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5 lesser-known facts about Australia you need to know before exploring the country

Published: 2026-09-26 👁 100 views

Last updated 2026-09-26 — In recent years, Australia has sparked a wave of working holiday and study abroad trends in China, attracting many young people to experience life abroad, broaden their horizons, and try to gain a deeper understanding of local customs and culture. However...

Text by MOOK Scenic Spots Family Travel Life Network, compiled and reported by Chen Guanxin

In recent years, Australia has sparked a wave of working holiday and study abroad trends in China, attracting many young people to experience life abroad, broaden their horizons, and try to gain a deeper understanding of local customs and culture. However, beyond the Great Ocean Road, cuddling koalas, and seeing the Sydney Opera House, there are many lesser-known local stories in Australia waiting for travelers to explore and experience.

Traveling in Australia offers many local details waiting for visitors to discover. (Image source / from the Sydney Opera House fan page)

1. The Sydney Opera House has a unique appearance, but its construction was full of challenges

When it comes to iconic Australian architecture, the uniquely designed Sydney Opera House is definitely the first choice for most. This month marking its 40th birthday, the Sydney Opera House was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007, making it the youngest World Heritage Site to date.

However, this pride of Australia had a rather bumpy start to its construction and wasn’t initially very popular. In 1956, Danish architect Jørn Utzon won the design competition for the Sydney Opera House and took on the role of chief designer. But due to the highly unique design of the building, there were many construction challenges with the techniques available at the time, leading to delays, rising costs, and the government’s refusal to fund the construction. As a result, Jørn Utzon was forced to resign from his position as chief architect, and Peter Hall took over the project.

The Sydney Opera House officially opened to the public in October 1973, but Jørn Utzon did not attend the grand opening ceremony and never set foot on Australian soil again.

The Sydney Opera House, which just celebrated its 40th birthday this month, faced numerous difficulties during its construction. (Image source / from the Sydney Opera House fan page)

2. Australia is not only famous for koalas, but also has the world’s largest population of wild camels

Hugging adorable koalas and taking photos is also one of the must-do things when visiting Australia. While koalas are beloved worldwide and have become one of Australia’s symbols, the country’s wild camel population is actually the largest in the world, making them another kind of “Australian icon.”

These wild camels were introduced to the Australian desert in the 18th century to help solve transport issues in inland desert regions. But over time, there are now over a million camels roaming the deserts. These camels not only deplete water holes in desert areas but also damage sacred sites of local Indigenous peoples.

Although the continuously growing camel population has damaged parts of the ecology and environment, prompting the Australian authorities to initiate wild camel culling programs, Alice Springs—one of the three major towns in Australia’s Northern Territory—is actually quite welcoming to camels. Every July, the area hosts the exciting Camel Cup race—“Lasseters Camel Cup”—and surrounding events, where people nationwide celebrate together with the camels.

Australia has the world’s largest wild camel population and even hosts camel-themed festivals. (Image source / from the Lasseters Camel Cup official website)

3. Australians love outdoor activities, but are they also huge gambling enthusiasts?

Australia’s diverse outdoor activities are reflected in the energetic spirit of its people. However, Australia’s casinos are also quite famous. There are a total of 14 casinos across Australia, and in terms of the ratio of population to number of casinos, Australia ranks the highest in the world. According to a survey report by "H2 Gambling Capital," a research group under the global entertainment advisory firm "H2 Leisure Group," in 2012, Australians spent an average of about USD 1,314 per person on gambling activities, also ranking the highest globally. Additionally, a new casino being built in Sydney is set to be completed in 2019, adding new momentum to Australia’s gambling scene.

Australia has over 10 professional casinos, the highest density in the world. (Image provided / by Moleskine Editorial Department)

4. Australia is also a “country of a thousand islands”

Australia is the sixth-largest country in the world. While its continent spans 7.68 million square kilometers, what’s even more astonishing is that it is surrounded by more than 8,000 small islands. These include the island state of Tasmania, the world’s largest sand island Fraser Island, and the sub-Antarctic Macquarie Island. Moreover, among these islands, there are also several named after animals, such as Kangaroo Island, Lizard Island, and Cockatoo Island in Sydney Harbour.

The Australian mainland is surrounded by more than 8,000 small islands, including animal-named islands like Cockatoo Island and Kangaroo Island. (Image source / from the Australian Antarctic Division website)

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