The rugged charm and desolate beauty of the Australian outback has captivated outsiders for decades. Its reputation as a harsh and hostile environment seems to somehow make it even more intriguing. These photos seem to beautifully summarize exactly what we think about Australia’s outback; wild roaming animals, desolate open space and landscapes that could easily pass as being from another planet all together.
1. Kangaroos are in abundance throughout Australia but in the outback they can be found in large mobs where they’re free to roam as they please. Fun fact: The Red Kangaroo is the largest living marsupial weighing up to 200 lbs. It can also leap up to 25 feet far and 10 feet high.
2. There are many gorgeous rock formations throughout the Australian outback, some more famous than others but all usually have a unique story about their formation or the aboriginal spirits around them.
3. These limestone formations are known as The Pinnacles and can be found in Western Australia’s Nambung National Park. One theory of how they formed is that long ago they were formed from seashells which were broken down into limestone sand which blew inland forming the dunes that can be seen today.
4. Uluru -the big red rock, or more commonly known as Ayer’s Rock is a monolith that rises from the middle of Australia’s barren outback landscape. The sandstone rock is sacred to Australian aboriginals and is believed to be over 700 million years old.
5. Emus are large flightless birds endemic to Australia. They can be found all around the country/continent but it’s not uncommon to see a mob of emus running along side the road as you’re driving through the outback.
6. Proof that in the rugged outback of Australia, you must always be prepared.
7. A popular (and often dangerous) job in the outback, ‘mustering’ is the long and difficult process of rounding up livestock and cattle. Mustering can be done on foot, horseback, in vehicles or by aircraft.
8. You just never know what kind of strange, twisted heaps of metal or other trash you might come across in the outback.
9. In 2008 there were an estimated 1 million feral camels roaming the outback. A culling program was developed in response as the camels were taking a toll on the environment and threatening native species. By 2013 their estimated numbers were reduced to around 300,000.
10. In the wide expanse of the outback, you can usually see storms coming in from miles and miles away.
11. Camels, wombats and kangaroos are only just the beginning of the wild animals that can be found roaming throughout the open expanse of the outback.
