Australian Outback - Australian Travel Hot Spot

The Outback is a large region covering most of the center of Australia, including inland areas of New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory.

Outback refers to remote and arid areas of Australia, although the term colloquially can refer to any lands outside of the main urban areas. The term "outback" is generally used to refer to locations that are comparatively more remote than those areas deemed "the bush".

The outback is home to the Australian feral camel and dingoes. The Dingo fence was built to restrict dingo movements into agricultural areas towards the south east of the continent.

Terminology

Culturally, many urban Australians have had very generalised terms for the otherwise complex range of environments that exist within the inland and tropical regions of the continent. Regional terminology can be very specific to specific locations in each mainland state.

It is colloquially said that 'the outback' is located "beyond the Black Stump". The location of the black stump may be some hypothetical location or may vary depending on local custom and folklore.

It has been suggested that the term comes from the Black Stump Wine Saloon that once stood about 10 kilometres out of Coolah, New South Wales on the Gunnedah Road.

It is claimed that the saloon, named after the nearby Black Stump Run and Black Stump Creek, was an important staging post for traffic to north-west New South Wales and it became a marker by which people gauged their journeys into the Australian Outback.

"The Never-Never" is a term referring to remoter parts of the Australian outback. The outback can be also referred to as "back of beyond", "back o' Bourke" although these terms are more frequently used when referring to something a long way from anywhere, or a long way away.

The well-watered north of the continent is often called the "Top End" and the arid interior "The Red Centre" due to its vast amounts of red soil and sparse greenery amongst its landscape.

Wildlife

The Australian Outback may be desolate but there is still wildlife existing in these extreme dry, hot conditions. Camels may be encountered as they wander the desert sand plains, brought to Australia by the early Afghan drivers; these animals survive well in the outback. Kangaroos are also encountered along with the dingo, as they survive the harshness.

White Cockatoos and Grey Galahs are often sighted in flocks as they cross the wilderness. Snakes and lizards are often basking in the sun, and they may be sighted resting on roads. Wild horses known as 'brumbies,' imported by early settlers, run wild in large numbers.