I've been asked by Americans about 'everything that wants to kill you' and I remind them that they have Bears, Mountain Lions and Coyotes and those bastards will stalk you. I've had a few run ins with snakes (brown snake and red belly black snake) but I gave them a wide berth and they left me alone.
Not on purpose. I was having a beer with a mate in Barcelona once and I thought, jeez this Spanish beer is good. When we walked out I finally saw that big blue and yellow Fosters sign behind the bar. For reference, I had been drinking English beer for 2 solid months before that.
Nor Bundaberg Rum.. she has it on the shelf behind her but most Aussies* will drink literally anything else before touching that swill. *Queenslanders excepted
Talking about the cost of goods in Australia, I think a lot of Americans see the prices displayed in dollars and think of the USD not AUD, and forget about the currency conversion and Australian prices include sales tax (GST).
Yep, you nailed it, Kaitlyn... I get tired of seeing vloggers, who constantly rave on about how dangerous Australia is.... Although, I must confess to occasionally exaggerating the perils of Australia to foreign visitors... I remember, when I was a resident artist in a rainforest tourism facility in Far North Queensland, being asked by an American, if there were any man eating sharks in a nearby river... I said no, they are all gone... The American decided to headed off for a swim in the river... as he walked away, I said..."there used to be hundreds of them in there, thankfully, the Saltwater Crocodiles turned up and ate them all... "
Not only to warn about them, but how to avoid being killed by them! You slather Vegemite or mutton grease on your head and shoulders so when they drop on you they can only slide off.
I see them all the time when I go to Magnetic Island. There's a well known family of them that inhabit one of the main walking tracks. I know this pretty specific, but I feel like that's the truth for most of these, it really highly depends on the location.
@@thehastywombat I live in the suburbs of Sydney surrounded by thousands of eucalyptus trees and all I’ve ever found from looking for koalas is a crick in my neck. 😃🇦🇺
@@Jeni10 There wont be any there. Too much noise, to much building etc etc. I grew up In Jannali in the Sutho Shire and never saw one in the Nasho park either.
I've only seen wild koalas once in Morialta National Park near Adelaide, and I only knew they were there because they were calling/grunting/growling/making that ghastly noise koalas sometimes do.
Seeing kangaroos, koalas, wallabies, wombats etc depends on where you live. My early morning bike rides nearly always include sightings of native animals, and in fact I look out for them pretty carefully as they are the biggest risk on the rides. You really don't want to hit them at speed on a bike. Koalas are easy to find around here if you know where to look. Snakes and spiders are about but not a problem if you just leave them alone; it's not in their best interest to bite you.
Very true. I grew up on a rural property and we were 8 miles from the school bus. We saw roo’s most days on our way home from the school bus. However I have rarely seen a koala or wombat in the wild.
One thing that absolutely knocked me for a six when travelling through the US was the number of times I was reminded how unique it was that Aussie kids rode Roos to school. I heard this in so many places across the US. Sort of fits in with drop bears.
A really well presented video, Kaitlyn 😊 Also, you pronounced Melbourne without the 'r', and I could not love you more right now 😅 Glad you addressed the guns & freedom issues. The US media run the most extreme crap about Australia. It's ridiculous 🙄 And the 'everything is out to kill you' myth cannot be debunked enough. Brits and Europeans believe it too. Not visiting a country as amazing as Australia bc of an unfounded fear is just really sad.
As an Aussie, I appreciate the fact you've included 4 things in your list that are true, just to keep people guessing about what is true and what isn't. Keep up the good work!
As an Aussie, I appreciate the way she pronounced Aussie. It annoys me how Americans say it with pronounced ss, and not zz. It's spelled Aussie but its pronounced Ozzie.
Back when I used to have social media I was living near Wilson’s promontory (southernmost point of the Aussie mainland) and pointed out to an American friend that I literally had a penguin colony and a bunch of fur seals at the end of my street and he was blown away. Yes. It’s actually a continent lol
The Outback Steakhouse menu has about as much relevance to Aussie food as Starbucks has to genuine, good quality coffee. Great video and good to hear an American perspective from an ex-pat American viewpoint. Diggin’ it. 🤠👍🏼🍻
Haha thats true. We were in the US once and my wife loves her coffee. We asked where we could get a great coffee and were directed to Starbucks and in Canada we were told Tim Horton. Gotta say I've trodden better stuff and scraped it off my shoe. I'd rather lick the sweat off a gorillas buttocks.
Hi Kaitlyn ! 🤗🇺🇸 I am an Australian-born American (born in Melbourne), because my entire side of my mum's family lives in Aus. I actually lived in Aus until I was about 1 yrs old, meaning I was an infant during the time I lived in Australia. However, during the 'Christmas'/winter break in the states, we would go and see my mum's family in Melbourne every 3-4 or so years. (PS--to preface this video, I want to point out how cute your accent is, you are definitely losing the American 'twang'! My mum's accent was affected as well, when I was a teen I noticed that she enunciated her r's much more clearly. Now, her accent sounds very Southern 😂) For anyone who cares to read this comment, I'll be adding my thoughts to this video from an American perspective : *1. Everything is trying to kill you -* For Americans reading this, it's similar to comparing grizzly/black bears to the wildlife of Aus. If you live in the Rocky Mountains (i.e. Yellowstone), odds are you probably don't see bears, huge bison, or giant moose casually strolling through the streets if you live in a densely populated town. However, the further into the forest you go, the chances of seeing major wildlife are 10x higher. Basically, there aren't kangaroos, wallabies or echidnas randomly roaming around the streets, at least in urban areas (take this with a grain of salt, as the only states I've been to were NSW and VIC) *2. Australia is so expensive (compared to the USA) -* Healthcare in America is most likely one of the top reasons this is false, so I agree. It's also true that American tourists tend to spend the most time in the touristy sections, which are certainly more pricey, and indeed, a good chunk of the tourists probably will only eat at restaurants that do not exist in the States (since it _is_ a once-in-a-lifetime experience). A typical American tourist probably would not eat at, say McDonald's or KFC since we already have that in the states lol *3. All Aussie men are surfers or Crocodile Dundee -* This stereotype is very true and bizarre. It's like saying all American men have dad bods, or all British men have bad teeth or something lmao. One time in high school this girl in my class asked me if ALL the guys there were tall and hot and I was like ... girl no . *4. Aussies don't drink Foster's beer -* This is the first time I've seen this on any kind of "American living in Australia" video and it's sooo true lmfao. My mum will die on the hill of "foster's is shit beer". She even said some American craft beers like Sierra Nevada were better than Foster's lmao, I've tried it once out of sheer curiosity and I am not a beer drinker whatsoever so I mean it tasted shit regardless hahah *5. Outback Steakhouse -* Fact, it's a shitty restaurant with shitty food and a horrible adaptation of Aussie 'culture' lmao these don't exist where I live in San Francisco, you're probably gonna find it at some podunk town that's like an hour away from an urban area in the US in 2023 not gonna lie. Americans with common sense know to avoid this restaurant regardless, like I saw on the news one time a few years ago that people got food poisoning from an Outback Steakhouse in california so that's a hard no ahah *6. Most Aussies live in the Outback -* Too many Americans I went to COLLEGE (uni) with _genuinely_ thought that Australians lived in the Outback... I then explained that you could sort of compare living in the Outback to living in Death Valley (in California). I mean, shit look at California, why do you think we live on the Pacific coast as opposed to inland in the desert 😂😂😂Only a small community lives in parts of the Outback, as well as Death Valley lol. *7. It's always hot in Australia -* I've heard this too often as well, however I was in Melbourne for Christmas break last year & I went to Geelong beach with my fam & the sun felt like it was excruciatingly hot and I had to put on sunscreen like every hour 😭 The only season I've experienced in Australia was summer, but honestly one day it felt hotter than a 40 degree/95+ degree sunny July day at the beach in the Bay, and the water felt sooooo nice. *8. Australia is a nanny state -* I feel like people who say this are people affiliated with Republican beliefs and policies. However, my morals are more in line with Australia's politics, so you hit the nail on the head with this one ! Gun control laws are trash, the U.S. Constitution is trash, etc. etc. I myself am liberal-leaning, albeit I live in a pretty liberal area of the Bay where most peers of mine were quite politically and socially aware of the events happening in Australia lol, so thank God for that 🙏 *9. You probably won't see a kangaroo or koala in the wild -* I've only seen them at sanctuaries or zoos. Also off topic but one of my classmates in uni asked if I contracted chlamydia because I hugged a koala. I legit got asked that question so much when I showed friends and peers a picture of me carrying a koala bear that one time I was finally like "yes I actually do have chlamydia and since we're in close contact you technically have it now". This girl legitimately believed that she had contracted chlamydia ... *10. Toilets flush backward -* Yes, there is also very much a consensus that Americans genuinely think toilets in Aus flush backward 😐 Anyways, cheers for taking the time to make this video !! I subscribed 🤗
I live in the capital, which most Americans have never heard of, and I see roos and possums daily. Also, it's bloody freezin here too, you seem to have only come here at Christmas time, which is summer, even Victoria is warm then. 🤣
Living close to the city- 10 minute drive- regularly have Wallarbys visiting the gardens in my street. Plants eaten, leftovers everywhere! There is a council "green belt" not far away, must be the wildlife love the flowers! ❤️🇦🇺
You don’t know as much as you think. A few visits and having family here doesn’t make you an expert. I see wallabies weekly just depends where you are. Definitely not going to see them in and around Melbourne. The last place I lived i seen snakes almost daily in the summer months. As well as roo’s. I’ve hit more than I can count on both hands.
@@robrob5081 you will see them in several outer suburbs of Melbourne, especially around dawn and dusk, and some of the larger parklands. Wallabies have been seen along the Merri Creek and Yarra River, quite close to the inner city - not by me, but there have been surveys done.
Yes but Australians are lovely people just like koalas loo, you never hear about mass shootings in Australia. You do hear about massive drive by orderings at Maccas in Oz.
@@rais1953 Yes massive drive by orderings at Maccas can lead to extreme American obesity in Australia. You dont want that, because how will an Australian then catch a wave at Bondi.
@@jerlstif Yes. Yes. We all know America is 'number 1' in pointless firearm ownership. (Americans just have to brag, even about being 1st in negatives - eg number of COVID deaths per capita. You tried, but didn't win that one. Sorry. 🤣🤣)
What do the Americans know of any country outside the US? And you mentioned "freedom". Some American woman, now living in Europe wrote: here I am free of worries, I am free of fears. Here I am free. Love your comments.
Koalas can be sneaky lil buggers, especially when they metamorphose into drob bears at around 3 years of age. If you look up into the eucalyptus trees where these guys hang out you will commonly notice large brown nodules on the trunks, this is where the koala has dug in and cocooned itself in order to shed it's fluffy skin, develop its venom glands and fangs as well as the webbing between it's front and back legs which it uses like a flying squirrel or sugar glider. It is wise when looking for " koalas", to always wear sunglasses on the top of your head so the drop bear believes it has lost the element of surprise. Great videos too.👍
Great points! I think when Americans look at Aussie prices they don’t consider the price shown includes sales tax and we don’t encourage tipping, so savings there too!
