The Australia subreddit describes itself as “a dusty corner on the internet where you can chew the fat about Australia and Australians”, and although I’m not quite sure what that means, I’m happy to take part! This online group has over 1 million members, which is pretty impressive considering the population of the entire country is nearly 26 million people. But despite being the 55th most populous nation, Australia has certainly made its mark on the world. It’s the 6th largest country in terms of land, spanning an incredible 7,692,024 square kilometers (or 2,969,906 square miles) and making up 5.2% of the planet’s landmass.

Australia is also known for many unique qualities, such as its stunning tropical beaches, where visitors can find the Great Barrier Reef, its gorgeous, lush rainforests, its amazing, unique wildlife, its rich arts and culture scene, and of course, the friendly and easy-going locals. In fact, Melbourne was recently deemed the world’s friendliest city based on factors including resident happiness, safety, LGBTQI+ inclusivity, top attractions and highest-rated hotels.      

Australia is a wonderful place to visit for many reasons. Prior to the pandemic, the Land Down Under was bringing in over 8 million international visitors each year, and travel and tourism typically account for about 10% of the nation’s GDP. Some of Australia’s most popular tourist attractions are the stunning Sydney Opera House, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and the Blue Mountains National Park. But there’s plenty to see and do (and eat!) all over Australia. Just be careful not to disturb any dangerous animals…   

Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to make the trek to Australia myself yet, pandas, but I’ve been dying to go my entire life. In fact, I’m actually named after the capital of South Australia, Adelaide, because my father visited there when he was young and always loved the name. Of course, I’m obligated to visit for that reason, but Australia is appealing to me for countless reasons. It will just be a perk that when I visit everyone will know how to pronounce and spell my name because they’ve actually heard it before!

To learn more about the beautiful country of Australia, we reached out to two locals, Natalie and Steve, the couple behind Curious Campers Australia. Natalie and Steve have been traveling all over Australia for over a decade, so they’re certainly experts, and they were kind enough to have a conversation with us about what makes Australia unique. “First, there’s the people,” they told Bored Panda. “They are relaxed, friendly, good-humored and ready to  laugh at themselves before they laugh at someone else. But if there is a defining quality of Australian people it is their sense of camaraderie. Mateship is in the DNA of every Australian and in times of fire or flood or even a pandemic, Australians will innately come together to help out their ‘mates’ and community.”

Natalie and Steve went on to note that the land is another special feature of Australia. “From coral reefs to mountain ranges and rainforests to deserts, Australia has a striking and diverse landscape,” they shared. “On the east coast, you can step from a rain forest on to the Great Barrier Reef. On the west coast of the country, you can walk from rust red earth onto a reef meters from shore and swim with turtles, dolphins and whale sharks. In between the coasts, there are vast tracts of people-less deserts and plains where you can feel like you are the only person on the planet.”

We were also curious about some of the things Natalie and Steve love most about Australia. “We are travel writers and nature lovers, so our favorite things are the wildlife and the country it lives in. While kangaroos don’t bound down the streets of the major Australian cities, they and much of Australia’s unique, bizarre, and adorable wildlife, are never far away.” The Curious Campers went on to share some of their favorite wildlife experiences to try when in Australia. “Go to Kangaroo Island in South Australia to see an echidna train. This is when a line of up to 6 male echidnas waddle along behind the female in this cute game of ‘follow the leader’ hoping to be the successful mate (and of course there are lots of kangaroos here too).”

“Check out Halls Gap in the Grampians in Victoria. There are some stunning walks through the hills here but there isn’t a better place at dusk to hear kookaburras – a chorus of them laughing is a sound you will never forget – it must be one of the best sounds in nature,” Steve and Natalie shared. “At Jurien Bay in Western Australia, you can visit an island and swim with the local Australian Sea Lions. Described as puppies of the sea you will be nose to face mask with these inquisitive creatures, it is a thrilling experience.”

“Tasmania is an island sanctuary and nature lovers’ paradise,” the Curious Campers added. “The jewel in the crown is a place called Maria Island off the east coast of Tasmania. If you have ever wanted to get up close to a wombat this is the place. It is cuteness overload, you’re sure to come away with lots of wombat selfies.”

We also asked Natalie and Steve if there were any Australian stereotypes they wanted to dispel. “While we might admit to having an accent that no one else in the world seems to understand, it is a myth that Australians speak entirely in slang,” they told Bored Panda. “Words like bonza, crikey and struth and colorful expressions like ‘stone the crows’ and ‘fair suck of the sauce bottle’ are the stuff of movies, an Australia of the 1950s and one recent awkward Prime Minister in Kevin Rudd. But yes, you can expect to hear ‘G’day’ and ‘No worries’ pretty regularly, and you can expect to be called mate!”

“Unless you are really unlucky or really stupid, you will be not eaten by a crocodile, bitten by a great white shark or receive a lethal dose of venom from a spider or snake when you visit Australia,” the couple added. “Sure, there are plenty of dangerous animals in there, but you would have to go out of your way to encounter one.”