91-483: The Sunshine Motorway is a thirty-three kilometre Australian motorway on the Sunshine Coast region of Queensland , just north of Brisbane . It was initially a tolled motorway before these were removed in 1996 after excessive complaints regarding the need of a toll. It is part of State Route 70 , which extends north a further 12.3 kilometres to Noosaville . The Sunshine Motorway is distinctive in that it
182-479: A Mediterranean climate . The south-east ranges from oceanic (Tasmania and coastal Victoria) to humid subtropical (upper half of New South Wales), with the highlands featuring alpine and subpolar oceanic climates . The interior is arid to semi-arid . Driven by climate change , average temperatures have risen more than 1°C since 1960 . Associated changes in rainfall patterns and climate extremes exacerbate existing issues such as drought and bushfires . 2019
273-525: A belt of Brigalow grasslands lie between the coast and the mountains, while inland of the dividing range are large areas of grassland and shrubland. These include the western plains of New South Wales, and the Mitchell Grass Downs and Mulga Lands of inland Queensland. The northernmost point of the mainland is the tropical Cape York Peninsula . The landscapes of the Top End and
364-824: A large wave of immigration from across Europe , with such immigrants referred to as " New Australians ". This required a relaxation of the white Australia policy , which was justified to Australians using the slogan "populate or perish". A member of the Western Bloc during the Cold War , Australia participated in the Korean War and the Malayan Emergency during the 1950s and the Vietnam War from 1962 to 1972. During this time, tensions over communist influence in society led to unsuccessful attempts by
455-503: A 10-kilometre section of the Sunshine Motorway, extending from Pacific Paradise to Coolum Beach , with the aim of converting it from two lanes to four. A budget of $ 1.75 million was allocated for this planning initiative. Furthermore, a project to prepare for a future upgrade of the interchange to Maroochy Boulevard, with an estimated cost of $ 1.6 million, was expected to be completed by late 2022. It's important to note that
546-461: A date which later became Australia's national day . Most early settlers were convicts , transported for petty crimes and assigned as labourers or servants to "free settlers" (willing immigrants). Once emancipated , convicts tended to integrate into colonial society. Convict rebellions and uprisings were suppressed under martial law, which lasted for two years following the 1808 Rum Rebellion , Australia's only successful coup d'état . During
637-627: A feature relatively uncommon for low-budget motorways. This section included three toll booths. Stage Two: Pacific Paradise to Peregian Springs (1993) Stage Two of the Sunshine Motorway, extending from Pacific Paradise to Peregian Springs , was inaugurated on December 29, 1993. Unlike Stage One, this section did not incorporate toll booths, a decision made in response to the considerable public displeasure with tolls. However, Stage Two presented its own set of challenges, as it passed through two large roundabouts. As part of this expansion, Emu Mountain Road
728-617: A property developer offered a sum for the block in First Avenue (approx 26°40′39″S 153°06′55″E / 26.6774°S 153.1152°E / -26.6774; 153.1152 ( St Elizabeth's Anglican Church ) ) described as "safely estimated to be in the millions" to combine the church land with other parcels to build a high-rise residential development. The plan was to combine St Elizabeth's with St Peter's Anglican in Maroochydore and have only one Anglican church in
819-581: A settlement was established in Van Diemen's Land (present-day Tasmania ), and in 1813, Gregory Blaxland , William Lawson and William Wentworth crossed the Blue Mountains west of Sydney, opening the interior to European settlement. The British claim extended to the whole Australian continent in 1827 when Major Edmund Lockyer established a settlement on King George Sound (modern-day Albany ). The Swan River Colony (present-day Perth )
910-562: A short distance off the north-east coast and extends for more than 2,000 km (1,200 mi). Mount Augustus , claimed to be the world's largest monolith, is located in Western Australia. At 2,228 m (7,310 ft), Mount Kosciuszko is the highest mountain on the Australian mainland. Even taller are Mawson Peak , at 2,745 m (9,006 ft), on the remote Australian external territory of Heard Island , and, in
1001-411: A wide variety of landscapes, with tropical rainforests in the north-east, mountain ranges in the south-east, south-west and east, and desert in the centre. The desert or semi-arid land commonly known as the outback makes up by far the largest portion of land. Australia is the driest inhabited continent; its annual rainfall averaged over continental area is less than 500 mm. The population density
