13 Lesser-Known Historical Facts about Australia:
1. The Aboriginal Australians are one of the world's oldest continuous cultures, with a history dating back over 60,000 years.
2. The First Fleet of British ships arrived in Botany Bay in 1788, establishing the first European colony.
3. The Eureka Rebellion of 1854 was a significant event in the development of Australian democracy.
4. The Overland Telegraph, completed in 1872, connected Australia to the rest of the world.
5. The Australian Gold Rush in the 1850s attracted immigrants from around the globe and boosted the economy.
6. The Sydney Opera House, completed in 1973, is an iconic symbol of modern architecture.
7. The ANZAC troops fought bravely at Gallipoli during World War I, a defining moment in Australian
history.
8. The Great Barrier Reef, off the coast of Queensland, is the world's largest coral reef system.
9. The Australian Constitution, adopted in 1901, established the country as a federation.
10. The Snowy Mountains Scheme, completed in 1974, is one of the most complex hydroelectric projects in the world.
11. The Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage site, known for
its cultural significance to the Aboriginal people.
12. The Stolen Generations refers to Aboriginal children forcibly removed from their families by Australian government policies.
13. Australia was one of the founding members of the United Nations in 1945.
