FORMER EXILE FOR PRISONERS
“Besides sand, flies and animal tracks I have found nothing else here.” These were the words uttered two hundred years ago by one of the first sea-faring explorers to set foot on Australian soil before returning to Europe. Observations of this kind would for a time discourage all exploration of this continent, a landmass which is located far into the Southern hemisphere. It was only towards the end of the 18th century that the British begin to colonize this fifth continent by building a penal colony. Nowadays, if this explorer were to express such a sentiment about Australia it would only be met by polite head shakes from his listeners. This is because Australia is a land of many dimensions; from lush green jungle way up in the northern region and the dry, barren deserts of the centre of the continent, to the mountains and lakes in Tasmania to the south – all exemplifying the varied, incredibly beautiful landscape. Aside from the natural beauty of the landscape, Australia is home to extraordinary and unique fauna and flora, many found only in Australia; take for example the kangaroo and the koala, and let’s not forget the duckbilled platypus, a remnant from our planet’s primeval times.