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#17327971915921092-548: Is Mountain Creek State High School in neighbouring Mountain Creek . The Sunshine Coast Regional Council operates a mobile library service which visits Moondarra Drive. The Mooloolaba Uniting Church is at 6 Meta Street ( 26°40′38″S 153°06′53″E / 26.6771°S 153.1147°E / -26.6771; 153.1147 ( Mooloolaba Uniting Church ) ). The Greek Orthodox Parish of
1183-436: Is 3.4 inhabitants per square kilometre, although the large majority of the population lives along the temperate south-eastern coastline. The population density exceeds 19,500 inhabitants per square kilometre in central Melbourne. In 2021 Australia had 10% of the global permanent meadows and pastureland. Forest cover is around 17% of Australia's total land area. The Great Barrier Reef , the world's largest coral reef, lies
1274-413: Is a constitutional monarchy , a parliamentary democracy and a federation . The country has maintained its mostly unchanged constitution alongside a stable liberal democratic political system since Federation in 1901. It is one of the world's oldest federations, in which power is divided between the federal and state governments. The Australian system of government combines elements derived from
1365-631: Is considered a low-budget motorway. Moreover, it features a significant change in direction, shifting from an east–west alignment to a north–south orientation at the Nicklin Way interchange. The motorway's journey commences at the interchange with the Bruce Highway at Palmview , proceeding eastward past Sippy Downs and Mountain Creek . There, it intersects with the Nicklin Way and subsequently heads north, ultimately concluding at Emu Mountain Road near Peregian Beach . Due to budget constraints,
1456-528: Is governed by convention and their precise scope is unclear. The most notable exercise of these powers was the dismissal of the Whitlam government in the constitutional crisis of 1975 . Mooloolaba Download coordinates as: Mooloolaba is a coastal suburb of Maroochydore in the Sunshine Coast Region , Queensland , Australia. It is located 97 kilometres (60 mi) north of
1547-586: Is now Southeast Asia. It is uncertain how many waves of immigration may have contributed to these ancestors of modern Aboriginal Australians. The Madjedbebe rock shelter in Arnhem Land is possibly the oldest site showing the presence of humans in Australia. The oldest human remains found are the Lake Mungo remains , which have been dated to around 41,000 years ago. Aboriginal Australian culture
1638-629: Is one of only two pristine Archaean 3.6–2.7 Ga (billion years ago) crusts identified on the Earth. Having been part of all major supercontinents , the Australian continent began to form after the breakup of Gondwana in the Permian , with the separation of the continental landmass from the African continent and Indian subcontinent. It separated from Antarctica over a prolonged period beginning in
1729-466: Is one of the oldest continuous cultures on Earth. At the time of first European contact, Aboriginal Australians belonged to wide range of societies, with diverse economies spread across at least 250 different language groups . Estimates of the Aboriginal population before British settlement range from 300,000 to 3 million. Aboriginal Australians cultures were (and remain) deeply connected with
1820-552: Is presently planning and executing several new motorway sections under the SM2032 initiative. These developments primarily involve upgrading to dual carriageway in densely populated regions traversed by the motorway. Additional construction efforts included the duplication of the Maroochy River Bridge, which was finalised in 2008, and the introduction of various safety measures along the entire motorway length. By 2010,
1911-615: Is the home of a large fleet of fishing vessels, as well as being the northern base for the pilot vessels that control shipping through Moreton Bay and the Port of Brisbane . Due to its sheltered location in the lee of Point Cartwright , it is an all-weather harbour favoured by recreational sailors. The esplanade facing Mooloolaba beach is a centre for tourist activity, containing the Sea Life marine park , as well as many souvenir and clothing shops, bookshops, galleries and restaurants. Behind
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#17327971915922002-411: Is unique. About 85% of flowering plants, 84% of mammals, more than 45% of birds , and 89% of in-shore, temperate-zone fish are endemic . Australia has at least 755 species of reptile, more than any other country in the world. Besides Antarctica, Australia is the only continent that developed without feline species. Feral cats may have been introduced in the 17th century by Dutch shipwrecks, and later in
2093-768: The Colonial Office that it be formally adopted. In 1824, the Admiralty agreed that the continent should be known officially by that name. The first official published use of the new name came with the publication in 1830 of The Australia Directory by the Hydrographic Office . Colloquial names for Australia include " Oz ", " Straya " and " Down Under ". Other epithets include "the Great Southern Land", "the Lucky Country" (from
