Fifteen Amazing Aussie Facts Trivia Quiz

Answer: Bilby

Australian bilbies are nocturnal and usually come out at night to find their food. Bilbies have long snouts which help them to smell and find food. They are also marsupials like the kangaroo, wombat and koala.

Answer: Camels

Camels were brought to Australia as they were perfect for outback conditions. They were used to transport heavy items in outback Australia, a necessity in a developing country. One of their most notable contributions was in the construction of the Overland Telegraph Line starting in Adelaide and going up through the centre of Australia to Darwin. With the introduction of railways, most working camels were turned loose and there are now over 1,000,000 feral camels in the outback destroying the fragile ecosystems that exist there.

Answer: The First Fleet

The First Fleet sailed to Australia on the 13th May 1787 from Great Britain. They came to Australia to establish the first colony which was to be in New South Wales. The First Fleet was made up of two naval escort ships, six convict transport ships and three food and supply ships.

Answer: Charles Kingsford Smith

The Bondi Surf Lifesaving Club was formed in Australia on the 21 February 1907. The first rescue was when a young Charlie Smith was pulled from the water - the same Charlie who flew during WWI and went on to set world aviation records. Today, we know him as Charles Kingsford Smith.

Answer: The blue-ringed octopus

If you thought that sharks and rays were the only animal to watch out for in Australia's coastal waters, think again. The blue-ringed octopus has enough venom to paralyse ten adult human males.

Answer: American

Cobb & Co was started by a young American, Freeman Cob. In January 1854, the first Cobb & Co coach set off. The service ran from Melbourne to the goldfields of Bendigo, Ballarat and Castlemaine. The 162km trip took 13 hours and cost £3.

Answer: Cicada

Summer in Australia has a familiar soundtrack - the song of cicadas. The insects song is its mating call. Different cicada species have some bizarre nicknames which include the chocolate soldier, golden knight, floury baker, whisky drinker and typewriter.

Answer: The Melbourne Cup

The first Melbourne Cup horse race took place in 1861, over a distance of two miles. Only 17 horses ran and a galloper named Archer took the title.

Answer: Venomous snakes

Australia has more venomous snakes than non-venomous species. Although Australia has many snake species snake bites are not a common occurrence. The most venomous snake in the world is the inland taipan which is also commonly referred to as the fierce snake. Inland taipans are found throughout central Australia and are on average 1.8 metres long.

Answer: New South Wales Rugby League

This was the first rugby league competition to be played in Australia. Since then it has expanded to states such as Victoria and Queensland and other countries including New Zealand and is now called the National Rugby League or NRL for short. The first club was the Newtown Jets from the Sydney suburb of Newtown.

Answer: Phar Lap

Phar Lap took out many major horse-racing events in Australia; some of this include the Melbourne Cup, the AJC Derby and on two occasions the Cox Plate. The average heart of a horse weighs about 4 kilos.

Answer: Cricket

Cricket balls are made the same way today as they were in 1700. The cork centre is surrounded by a thick layer of rubber and then covered with leather. Cricket is played in many other countries as well including England, India and South Africa.

Answer: Hawaii

Nearly 100 cane toads were imported from Hawaii to Australia in 1933 to control the cane beetle. There are now more than 200 million around the country and are a major pest.

Answer: Freddie Fisher

Freddie Fisher shared a farm in Campbelltown, NSW, with another former convict, George Worrall. In 1826 George told locals Freddie had returned to England, leaving the farm. That June, resident John Farley saw a phantom figure of Freddie Fisher sitting on a bridge, the ghost beckoned him to look at something in the creek.

The local police sergeant, already suspicious about Freddie's departure, heard the story and took an Aboriginal tracker to investigate. The creek was searched and the decaying body of Fisher was found.

Answer: Ian Thorpe

Swimming legend Ian Thorpe broke 22 world records, won nine Olympic medals, 10 Commonwealth Games gold medals and 11 World Championships. He is regarded as one of Australia's best ever swimmers.