The Coriolis Effect does effect water draining down a plug hole differently in the two hemispheres, but the effect at such a small scale is easily defeated by other local forces, so one can only say that the draining water funnels “tend” to rotate in opposite directions. It is much easier to see the effect in the weather. Cyclones/Hurricanes/Typhoons can be seen always spinning in clockwise in the southern hemisphere and anticlockwise in the northern hemisphere. Love your videos! Keep up the good work!
You're right on point about the plughole thing. There's a tidal creek five minute's walk from my place that potentially has Taipans Common Brown Dog Shark Box Jellies Crocs Stonefish and Cone shells. No drop bears as far as we know. Not a place to be silly and unaware. Cheers.
When people ask if Australians hate the Simpsons booting episode, I point out the only thing that I disliked was that Lisa the brainy one was wrong about the science of the coriollis effect, and Bart doesn't get any points for testing the truth of her claim.
@@shadout frankly the only problem i have is that they put the boot on the flag. That's a level of disrespect they haven't done with any other country.
@6.30. Spent a couple of days in Tibooburra about 50 years ago. The bar was 3 drinkers long. Back wall was a Drysdale painting. Music was a Philips plastic record player, for a pile of C & W lps. Counter lunches were a Sunbeam frypan with about 3 or 4 VERY old meat pies. Heaven!
At 2:19 ..Kaitlyn comments about cost of living in Australia. I'll just remind people that the cost of living in Sydney is a lot more than other parts of Australia or some other state capital cities.
Id suggest the cost of living in Victoria with its WAY over 200 billion dollar debt and rising $1billion every 40 days, the insane taxes they are constantly adding to businesses etc has made the entire state an absolute shithole to live in
Thank you for having the courage to come right out and say, " Having the right to bear arms doesn't necessarily make you more free." Australians, including the vast majority of Australian gun-owners, could not agree more!
Someone pulled into the wrong driveway in America and got shot. I was blown away to hear this as in Australia it is a common occurrence to pull into a driveway anywhere for the sole purpose of turning around and heading back the way you came. I will gladly keep our nanny state thanks. It suits me just fine.
Yep… ex American here, full Aussie now. Here gun ownership is a privilege .. NOT a right from a misinterpreted clause in the Constitution. And it’s tightly regulated for types of firearms. I can have a large calibre rifle for hunting BUT NOT an assault rifle. I can have a handgun only if I have a legitimate reason, proper training and get a permit from VIC police, and allow them to enter my house at any time to check my gun safe. I live in regional VIC and every one of my farmer friends have rifles and shotguns (feral pigs, cats, foxes and deer).
Same, once as a kid I was moving old bricks in my backyard (no gloves) and I pick up one that had 2 redback nssts and 4 redback spiders crawling on it, one touched my hand and I freaked the fuck out. Didnt get bit though.
Ooh I so loved how you took care to pronounce Mel-bun (short 'u') instead of Mel-born like most Americans do. Takes someone who cares enough to pay attention to do that. Thank you.
Great video, Kaithlyn. It's nice of you to put these things straight, especially for others who are considering coming to Australia. You have acquired quite a comprehensive knowledge of our country and its people so far so its good to share it. Also, I am sure a lot of the stereotypes we have about Americans just aren't true either so it works both ways.
Over here in Perth we are worried about running into deadly snakes (about 3 different species). We are talking backyards, the nearby beach, the local park and schools. When I say Perth, I am ~25 mins out of Perth city.
There aren't any large mammals that will actively hunting humans in Australia - no wolves, bears, or lions. Crocodiles are the only creatures that will try to kill you. It's kind of weird that Americans talk about Australian animals as being so deadly without mentioning all the deadly snakes, alligators, wolves, lions, bears etc that live in America.
The dingos don't actively hunt humans but if you get too close and familiar with them babies may be at risk as in the song " in the desert, the quiet desert, the dingo howls tonight, was it Lindy or did the dingo have a tasty bite?
I’ve only seen a koala once in the wild in my lifetime. They blend in “extremely” well into the trees. Kangaroos I see pretty much almost every afternoon (I’m not in the city, but a coastal town …. Hervey Bay), in the farmlands and nature reserves around town. Sometimes you have to give way to them hopping over the roads in the afternoons
Hervey Bay? My cousin used to live there, years ago and i spent one summer with him. They actually had a pretty good night life there, and if i wasn't an 18 year old with the confidence of a wet noodle, i probably would have "hooked up" with a goth chick.
I live in the Adelaide Hills about 35k from a major city . Just today I had to shepherd a koala off the road outside my house, they have zero road sense ! I also suspect a red bellied black snake lives in the rock garden beside my front door . I've seen it a few times sunning itself, we tolerate each other.
I disturbed a koala near Ballarat. They shot up a pine tree - oops. Next one I disturbed was at my home near Armidale. It spent a few days in a tree in my front yard
I was born in the 80's and where I lived in The Hills District in Sydney we used to have koalas filling the trees. If you drive along past the Koala Park in West Pennant Hills there used to be metal strips around the trees to stop them from travelling in and out of the park and those gum trees along that road often had koalas in them. My grandparents in Turramurra also had koalas in the trees in the suburb we would always watch. Unfortunately I'm Guessing the decline in numbers and loss of habitat as houses were built more probably added to the decline to as koalas were pushed out, hit by cars, attacked by dogs, and loss of food source.. so sad they're not around like they used to be
Outback Steakhouse is a funny one. It's what we, ina similar gimmicky fashion, call a Texan style steakhouse. There was a popular one in the 90s, Lone Star, which was a supposed Texas style steakhouse, and it basically had exactly the same menu as Outback Steakhouse, including the Bloomin Onion.
you have to look in gum trees to find koalas and they're hard to spot if they are up in the canopy, but look in the crooks of branches where they sleep. you can also smell them before you see them once you're familiar with their smell. it's breeding season now so it's a good time to go looking for them males calling and fighting at night is a terrifying sound to the unfamiliar. most people would think it's a giant angry pig the size of horse.
Kaitlyn if you want to see plenty of native animals, visit Alexandra, Victoria. Redback spiders are common, but they aren't a problem and we kill them on sight anyway. There are snakes in the summer, mostly tigers and browns, but you rarely see one. Kangaroos can often be seen inside the outskirts of town. There are many wombats in this area, and they are hit by cars far more often than kangaroos. A note for city folk, if you see a dead wombat with a cross spray-painted on it it's been checked to see if there are any surviving joeys. I've also stopped to escort koalas and echidnas across the road near town, so they are around even if not often seen. There are also wild budgies, rosellas and king parrots, kookaburras, etc.
I grew up in western Sydney and always had Sydney funnel webs in our house. Red backs were also really common. We also had a red belly black snake at my grandparents place more towards the city.
I grew up in Victoria and I think I only saw 3 live snakes out in the wild for the first 60 years of my life. I've since moved to the central Queensland coast and now regularly see various pythons and legless lizards when I'm out and about in the evenings from about October to April.
I grew up just outside of Canberra and we had a lot of snakes. I almost stepped on a baby red belly a couple of years ago picking raspberries at my parents.
I'm 32, grew up in suburban Sydney and I've never even seen a wild snake. I spent a lot of time in my childhood running around exploring in the bush with mates too. If any of the other kids in the neighbourhood ever came across a snake while on a bushwalk it'd be a story they'd be telling for weeks, and even then the ones they saw would often be a non-venomous species like a diamond python. As a kid, my greatest fear and phobia was *leeches* haha.
I live in South Australia in the Noarlunga area we have a park, walking trail directly across the road and we’ve seen numerous koalas in trees there. More so in the summer months as they’re seeking out water. But I saw a koala crossing a main road last week. Thankfully people saw it and it crossed safely.
I like the movie “Sir Les Patterson Saves the World” where there was a “typical Australian suburb” which had kangaroos and emus wandering around suburban front yards. This movie also had an official Australian embassy car which was a stretch FJ Holden with the Oz coat of arms on the side.
The Australian Alps is a section of the Great Dividing Range where it is one of the few places where it snows most of the year. Interestingly, the Australian Alps get more snowfall than the entirety of Switzerland.
G'day, mate! An interesting presentation Kaitlyn. One of the most significant points to be made about Australia is that it is (most likely) close to being the most culturally diverse country on earth. Now that doesn't come easy. There is a lot of acceptance required to create such a society. That is something to be proud of and something that other countries should try to emulate, in my opinion. Subscribed.
11:37 …I’m in a city (Brisbane) and there has been literal multiple occasions where roo’s have hopped down my street..no joke.and I’m aware koalas aren’t in EVERY TREE but they do appear in forest-like areas,along with their native family members,our beloved drop bears❤
You are correct on a lot of things you say but as for seeing Kangaroo's or Koala's close to where you live it really depends on "where you live". The habbitats these animals live in are very diverse and spread all over the country. Up here in Brisbane Queensland we have a massive Kangaroo population on the outskirts of our city, especially in the western suburbs such as Wacol for example. You don't have to go far before you see several kangaroo's hopping around in the suburban streets....Koala's are more hidden and harder to find but they are out there.
I'm in SW Sydney, about 10 mins from the Wedderburn Koala Colony. We often see kangaroos and wallabies along Menangle Rd, out through Razorback, Picton and surrounds. The things are everywhere in the ACT where my adult children live.
Also in the Redlands QLD - I frequently see them at the train station or the park across the road from my house. I have also had a Kangaroo jump around the street in the suburbs at Wellington Point (which is more beachy). 100% agree with you about Brisbane.
In regards to the animals, it really depends! I've had snakes in my backyard, friends have had dogs die due to snake bite, my sister who lives in a densely populated suburb, had a brown snake in her yard once! Paralysis ticks are a huge danger to pets, at the moment there is a shortage of antivenom serum and we are heading into prime tick season. I was walking my dog in a local park with a soccer playing field and I saw a wallaby hop through!
If you live in snake country get yourself a fox terrier dog. When the Foxie tangles with the snake, it’s no contest, the Foxie will win, this I know from lots of experience with snakes and fox terriers.
Funnily enough I used to work in childcare and we had a few eastern brown snakes in the playground. Growing up out of town I had a few close calls with snakes, but they generally won’t bother you if you leave them alone.
great video and well put :) a few notes for those who want further info. koalas are more common up north. I have passed a couple. they are dying out though, quickly. 2. kangaroos are common enough to be a nuisance, just not where you are. or even near where you are. most people indeed rarely see them 3. alcohol culture is extremely developed. Where I live isn't wine country and is in QLD, but yet I still live 5 minutes from a winery selling tens to hundreds of different products. same goes for other forms of alcohol in stores. it's not possible to memorise them all. 4. mmmmm steak. 5. USA is cheaper (or it was the last time I was there before the doomflation) across all items, but there are some major benefits that greatly offset this like cheaper healthcare. Every Aussie has seen those medical bills on TH-cam and subsequently thought America has fucked healthcare. also other things like centerlink, different leave types, better working hours etc. also the much higher availability of fresh food.
'Koalas are common up north'. North of where?! Koalas are most prevalent in southern NSW and Vic. I understand they've also been introduced into Tas to try to address the illnesses effecting mainland koalas.
Cheers for your comment , you could compare centrelink in aus to our social security system in the states , but the welfare system in the US is shittier tbh lol !