2184-535: The Commonwealth of Australia , is a country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent , the island of Tasmania and numerous smaller islands . Australia has a total area of 7,688,287 km (2,968,464 sq mi), making it the sixth-largest country in the world and the largest country by area in Oceania . It is the world's oldest, flattest, and driest inhabited continent, with some of
2275-595: The Gulf Country —with their tropical climate—include forest, woodland, wetland, grassland, rainforest and desert. At the north-west corner of the continent are the sandstone cliffs and gorges of The Kimberley , and below that the Pilbara . The Victoria Plains tropical savanna lies south of the Kimberley and Arnhem Land savannas, forming a transition between the coastal savannas and the interior deserts. At
2366-551: The Indian Ocean Dipole and the El Niño–Southern Oscillation , which is correlated with periodic drought , and the seasonal tropical low-pressure system that produces cyclones in northern Australia. These factors cause rainfall to vary markedly from year to year. Much of the northern part of the country has a tropical, predominantly summer-rainfall ( monsoon ). The south-west corner of the country has
2457-539: The Iraq War from 2003 to 2009. The nation's trade relations also became increasingly oriented towards East Asia in the 21st century, with China becoming the nation's largest trading partner by a large margin. In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic , several of Australia's largest cities were locked down for extended periods and free movement across the national and state borders was restricted in an attempt to slow
2548-664: The Menzies Government to ban the Communist Party of Australia , and a bitter split in the Labor Party in 1955. As a result of a 1967 referendum , the federal government gained the power to legislate with regard to Indigenous Australians, and Indigenous Australians were fully included in the census . Pre-colonial land interests (referred to as native title in Australia) was recognised in law for
2639-738: The Pacific Community ; the Commonwealth of Nations ; and the defence and security organisations ANZUS , AUKUS , and the Five Eyes . It is also a major non-NATO ally of the United States. The name Australia (pronounced / ə ˈ s t r eɪ l i ə / in Australian English ) is derived from the Latin Terra Australis ( ' southern land ' ), a name used for a hypothetical continent in
2730-532: The Permian and continuing through to the Cretaceous . When the last glacial period ended in about 10,000 BC, rising sea levels formed Bass Strait , separating Tasmania from the mainland. Then between about 8,000 and 6,500 BC, the lowlands in the north were flooded by the sea, separating New Guinea, the Aru Islands , and the mainland of Australia. The Australian continent is moving toward Eurasia at
2821-480: The Queensland State Government has committed substantial funding for the duplication of various sections of the Sunshine Motorway. The most recent upgrade, completed in 2008, also involved the enhancement of Maroochydore Road . Early Development and Construction The inception of the Sunshine Motorway dates back to the late 1980s when the need for improved transportation infrastructure in
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2912-508: The Sunshine Coast region became increasingly apparent. The population was on the rise, and there was a growing demand for efficient road connections to support not only local commuting but also the area's thriving tourism industry. To address these pressing concerns, the Queensland Government embarked on the planning and construction of a new motorway. Stage One: Bruce Highway to Pacific Paradise (1990) The first phase of
3003-697: The Sunshine Coast Airport . Mooloolaba derives from the Aboriginal word mulu , meaning snapper fish , or mulla meaning Red-bellied Black Snake . Originally known as Mooloolah Heads, the name was changed to Mooloolaba by Thomas O'Connor in 1919 when he subdivided land for sale there. A Methodist church hall was opened on Saturday 28 January 1933. Mooloolaba Provisional School opened on 2 May 1933. On 24 January 1938, it became Mooloolaba State School. It had less than 50 students in its early years. The original school building remains on
3094-686: The Territory of Papua and New Guinea in 1949 and gained independence from Australia in 1975. In 1914, Australia joined the Allies in fighting the First World War, and took part in many of the major battles fought on the Western Front . Of about 416,000 who served, about 60,000 were killed and another 152,000 were wounded. Many Australians regard the defeat of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) at Gallipoli in 1915 as
3185-528: The Torres Strait Islands . The Dutch charted the whole of the western and northern coastlines and named the island continent " New Holland " during the 17th century, and although no attempt at settlement was made, a number of shipwrecks left men either stranded or, as in the case of the Batavia in 1629, marooned for mutiny and murder, thus becoming the first Europeans to permanently inhabit
