A kangaroo’s tail does not touch the ground when it is hopping at speed. The animal only uses the tail to balance its jumping efforts, and to rear upon when stopped.

The first flight across the Pacific Ocean was made by Sir Charles Kingsford-Smith, from Oakland in California to Brisbane, Australia in 1928.

95% of the world’s opal are dug up in Australia, and also the biggest opals outright. (The record holder being 6.8 kg!)

The first around-the-world passenger service by an airline was started by Qantas, in 1958.

Qantas stands for Queensland And Northern Territory Aerial Services.

Qantas is the world’s second oldest airline, (est 1920) with only KLM being older.

Australia took on its unification of the six British colonies in 1901, when a single Australia-wide government was formed.

Australia is one of the most governed countries on earth, with one politician for every 20,000 Aussies. The British have one politician for every 45,000 people.

Australia’s National Anthem was “God Save The Queen”, up until 1984, where upon it was changed to “Advance Australia Fair”. This was due to a referendum in 1977. It took that long to get a non militaristic and politically correct version out. (The original second verse was cut completely)

On the 7th of March, 1856, workers in Sydney belonging to the Stonemason’s Society were the first workers in the world to gain an eight hour working day. (reduced from ten hours)  This is celebrated in Australia by the holiday, “Labour Day”.

The first pension for women in the world was brought in by the New South Wales government in 1926.

The first ‘secret ballot’ system for parliament in the world was introduced in the Legislative Council of Victoria, Australia, on 27-8-1856. The rest of the world took another few decades.

The preferential voting system was first introduced into the world in Queensland, in 1892.

The Utility, or as it’s called in Australia the ‘ute’, was invented in Australia by Ford in 1932. The legend has it that it that a farmer came to Ford, looking for a car that could “work on the farm all week, and then take the wife to church on Sundays.”

Total Population at 31 December 2007 – 21,180,632

Australian Capital Territory Land area (km²) – 2,358 Population (2006) 340,818

New South Wales Land area (km²) – 800,642, Population (13 December 2007) 6,926,990

Northern Territory Land area (km²) – 1,349,129, Population (13 December 2007)  217,559

Queensland Land area (km²) – 1,730,648, Population (13 December 2007)  4,228,290

South Australia Land area (km²) – 983,482, Population (13 December 2007)  1,591,930

Tasmania Land area (km²) – 68,401, Population (13 December 2007)  495,772

Victoria Land area (km²) – 227,416, Population (13 December 2007)  5,246,079

Western Australia Land area (km²) – 2,529,875, Population (13 December 2007)  2,130,797

Other Territories as listed below – Population (13 December 2007) 2,397

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
Australian Antarctic Territory
Christmas Island
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Coral Sea Islands Territory
Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Jervis Bay Territory
Norfolk Island

From the Australian Bureau of Statistics

Penicillin – In 1941, antibiotic penicillin was trialled successfully on humans and was produced in time to aid WWII casualties.

Redback Spider Antivenom – released for use against the poisonous bite of the redback spider in 1956.

Plastic Spectacle Lenses – were designed in 1960 and were the world’s first plastic lenses for spectacles weighing 60% less than glass lenses.

Ultrasound – the first ultrasound scanner was built in 1961 by Australian Scientists at the Commonwealth Health Departments.

Latex Gloves – though the Ansell company had been making household gloves since 1925, in 1964 they came up with disposable latex gloves for use in surgery.

Polyvalent Snake Antivenom – was created in 1968 and is a snake antivenom which acts against the poison from most Australian snakes.

Microsurgery Pioneered – not only did Professor Earl Owen design the first microsurgery tools with Zeiss, he also performed the first microsurgery operation where he rejoined an amputated index finger in 1970.

Bionic Ear – 1979 saw the Cochlear Implant, which helped the hearing impaired and profoundly deaf.

Reading Machine for the Blind – invented in 1990 and also a world first.

Flu Vaccine Redenza – the world’s first anti-influenza drug developed in 1996 and approved for release in Australia, Europe and the USA in 2000.

Night and Day Contact Lenses – developed in 1999 which allowed more oxygen to get to the eye allowing people to wear them for up to 30 days and nights.