individual reefs and about 600 islands covering an area half the size of Texas. Stretching for more than 1,200 miles along Australia's Northeast coast, the reef is a UN World Heritage site, as breathtakingly beautiful as it is diverse. Under the stewardship of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Authority and the Queensland Government, it is an environmental wonder of international renown.

The Great Barrier reef is a living work-in-progress, believed to be over 10,000 years old and over 500 meters thick in some places. It reaches north from just off Bundaberg in central Queensland to the very tip of Australia, the Cape York Peninsula.

Coral will only develop in water that is clear and salty, above 68 degrees and less than 90 feet deep. It is formed by the marine polyp - a primitive animal closely related to anemones and jellyfish. 'the marine polyp is distinctive in forming a hard surface by producing lime. As polyps die, their "coral skeletons" remain, gradually forming the Reef. New polyps grow on The coral remains of their predecessors, continually contributing to the Reef.

REACHING THE REEF

There are numerous forms of air and sea transportation to the Reef from Queensland's coastline, via scheduled commercial airlines, private light aircraft, helicopters, high-speed catamarans and all size and shape of seaborne vessel. The primary jumping-off points for the Reef are Port Douglas, Cairns, Townsville, Shute Harbour, Mackay, Gladstone and Bundasberg.

You can even reach the Reef from Brisbane and the Gold Coast on sea plane day tours for the most breath taking sightseeing experiences you'll ever find.

ENJOY A DAY TRIP TO THE REEF IN STYLE

after boarding a wave-piercing catamaran cruiser about 90 minutes later you are anchored to an outer Reef locale and putting your fins on. You then spend the day viewing coral, snorkeling, swimming and sunning. Guided snorkeling tours with marine biologists, underwater observatories and semi-submersible vessels open a window on the Reef's environment, while helicopter tours and scuba diving excursions offer more in-depth Reef perspectives. After all this activity, a sumptuous seafood buffet lunch hits the spot. A nap in the sun, one last swim and its back onboard the catamaran for a relaxing ride back to the mainland.

ISLANDS IN THE REEF

Continental islands make up the vast majority and were formed as they separated from mainland Australia. They are typically surrounded by fringing coral reefs perfect for snorkeling. Many of Queensland's continental islands are excellent access points for day cruises that venture deeper into the Great Barrier Reef.

The cays are sandy knolls of coral, dotted with palm trees and other tropical flora, and are part of the Great Barrier Reef. Lizard, Green, Fitzroy, Heron and Lady Elliot islands are in this group.

THE VIRTUAL REEF

The Cairns Oceanarium displays the Reef essentials for mainland visitors in an interactive aquarium format. Townsville's Great Barrier Reef Wonderland and Sunshine Coast's Underwater World are other fun ways to see the Reef from ashore.

SCUBA DIVE DOWNUNDER

THE WHITSUNDAYS

The warm aquamarine waters range between 20 and 25 degrees C so the fantastic snorkeling and diving opportunities, which provide a glimpse into the magic of these Great Barrier Reef Islands, can be enjoyed all year round. The Whitsundays with its safe anchorages and coves, sheltered by the Great Barrier Reef, is one of the world's finest cruising areas and will capture your heart and imagination.

Sailing Adventures
A great travel idea is to join a crewed charter in the Whitsundays.