3276-696: The bombing of Darwin and other Japanese attacks on Australian soil , led to a widespread belief in Australia that a Japanese invasion was imminent , and a shift from the United Kingdom to the United States as Australia's principal ally and security partner. Since 1951, Australia has been allied with the United States under the ANZUS treaty. In the decades following World War II, Australia enjoyed significant increases in living standards, leisure time and suburban development. Governments encouraged
3367-426: The emu and the kookaburra . Australia is home to many dangerous animals including some of the most venomous snakes in the world. The dingo was introduced by Austronesian people who traded with Indigenous Australians around 3000 BCE . Many animal and plant species became extinct soon after first human settlement, including the Australian megafauna ; others have disappeared since European settlement, among them
3458-595: The governor-general at the federal level and by the governors at the state level, who by section 63 of the Constitution and convention act on the advice of their ministers. Thus, in practice the governor-general acts as a legal figurehead for the actions of the prime minister and the Cabinet. The governor-general may in some situations exercise reserve powers : powers exercisable in the absence or contrary to ministerial advice. When these powers may be exercised
3549-661: The "baptism of fire" that forged the new nation's identity . The beginning of the campaign is commemorated annually on Anzac Day , a date which rivals Australia Day as the nation's most important. From 1939 to 1945, Australia joined the Allies in fighting the Second World War. Australia's armed forces fought in the Pacific , European and Mediterranean and Middle East theatres . The shock of Britain's defeat in Singapore in 1942, followed soon after by
3640-587: The "island continent" and is sometimes considered the world's largest island . Australia has 34,218 km (21,262 mi) of coastline (excluding all offshore islands), and claims an extensive exclusive economic zone of 8,148,250 square kilometres (3,146,060 sq mi). This exclusive economic zone does not include the Australian Antarctic Territory . Mainland Australia lies between latitudes 9° and 44° south , and longitudes 112° and 154° east . Australia's size gives it
3731-428: The 18th century by European settlers. They are now considered a major factor in the decline and extinction of many vulnerable and endangered native species. Seafaring immigrants from Asia are believed to have brought the dingo to Australia sometime after the end of the last ice age—perhaps 4000 years ago—and Aboriginal people helped disperse them across the continent as pets, contributing to the demise of thylacines on
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3822-539: The 1964 book of the same name ), "the Sunburnt Country", and "the Wide Brown Land". The latter two both derive from Dorothea Mackellar 's 1908 poem " My Country ". Indigenous Australians comprise two broad groups: Human habitation of the Australian continent is estimated to have begun 50,000 to 65,000 years ago, with the migration of people by land bridges and short sea crossings from what
3913-543: The 2018 Environmental Performance Index . There are more than 1,800 animals and plants on Australia's threatened species list, including more than 500 animals. Paleontologists discovered a fossil site of a prehistoric rainforest in McGraths Flat , in South Australia, that presents evidence that this now arid desert and dry shrubland / grassland was once home to an abundance of life. Australia
4004-656: The Australian Antarctic Territory, Mount McClintock and Mount Menzies , at 3,492 m (11,457 ft) and 3,355 m (11,007 ft) respectively. Eastern Australia is marked by the Great Dividing Range , which runs parallel to the coast of Queensland, New South Wales and much of Victoria. The name is not strictly accurate, because parts of the range consist of low hills, and the highlands are typically no more than 1,600 m (5,200 ft) in height. The coastal uplands and
4095-558: The Australian mainland. The first ship and crew to chart the Australian coast and meet with Aboriginal people was the Duyfken , captained by Dutch navigator Willem Janszoon . He sighted the coast of Cape York Peninsula in early 1606, and made landfall on 26 February 1606 at the Pennefather River near the modern town of Weipa on Cape York. Later that year, Spanish explorer Luís Vaz de Torres sailed through and navigated
4186-611: The Commonwealth of Australia. This continued a process of increasing autonomy from the United Kingdom, highlighted by the Statute of Westminster Adoption Act 1942 , and culminating in the Australia Acts of 1986. Australia is a federal parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy comprising six states and ten territories . Its population of more than 28 million is highly urbanised and heavily concentrated on
