Flora and Fauna

The Australian continent has been isolated from major land masses for 55 million years, which has created a sanctuary for its flora and fauna. It possesses about 280 species of mammals of which almost half are marsupials. The rest are either placental mammals or monotremes (i.e. the duck-billed platypus, and two types of echidna), and most are unique to Australia. It also has more than 800 species of bird, 300 species of lizard, 140 species of snake and two species of crocodile. Australia has more than 20,000 species of plants, including “living fossils” and brilliant wildflowers. The eucalyptus plant gives the face of Australia its distinctive appearance, and its many varieties grow throughout the entire continent. Native forests are mainly limited to the rainforests and wetter coastal districts, in particular Queensland, whereas the arid grassland areas are transformed by wildflowers into carpets of colour after rain.