Australia's External Territories
Norfolk Island
Website • Google Maps • Wikipedia
Norfolk Island is weird. First of all, despite being Australian territory, Citizens who don’t live there need to have a passport to go visit. It’s way off in the Pacific Ocean, and anyone who wants to live there needs to meet very specific requirements. Most importantly, foreigners who visit Norfolk Island and want to come back to the rest of the country need a multiple-entry visa, as it counts as ‘outside Australia’ for some parts of the Migration Act, but at the same time it is “inside Australia” for other parts.
As I said, it’s weird.
Like the Antartic Territory, Norfolk has it’s own stamps if you’re into that. While Norfolk Island stamps are still denominated in AUD, Norfolk Island is the only territory currently a member of the Universal Postal Union, and their stamps can’t be used in Australia, and Australian Stamps can’t be used on Norfolk.
Like all our external territories, a fair chunk of the island is a national park.
Originally, Norfolk Island was a place that they sent convicts who reoffended, but most of today’s inhabitants trace their ancestry to the mutinous crew of HMS Bounty.
The Commonwealth Government recently took away a lot of the Territory’s independence, extended Medicare to the inhabitants, and incorporated them into the regular Australian taxation system. This was a big deal and made many people unhappy, but the territory was pretty much broke and there weren’t a lot of other choices…
Lord Howe Island
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Like Norfolk, the Lord Howe Islands Group is weird.
Unlike all the other Australian External Territories, it’s part of a State (New South Wales) probably because the British wanted someone else to deal with it for them sometime before 1901.
Also like Norfolk, it’s in the middle of the Pacific, about 600km from Australia.
Since it’s so far from everywhere, it’s got all manner of funky plants and wildlife you won’t find anywhere else. Another World Herritage Site.
There are 29 islands, islets and rocks rising up out of the sea in the Lord Howe Island Group. The most famous of these minor islands is Balls Pyramid, which is home to the only known wild population of the Lord Howe Island Stick Insect — previously thought to be extinct.
Heard & McDonald Islands
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At over 4,000km from Perth, the Heard & McDonald Islands are one of the most remote places in the world.
Originally there were had a couple of sealing stations, they have since been demolished and now it’s deserted, and has since been declared a World Herritage Site.
The islands are uninhabited, subantartic, and have both of the active volcanoes in “Australia”.
Would not live in.
Coral Sea Islands
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On the other side of the Great Barrier Reef, the Coral Sea Islands are uninhabited, aside from Willis Island, which is home to 4 staff from the Bureau of Meteorology on six-month postings. Many other islands have automated weather stations, but no people.
In short:
Paradise.
No idiots.
Would live in.
Christmas Island
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Known primarily for being the place that we dump unwanted asylum seekers while their claims are investigated, this island in the edge of the Indian Ocean is supposed to be pleasant enough.
Christmas Island’s other main claim to fame is the Red Crab Migration is insane. Millions of crabs walk from one side of the island to the other over the course of about a week. http://www.christmas.net.au/experiences/red-crab-migration.html
Charmingly, the capital city and main settlement is officially named Flying Fish Cove.
Australian Antarctic Territory
Website • Google Maps • Wikipedia
Originally claimed by the United Kingdom (naturally,) the Australian Antarctic Territory was placed under the authority of the Commonwealth of Australia in 1933. It is the largest antarctic claim.
Stamps in the name of the Australian Antarctic Territory get issued from time to time. Since there’s very little call for mail from the six Australian Antarctic Division bases down there and the stamps are both denominated in AUD and accepted in Australia, they’re basically just antarctic-themed Australian stamps with a slightly different name on them.
Some people consider the Antarctic Territory holiday material, but it’s pretty hard (and expensive) to get to.
May we suggest you bring a hat?