Toilets do flush *differently* - when visiting New Jersey I noticed that they fill up with water & swirl around and then flushes away. Here in sunny Melbourne the contents flush away first *then* water runs down the sides of the bowl to wash it out.
Hitting the USA in 1988, it was right after Croc Dundee II & people think this was the norm for Australia. "Say something in Australia ?" I got sick of the dumb questions since both movies but things mellowed over time. You are spot on about the comparison in real costs. So many hidden taxes unlike Australia - you have PAYG, GST & a few luxuries taxes.
@@carolynrutherford6466 Yes I am fully aware that as an avid USA visitor since I was 19 & having lived there a few times with work. The tipping is supposed to cover the short fall from tight fisted employers.
traditional aussie cuisine: - pies - fairy bread (sprinkles on buttered bread - anzac busicuits (a very particular recipe of oat biscuit that has historical provinance and what can and can't bear the name is actually regulated) - lamingtons (australia and new zealand have a fued as to which one came up with it) - shepards pie
Great video. As an Australian who DOES live in the Outback, about 750km between Brisbane and Sydney, about 400km inland basically right around the Qld/NSW border.... I want to put a caveat or two on this... just incase. If you DO come to the bush, as a tourist, American or otherwise, you WILL see both a lot of the CUTE things, Koalas, Wombats, Echidnas.... as well as the annoying things... Kangaroos.... NO you will NOT see them in the cities, or even in much of the urban coastal area.... but you WILL in the country... and they are essentially DEER to us.... annoying road hazards, which everyone who had had a license for more than a decade and lives 100k or more from a the big smoke, has HIT in their car or on a bike at least once. BUT.... you WILL also see all the killer snakes, all the nasty spiders, all the dangerous sea creatures, too, if in isolated coastal areas, and anywhere from Cairns around to Broome, along the northern Coast... you ARE in Crocodile country, you will see them, and they DO kill people every year. So do not go the other way and think that the overrated nature of the 'Everything will kill you" applies carte blanche, it GENERALLY applies, in MOST of the places you will visit as a tourist, that even includes many of the Outback tourist hotspots, because they go their way to ensure you do not step out the bus at Uluru and cop a Taipan on your thigh within two seconds..... HOWEVER.... when 'Off the beaten track'.... tourism wise... you very well CAN come face to face with some of those things. Always assume it IS one of those things, and avoid any nasty outcomes by avoiding them when you see them. (Also, we never BANNED guns, just regulated them. All guns are available. You need different licenses. For a basic low capacity, manual operated rifle, it is pretty easy Cat A license, for a full military spec AK47, it is ALMOST impossible...but NOT actually impossible... to get a Cat-R license... you just need a HELL of a REASON... like say you are a verified, established collector in good standing with all other licenses, or are a certified factory expert in the use, servicing, assembling/disassembling and training with a given weapon, or are a licenses armourer and gunsmith working in the film industry etc etc.... so in THAT way, we have MORE gun freedom than the US... as my understanding it, they plan to reintroduce the Assault Weapons ban, the import ban of 1986 still stands... so it IS basically impossible for an American to buy a BRAND new Automatic weapon... get a Cat-R... not easy, but possible... in Australia, and YOU CAN... sorry, rant over... that just p*sses me off, the whole 'They terrrk yuurrr gerrns" thing).
Kangaroos are really common in parts of Melbourne. I encounter them on my local bike track and they used to be in my street, but development has pushed them back a few streets. My suburb is also home to 3 of the top 10 most deadly snakes in the world. Yay. Snakes are common in Melbourne and they have been known to enter houses if the back door is left open during summer. In my suburb kangaroo attacks on dogs are actually more common than snake attacks. Fortunately, my dog was big enough to survive such an attack. Koalas -and even echidnas - can also be found in some suburbs too.
@@jennifermason9557 In the very outer fringe suburbs perhaps, or low density suburbs with huge tracts of bushland kept in place.... Sydney is the same in that regard.... but in the 'Tourist' places, you just will not see them. I know the cities well, even though I am a bushwhacker, been to most many times. If you are on a Tram, in Melbourne, or at Lunar Park, or anywhere you find the tourists, you wont be seeing too many fights between Fido and Skippy.
@@Apis4 Well I clearly imagined that very expensive vet bill and having to nurse my dog back to health. Melbourne is famous for having waterways, parklands and virgin land preserved throughout our burbs - some relatively close to the city. There's colonies of native wildlife dotted throughout Melbourne. It sounds like you've never explored the wildlife of the Melbourne burbs. And yes, you can see native wildlife not far from Luna Park. Just down the road is a penguin colony and it's a thing for tourists to hit Luna Park then go see the penguins then hit St Kilda for dinner. My dad always took our Brisbane cousins out for a tour. I grew up in a suburb 20 mins drive form the city.
8:30 - I live in Melbourne (in and around which Mad Max was shot). It's cold much of the time, but we say "if you don't like the weather... wait a minute". 12:00 - Roos are just about everywhere; but they come out at the START and END of a day, and have favourite "eateries" (if you're in Sydney, try the Blue Mountains or Botanical Gardens). Unlike cockatoos, who are always out and about.
Yeah, America has bears, coyotes, mountain lions, all kind of deadly animal’s, and they attack you about as often as our creatures attack us! Of course you do have to be careful of dangerous things, but surly that applies to every country in the world! Welcome to Australia, glad your here and happy!
Be awear of drop bears when out walking in the outback. Always carry a metal spiked umbrella to protect your head. Available from nearly all corner stores.
As a Kiwi who has lived in both Australia and the US of A, I support what you say, there are plenty of wildlife in North America that will try to kill you, just as many as in Oz, if you want to see Koalas (Drop Bears, lol ) I saw them on the side road to cape Otway but the safest place to see them would be in SA on, ironically, Kangaroo island.
Umm. I live in the outback, 300 km from Alice Springs. It's not correct that the outback is dry, waterless and uninhabitable. It's just that most Aussies think they'll die if they live more than 30 minutes from the coast.
You do get funnel web spiders in Sydney quite often but other than that your video was a breath of fresh air. I remember seeing a young American girl being interviewed once saying she loved our gun laws and the fact that in Australia she had not had to do a lock down drill at school once. We see kangaroos daily where we live and also koalas semi regularly (Port Stephen’s District, NSW) so it depends where you live.
Yeah there are also deadly snakes suburban areas, but you don't see them very often. I almost stepped on a huge brown snake cutting through bushland on my way to school about 10 min from the Perth CBD
A safety warning applies for the kangaroos, as far as 'you can't expect to see them'. If you're driving at night in the country, you MUST assume that you're going to see a live kangaroo, either in the middle of the road around the bend or over the hill, or ready to jump in front of you at a moment's notice. Please adjust your speed accordingly, keep a sharp eye out for them, and assume that the roos will try to get themselves killed.
I used to drive regularly from the coast to Canberra and regularly saw roadkill. I bought a two-pack of those sonar devices from an auto supply shop. You stick them on your car bonnet and they only cost around $5.00. The wind blows through them and they emit a sound that’s inaudible to humans, like a dog whistle. It’s a cheap way to alert kangaroos that you’re nearby and saves a lot of money when there’s no other vehicle involved and there’s no insurance to claim for your repairs.
That was kinda good, well done. 👍 Have you tried Kangaroo Island? 😁 I mean it just does depend on where you go. If you live in the foothills of Adelaide you'll get koalas in your back yard occasionally. Oh, congratulations on your marriage. Hope it's long and happy.
No mention of Drop Bears. And there are some places where school children may encounter crocs on the way to school. In Cooktown where I live, there's a kids playground by the river with a Beware of Crocs sign. At high tide, if there is a lot of rain, there might be crocs on the road between the river and the playground.
Try "Koala Park" in West Pennant Hills (in Sydney). It's probably 30 minutes from Blacktown. You'll see all the Koalas that you want along with a variety of other native animals including feeding Kangaroos by hand. Thanks for all the great videos, I really enjoy them. Keep up the good work.👍
Koala park is very close to where I live. It is run down and I went there earlier this year and we got to see one koala only. However there were lots of kangaroos, wallabies, emus cassowaries. Featherdale is sooo much better.
Living in suburban Newcastle i can attest the ease of coming across a Brown snake. My neighbour pinned a Black snake under a shovel and had called out for help. Trapdoor and funnel web spiders happily live in our backyards.
*Horses and cows* are statistically the most lethal animals in Australia. And forget about the sharks, it's your drive to the beach amongst fellow humans that's the biggest risk. Human deaths by animals between 2001 and 2017 (16 years): 172 horses (18 during racing), 82 cows, 53 dogs, 37 kangaroos but ALL as a result of vehicle incident, 37 snakes, 31 bees (all from anaphylaxis shock), 27 sharks, 21 crocodiles. Snakes and spiders arent even on the list! Source: NCIS Australian government organisation ps. i'm in Perth, havent seen a redback spider in over 30 years. I think the only spider you need to worry about is Sydney Funnelweb, but that has such a small distribution area, and we have antivenom for both.
This works out to 1.6 shark fatalities a year, 1.3 crocodile fatalities a year, but 3.3 dog fatalities a year, 5.1 cow fatalities a year, and 10.75 horse fatalities a year. There were *1194* fatalities on the roads in 2019 - you don't have to worry about animals, just humans.
@@79other Drop Bear fatalities were not listed as they were slightly less than snake fatalities, which I found surprising as i thought they were basically similar fatality levels, they are in my state and we had 4 fatalities from Drop Bears in 2021 alone which is a bit freaky
the State I live in Victoria was considered to be the most nanny State. The political party that put the measures in place just got re-elected with only a tiny loss of votes. Most people could see the sense in many, but perhaps not all, of the restrictions. Of course like everywhere we had our deniers and rumour mongers amongst the very vocal minority.
Fosters is made for export because tourists seem to enjoy the taste of it. However, Aussies don’t like Fosters, we already have dozens of different beers, ales, pilsners and lagers as well as Guinness, that suit our tastes much better.
You really have to get out more and get away from Sydney. I hate having to go into the city, in my case Brisbane. It's like have having two million loonies in an open air asylum. As for roos I see at least 3 or more every day and lots of lovely spiders, mainly those web spinners. I get quite a few lizards and parrots and cockies galore. You do see the odd Koala in Brisbane and lots of snakes at the moment due to the late breeding season.
In Adelaide, the hills are only 20km from the city in some areas, and often on the news there are 'sightings' of kangaroos hoping down suburban streets.
Thank you for this video! The belief that we're a nanny state annoys me so much. Our media have so much more freedom to directly question politicians here than in the US. We have the freedom to not fear being shot going about our daily lives. I've been to the US several times and I'm so much more tense there than I am living in Sydney. However, I do enjoy sending videos about Australian animals to my friends overseas. The whole spider thing cracks me up.
I have to disagree, having lived in Australia for over 50 years and in other countries as well we definitely live in a nanny state/country. Just my opinion though and others are entitled to theirs.
When I lived in St Ives in Sinny, we had the very deadly and aggressive funnel web spider in the back yard bush that would come inside during heavy rain.