4277-709: The Southern Hemisphere since ancient times. Several 16th-century cartographers used the word Australia on maps, but not to identify modern Australia. When Europeans began visiting and mapping Australia in the 17th century, the name Terra Australis was applied to the new territories. Until the early 19th century, Australia was best known as New Holland , a name first applied by the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman in 1644 (as Nieuw-Holland ) and subsequently anglicised. Terra Australis still saw occasional usage, such as in scientific texts. The name Australia
4368-877: The Sunshine Coast meets at the Uniting Church at 6 Meta Street once a month. There are two marinas, both on the northern bank of the Mooloolah River accessed from Parklyn Parade: There are a number of boating facilities providing access to the Mooloolah State Boat Harbour which are managed by the Department of Transport and Main Roads: Mooloolaba is also home to the Mooloolaba Triathlon and
4459-400: The Sunshine Motorway doesn't meet motorway standard specifications. Rather, it functions as an inter-urban road with numerous intersections, varying in significance depending on the measurement criteria applied. In addition to the 11 intersections listed below, there are approximately six more that may be deemed major intersections by certain readers. Australia Australia , officially
4550-413: The Sunshine Motorway, which spanned from the interchange with the Bruce Highway at Palmview to Pacific Paradise , was officially opened on January 20, 1990. This inaugural segment marked a significant step forward in improving regional transportation. It was noteworthy for being a completely grade-separated motorway, which means it featured overpasses and underpasses to ensure uninterrupted traffic flow,
4641-632: The Sydney to Mooloolaba Yacht Race. It is also home to various on beach events. Sea Life Sunshine Coast is a tourist attraction in Parklyn Parade ( 26°41′01″S 153°07′20″E / 26.6837°S 153.1221°E / -26.6837; 153.1221 ( Sea Life Sunshine Coast ) ). It is an aquarium and zoo focussing on marine creatures, including sharks, stingrays, jellyfish, seals and penguins. It includes an 80-metre (260 ft) underwater viewing tunnel. Mooloolaba featured in
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#17327971915924732-485: The apartments facing the Mooloolaba Beach ( 26°40′52″S 153°07′18″E / 26.6811°S 153.1217°E / -26.6811; 153.1217 ( Mooloolaba Beach ) ) are camping grounds, backpacker hostels and canal villas. It is also a tourism destination, with cruise ships regularly anchoring outside the port. Mooloolaba is serviced by coach from Brisbane, by train and connecting bus via Nambour , Woombye , Landsborough station , and by air from
4823-436: The area. In the 2016 census , Mooloolaba had a population of 7,730 people. In the 2021 census , Mooloolaba had a population of 8,202 people. Mooloolaba State School is a government primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at Cnr Meta & Douglas Streets ( 26°40′42″S 153°06′49″E / 26.6784°S 153.1137°E / -26.6784; 153.1137 ( Mooloolaba State School ) ). In 2017,
4914-438: The centre and Phanerozoic sedimentary basins , metamorphic and igneous rocks in the east. The Australian mainland and Tasmania are situated in the middle of the tectonic plate and have no active volcanoes, but due to passing over the East Australia hotspot , recent volcanism has occurred during the Holocene , in the Newer Volcanics Province of western Victoria and south-eastern South Australia. Volcanism also occurs in
5005-420: The colonies was achieved after a decade of planning, constitutional conventions and referendums , resulting in the establishment of the Commonwealth of Australia as a nation under the new Australian Constitution . After the 1907 Imperial Conference , Australia and several other self-governing British settler colonies were given the status of self-governing dominions within the British Empire. Australia
5096-475: The continent. In 1770, Captain James Cook sailed along and mapped the east coast, which he named " New South Wales " and claimed for Great Britain. Following the loss of its American colonies in 1783, the British Government sent a fleet of ships, the First Fleet , under the command of Captain Arthur Phillip , to establish a new penal colony in New South Wales . A camp was set up and the Union Flag raised at Sydney Cove , Port Jackson , on 26 January 1788,
5187-478: The convict system culminated in its abolition in the eastern colonies by the 1850s. Initially a free colony, Western Australia practised penal transportation from 1850 to 1868. The six colonies individually gained responsible government between 1855 and 1890, thus becoming elective democracies managing most of their own affairs while remaining part of the British Empire . The Colonial Office in London retained control of some matters, notably foreign affairs. In
