Make sure to pack your snorkeling gear in your suitcase! Australia is the proud home to the magnificent Great Barrier Reef, which is one of the seven natural wonders of the world. Larger than the Great Wall of China and the only naturally living entity visible from space, the reef is an incredibly diverse ecosystem. It is home to numerous creatures and contains 1,500 different species of marine fish, 125 different species of sharks, and 360 different species of hard corals that beautifully decorate this rainbow-colored reef. Sea creatures that live and visit the Great Barrier Reef include the coral trout, the dwarf minke whale, and the dugongs.  You too can visit this remarkable gift of nature off the coast of northeastern Australia in the Coral Sea!

The Aboriginal people are the natives of the Australian continent. Their culture is among the very oldest on earth, stretching back perhaps 40,000 years. Their traditions are defined by a deep reverence for the natural world around them. Rocks, trees, rivers, canyons-they are all sacred and connected in Aboriginal thought. Through these beliefs, the Aboriginal people learned long ago to live in harmony with their natural surroundings, moving with the seasons to find food and shelter.

The arrival of European settlers in the 1800s had a devastating impact on the Aboriginal people. The settlers brought with them diseases, guns, and a desire for land and resources that overwhelmed the native population. Eventually, British rulers forced the Aboriginal people to abandon their culture and beliefs. At the start of European settlement, nearly 300 native languages were spoken in Australia; today, all but about 20 have largely vanished. But with the passage of time, modern Australians have gained a new respect and understanding for Aboriginal culture, traditions, art, and music. Today's Australia has learned to celebrate the rich and unique nature of its native people.

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