Australia

CAPTURING THE QUINTESSENTIAL AUSTRALIA

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Above, left and right: Unmistakably Australian, the Red Kangaroo (Macropus
rufus) is also the faunal emblem for the Northern Territory. The largest
marsupial in the world, males (above left), at 1.5 m tall, are bigger than
some humans, and can weigh 80 kg. Females (above right) are often more
grey-blue in colour and are sometimes called “blue fliers”.

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 Above, left and right: Equally as recognisable as the Red Kangaroo is
the ubiquitous Eastern Grey Kangaroo (Macropus giganteus). Males are
notorious for their pugilistic activities, which gave rise to the famed “Boxing
Kangaroo” fl ag often waved at Australian sporting events. Females frequently
have a doe-eyed, big-footed joey safely ensconced in the pouch.

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Above: Australia’s national treasures are not all natural — several stand as reminders of the ingenuity of their creators.
The Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge are modern masterpieces and artificial co-conspirators in
enhancing the natural beauty of the famous harbour. Conceived by Danish architect Jørn Utzon and opened in 1973,
the World-Heritage-listed Opera House is Australia’s most famous edifice.

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Above: A fitting frame for the elegant Opera House is the steel span of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, credited to engineer
Dr JCC Bradfield and completed in 1932. Known affectionately as the “Coathanger”, the bridge has six million rivets
that were driven in by hand to ensure the strength of this 52,000 tonne stalwart, which was tested by lining up 96 steam
locomotives end to end along tracks on the bridge’s eastern side! Few realise, when gazing up at its impeccable arch,
that the lives of sixteen men are owed for this marvel of modern engineering.

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Above left: The architects of bridges and buildings are undoubtedly talented, but their ingenuity pales in
comparison to the brilliance of the ocean’s tiny, cooperative engineers. Australia’s World-Heritage-listed
Great Barrier Reef is the handiwork of a multitudinous team of coral polyps, all creating interlinking shells
of calcium carbonate in which zooxanthellae algae make their homes. Fragments of coral sand,
brought together by the tides and held together by salt-resistant vegetation, bird droppings and the
cementing actions of rain and force, combine to stud the region with spectacular, secluded coral cays.
Above right: Paid tribute to in the animated film Finding Nemo, the Clown Anemonefish
(Amphiprion ocellaris) is a hit with divers who marvel at the spectacle of the reef.

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Above: The Great Barrier Reef comprises the largest collection of corals in the world, including more than one-third of the
world’s soft corals and at least 360 hard coral species. This ribbon of more than 2900 individual coral reefs stretches for
2300 km along the Queensland coast, from Bundaberg to Cape York, and covers an area of 344,000 km2. More than
1500 fish species and six species of endangered marine turtle inhabit this incredible submarine paradise.

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The Nation’s
Capital Cities

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CANBERRA

Previous pages: The Parliament House of Australia sits on Capital Hill in Canberra and is topped by an aluminium fl agpole
bearing the Australian flag. At 300 m wide by 300 m long, it is one of the Southern Hemisphere’s largest buildings and cost
A$1.1 billion to build, replacing the provisional “Old Parliament House” in 1988. Above: Questacon, Australia’s National Science
and Technology Centre, sits on the banks of Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra.

From inauspicious beginnings, this cobbled together nation of crooks, unfortunates, Aborigines and hopeful
free settlers has, to borrow a phrase from the Strine vernacular, “done alright for itself”. Affluent, ordered
capital cities now stand on sites of former penal servitude, and colonial architecture jostles for space with
skyscrapers and the clean lines of modern buildings. Traditional carriageways have given way to multi-lane
freeways, and in just over 200 years, Australia has transformed itself from outpost to outstanding.

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Above left: In its short history, the nation has been involved in many bloody international conflicts and the
Australian Defence Force employed as peacekeepers in several skirmishes. The Australian War Memorial
pays homage to the nation’s military history and to those who fought and sacrificed for the wellbeing of
future generations of Australians. Above right: The avant-garde Garden of Australian Dreams outside the
National Museum of Australia — a treasure trove of relics from Australia’s past.

