Quiz of the Day
Australia — Land Down Under
Tuesday, 20 October 2026
Anchored to the opening of the Sydney Opera House on October 20, 1973 — explore Australian geography, wildlife, landmarks, and culture
1. Which monarch officially opened the Sydney Opera House on October 20, 1973?
- King George VI
- King Edward VIII
- Queen Elizabeth II
- Queen Victoria
Queen Elizabeth II opened the Sydney Opera House on October 20, 1973, in her role as Queen of Australia. The building had taken 14 years to construct and ran massively over budget. It was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2007.
2. What is the capital city of Australia?
- Canberra
- Perth
- Sydney
- Melbourne
Canberra was purpose-built as the capital as a compromise between rival cities Sydney and Melbourne. Its location was chosen in 1908, and the city was designed by American architects Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahony Griffin. Neither Sydney nor Melbourne, the two largest cities, is the capital.
3. Which architect designed the Sydney Opera House?
- Frank Lloyd Wright
- Le Corbusier
- Frank Gehry
- Jørn Utzon
Danish architect Jørn Utzon won the international design competition in 1957 with his distinctive shell-like design. He resigned from the project in 1966 amid disputes over costs and delays, before the building was completed. In 2003 he was awarded the Pritzker Prize, architecture's highest honour.
4. Which iconic Australian marsupial carries its young in a pouch and is known for hopping?
- Wombat
- Dingo
- Platypus
- Kangaroo
The kangaroo is a marsupial that carries its underdeveloped young, called a joey, in a pouch. Kangaroos appear on the Australian coat of arms alongside the emu, both chosen partly because neither animal can easily walk backwards. Australia is home to over 40 species of kangaroos and wallabies.
5. What is the name of the massive coral reef system off Australia's northeastern coast?
- Belize Barrier Reef
- Great Barrier Reef
- Coral Triangle
- Ningaloo Reef
The Great Barrier Reef stretches over 2,300 kilometres and is the world's largest coral reef system. It is so large that it can be seen from space and is composed of thousands of individual reefs. It became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981.
6. What is the large sandstone rock formation sacred to Aboriginal people in central Australia?
- Wave Rock
- The Pinnacles
- Uluru
- Kata Tjuta
Uluru, also known as Ayers Rock, rises about 348 metres above the surrounding desert in the Northern Territory. It is sacred to the Anangu, the traditional Aboriginal owners of the land. Climbing Uluru was permanently banned in October 2019 out of respect for its cultural significance.
7. Which unusual Australian mammal lays eggs but also nurses its young with milk?
- Bilby
- Tasmanian devil
- Koala
- Platypus
The platypus is a monotreme, one of only a few mammals that lay eggs rather than giving live birth. It has a duck-like bill, webbed feet, and the males have venomous spurs on their hind legs. When specimens first reached Europe, some scientists thought it was a hoax stitched together from different animals.
8. Which ocean lies directly to the west of the Australian mainland?
- Pacific Ocean
- Atlantic Ocean
- Indian Ocean
- Arctic Ocean
The Indian Ocean borders Australia to the west and south-west, while the Pacific Ocean lies to the east. Australia is the only country that is also a continent, and it is the world's largest island. Its vast coastline stretches for tens of thousands of kilometres.
9. Which Australian city hosts the famous annual tennis Grand Slam, the Australian Open?
- Adelaide
- Brisbane
- Melbourne
- Perth
The Australian Open has been held in Melbourne since 1972 and is the first of the four tennis Grand Slam tournaments each year. Melbourne is widely regarded as Australia's sporting capital and also hosts the Melbourne Cup horse race. The city was Australia's capital from federation in 1901 until Canberra took over in 1927.
10. What name is given to the vast, remote inland regions of Australia?
- The Prairie
- The Highlands
- The Steppe
- The Outback
The Outback refers to Australia's remote, arid interior, much of which is sparsely populated desert and scrubland. It covers the majority of the continent's land area yet is home to only a small fraction of its population. The term evokes the rugged frontier spirit central to Australian identity.
11. Which Australian state is an island separated from the mainland by the Bass Strait?
- South Australia
- Tasmania
- Victoria
- Queensland
Tasmania lies about 240 kilometres south of the Australian mainland across the Bass Strait. It is home to the Tasmanian devil, the world's largest surviving carnivorous marsupial. Much of the island is protected wilderness, and it enjoys some of the cleanest air in the world.
12. What is the traditional Aboriginal wind instrument made from a hollowed length of wood?
- Sitar
- Bodhrán
- Didgeridoo
- Bagpipes
The didgeridoo is a wind instrument developed by Aboriginal peoples of northern Australia, traditionally made from eucalyptus branches hollowed out by termites. Players use a technique called circular breathing to produce a continuous droning sound. It is one of the oldest known musical instruments still in use today.
13. Which yeast-based dark spread is an iconic Australian breakfast staple?
- Nutella
- Vegemite
- Marmite
- Promite
Vegemite is a thick, dark, salty spread made from leftover brewers' yeast extract, invented in Melbourne in 1922. Australians typically spread it thinly on buttered toast. It has become a national icon, even referenced in the Men at Work song 'Down Under'.
14. Approximately how many years have Aboriginal Australians inhabited the continent, making them one of the world's oldest continuous cultures?
- At least 1,000 years
- At least 65,000 years
- At least 200,000 years
- At least 5,000 years
Archaeological evidence suggests Aboriginal Australians have lived on the continent for at least 65,000 years, representing one of the oldest continuous living cultures on Earth. They developed rich oral traditions, art, and knowledge systems long before European contact. British colonisation began with the arrival of the First Fleet in 1788.
15. Which venomous Australian marine creature is considered one of the most dangerous animals in the world?
- Box jellyfish
- Moray eel
- Manta ray
- Barracuda
The Australian box jellyfish carries venom potent enough to be fatal to humans and is often cited as one of the world's most venomous marine creatures. Its tentacles can deliver a sting causing cardiac arrest within minutes. Australia is also famous for other dangerous wildlife, including saltwater crocodiles and several highly venomous snakes.