20 million people are crammed into an island 32 times bigger than the UK . Most live near the coast and enjoy a relaxed, outdoor lifestyle. Because there is so much land, they can relax in larger and more luxurious homes at relatively low cost.
Work hard and play hard is the credo. Generally, there is more time to be with the family, or watch the rest of the family taking part in a multitude of organised sports or pastimes.
In the Southern areas, it is a mild climate where you may even get a frost in the middle of winter! Then it can be as cold as 10* C for the rest of the day. Summer temperatures can be 30 – 35* C. The further north you go, the hotter and more humid it can get. Over 90% of Australians live below the latitude line that goes through Brisbane .
During the winter (June & July) the sun rises at about 8am , it gets dark around 5.30pm , In the summer: 6.00 am & 9.30pm . There are 2200 hours of sunshine on average per year as opposed to 1500 hours in the UK .
Education is the most important aspect of life in Oz, not sport! You can strive to make something of yourself if you have the ability, and you can make it work. Primary, Intermediate and Secondary schools are free; at University you have to pay. However, it is a lot less than the cost here. The Education system is similar in structure to the UK so it’s no problem to adjust. You just start school at the beginning of each year, not 2/3 of the way through.
