Australia and Oceania (continent)

I am a giant island, hugged by the big, sparkly blue ocean. My beaches are warm and sandy, and my heart is a big, red desert that glows under the sun. Bouncing kangaroos and sleepy koalas call me home. They hop and climb all day long. Can you guess who I am. I am the continent of Australia and Oceania.

My first friends came to live with me a very, very long time ago. It was around 65,000 years ago. These were the first Aboriginal peoples. They were so kind and learned all my secrets. They painted beautiful stories on my rocks with colors from the earth. They took great care of my lands and all my animals. I loved watching them play music with special sticks and dance under the shiny stars at night. I felt so happy to have friends who loved me.

Much, much later, a big ship came sailing across my waters. It was a sunny day in the year 1770. The ship had tall, white sails that looked like puffy clouds. A man named Captain James Cook was on the ship. He looked at my sandy shores and drew pictures of them to make maps. After he visited, more people came from far away. They built new homes and big cities with tall buildings that tickled the clouds.

Today, I am a happy home for people from all over the world. And I am still a home for all my amazing animals, too. You can see colorful fish swimming in my Great Barrier Reef. You can see cool buildings in my city of Sydney. I love it when friends like you come to visit and explore my sunny lands and sparkling waters. I will always have a warm, wonderful adventure waiting for you.