I’m so glad that you mentioned the NANNY state thing. We all got through Covid and had less deaths and we have much less gun crime than the US does..... Have been to the US many times. I feel very free and much safer here. 🙋♀️🇦🇺
Thanks for your perspectives. Kangaroos are widespread and very common in most places except for inner suburbs. Where I live I share my yard with about fourteen roos, particularly in spring and early summer. I leave a watering tub out for them so they can easily get a drink. They are a friendly mob and just hang about watching when I am working in the yard. Koalas aren't as widespread in the wild but there are 'hot' spots where they are quite abundant and relatively easy to spot. They are vulnerable to wildfires so are not so common in areas that regularly burn.
Yes, Australia had quite harsh covid restrictions, but whilst they were in place, Australia had among the lowest per capita covid infection and death rates in the world. Yes, Australia has strict gun control, resulting in extremely low numbers of gun homicides. Most sane people accept reasonable limits on personal freedom, when there are clear societal benefits.
I didn't think those restrictions weren't overly harsh; they were in line with other 1st world country restrictions. Maybe sealing WA off for a year and a bit was a little over the top, but us Sand-gropers were okay with it, and we weathered Covid quite well. WA and Queensland the only places in the world to have shown economic growth during those lockdowns, so shows it worked.
5:16 I don't know what the situation is like in Sydney, but Victoria and South Australia have HUGE wine cultures, with the famous Barossa Valley, Hunter Valley, Margaret River, and Goulburn Valley wine regions, among many others. Australian wines have a vast variety, with hundreds of small family-owned wineries operating alongside the big companies. Aussie wines are also internationally recognised and award-winning for their quality.
The Hunter Valley is a couple of hours north of Sydney - comparable to going to the Barossa in SA or Margaret river in WA. There are smaller or less ‘internationally famous’ wine regions around too (orange and Mudgee are a bit further but excellent weekend trips)
@@HM64430 Orange is gorgeous and there’s a lot you can do without paying out the nose as a tourist. Those areas are really just beautiful to be in and drive around
The fact that Americans think lockdowns were "Australia at its worst" is hilarious because we were supported by our government during them, and it was necessary to prevent the hundreds of thousands of deaths that the US had, since we hadn't been able to get vaccinated yet. It's society: Everyone should work together to protect the vulnerable of society.
The only time I've ever seen someone drink Fosters in Australia was at a Canadian work colleagues farewell. The pub for some reason had a few cans on the bottom shelf of the fridge. It seemed like the most obvious send-off for him even though none of us have ever tasted the stuff.
Out here in Windsor, round 1 am there are Roos round one particular area , in a closed off area but open to public. Koalas are endangered but your best bet to get up and close to one is either Sydney zoo or koala park, or featherdale
If you head north to Port Macquarie, they have a koala sanctuary/rescue place and you can see them there :) And Port Mac is a really pretty place. If you stay there, you may also hear the male Koalas at night. They make a deep grunting sound. Something you wouldn’t expect from a koala, haha. Also near Salamander bay, there’s Oakvale farm (about 1.5-2hour drive up from Sydney), where you can feed some Roos and see some other Aussie animals. Cassowary, maybe a dingo if they still have one there.
On the topic of the weather, I can add on to your point as a Tasmanian (That small nub under the mainland that a lot of maps forget about) that our weather is so on and off year round. One minute we'll have a flash flood and then sunny the next (literally). We have developed the rule of "No matter the weather, always bring a jumper" because when you don't have a jumper, that's the day it'll rain though I learnt when you visit Queensland, bring a pocket poncho and so you don't have to have the enbarressment of getting soaked and taking off and wringing your shirt before entering a restraunt.
XXXX is the cheap beer you drink to socialise, if you are in Queensland. VB is same for Victorians. If you want a good beer to enjoy the taste, ask the bar tender what's good. Plenty of good local and craft beers.
@@castleanthrax1833 I stand by what I said. Both are garbage that only people who want to get drunk will drink, rather than those that drink for taste. If you are a tourist in Australia, Ask the barman or attendant at the local bottle shop what is good for the local area. There are MUCH better beers available in Australia.
@@ausrobroy1964 What makes you think I'm a tourist in Australia? I'm a 57-year-old beer-loving Aussie, and I stand by what I said... both XXXX and VB are great beers. Brewers only add "craft" to the name so they can overcharge bogans who have no idea what good beer tastes like.
@@castleanthrax1833 Never said you were a tourist. This video is about what Americans are told. My comment was aimed at Americans. If you want to drink that garbage, you do you. I'd rather pay a bit extra for a beer that actually tastes good. If that makes me a bogan, so bit it!
I live in a tiny town west of Brisbane, it's 7 has away and it's like camping every day no traffic lights,stop signs etc but we have shop,coffee n gift shop post office museum, school clinic,caravan park,recreation grounds with a gym in it n a population of under 200,lots of emus,goats geese,bid life,kangaroos all come around town now n then,not a madhouse as I said very friendly place oh n of course we have a pub
I'm American. Australia is awesome. I bushwalked for a week in The Blue Mountains National Park NSW, The Queensland Outback, The Gold Coast. I never once had an encounter with a deadly snake. Never even saw one during my entire trip in Australia. I saw plenty of Kangaroos and Wallabies out in the bush. I admit I thought Australia was always hot. Boy was I in for a surprise. It can very cold in Australia in July at night in the Outback. It was also a bit chilly in Melbourne. I like Victoria Bitter VB the best. XXXX is pretty good. Australia is so big. It's so much more than just Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane. Kakadu and Uluru in The Northern Territories come to mind.
In my 3-month travels in Australia back in 2016, the most dangerous thing that I came across were the thousands (!) of kangaroo carcasses on the side of the road everywhere I went in the outback and near-outback. Most of them were German Shepard-sized or smaller. The only time I almost hit one with the car I was driving was at dawn in South Australia. Rule number one to follow when trying to avoid 'roos on the road is to NEVER drive at dawn or dusk. I am from Missouri USA.
Dawn and dusk and also at night are the worst time. I was told once that you aren't allowed to drive rental cars after dark west of Port Augusta (In SA) as it voids the insurance. which means you are wearing the cost of the rental cars repairs, ouch!
I live an hour west of Sydney and I regularly see wallabies, wombats and the occasional koala. There is a lot of land clearing happening to build houses on so that may be why.
I've been asked by Americans about 'everything that wants to kill you' and I remind them that they have Bears, Mountain Lions and Coyotes and those bastards will stalk you. I've had a few run ins with snakes (brown snake and red belly black snake) but I gave them a wide berth and they left me alone.
bears will SPRINT up a tree after you, you cannot escape them ... crocodiles don't climb trees!
Not to mention all the nutcases with guns
Yeah, ferkin bears man lol.
@@DaveWhoa no but crocs will wait under the tree til u get off it trying to get away from the snake on the tree haha
no the crocodiles ate them all
No Australian drinks fosters beer.
Not on purpose. I was having a beer with a mate in Barcelona once and I thought, jeez this Spanish beer is good. When we walked out I finally saw that big blue and yellow Fosters sign behind the bar. For reference, I had been drinking English beer for 2 solid months before that.
Nor Bundaberg Rum.. she has it on the shelf behind her but most Aussies* will drink literally anything else before touching that swill.
*Queenslanders excepted
@@dielaughing73 so all my friends that drink it are lying? Even the ones not from Qld!
@@dielaughing73QUEENSLANDER!!!!!
@@dielaughing73she also has Bundaberg Royal Liqueur on the shelf. That is awesome.
Talking about the cost of goods in Australia, I think a lot of Americans see the prices displayed in dollars and think of the USD not AUD, and forget about the currency conversion and Australian prices include sales tax (GST).
Especially with how shit our dollar has been going, USD goes a bloody long way at the moment.
With the Australian dollar oscillating between 50 cents to a dollar 10, it’s not surprising the confusion.
I think it also depends on where you live. I moved to the states 12 years ago, and it's still cheaper here than it was in QLD back then
And don't forget compulsary tipping in the US when you go out.
All prices on consumer goods include any taxes and wages are higher in AUS. People don't have to rely on tips to live a good life.
Yep, you nailed it, Kaitlyn... I get tired of seeing vloggers, who constantly rave on about how dangerous Australia is.... Although, I must confess to occasionally exaggerating the perils of Australia to foreign visitors... I remember, when I was a resident artist in a rainforest tourism facility in Far North Queensland, being asked by an American, if there were any man eating sharks in a nearby river... I said no, they are all gone...
The American decided to headed off for a swim in the river... as he walked away, I said..."there used to be hundreds of them in there, thankfully, the Saltwater Crocodiles turned up and ate them all... "
haha 😂
@@adam8822it is a bloody dangerous place.
Yes,Americans I'm afraid are not known for being the sharpest tool in the shed.
You can consider yourself a real Australian if you warn Americans about the deadly threat of Dropbears.
I was wondering when someone would finally come up with that one. Yes. They are real! Noone who sees one lives to tell the tale.
It's a national pasttime to do this. In fact it's practically our civic duty to do so.
Not only to warn about them, but how to avoid being killed by them! You slather Vegemite or mutton grease on your head and shoulders so when they drop on you they can only slide off.
Bloody Dropbears... I hate 'em!!
My uncle's neighbour's son in law was attacked by one on the way home from the pub after work one day!
mentioning the coriolis effect can possibly get one a root.
It’s very hard to see a koala when it’s up high in a eucalyptus tree, because they’re wedged between branches and blend right in amongst the foliage.
I see them all the time when I go to Magnetic Island. There's a well known family of them that inhabit one of the main walking tracks.
I know this pretty specific, but I feel like that's the truth for most of these, it really highly depends on the location.
@@thehastywombat I live in the suburbs of Sydney surrounded by thousands of eucalyptus trees and all I’ve ever found from looking for koalas is a crick in my neck. 😃🇦🇺
@@Jeni10 There wont be any there. Too much noise, to much building etc etc. I grew up In Jannali in the Sutho Shire and never saw one in the Nasho park either.
I've only seen wild koalas once in Morialta National Park near Adelaide, and I only knew they were there because they were calling/grunting/growling/making that ghastly noise koalas sometimes do.
The fires in NSW a few years ago decimated the koala population.
Seeing kangaroos, koalas, wallabies, wombats etc depends on where you live. My early morning bike rides nearly always include sightings of native animals, and in fact I look out for them pretty carefully as they are the biggest risk on the rides. You really don't want to hit them at speed on a bike. Koalas are easy to find around here if you know where to look. Snakes and spiders are about but not a problem if you just leave them alone; it's not in their best interest to bite you.
strangely enough there is a large heard of feral deer on richmond road in western sydney.
Koalas are extremely dangrous an American female interviewer thought.
@@2012inca American + female + interviewer is a deadly combination. Much more dangerous than the tiny red back spider.
@@2012inca Fair enough.They`re often confused with drop bears
Very true. I grew up on a rural property and we were 8 miles from the school bus. We saw roo’s most days on our way home from the school bus. However I have rarely seen a koala or wombat in the wild.
One thing that absolutely knocked me for a six when travelling through the US was the number of times I was reminded how unique it was that Aussie kids rode Roos to school. I heard this in so many places across the US. Sort of fits in with drop bears.
If I heard that B.S. I would just roll my eyes.
Working as a Cabbie at Adelaide airport I heard that everyday, people thinking that there were trained Roo's to ride to the Hilton
How can people be stupid enough to believe that.?
I was chatting with an English tourist here in Australia and he honestly thought that echidnas could shoot their spines out.