5278-425: The country's economy. It ranks highly for quality of life, health, education, economic freedom, civil liberties and political rights. Australia is a middle power , and has the world's thirteenth-highest military expenditure . It is a member of international groups including the United Nations; the G20 ; the OECD ; the World Trade Organization ; Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation ; the Pacific Islands Forum ;
5369-459: The early 2010s after the 2000s Australian drought . Although most of Australia is semi-arid or desert, the continent includes a diverse range of habitats from alpine heaths to tropical rainforests . Fungi typify that diversity—an estimated 250,000 species—of which only 5% have been described—occur in Australia. Because of the continent's great age, extremely variable weather patterns, and long-term geographic isolation, much of Australia's biota
5460-481: The eastern seaboard. Canberra is the nation's capital, while its most populous cities are Sydney and Melbourne , both with a population of more than 5 million. Australia's culture is diverse, and the country has one of the highest foreign-born populations in the world . It has a highly developed market economy and one of the highest per capita incomes globally . Its abundant natural resources and well-developed international trade relations are crucial to
5551-492: The entire segment from Mooloolaba to Pacific Paradise had evolved into a four-lane dual-carriageway motorway. Nevertheless, a two-lane section remains between Kawana Way and Nicklin Way, and the section north of Pacific Paradise still features two lanes. A noteworthy $ 320 million project is in the planning stage to enhance the intersection of the Sunshine Motorway with the Nicklin Way, slated for construction between 2022 and 2025. Additionally, in 2021, planning commenced for
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#17327971915925642-601: The first time when the High Court of Australia held in Mabo v Queensland (No 2) that Australia was neither terra nullius ( ' land belonging to no one ' ) or "desert and uncultivated land" at the time of European settlement. Following the abolition of the last vestiges of the White Australia policy in 1973, Australia's demography and culture transformed as a result of a large and ongoing wave of non-European immigration, mostly from Asia. The late 20th century also saw an increasing focus on foreign policy ties with other Pacific Rim nations. The Australia Acts severed
5733-400: The fourth season of The Amazing Race . Evangelist Peter Foxhall and Pastor Bill Furler pioneered an Assemblies of God church at the Mooloolaba Surf Lifesaving Club in the mid-1980s. The town was also the home of the Christian pop/rock band Newsboys and is mentioned in their song "RSL 1984" from In the Hands of God . It is the fourth town mentioned in the original Australian version of
5824-412: The heart of the country are the uplands of central Australia . Prominent features of the centre and south include Uluru (also known as Ayers Rock), the famous sandstone monolith, and the inland Simpson , Tirari and Sturt Stony , Gibson , Great Sandy, Tanami , and Great Victoria deserts, with the famous Nullarbor Plain on the southern coast. The Western Australian mulga shrublands lie between
5915-407: The interior deserts and Mediterranean-climate Southwest Australia . Lying on the Indo-Australian Plate , the mainland of Australia is the lowest and most primordial landmass on Earth with a relatively stable geological history. The landmass includes virtually all known rock types and from all geological time periods spanning more than 3.8 billion years of the Earth's history. The Pilbara Craton
6006-417: The island of New Guinea (considered geologically as part of the Australian continent), and in the Australian external territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands . Seismic activity in the Australian mainland and Tasmania is also low, with the greatest number of fatalities having occurred in the 1989 Newcastle earthquake . The climate of Australia is significantly influenced by ocean currents, including
6097-620: The land and the environment, with stories of The Dreaming maintained through oral tradition , songs , dance and paintings. Certain groups engaged in fire-stick farming , fish farming , and built semi-permanent shelters . These practices have variously been characterised as " hunter-gatherer ", " agricultural ", "natural cultivation" and "intensification". Torres Strait Islander people first settled their islands at least 2,500 years ago. Culturally and linguistically distinct from mainland Aboriginal peoples, they were seafarers and obtained their livelihood from seasonal horticulture and
6188-455: The least fertile soils. It is a megadiverse country , and its size gives it a wide variety of landscapes and climates including deserts in the interior and tropical rainforests along the endless coast . The ancestors of Aboriginal Australians began arriving from south-east Asia 50,000 to 65,000 years ago, during the last glacial period . By the time of British settlement, Aboriginal Australians spoke 250 distinct languages and had
