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　　AboriginalsettlersarrivedonthecontinentfromSoutheastAsiaabout40,000yearsbeforethefirstEuropeansbeganexplorationinthe17thcentury.Noformalclaimsweremadeuntil1770,whenCapt.JamesCOOKtookpossessioninthenameofGreatBritain.Sixcolonieswerecreatedinthelate18thand19thcenturies;theyfederatedandbecametheCommonwealthofAustraliain1901.ThenewcountrywasabletotakeadvantageofitsnaturalresourcesinordertorapidlydevelopitsagriculturalandmanufacturingindustriesandtomakeamajorcontributiontotheBritisheffortinWorldWarsIandII.Long-termconcernsincludepollution,particularlydepletionoftheozonelayer,andmanagementandconservationofcoastalareas,especiallytheGreatBarrierReef.AreferendumtochangeAustralia'sstatus,fromacommonwealthheadedbytheBritishmonarchtoarepublic,wasdefeatedin1999.

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　　Australiaseemtobecursedwithaninsatiableyenfortheunknownandtheybendtoitwillingly,fleeingforweeks,monthseven,intothatvastspotinthemiddlecalledtheoutback.Andit'sabigoutback;youcantravelindefinitelywithoutcomingwithincooeeofaphonecalloranemail.Nuts!Insteadyouhavetomakedowithlandscapesthatshiftfromsaffrontoochrebeneathaseamlesscanopyofdeepindigo.AndthenthereareancientAboriginalcultures,dazzlingsaltpans,secretivereptiles,rough-cutcanyonsandpristinegorges.SomeAustralianssimplygowalkabout,traversingnationalparksfilledwithsuchdevilishcrittersaskoalas,sugarglidersandknee-highwallabies.Otherswhizthroughworldheritagerainforestsonmountainbikesorapplyropestotheirlimbs,chalktotheirhands,trulyskimpyshortstotheirnetherregionsandscaleloftysummitslikebronze-backedinsects.Andsomesimplylaunchthemselvesintotheskywithparachutesattachedtotheirbacks.