Rural Australia - photos

About

Australia is one of the world's most urbanised countries. Outside of the urban zones lie large rural areas where fewer than 15% of Australians live. Beyond that is the outback a vast wilderness of desert and grasslands. The grassland areas often have huge stations that engage in sheep farming, cattle, and other livestock. Such are the distances that cattle cover, it is sometimes necessary to use helicopters to round up the herd. Sheep farming in rural areas is however the traditional farming of Australia.
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Rural Australia Landscapes

Crops Grown in Australia

Sheep Farms

The saying 'Riding on the sheep's back' is a reference to when Australia dependence on wool in early history made the nation wealthy. Although not as important today, Australia still has more sheep than any other nation, with over 100 million. These days sheep farming is in decline, and the new industry boosting the economy is mining.

Australia is the world's largest exporter of beef. With over 28 million heads of cattle, it accounts for over half of all farms with agricultural activity. Beef in Australia is of good quality and reasonably priced and is a common staple of the Australian diet.

Wheat is the country's most important grain and Australia is the fouth largest exporter of wheat in the world. Other important crops grown include barley, sugarcane, and a wide variety of temperate and tropical fruits.