Well we do!😂
A really well presented video, Kaitlyn 😊 Also, you pronounced Melbourne without the 'r', and I could not love you more right now 😅 Glad you addressed the guns & freedom issues. The US media run the most extreme crap about Australia. It's ridiculous 🙄 And the 'everything is out to kill you' myth cannot be debunked enough. Brits and Europeans believe it too. Not visiting a country as amazing as Australia bc of an unfounded fear is just really sad.
pretty sure it's just a running meme at this point. and 100% agree with how we say Melbourne
At least Brits have a reason since there are very few dangerous animals on the Isles.
@@Hurricayne92 ... have you forgotten about Margaret Thatcher????
@@simbob26 Have you forgotten about Gordon Brown?
@@paulsz6194 Never forget the most dangerous species on the planet: _homo sapiens._ No other species killed so many people!
As an Aussie, I appreciate the fact you've included 4 things in your list that are true, just to keep people guessing about what is true and what isn't. Keep up the good work!
What you have done there, I can see. And I wholeheartedly approve.
As an Aussie, I appreciate the way she pronounced Aussie. It annoys me how Americans say it with pronounced ss, and not zz. It's spelled Aussie but its pronounced Ozzie.
Back when I used to have social media I was living near Wilson’s promontory (southernmost point of the Aussie mainland) and pointed out to an American friend that I literally had a penguin colony and a bunch of fur seals at the end of my street and he was blown away. Yes. It’s actually a continent lol
I've run over a penguin (little blue) and just about jumped on a fur seal (that rock has a lot of teeth).
But I'm a dumbarse kiwi
Theres a decent penguin colony off st.kilda pier, been there about 30 years.
@ yep, I live near there now and I’ve seen them in the water from time to time..
"If you go to the beach you most likely will run into a shark" - most tourists don't need worry about this as they only have a taste for Americans.
The Outback Steakhouse menu has about as much relevance to Aussie food as Starbucks has to genuine, good quality coffee. Great video and good to hear an American perspective from an ex-pat American viewpoint. Diggin’ it. 🤠👍🏼🍻
Kangaroo hotdogs?
@@jamesfrench7299 there are kangaroo sausages in most supermarkets
Australia zoo is even worse they only sell American food it's so bad you can't eat it even kids wouldn't eat it way over priced too
Haha thats true. We were in the US once and my wife loves her coffee. We asked where we could get a great coffee and were directed to Starbucks and in Canada we were told Tim Horton. Gotta say I've trodden better stuff and scraped it off my shoe. I'd rather lick the sweat off a gorillas buttocks.
Hi Kaitlyn ! 🤗🇺🇸
I am an Australian-born American (born in Melbourne), because my entire side of my mum's family lives in Aus. I actually lived in Aus until I was about 1 yrs old, meaning I was an infant during the time I lived in Australia. However, during the 'Christmas'/winter break in the states, we would go and see my mum's family in Melbourne every 3-4 or so years. (PS--to preface this video, I want to point out how cute your accent is, you are definitely losing the American 'twang'! My mum's accent was affected as well, when I was a teen I noticed that she enunciated her r's much more clearly. Now, her accent sounds very Southern 😂) For anyone who cares to read this comment, I'll be adding my thoughts to this video from an American perspective :
*1. Everything is trying to kill you -* For Americans reading this, it's similar to comparing grizzly/black bears to the wildlife of Aus. If you live in the Rocky Mountains (i.e. Yellowstone), odds are you probably don't see bears, huge bison, or giant moose casually strolling through the streets if you live in a densely populated town. However, the further into the forest you go, the chances of seeing major wildlife are 10x higher. Basically, there aren't kangaroos, wallabies or echidnas randomly roaming around the streets, at least in urban areas (take this with a grain of salt, as the only states I've been to were NSW and VIC)
*2. Australia is so expensive (compared to the USA) -* Healthcare in America is most likely one of the top reasons this is false, so I agree. It's also true that American tourists tend to spend the most time in the touristy sections, which are certainly more pricey, and indeed, a good chunk of the tourists probably will only eat at restaurants that do not exist in the States (since it _is_ a once-in-a-lifetime experience). A typical American tourist probably would not eat at, say McDonald's or KFC since we already have that in the states lol
*3. All Aussie men are surfers or Crocodile Dundee -* This stereotype is very true and bizarre. It's like saying all American men have dad bods, or all British men have bad teeth or something lmao. One time in high school this girl in my class asked me if ALL the guys there were tall and hot and I was like ... girl no .
*4. Aussies don't drink Foster's beer -* This is the first time I've seen this on any kind of "American living in Australia" video and it's sooo true lmfao. My mum will die on the hill of "foster's is shit beer". She even said some American craft beers like Sierra Nevada were better than Foster's lmao, I've tried it once out of sheer curiosity and I am not a beer drinker whatsoever so I mean it tasted shit regardless hahah
*5. Outback Steakhouse -* Fact, it's a shitty restaurant with shitty food and a horrible adaptation of Aussie 'culture' lmao these don't exist where I live in San Francisco, you're probably gonna find it at some podunk town that's like an hour away from an urban area in the US in 2023 not gonna lie. Americans with common sense know to avoid this restaurant regardless, like I saw on the news one time a few years ago that people got food poisoning from an Outback Steakhouse in california so that's a hard no ahah
*6. Most Aussies live in the Outback -* Too many Americans I went to COLLEGE (uni) with _genuinely_ thought that Australians lived in the Outback... I then explained that you could sort of compare living in the Outback to living in Death Valley (in California). I mean, shit look at California, why do you think we live on the Pacific coast as opposed to inland in the desert 😂😂😂Only a small community lives in parts of the Outback, as well as Death Valley lol.
*7. It's always hot in Australia -* I've heard this too often as well, however I was in Melbourne for Christmas break last year & I went to Geelong beach with my fam & the sun felt like it was excruciatingly hot and I had to put on sunscreen like every hour 😭 The only season I've experienced in Australia was summer, but honestly one day it felt hotter than a 40 degree/95+ degree sunny July day at the beach in the Bay, and the water felt sooooo nice.
*8. Australia is a nanny state -* I feel like people who say this are people affiliated with Republican beliefs and policies. However, my morals are more in line with Australia's politics, so you hit the nail on the head with this one ! Gun control laws are trash, the U.S. Constitution is trash, etc. etc. I myself am liberal-leaning, albeit I live in a pretty liberal area of the Bay where most peers of mine were quite politically and socially aware of the events happening in Australia lol, so thank God for that 🙏
*9. You probably won't see a kangaroo or koala in the wild -* I've only seen them at sanctuaries or zoos. Also off topic but one of my classmates in uni asked if I contracted chlamydia because I hugged a koala. I legit got asked that question so much when I showed friends and peers a picture of me carrying a koala bear that one time I was finally like "yes I actually do have chlamydia and since we're in close contact you technically have it now". This girl legitimately believed that she had contracted chlamydia ...
*10. Toilets flush backward -* Yes, there is also very much a consensus that Americans genuinely think toilets in Aus flush backward 😐
Anyways, cheers for taking the time to make this video !! I subscribed 🤗
I don't work out in middle of no where. Every night I see wallabies just around the corner from work
I live in the capital, which most Americans have never heard of, and I see roos and possums daily.
Also, it's bloody freezin here too, you seem to have only come here at Christmas time, which is summer, even Victoria is warm then. 🤣
Living close to the city- 10 minute drive- regularly have Wallarbys visiting the gardens in my street. Plants eaten, leftovers everywhere! There is a council "green belt" not far away, must be the wildlife love the flowers! ❤️🇦🇺
You don’t know as much as you think. A few visits and having family here doesn’t make you an expert. I see wallabies weekly just depends where you are. Definitely not going to see them in and around Melbourne. The last place I lived i seen snakes almost daily in the summer months. As well as roo’s. I’ve hit more than I can count on both hands.
@@robrob5081 you will see them in several outer suburbs of Melbourne, especially around dawn and dusk, and some of the larger parklands. Wallabies have been seen along the Merri Creek and Yarra River, quite close to the inner city - not by me, but there have been surveys done.
Over 5 million firearms in Australia. Americans - There's no guns!
Yes but Australians are lovely people just like koalas loo, you never hear about mass shootings in Australia. You do hear about massive drive by orderings at Maccas in Oz.
@@2012inca Almost as dangerous.
@@rais1953 Yes massive drive by orderings at Maccas can lead to extreme American obesity in Australia. You dont want that, because how will an Australian then catch a wave at Bondi.
We got like 500 million in America I’m just saying
@@jerlstif
Yes. Yes.
We all know America is 'number 1' in pointless firearm ownership.
(Americans just have to brag, even about being 1st in negatives - eg number of COVID deaths per capita. You tried, but didn't win that one. Sorry. 🤣🤣)
What do the Americans know of any country outside the US?
And you mentioned "freedom". Some American woman, now living in Europe wrote: here I am free of worries, I am free of fears. Here I am free.
Love your comments.
Like the song says; "don't worry, be happy"
Koalas can be sneaky lil buggers, especially when they metamorphose into drob bears at around 3 years of age.
If you look up into the eucalyptus trees where these guys hang out you will commonly notice large brown nodules on the trunks, this is where the koala has dug in and cocooned itself in order to shed it's fluffy skin, develop its venom glands and fangs as well as the webbing between it's front and back legs which it uses like a flying squirrel or sugar glider.
It is wise when looking for " koalas", to always wear sunglasses on the top of your head so the drop bear believes it has lost the element of surprise.
Great videos too.👍
Drop bears are not as common as the humanoid species australis bovine excremtus.
This perpetuating the myth you horrible person!😃😀😃
If you dont have sunglasses put some vegemite around the neck and ears as they hate the smell and taste of it😁
Great points! I think when Americans look at Aussie prices they don’t consider the price shown includes sales tax and we don’t encourage tipping, so savings there too!
Higher wages means what expensive to a tourist is less so to a local
Americans love to make any country appear less appealing than their own... especially a country that has so many things better than theirs.
The Coriolis Effect does effect water draining down a plug hole differently in the two hemispheres, but the effect at such a small scale is easily defeated by other local forces, so one can only say that the draining water funnels “tend” to rotate in opposite directions. It is much easier to see the effect in the weather. Cyclones/Hurricanes/Typhoons can be seen always spinning in clockwise in the southern hemisphere and anticlockwise in the northern hemisphere.
Love your videos! Keep up the good work!
You're right on point about the plughole thing. There's a tidal creek five minute's walk from my place that potentially has Taipans Common Brown Dog Shark Box Jellies Crocs Stonefish and Cone shells. No drop bears as far as we know. Not a place to be silly and unaware. Cheers.
When people ask if Australians hate the Simpsons booting episode, I point out the only thing that I disliked was that Lisa the brainy one was wrong about the science of the coriollis effect, and Bart doesn't get any points for testing the truth of her claim.
@@shadout frankly the only problem i have is that they put the boot on the flag. That's a level of disrespect they haven't done with any other country.
@@sciencetroll6304 Jesus for a second there without the commas, I thought was a single animal
@@PBMS123 Lol if that's a single animal I sure as HELL don't want to meet it.
@6.30. Spent a couple of days in Tibooburra about 50 years ago. The bar was 3 drinkers long. Back wall was a Drysdale painting. Music was a Philips plastic record player, for a pile of C & W lps. Counter lunches were a Sunbeam frypan with about 3 or 4 VERY old meat pies. Heaven!