Purposely established as Australia’s capital, Canberra in the Australian Capital Territory was meticulously
planned by Sir Walter Burley Griffin and enshrines the mainstays of nationhood — the National Library,
Australian War Memorial, National Museum, National Gallery of Australia, Royal Australian Mint,
Parliament House and the High Court of Australia.

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SYDNEY

Above left: Sydney, established by Governor Arthur Phillip and the First
Fleeters in 1788, was Australia’s premier city. It enjoys all of the drawcards
of larger cities — fine-dining restaurants, five-star hotels, boutique shopping,
acclaimed theatre, museums, theme parks and attractions galore — yet it
complements them with sunny weather and a string of beautiful beaches
stretching north and south of Bondi. Above right: Visitors can climb the
Sydney Harbour Bridge for a panoramic view of what has been described
as “the most beautiful harbour in the world”.

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Above: The Archibald Fountain, in Sydney’s Hyde Park, is sculptor François Sicard’s granite and bronze tribute to the
alliance between France and Australia in World War I. It was donated by literary personality JF Archibald, erstwhile
editor of The Bulletin and the founder of Australia’s highest accolade for artists of portraiture — the Archibald Prize.
Following pages: A view down the Parramatta River, the main tributary of the harbour, towards Sydney’s CBD.

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MELBOURNE

Above: The fractious façade of Melbourne’s Federation Square. Deemed a monstrosity when first constructed, Federation
Square has since been embraced by locals. An international competition was held for the design, and London-based Lab
Architecture Studio and Bates Smart Architects together won the contract and implemented this ambitious, intriguing design.

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 Above left: Melbourne is famed for its trams, which trundle through the streets
and make transport a joy in this bustling southern metropolis. Above right: Eureka
Tower and the latticed spire of the Arts Centre loom skyward.

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Culture &
Lifestyle
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Previous pages: Ever since a ban on swimming in daylight was lifted in the early 1900s, Aussies have flocked to the beach to
swim, surf and mingle. So intrinsic is the beach to Australian culture that the nation implemented the world’s first surf lifesaving
system to protect swimmers and beachgoers. Above: Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders are recognised as the first Australians.
Rock art galleries, like this one in Arnhem Land, are found throughout Australia and record Dreaming mythology.

In 1964, author Donald Horne penned a phrase that has become the national slogan. Horne’s original
comment was cautionary: “Australia is a lucky country, run by second-rate people who share its luck”. However,
in true Aussie tradition, it was not long before the phrase “lucky country” was reinvented as a compliment.
Few who visit or inhabit the land today could argue against its serendipity. The island continent is hugged by
some of the world’s most beautiful beaches and revels in a wealth of natural resources — an abundance of
sunshine, an outdoors lifestyle, a commitment to democracy, and plenty of space — but it is, undoubtedly, the
culture, history and lifestyle that cement its reputation as one of the best countries to live or visit in the world.

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 Clockwise from top left: Indigenous contributions to history and society have
often been overlooked, but a greater effort is now being made to celebrate
Indigenous culture. Ceremonial dance reinforces ritual and spiritual beliefs;
“Bush tucker” displays inside Warradjan Cultural Centre in Kakadu, Northern
Territory; Barramundi are caught with a traditional fishing spear;
Many Aboriginal people continue to work the land, as drovers,
tour guides and rangers.

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Above: Even in far-flung places, evidence of the isolation and hardships of pioneering life remains. This decrepit settlers’
hut stands abandoned in a lonely crop field near Burra, in the Clare Valley of South Australia. Pioneers often lived for
months at a time without company as civilisation was days, weeks or even months away.

