Australia is a continent, a country, and a world unto itself—home to unique wildlife found nowhere else, vast red deserts, tropical rainforests, and vibrant cities shaped by waves of migration and indigenous heritage spanning tens of thousands of years. From the Great Barrier Reef to the Sydney Opera House, from Aboriginal art traditions to modern innovations, Australia offers endless stories of adaptation, discovery, and natural wonder. Whether you're curious about its geography, history, culture, or the remarkable creatures that call it home, test your knowledge of this extraordinary land.
▶ Play today's quizWhich iconic structure sits on Sydney Harbour?
Source: Its sail-shaped shells were inspired by segments of a single sphere, an idea the architect had while peeling an orange.
Which marsupial is famous for sleeping up to 20 hours a day in eucalyptus trees?
Source: Their leafy diet is so low in energy that they sleep most of the day just to digest it.
Which animal appears alongside the emu on Australia's coat of arms?
Source: The kangaroo and emu were chosen partly because neither can easily walk backwards, symbolising a nation moving forward.
Which large reef system lies off Australia's northeast coast?
Source: It is the only living structure on Earth visible from space, made by billions of tiny coral polyps.
What is the name of the vast dry interior of Australia?
Source: It covers most of the continent, yet the vast majority of Australians live near the coast.
What is the official capital city of Australia?
Source: Canberra was purpose-built as a compromise between rival cities Sydney and Melbourne, which both wanted the title.
Which red sandstone monolith is sacred to Aboriginal peoples?
Source: It glows fiery red at sunset because its iron-rich surface literally rusts in the desert air.
What spread do Australians traditionally eat on toast?
Source: Made from leftover brewer's yeast, it is so salty that the trick is to spread it thinly, not thickly.
What is the name of Australia's flag-carrier airline?
Source: Qantas is one of the world's oldest continuously operating airlines and a national icon.
Which body of water separates Australia from New Zealand?
Source: Crossing it is nicknamed 'the Ditch', and flying over it is called 'hopping the Ditch'.
In which Australian state is the city of Perth located?
Source: Perth is one of the most isolated major cities on Earth, closer to Indonesia than to Sydney.
Which venomous Australian creature is among the deadliest in the ocean?
Source: Its venom can stop a human heart in minutes, yet it has no brain, just a ring of nerves.
Which semi-aquatic Australian mammal lays eggs yet nurses its young with milk?
Source: This egg-laying mammal also has venomous spurs and detects prey using electric fields.
Which Australian city is known for its tram network and laneway cafes?
Source: It runs the largest tram network in the world, a legacy of its 1880s gold-rush wealth.
What is the longest river system in Australia?
Source: It drains an area the size of France and Spain combined, yet often runs nearly dry.
What name did Dutch explorers give Australia before its current name?
Source: The Dutch charted the western coast first but never settled, so the British later renamed the whole continent.
Which sport draws Australia's biggest single-day crowds each spring?
Source: The Melbourne Cup is called 'the race that stops a nation', and the whole state gets a public holiday.
Which is the largest Australian island, lying just south of the mainland?
Source: It was once joined to the mainland by a land bridge that vanished when sea levels rose 10,000 years ago.
What was the failed 1932 Australian military operation against a crop-raiding pest called?
Source: Soldiers with machine guns lost to the birds, which scattered too fast to be hit; the emus effectively won.
Which gemstone is Australia famous for producing most of the world's supply?
Source: The mining town of Coober Pedy is so hot that residents live underground in dugout homes.