Australia: My Country
By Michael Russell

Australia is an island continent of a size approximating that of the United States. It has a climate range extending from the lush tropical rainforests in the north, to cool temperate rainforests in the south and with large arid regions at its centre.

Although the continent was discovered a century and more earlier, it was claimed by the British when in 1770 Captain Cook sighted the east coast and named it New South Wales. It has remained nominally ruled by Britain with the Queen acknowledged as its figurehead although, as with most countries within the British Commonwealth, there have been great changes and moves towards an independent republic. It now comprises the 5 mainland States of Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland together with Tasmania, an island State south of Melbourne and a territory which is called the Northern Territory, situated between northern Queensland and northern Western Australia. Its main population is found around the fertile coastal fringes.

Because of the vast distances in the country, the State governments have been all important. Federation of the States occurred in 1901 when a Federal government was established and centred in Canberra in what has been designated Australian Capital Territory. This central body is growing ever stronger as Australia grows as a nation.

Like so many second generation Australians, my parents and their families had emigrated from Britain and after the long sea voyage, welcomed touching land in Perth, the first port of call in their new country. Western Australia is my birthplace and was my place of residence for much of my life. Like so many others, I have resided in several States and have explored most of them to some extent. However, W.A., NSW and Queensland are the ones I know best.

W.A. is a huge state but only the area around Perth was known to me in the first 18 years of my life. It was only when I returned to live there for another 12 years at a later date that I had the opportunity to explore further afield. Then, not only did I appreciate the beautiful capital city, the clean, white sandy beaches, the comfortable Mediterranean type climate and the quality of life of the people but I was able to travel east to Kalgoorlie, south to Albany and north to the Pilbara and Gascoyne regions. So I came to see something of its enormous expanses of semi-arid lands and poor soils and something of its rugged beauty and also to experience the loneliness of those northern and out-back regions inhabited by the few. These are the people who fall in love with its mystical atmosphere and enjoy the peace and the freedom of a lifestyle which they accept as sufficient compensation for the many little sacrifices and comforts which are taken for granted in city living.