6279-494: The location for the future federal capital of Canberra . While it was being constructed, Melbourne served as the temporary capital from 1901 to 1927. The Northern Territory was transferred from the control of South Australia to the Commonwealth in 1911. Australia became the colonial ruler of the Territory of Papua (which had initially been annexed by Queensland in 1883) in 1902 and of the Territory of New Guinea (formerly German New Guinea ) in 1920. The two were unified as
6370-448: The mainland. Australia is also one of 17 megadiverse countries. Australian forests are mostly made up of evergreen species, particularly eucalyptus trees in the less arid regions; wattles replace them as the dominant species in drier regions and deserts. Among well-known Australian animals are the monotremes (the platypus and echidna ); a host of marsupials , including the kangaroo , koala , and wombat , and birds such as
6461-406: The majority of traffic on this motorway is confined to a single lane in each direction. However, there are dual carriageway sections from the Bruce Highway to Kawana Way and from the Nicklin Way to the Mudjimba/David Low Way exit. Notable towns along the motorway a include Mooloolaba and Maroochydore, both renowned as popular holiday destinations. To address the growing demands on the Sunshine Coast,
6552-474: The mid-19th century, explorers such as Burke and Wills charted Australia's interior. A series of gold rushes beginning in the early 1850s led to an influx of new migrants from China , North America and continental Europe, as well as outbreaks of bushranging and civil unrest; the latter peaked in 1854 when Ballarat miners launched the Eureka Rebellion against gold license fees. The 1860s saw
6643-457: The midnight of March 8, 1996. The removal of tolls was a significant milestone, allowing for the free flow of traffic and easing the financial burden on road users. As the Sunshine Coast's population continues to expand, the motorway experiences heightened pressure, leading to congestion at most interchanges during peak hours. To alleviate this issue, the Department of Transport and Main Road
6734-602: The next two decades, social and economic reforms, together with the establishment of a Legislative Council and Supreme Court , saw the penal colony transition to a civil society. The indigenous population declined for 150 years following European settlement, mainly due to infectious disease. British colonial authorities did not sign any treaties with Aboriginal groups . As settlement expanded, tens of thousands of Indigenous people and thousands of settlers were killed in frontier conflicts while settlers dispossessed surviving Indigenous peoples of most of their land. In 1803,
6825-498: The oldest living culture in the world. Australia's written history commenced with Dutch exploration of most of the coastline in the 17th-century. British colonisation began in 1788 with the establishment of the penal colony of New South Wales . By the mid-19th century, most of the continent had been explored by European settlers and five additional self-governing British colonies were established, each gaining responsible government by 1890. The colonies federated in 1901, forming
6916-428: The political systems of the United Kingdom (a fused executive , constitutional monarchy and strong party discipline ) and the United States ( federalism , a written constitution and strong bicameralism with an elected upper house), resulting in a distinct hybrid. Federal government power is partially separated between three groups: Charles III reigns as King of Australia and is represented in Australia by
7007-594: The protection of threatened species. Numerous protected areas have been created under the National Strategy for the Conservation of Australia's Biological Diversity to protect and preserve unique ecosystems; 65 wetlands are listed under the Ramsar Convention , and 16 natural World Heritage Sites have been established. Australia was ranked 21st out of 178 countries in the world on
7098-480: The rate of 6 to 7 centimetres a year. The Australian mainland's continental crust , excluding the thinned margins, has an average thickness of 38 km, with a range in thickness from 24 km to 59 km. Australia's geology can be divided into several main sections, showcasing that the continent grew from west to east: the Archaean cratonic shields found mostly in the west, Proterozoic fold belts in
7189-545: The remaining constitutional ties between Australia and the United Kingdom while maintaining the monarch in her independent capacity as Queen of Australia . In a 1999 constitutional referendum , 55% of voters rejected abolishing the monarchy and becoming a republic. Following the September 11 attacks on the United States, Australia joined the United States in fighting the Afghanistan War from 2001 to 2021 and
7280-419: The resources of their reefs and seas. Agriculture also developed on some islands and villages appeared by the 1300s. By the mid-18th century in northern Australia, contact, trade and cross-cultural engagement had been established between local Aboriginal groups and Makassan trepangers , visiting from present-day Indonesia. The Dutch are the first Europeans that recorded sighting and making landfall on