At 2:19 ..Kaitlyn comments about cost of living in Australia. I'll just remind people that the cost of living in Sydney is a lot more than other parts of Australia or some other state capital cities.
Id suggest the cost of living in Victoria with its WAY over 200 billion dollar debt and rising $1billion every 40 days, the insane taxes they are constantly adding to businesses etc has made the entire state an absolute shithole to live in
Thank you for having the courage to come right out and say, " Having the right to bear arms doesn't necessarily make you more free." Australians, including the vast majority of Australian gun-owners, could not agree more!
Someone pulled into the wrong driveway in America and got shot. I was blown away to hear this as in Australia it is a common occurrence to pull into a driveway anywhere for the sole purpose of turning around and heading back the way you came. I will gladly keep our nanny state thanks. It suits me just fine.
Nor does the right to arm bears! Imagine if our dropbears got hold of an assault rifle - nobody would feel free here!
bit odd when you see that cops pull a gun and handcuff ypu for jay walking. they arrest you and take you to jail for not indicating.
thats american cops my bad
Yep… ex American here, full Aussie now. Here gun ownership is a privilege .. NOT a right from a misinterpreted clause in the Constitution. And it’s tightly regulated for types of firearms. I can have a large calibre rifle for hunting BUT NOT an assault rifle. I can have a handgun only if I have a legitimate reason, proper training and get a permit from VIC police, and allow them to enter my house at any time to check my gun safe. I live in regional VIC and every one of my farmer friends have rifles and shotguns (feral pigs, cats, foxes and deer).
Well said 👏👏 Including about the weather in Melbourne having the ability to produce 4 seasons in a single day 😂😂 So true!
As an Australian adult I definitely am not prepared to let a red back spider bight me.
True that I have been biten bye one nearly lost me leg wtf is she on about dumb ass
Same, once as a kid I was moving old bricks in my backyard (no gloves) and I pick up one that had 2 redback nssts and 4 redback spiders crawling on it, one touched my hand and I freaked the fuck out. Didnt get bit though.
Yeah most people with a brain wouldn't let a red back bite them 😆
Lol an Aussie adult who can't spell a grade 1 word. Lmao
Been bitten twice by a red back once as a kid once as anadult
Ooh I so loved how you took care to pronounce Mel-bun (short 'u') instead of Mel-born like most Americans do. Takes someone who cares enough to pay attention to do that. Thank you.
She pronounced Aussie correctly too.
Great video, Kaithlyn. It's nice of you to put these things straight, especially for others who are considering coming to Australia. You have acquired quite a comprehensive knowledge of our country and its people so far so its good to share it. Also, I am sure a lot of the stereotypes we have about Americans just aren't true either so it works both ways.
Over here in Perth we are worried about running into deadly snakes (about 3 different species).
We are talking backyards, the nearby beach, the local park and schools.
When I say Perth, I am ~25 mins out of Perth city.
but still, the chances of encountering one are still pretty slim (also a Perthie - in the foothills).
Happy to up vote great content, and you produce great content. I love how truthful you are even when it is painful to do so.
There aren't any large mammals that will actively hunting humans in Australia - no wolves, bears, or lions. Crocodiles are the only creatures that will try to kill you. It's kind of weird that Americans talk about Australian animals as being so deadly without mentioning all the deadly snakes, alligators, wolves, lions, bears etc that live in America.
Dingos on Fraser Island?
The dingos don't actively hunt humans but if you get too close and familiar with them babies may be at risk as in the song " in the desert, the quiet desert, the dingo howls tonight, was it Lindy or did the dingo have a tasty bite?
And the gun owners - they're the most terrifying and deadly creature of all.
Why do people put "actively" in front of "hunt"?
I’ve only seen a koala once in the wild in my lifetime. They blend in “extremely” well into the trees.
Kangaroos I see pretty much almost every afternoon (I’m not in the city, but a coastal town …. Hervey Bay), in the farmlands and nature reserves around town. Sometimes you have to give way to them hopping over the roads in the afternoons
Hervey Bay? My cousin used to live there, years ago and i spent one summer with him. They actually had a pretty good night life there, and if i wasn't an 18 year old with the confidence of a wet noodle, i probably would have "hooked up" with a goth chick.
I saw one when I walked outside because one was making its mating call, scary AF in the middle of the night.
I live in the Adelaide Hills about 35k from a major city . Just today I had to shepherd a koala off the road outside my house, they have zero road sense ! I also suspect a red bellied black snake lives in the rock garden beside my front door . I've seen it a few times sunning itself, we tolerate each other.
it is easier to smell a koala them see them, their faeces has a distinct eucalyptus smell.
I disturbed a koala near Ballarat. They shot up a pine tree - oops. Next one I disturbed was at my home near Armidale. It spent a few days in a tree in my front yard
I was born in the 80's and where I lived in The Hills District in Sydney we used to have koalas filling the trees. If you drive along past the Koala Park in West Pennant Hills there used to be metal strips around the trees to stop them from travelling in and out of the park and those gum trees along that road often had koalas in them.
My grandparents in Turramurra also had koalas in the trees in the suburb we would always watch.
Unfortunately I'm Guessing the decline in numbers and loss of habitat as houses were built more probably added to the decline to as koalas were pushed out, hit by cars, attacked by dogs, and loss of food source.. so sad they're not around like they used to be
😥
Outback Steakhouse is a funny one. It's what we, ina similar gimmicky fashion, call a Texan style steakhouse. There was a popular one in the 90s, Lone Star, which was a supposed Texas style steakhouse, and it basically had exactly the same menu as Outback Steakhouse, including the Bloomin Onion.
Our local Lone Star (in Brisbane) is now an Outback Steakhouse.
@@marvindebot3264 I was just about to say that lol
@@annetterawlings4549 The food got worse, at least it did at Aspley
@@marvindebot3264 been a while since we've been - we used to go to the one at the GC a lot
Australias gun laws are: a gun is a tool not a toy. You need a reason to buy one
look at nz , it was a ausie who did it in a place he had acces to guns! enough said!
Protection! You need it in many areas of the US.
you have to look in gum trees to find koalas and they're hard to spot if they are up in the canopy, but look in the crooks of branches where they sleep.
you can also smell them before you see them once you're familiar with their smell.
it's breeding season now so it's a good time to go looking for them males calling and fighting at night is a terrifying sound to the unfamiliar. most people would think it's a giant angry pig the size of horse.
If you go camping you will see them. They come down from the trees at night and make an AWFUL racket!
There are a lot fewer koalas in NSW now since we had those statewide fires a few years ago.
Not only is the blooming onion not popular, it doesn’t exist in Australia
What?
@@johneagle2100 yep, I’ve never seen it in any restaurant anywhere in Australia.
Well, it probably is available somewhere, but is certainly neither popular nor iconicly Australian. I first heard of it watching Stephen Colbert!...
@@papasmurfette007 I first heard of it watching ‘The Office’ (US version obviously).
@@papasmurfette007 Colbert? Are you mad man? Watching that left wing steaming BS? Please protect your mind
Kaitlyn if you want to see plenty of native animals, visit Alexandra, Victoria. Redback spiders are common, but they aren't a problem and we kill them on sight anyway. There are snakes in the summer, mostly tigers and browns, but you rarely see one. Kangaroos can often be seen inside the outskirts of town. There are many wombats in this area, and they are hit by cars far more often than kangaroos. A note for city folk, if you see a dead wombat with a cross spray-painted on it it's been checked to see if there are any surviving joeys. I've also stopped to escort koalas and echidnas across the road near town, so they are around even if not often seen. There are also wild budgies, rosellas and king parrots, kookaburras, etc.
I jave liv
I grew up in western Sydney and always had Sydney funnel webs in our house. Red backs were also really common. We also had a red belly black snake at my grandparents place more towards the city.
I grew up in Victoria and I think I only saw 3 live snakes out in the wild for the first 60 years of my life. I've since moved to the central Queensland coast and now regularly see various pythons and legless lizards when I'm out and about in the evenings from about October to April.
I grew up just outside of Canberra and we had a lot of snakes. I almost stepped on a baby red belly a couple of years ago picking raspberries at my parents.
I'm 32, grew up in suburban Sydney and I've never even seen a wild snake. I spent a lot of time in my childhood running around exploring in the bush with mates too. If any of the other kids in the neighbourhood ever came across a snake while on a bushwalk it'd be a story they'd be telling for weeks, and even then the ones they saw would often be a non-venomous species like a diamond python.
As a kid, my greatest fear and phobia was *leeches* haha.
I live in South Australia in the Noarlunga area we have a park, walking trail directly across the road and we’ve seen numerous koalas in trees there. More so in the summer months as they’re seeking out water. But I saw a koala crossing a main road last week. Thankfully people saw it and it crossed safely.
I like the movie “Sir Les Patterson Saves the World” where there was a “typical Australian suburb” which had kangaroos and emus wandering around suburban front yards.
This movie also had an official Australian embassy car which was a stretch FJ Holden with the Oz coat of arms on the side.
The Australian Alps is a section of the Great Dividing Range where it is one of the few places where it snows most of the year. Interestingly, the Australian Alps get more snowfall than the entirety of Switzerland.
You're getting the hang of saying "Melbourne" in Aussie. Well done. Go girl!
I noticed the "Melbun" too. Wonder if her Aussie husband likes the Jason "Bun" movies. 😂
G'day, mate! An interesting presentation Kaitlyn. One of the most significant points to be made about Australia is that it is (most likely) close to being the most culturally diverse country on earth. Now that doesn't come easy. There is a lot of acceptance required to create such a society. That is something to be proud of and something that other countries should try to emulate, in my opinion. Subscribed.
Thank You. Finally, someone from overseas finally tells the truth about Australia.
11:37 …I’m in a city (Brisbane) and there has been literal multiple occasions where roo’s have hopped down my street..no joke.and I’m aware koalas aren’t in EVERY TREE but they do appear in forest-like areas,along with their native family members,our beloved drop bears❤
You are correct on a lot of things you say but as for seeing Kangaroo's or Koala's close to where you live it really depends on "where you live". The habbitats these animals live in are very diverse and spread all over the country. Up here in Brisbane Queensland we have a massive Kangaroo population on the outskirts of our city, especially in the western suburbs such as Wacol for example. You don't have to go far before you see several kangaroo's hopping around in the suburban streets....Koala's are more hidden and harder to find but they are out there.
I'm in SW Sydney, about 10 mins from the Wedderburn Koala Colony. We often see kangaroos and wallabies along Menangle Rd, out through Razorback, Picton and surrounds. The things are everywhere in the ACT where my adult children live.
Also in the Redlands QLD - I frequently see them at the train station or the park across the road from my house. I have also had a Kangaroo jump around the street in the suburbs at Wellington Point (which is more beachy). 100% agree with you about Brisbane.
I often see roos, but I live in a semi rural area and I ride my horse in the Bush. I also see Bob tails and the occasional echidna.
Especially on the golf course or the land in front of the prison at Wacol
So nice to watch a person to put everything in perspective with others misconceptions .
