Article Updated On: 25/01/22
If you’re moving to Australia or New Zealand soon, or have recently arrived, no doubt you will be searching where to stay, how to get a job, etc.
There’s also a high probability that you’ve been affected by misconceptions about them.
Undoubtedly, both countries are exotic regions to the rest of the world, full of cute koala bears, poisonous creatures, and even more treacherous convicts.
The only issue? None of it is truthful.
This blog post will clear up some of the most common myths.
Before we start with 6 misconceptions about Australia and New Zealand that have been debunked, let’s dive just a little into some history and geography facts.
New Zealand is located to the east of Australia, across the Tasman Sea, and both countries have flora and fauna that cannot be found anywhere on Earth.
Australia is unique because it is an island, a country, and the world’s smallest continent. New Zealand’s physical region, on the other hand, is made up of two main islands.
Australia has been inhabited by aboriginal people for tens of thousands of years. The British colonized the county by first establishing prison colonies for British prisoners.
The Maori, who originated from Polynesia, live on New Zealand’s two main islands. The British also colonized New Zealand and frequently battled with the local Maori people.
Now, here are some of the most common myths about Australia and New Zealand that the natives are tired of hearing.
Not all animals are poisonous in Australia. Some folks believe that if you want to survive in Australia, you have to be a Steve Irwin-type of person. But, be prepared not to die of a spider sting or a snake bite. In fact, you can hardly come by bad spiders and snakes, so they could be easily avoided. Furthermore, Australia is the home of one of the sweetest animals – the quokka.
Not all Aussies live outback. Actually, half of Australia’s population lives in the five largest cities like Sydney and Melbourne.
Aussies and Kiwis are not the same. It’s like saying that Canada is part of the United States of America and vice versa. Kiwis, in particular, are really tetchy on this topic!
Some think that the capital of Australia is Sydney. Or maybe it was Melbourne? That couldn’t be further from the truth. Let’s put an end to this dispute. The capital of Australia is Canberra, even though Sydney is home to the iconic Opera house and is one of the largest cities together with Melbourne.
When you visit Australia, you will most certainly see koalas and kangaroos. However, they aren’t as widespread as pop culture makes us believe. Most of the time, you’ll have to go to a wildlife park to see them because they don’t usually hang out in big cities.
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Kangaroos – The Symbol of Australia
That isn’t entirely correct. People naturally assume that Down Under is blessed with beautiful beach weather everywhere and always. Australia is a huge country, and the weather varies as you travel across it. Up north, tropical climates exist, and it can be bitterly cold in some cities.
Some tourists get the impression that everything is clean and green in New Zealand. This is not true. New Zealand is not as green as people think it is. In fact, the environment records are not that impressive.
Although no one’s going to deny the fact that sheep farming has been crucial in the development of New Zealand’s economy, it now stands at around five sheep per human.
If you hear Auckland all the time this is because Auckland is New Zealand’s largest city and main transport hub. But New Zealand’s capital since 1865 is Wellington.
As far as we are aware this is an extinct human species, however, Hobbiton is a real place in New Zealand.
No, this is not true. Developed and peaceful as it is, New Zealand has its own problems and challenges, even though the county looks like Disneyland compared to the crime rates in other countries.
The Kiwi is a New Zealand national icon, and the last place you’ll ever see one is on a New Zealander’s plate. However, we’ve heard stories that the bird can steal things from you but we cannot confirm if that’s a myth.
There we have it, the most common falsehoods about Australia and New Zealand.
If you decide to move there or simply travel as a tourist, you may be pleasantly surprised to discover that some of the concerns you first had turned out to be not such a worry in the end.
However, if you want to go there, be sure to plan in advance as you may require a visa.
Securing a visa can be a very stressful and overwhelming task and we are aware of this.
Fret not! Visa First can help you obtain your visa for your future trips.
We are the world’s leading visa and immigration service company.
Visa First has over 17 years of experience in providing fast, convenient, and reliable services to our consumers.
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