7371-491: The rise of blackbirding , where South Sea Islanders were coerced or abducted into indentured labour, mainly by Queensland colonists. From 1886, Australian colonial governments began removing many Aboriginal children from their families and communities, justified on the grounds of child protection and forced assimilation policies. The Second Boer War (1899–1902) marked the largest overseas deployment of Australia's colonial forces . On 1 January 1901, federation of
7462-537: The school had an enrolment of 677 students with 45 teachers (39 full-time equivalent) and 20 non-teaching staff (15 full-time equivalent). In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 703 students with 45 teachers (40 full-time equivalent) and 24 non-teaching staff (17 full-time equivalent). It includes a special education program. The school has a maximum student enrolment capacity of 822 students. There are no secondary schools in Moloolaba. The nearest secondary school
7553-404: The site, but has been extended over the years. In September 1954, Archbishop Reginald Halse performed a stump-capping ceremony for the new Anglican church at Mooloolaba. St Elizabeth's Anglican Church was dedicated on 2 November 1954 by Archbishop Halse. Its closure on 2 April 2006 was approved by Venerable R N Gowty, Archdeacon of Wide Bay. The congregation had dwindled to 17 people and
7644-741: The spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus . Surrounded by the Indian and Pacific oceans, Australia is separated from Asia by the Arafura and Timor seas, with the Coral Sea lying off the Queensland coast, and the Tasman Sea lying between Australia and New Zealand. The world's smallest continent and sixth-largest country by total area , Australia—owing to its size and isolation—is often dubbed
7735-644: The state capital, Brisbane , and is part of the Maroochydore urban centre. In the 2021 census , Mooloolaba had a population of 8,202 people. Mooloolaba is bounded on the east by the Coral Sea , on the south by the Mooloolah River , on the north by Alexandra Headland and to the west by Buderim . Mooloolaba Harbour (near the mouth of the Mooloolah River, 26°41′09″S 153°07′58″E / 26.6858°S 153.1328°E / -26.6858; 153.1328 ( Mooloolaba Harbour ) )
7826-406: The thylacine. Many of Australia's ecoregions, and the species within those regions, are threatened by human activities and introduced animal, chromistan , fungal and plant species. All these factors have led to Australia's having the highest mammal extinction rate of any country in the world. The federal Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 is the legal framework for
7917-615: Was Australia's warmest recorded year, and the 2019–2020 bushfire season was the country's worst on record . Australia's greenhouse gas emissions per capita are among the highest in the world. Water restrictions are frequently in place in many regions and cities of Australia in response to chronic shortages due to urban population increases and localised drought. Throughout much of the continent, major flooding regularly follows extended periods of drought, flushing out inland river systems, overflowing dams and inundating large inland flood plains, as occurred throughout Eastern Australia in
8008-413: Was established in 1829, evolving into the largest Australian colony by area, Western Australia . In accordance with population growth, separate colonies were carved from New South Wales: Tasmania in 1825, South Australia in 1836, New Zealand in 1841, Victoria in 1851, and Queensland in 1859. South Australia was founded as a free colony—it never accepted transported convicts. Growing opposition to
8099-579: Was one of the founding members of the League of Nations in 1920, and the United Nations in 1945. The Statute of Westminster 1931 formally ended the ability of the UK to pass federal laws without Australia's consent. Australia adopted it in 1942, but it was backdated to 1939 to confirm the validity of legislation passed during World War II. The Australian Capital Territory was formed in 1911 as
8190-470: Was popularised by the explorer Matthew Flinders , who said it was "more agreeable to the ear, and an assimilation to the names of the other great portions of the Earth". The first time that Australia appears to have been officially used was in April 1817, when Governor Lachlan Macquarie acknowledged the receipt of Flinders' charts of Australia from Lord Bathurst . In December 1817, Macquarie recommended to
8281-545: Was realigned and reconstructed to accommodate motorway traffic heading to Eumundi - Noosa , with the project's completion in October 1993. This was an essential step in enhancing the connectivity of the motorway network in the region. Toll Removal (1996) The issue of tolls remained a subject of intense debate, and after years of public dissatisfaction, the Queensland Government officially ceased tolling on
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