In regards to the animals, it really depends! I've had snakes in my backyard, friends have had dogs die due to snake bite, my sister who lives in a densely populated suburb, had a brown snake in her yard once! Paralysis ticks are a huge danger to pets, at the moment there is a shortage of antivenom serum and we are heading into prime tick season. I was walking my dog in a local park with a soccer playing field and I saw a wallaby hop through!
They are always around, I think we just learn how to avoid them when we start to crawl.
If you live in snake country get yourself a fox terrier dog. When the Foxie tangles with the snake, it’s no contest, the Foxie will win, this I know from lots of experience with snakes and fox terriers.
Funnily enough I used to work in childcare and we had a few eastern brown snakes in the playground. Growing up out of town I had a few close calls with snakes, but they generally won’t bother you if you leave them alone.
great video and well put :)
a few notes for those who want further info.
koalas are more common up north. I have passed a couple. they are dying out though, quickly.
2. kangaroos are common enough to be a nuisance, just not where you are. or even near where you are. most people indeed rarely see them
3. alcohol culture is extremely developed. Where I live isn't wine country and is in QLD, but yet I still live 5 minutes from a winery selling tens to hundreds of different products. same goes for other forms of alcohol in stores. it's not possible to memorise them all.
4. mmmmm steak.
5. USA is cheaper (or it was the last time I was there before the doomflation) across all items, but there are some major benefits that greatly offset this like cheaper healthcare. Every Aussie has seen those medical bills on TH-cam and subsequently thought America has fucked healthcare. also other things like centerlink, different leave types, better working hours etc. also the much higher availability of fresh food.
'Koalas are common up north'.
North of where?!
Koalas are most prevalent in southern NSW and Vic.
I understand they've also been introduced into Tas to try to address the illnesses effecting mainland koalas.
Cheers for your comment , you could compare centrelink in aus to our social security system in the states , but the welfare system in the US is shittier tbh lol !
Toilets do flush *differently* - when visiting New Jersey I noticed that they fill up with water & swirl around and then flushes away. Here in sunny Melbourne the contents flush away first *then* water runs down the sides of the bowl to wash it out.
Hitting the USA in 1988, it was right after Croc Dundee II & people think this was the norm for Australia. "Say something in Australia ?" I got sick of the dumb questions since both movies but things mellowed over time. You are spot on about the comparison in real costs. So many hidden taxes unlike Australia - you have PAYG, GST & a few luxuries taxes.
... say "table"...
Then they go "hahaha, that's so funny"...
I didn't see what was funny... it was just a table! :)
Tipping is not compulsory in Australia, either, because our hospitality staff get decent wages, not $2.75 an hour.
@@carolynrutherford6466 Yes I am fully aware that as an avid USA visitor since I was 19 & having lived there a few times with work. The tipping is supposed to cover the short fall from tight fisted employers.
traditional aussie cuisine:
- pies
- fairy bread (sprinkles on buttered bread
- anzac busicuits (a very particular recipe of oat biscuit that has historical provinance and what can and can't bear the name is actually regulated)
- lamingtons (australia and new zealand have a fued as to which one came up with it)
- shepards pie
Great video.
As an Australian who DOES live in the Outback, about 750km between Brisbane and Sydney, about 400km inland basically right around the Qld/NSW border.... I want to put a caveat or two on this... just incase.
If you DO come to the bush, as a tourist, American or otherwise, you WILL see both a lot of the CUTE things, Koalas, Wombats, Echidnas.... as well as the annoying things... Kangaroos.... NO you will NOT see them in the cities, or even in much of the urban coastal area.... but you WILL in the country... and they are essentially DEER to us.... annoying road hazards, which everyone who had had a license for more than a decade and lives 100k or more from a the big smoke, has HIT in their car or on a bike at least once.
BUT.... you WILL also see all the killer snakes, all the nasty spiders, all the dangerous sea creatures, too, if in isolated coastal areas, and anywhere from Cairns around to Broome, along the northern Coast... you ARE in Crocodile country, you will see them, and they DO kill people every year.
So do not go the other way and think that the overrated nature of the 'Everything will kill you" applies carte blanche, it GENERALLY applies, in MOST of the places you will visit as a tourist, that even includes many of the Outback tourist hotspots, because they go their way to ensure you do not step out the bus at Uluru and cop a Taipan on your thigh within two seconds..... HOWEVER.... when 'Off the beaten track'.... tourism wise... you very well CAN come face to face with some of those things. Always assume it IS one of those things, and avoid any nasty outcomes by avoiding them when you see them.
(Also, we never BANNED guns, just regulated them. All guns are available. You need different licenses. For a basic low capacity, manual operated rifle, it is pretty easy Cat A license, for a full military spec AK47, it is ALMOST impossible...but NOT actually impossible... to get a Cat-R license... you just need a HELL of a REASON... like say you are a verified, established collector in good standing with all other licenses, or are a certified factory expert in the use, servicing, assembling/disassembling and training with a given weapon, or are a licenses armourer and gunsmith working in the film industry etc etc.... so in THAT way, we have MORE gun freedom than the US... as my understanding it, they plan to reintroduce the Assault Weapons ban, the import ban of 1986 still stands... so it IS basically impossible for an American to buy a BRAND new Automatic weapon... get a Cat-R... not easy, but possible... in Australia, and YOU CAN... sorry, rant over... that just p*sses me off, the whole 'They terrrk yuurrr gerrns" thing).
'They terrrk yuurrr gerrns" fucking killed me.
Kangaroos are really common in parts of Melbourne. I encounter them on my local bike track and they used to be in my street, but development has pushed them back a few streets. My suburb is also home to 3 of the top 10 most deadly snakes in the world. Yay. Snakes are common in Melbourne and they have been known to enter houses if the back door is left open during summer. In my suburb kangaroo attacks on dogs are actually more common than snake attacks. Fortunately, my dog was big enough to survive such an attack. Koalas -and even echidnas - can also be found in some suburbs too.
@@jennifermason9557 In the very outer fringe suburbs perhaps, or low density suburbs with huge tracts of bushland kept in place.... Sydney is the same in that regard.... but in the 'Tourist' places, you just will not see them. I know the cities well, even though I am a bushwhacker, been to most many times.
If you are on a Tram, in Melbourne, or at Lunar Park, or anywhere you find the tourists, you wont be seeing too many fights between Fido and Skippy.
@@Apis4 Well I clearly imagined that very expensive vet bill and having to nurse my dog back to health. Melbourne is famous for having waterways, parklands and virgin land preserved throughout our burbs - some relatively close to the city. There's colonies of native wildlife dotted throughout Melbourne. It sounds like you've never explored the wildlife of the Melbourne burbs. And yes, you can see native wildlife not far from Luna Park. Just down the road is a penguin colony and it's a thing for tourists to hit Luna Park then go see the penguins then hit St Kilda for dinner. My dad always took our Brisbane cousins out for a tour. I grew up in a suburb 20 mins drive form the city.
You see 'roos all the time in Townsville.
8:30 - I live in Melbourne (in and around which Mad Max was shot).
It's cold much of the time, but we say "if you don't like the weather... wait a minute".
12:00 - Roos are just about everywhere; but they come out at the START and END of a day, and have favourite "eateries" (if you're in Sydney, try the Blue Mountains or Botanical Gardens).
Unlike cockatoos, who are always out and about.
Love the little dig at Melbourne with the four seasons in one day, you're quickly becoming an Aussie
Yeah mate! I thought it was a good little aussie comment she made
Was it a dig? I'm from Melbourne and I took it as acknowledgment of over-achieving :)
@@Kaha-ow1xt Yes! It was a dig at how quick the weather can change
For koalas, have you tried Featherdale Farm out near Blacktown? I'm not entirely sure it's still operating, but you use to be able to hug koalas there
Yeah, America has bears, coyotes, mountain lions, all kind of deadly animal’s, and they attack you about as often as our creatures attack us! Of course you do have to be careful of dangerous things, but surly that applies to every country in the world! Welcome to Australia, glad your here and happy!
Be awear of drop bears when out walking in the outback. Always carry a metal spiked umbrella to protect your head. Available from nearly all corner stores.
As a Kiwi who has lived in both Australia and the US of A, I support what you say, there are plenty of wildlife in North America that will try to kill you, just as many as in Oz, if you want to see Koalas (Drop Bears, lol ) I saw them on the side road to cape Otway but the safest place to see them would be in SA on, ironically, Kangaroo island.
Umm. I live in the outback, 300 km from Alice Springs. It's not correct that the outback is dry, waterless and uninhabitable. It's just that most Aussies think they'll die if they live more than 30 minutes from the coast.
You do get funnel web spiders in Sydney quite often but other than that your video was a breath of fresh air. I remember seeing a young American girl being interviewed once saying she loved our gun laws and the fact that in Australia she had not had to do a lock down drill at school once. We see kangaroos daily where we live and also koalas semi regularly (Port Stephen’s District, NSW) so it depends where you live.
Yeah there are also deadly snakes suburban areas, but you don't see them very often. I almost stepped on a huge brown snake cutting through bushland on my way to school about 10 min from the Perth CBD
6:10 - aw, no love for Coopers?
The Mother’s Milk
I was born in 1961 and grew up with Americans always calling it Bris-BANE, that seems to have mainly disappeared now.
A safety warning applies for the kangaroos, as far as 'you can't expect to see them'. If you're driving at night in the country, you MUST assume that you're going to see a live kangaroo, either in the middle of the road around the bend or over the hill, or ready to jump in front of you at a moment's notice. Please adjust your speed accordingly, keep a sharp eye out for them, and assume that the roos will try to get themselves killed.
I used to drive regularly from the coast to Canberra and regularly saw roadkill. I bought a two-pack of those sonar devices from an auto supply shop. You stick them on your car bonnet and they only cost around $5.00. The wind blows through them and they emit a sound that’s inaudible to humans, like a dog whistle. It’s a cheap way to alert kangaroos that you’re nearby and saves a lot of money when there’s no other vehicle involved and there’s no insurance to claim for your repairs.
That was kinda good, well done. 👍
Have you tried Kangaroo Island? 😁
I mean it just does depend on where you go. If you live in the foothills of Adelaide you'll get koalas in your back yard occasionally.
Oh, congratulations on your marriage. Hope it's long and happy.
No mention of Drop Bears. And there are some places where school children may encounter crocs on the way to school. In Cooktown where I live, there's a kids playground by the river with a Beware of Crocs sign. At high tide, if there is a lot of rain, there might be crocs on the road between the river and the playground.
Try "Koala Park" in West Pennant Hills (in Sydney). It's probably 30 minutes from Blacktown. You'll see all the Koalas that you want along with a variety of other native animals including feeding Kangaroos by hand. Thanks for all the great videos, I really enjoy them. Keep up the good work.👍
Right next to blacktown is featherdale. It’s a thousands times better than the koala park. Koala park is so rundown unfortunately
@@Glenn-ei3xp I immediately thought featherdale is closer and better.
I agree with Glenn and Tom, Featherdale would be not only closer to her, but also it is much better.
Koala park is very close to where I live. It is run down and I went there earlier this year and we got to see one koala only. However there were lots of kangaroos, wallabies, emus cassowaries. Featherdale is sooo much better.
I think that she meant more " In the wild ".
Living in suburban Newcastle i can attest the ease of coming across a Brown snake. My neighbour pinned a Black snake under a shovel and had called out for help. Trapdoor and funnel web spiders happily live in our backyards.