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Clockwise from top left: Although most of the nation’s denizens live in the
cities or on the coast, Aussies have a soft spot for the outback and for the
irreverent attitude of “bushies”. Corrugated iron, barbed wire and other rustic
items are often turned into quirky artwork that breaks the monotony of a
long, dusty drive. A horse visits the local pub in Silverton, New South Wales;
Intriguing metal drum sculptures in Tibooburra, New South Wales;
A wall of hubcaps and odds and ends, Winton, Queensland; Corrugated
iron camels. Opposite: Eschewing the crowded cities, some plucky
Australians remain in the bush, where they enjoy the solitude of spacious
homesteads, and where Red Kangaroos are the only frequent visitors.

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Attractions &
Events

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Previous pages: Luna Park in Sydney has promised enthralling rides
and activities since 1935. Above left: Frocks, jocks, and equality for
all are advocated by the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, a
fl amboyant festival complete with colourful floats and troupes of parading
participants. Above right: Many of the most amusing events are for charity,
including the annual Variety Bash, a “wacky race” in which fundraisers drive
unorthodox vehicles around Australia.

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 Above left: Australia Day, celebrated on 26 January annually, is a chance
to revere colonial heroes (or villains) such as Ned Kelly, and to refl ect on
Australia’s history and culture, past and present. Above right: Veterans
proudly display their medals in the annual Anzac Day March. Anzac Day,
on 25 April, is one of the nation’s most important days of remembrance. It
pays homage to those who have fought and died for this country and huge
crowds take to the streets to pay tribute to Australia’s “diggers”, servicemen
and servicewomen during dawn services — Lest We Forget.

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 Iconic
Destinations
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Above: One of the most admired and pondered geological structures in Australia, the Devils Marbles, about 110 km south
of Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory, are precariously balanced, rust-coloured stones that formed some 1640 million
years ago from a single piece of volcanic rock. Spheroidal weathering over millennia has stripped away layers like the
skin of an onion, leaving the “marbles” exposed and seemingly scattered across the landscape. Opposite: Blue and red
are the colours of the Australian fl ag and both are well represented on the continent. Here, the curvaceous lines of Kata
Tjuta, one of the Northern Territory’s most sacred rock formations, rise from the horizon.

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Previous pages: The gleaming jewel in the crown of the Northern Territory’s many memorable landscapes is Kakadu.
Presiding over the teeming wetlands and the famed Anbangbang Billabong is imposing Nourlangie Rock. Galleries of
rock art there showcase an ancient culture with a history of at least 40,000 years, if not thousands more. Above: Jim Jim
Falls in Kakadu National Park, Northern Territory, in full flood. Although rarely seen cascading so enthusiastically,
Jim Jim Falls fill the waterholes with the wet-season rains that flow from the craggy escarpments of Arnhem Land.

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 Clockwise from top left: Kakadu is renowned for its wildlife as much as its
scenery. Estuarine Crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus), the largest reptiles on
the planet, are razor-toothed shadows that lurk beneath the surface, breaking
the water only with their snouts and steely eyes; Bird life is especially prolific.
Australia’s only stork species, the Black-necked Stork (Ephippiorhynchus
asiaticus), or Jabiru, wades in Kakadu’s shallows hunting fish and snakes;
The lovely Sacred Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) adorns the mirrored wetlands.
Following pages: The wetlands of Kakadu gilt by a Top End sunset.

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Above: Widely recognised and just as widely remarked upon are the sea-sculpted stacks of The Twelve Apostles in
Port Campbell National Park, Victoria. Despite their name, there hasn’t been twelve in living memory and now only
eight remain after one tumbled into the surf in 2005. All of these limestone pillars will eventually share the same fate,
as the waves erode them at the base and undermine their solidarity.

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 Showcasing the continent’s striking landscapes, beautiful cities and unique animals,
Australia: Capturing the Quintessential Australia is a visual celebration of this vast and remarkable land.

Steve Parish, Australia’s best-known nature photographer, shares his

incredible story in Steve Parish: 50 Years Photographing
Australia. Filled with stunning images, this must-have book
celebrates Steve’s half a century of capturing Australia’s animals
and wild places on camera.

THIS BEAUTIFUL 160-PAGE BOOK CAN BE

PURCHASED ONLINE FROM OUR WEBSHOP:
www.steveparish.com.au