You do realise that brown snakes and black snakes are two different species, don't you?
*Horses and cows* are statistically the most lethal animals in Australia. And forget about the sharks, it's your drive to the beach amongst fellow humans that's the biggest risk.
Human deaths by animals between 2001 and 2017 (16 years): 172 horses (18 during racing), 82 cows, 53 dogs, 37 kangaroos but ALL as a result of vehicle incident, 37 snakes, 31 bees (all from anaphylaxis shock), 27 sharks, 21 crocodiles. Snakes and spiders arent even on the list! Source: NCIS Australian government organisation
ps. i'm in Perth, havent seen a redback spider in over 30 years. I think the only spider you need to worry about is Sydney Funnelweb, but that has such a small distribution area, and we have antivenom for both.
This works out to 1.6 shark fatalities a year, 1.3 crocodile fatalities a year, but 3.3 dog fatalities a year, 5.1 cow fatalities a year, and 10.75 horse fatalities a year. There were *1194* fatalities on the roads in 2019 - you don't have to worry about animals, just humans.
Drop bears?
@@79other Drop Bear fatalities were not listed as they were slightly less than snake fatalities, which I found surprising as i thought they were basically similar fatality levels, they are in my state and we had 4 fatalities from Drop Bears in 2021 alone which is a bit freaky
Maybe the education campaigns in the 00’s have really helped.
We drive on the left, Christmas is in Summer and our clocks go the opposite direction to northern hemisphere clocks 😅😅😅
Facts
the State I live in Victoria was considered to be the most nanny State. The political party that put the measures in place just got re-elected with only a tiny loss of votes. Most people could see the sense in many, but perhaps not all, of the restrictions. Of course like everywhere we had our deniers and rumour mongers amongst the very vocal minority.
Fosters is made for export because tourists seem to enjoy the taste of it. However, Aussies don’t like Fosters, we already have dozens of different beers, ales, pilsners and lagers as well as Guinness, that suit our tastes much better.
You really have to get out more and get away from Sydney. I hate having to go into the city, in my case Brisbane. It's like have having two million loonies in an open air asylum. As for roos I see at least 3 or more every day and lots of lovely spiders, mainly those web spinners. I get quite a few lizards and parrots and cockies galore. You do see the odd Koala in Brisbane and lots of snakes at the moment due to the late breeding season.
In Adelaide, the hills are only 20km from the city in some areas, and often on the news there are 'sightings' of kangaroos hoping down suburban streets.
Thank you for this video! The belief that we're a nanny state annoys me so much. Our media have so much more freedom to directly question politicians here than in the US. We have the freedom to not fear being shot going about our daily lives. I've been to the US several times and I'm so much more tense there than I am living in Sydney.
However, I do enjoy sending videos about Australian animals to my friends overseas. The whole spider thing cracks me up.
It is though. The real Australia died when the 90s finished.
If you don't think we have a nanny state, then you haven't dealt with the government enough.
@@purpleguy319 Just try transiting through an American airport if you want to see a paranoid nanny state.
I completely agree.
I have to disagree, having lived in Australia for over 50 years and in other countries as well we definitely live in a nanny state/country. Just my opinion though and others are entitled to theirs.
Number 6 was a bit off. Given that the First Peoples survived everywhere for 60,000 years. Other than that good vid!
When I lived in St Ives in Sinny, we had the very deadly and aggressive funnel web spider in the back yard bush that would come inside during heavy rain.
I’m so glad that you mentioned the NANNY state thing. We all got through Covid and had less deaths and we have much less gun crime than the US does..... Have been to the US many times. I feel very free and much safer here. 🙋♀️🇦🇺
One exception: the Socialist State of Victoria. Chairman Dan is a nanny-statist, big time.
@@owenshebbeare2999 you're an eediot.
@@owenshebbeare2999 I think you need to lay off the drugs and sky news and take a long hard look if you think that.
Be quiet u fool
LOL
Thanks for your perspectives.
Kangaroos are widespread and very common in most places except for inner suburbs. Where I live I share my yard with about fourteen roos, particularly in spring and early summer. I leave a watering tub out for them so they can easily get a drink. They are a friendly mob and just hang about watching when I am working in the yard.
Koalas aren't as widespread in the wild but there are 'hot' spots where they are quite abundant and relatively easy to spot. They are vulnerable to wildfires so are not so common in areas that regularly burn.
Yes, Australia had quite harsh covid restrictions, but whilst they were in place, Australia had among the lowest per capita covid infection and death rates in the world.
Yes, Australia has strict gun control, resulting in extremely low numbers of gun homicides.
Most sane people accept reasonable limits on personal freedom, when there are clear societal benefits.
I didn't think those restrictions weren't overly harsh; they were in line with other 1st world country restrictions. Maybe sealing WA off for a year and a bit was a little over the top, but us Sand-gropers were okay with it, and we weathered Covid quite well. WA and Queensland the only places in the world to have shown economic growth during those lockdowns, so shows it worked.
And the restrictions have been lifted.
@@SH-qs7ee Yeah but you kept Clive Palmer out- so that was worth it.
5:16 I don't know what the situation is like in Sydney, but Victoria and South Australia have HUGE wine cultures, with the famous Barossa Valley, Hunter Valley, Margaret River, and Goulburn Valley wine regions, among many others. Australian wines have a vast variety, with hundreds of small family-owned wineries operating alongside the big companies. Aussie wines are also internationally recognised and award-winning for their quality.
The Hunter Valley is a couple of hours north of Sydney - comparable to going to the Barossa in SA or Margaret river in WA. There are smaller or less ‘internationally famous’ wine regions around too (orange and Mudgee are a bit further but excellent weekend trips)
@@HM64430 Orange is gorgeous and there’s a lot you can do without paying out the nose as a tourist. Those areas are really just beautiful to be in and drive around
And a lot of boutique breweries for beer, gin and such. Mead too.
Lots of lovely grog.
The fact that Americans think lockdowns were "Australia at its worst" is hilarious because we were supported by our government during them, and it was necessary to prevent the hundreds of thousands of deaths that the US had, since we hadn't been able to get vaccinated yet. It's society: Everyone should work together to protect the vulnerable of society.
Exactly, fortunately it is an Australian trait.
The only time I've ever seen someone drink Fosters in Australia was at a Canadian work colleagues farewell. The pub for some reason had a few cans on the bottom shelf of the fridge. It seemed like the most obvious send-off for him even though none of us have ever tasted the stuff.
The only person I have ever seen drink Fosters was my father in law.
Maybe not snakes and spiders all the time, but drop bears are freakin' everywhere and those will rip your face off!
I think you pretty much nailed it! As someone else commented, perfect pronunciation of Melbourne!
Out here in Windsor, round 1 am there are Roos round one particular area , in a closed off area but open to public. Koalas are endangered but your best bet to get up and close to one is either Sydney zoo or koala park, or featherdale
If you head north to Port Macquarie, they have a koala sanctuary/rescue place and you can see them there :)
And Port Mac is a really pretty place. If you stay there, you may also hear the male Koalas at night. They make a deep grunting sound. Something you wouldn’t expect from a koala, haha.
Also near Salamander bay, there’s Oakvale farm (about 1.5-2hour drive up from Sydney), where you can feed some Roos and see some other Aussie animals. Cassowary, maybe a dingo if they still have one there.
Kangaroos you'll see on occasion if you travel through rural areas a lot. Koalas, yeah I haven't seen many in my nearly 30 years here.
On the topic of the weather, I can add on to your point as a Tasmanian (That small nub under the mainland that a lot of maps forget about) that our weather is so on and off year round. One minute we'll have a flash flood and then sunny the next (literally). We have developed the rule of "No matter the weather, always bring a jumper" because when you don't have a jumper, that's the day it'll rain though I learnt when you visit Queensland, bring a pocket poncho and so you don't have to have the enbarressment of getting soaked and taking off and wringing your shirt before entering a restraunt.
You forgot to mention there's only 3 Outback Steakhouse restaurants in Australia and they're all located in areas frequented by American tourists. LoL
XXXX is the cheap beer you drink to socialise, if you are in Queensland. VB is same for Victorians. If you want a good beer to enjoy the taste, ask the bar tender what's good. Plenty of good local and craft beers.
XXXX and VB ARE good beers.
Just because you use an adjective like "craft," doesn't mean it tastes better... it just means they can charge you more.
@@castleanthrax1833 I stand by what I said. Both are garbage that only people who want to get drunk will drink, rather than those that drink for taste. If you are a tourist in Australia, Ask the barman or attendant at the local bottle shop what is good for the local area. There are MUCH better beers available in Australia.
@@ausrobroy1964
What makes you think I'm a tourist in Australia? I'm a 57-year-old beer-loving Aussie, and I stand by what I said... both XXXX and VB are great beers. Brewers only add "craft" to the name so they can overcharge bogans who have no idea what good beer tastes like.
@@castleanthrax1833 Never said you were a tourist. This video is about what Americans are told. My comment was aimed at Americans. If you want to drink that garbage, you do you. I'd rather pay a bit extra for a beer that actually tastes good. If that makes me a bogan, so bit it!
@@ausrobroy1964
Your 1st reply to me says "if you are a tourist in Australia..." Of course I would think you were saying that to me... wouldn't you?
I live in a tiny town west of Brisbane, it's 7 has away and it's like camping every day no traffic lights,stop signs etc but we have shop,coffee n gift shop post office museum, school clinic,caravan park,recreation grounds with a gym in it n a population of under 200,lots of emus,goats geese,bid life,kangaroos all come around town now n then,not a madhouse as I said very friendly place oh n of course we have a pub
I love the fact that you made the "four seasons in one day" joke about Melbourne.
There's 50 million Kangaroos in Australia.
I'm American. Australia is awesome. I bushwalked for a week in The Blue Mountains National Park NSW, The Queensland Outback, The Gold Coast. I never once had an encounter with a deadly snake. Never even saw one during my entire trip in Australia. I saw plenty of Kangaroos and Wallabies out in the bush. I admit I thought Australia was always hot. Boy was I in for a surprise. It can very cold in Australia in July at night in the Outback. It was also a bit chilly in Melbourne. I like Victoria Bitter VB the best. XXXX is pretty good. Australia is so big. It's so much more than just Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane. Kakadu and Uluru in The Northern Territories come to mind.
You slagged Melbourne, that gets a tick from me.
In my 3-month travels in Australia back in 2016, the most dangerous thing that I came across were the thousands (!) of kangaroo carcasses on the side of the road everywhere I went in the outback and near-outback. Most of them were German Shepard-sized or smaller. The only time I almost hit one with the car I was driving was at dawn in South Australia.
Rule number one to follow when trying to avoid 'roos on the road is to NEVER drive at dawn or dusk.
I am from Missouri USA.
Dawn and dusk and also at night are the worst time. I was told once that you aren't allowed to drive rental cars after dark west of Port Augusta (In SA) as it voids the insurance. which means you are wearing the cost of the rental cars repairs, ouch!
I live an hour west of Sydney and I regularly see wallabies, wombats and the occasional koala. There is a lot of land clearing happening to build houses on so that may be why.
Speaking as a Melbournian i.e. Australian city of Melbourne.... most of my life. Thankyou. Is great to have you here.