Unexpected Signs I Saw While Hopping Around Australia
You might not find these anywhere else
“What is that?” I gasped, my footsteps faltering.
I stood in complete bewilderment as what looked like a prehistoric dinosaur bird casually poked its head into a trash can.
“That’s an ibis.” My boyfriend, Matt, laughed. “I forgot to tell you about those. You’ll see them almost everywhere.”
This was my first trip Down Under. I had heard stories about giant snakes and massive spiders. But, no one warned me about the tall white birds with pointy beaks.
Noticing the terrified look on my face, he added, “They’re harmless.”
And he was right. As I traveled around Sydney and Brisbane, I got used to the presence of the Australian White Ibis. They seemed to act like mischievous, giant pigeons or seagulls. Their nickname? Bin chickens.
Like any wild bird, it’s best not to feed them. You might spot a few signs in popular outdoor eating areas that urge you not to feed the ibis. However, they’re very resourceful, and will easily feed themselves.
The “Don’t Feed the Ibis” sign wasn’t the only unexpected thing I saw while I traveled around Queensland and New South Wales…
I read the sign as we walked along the waterfront. “WARNING Swooping Bird,” it said.
“Do they really swoop?” I asked Matt. This was the third sign I’d seen urging people to be careful of magpies in the area.
“Oh yeah,” he replied. “When I was living in Melbourne, I walked underneath a tree and got swooped by a magpie. Luckily, I happened to be across the road from a veterinarian at the time and they gave me an ice pack for my head.”
“They’re very protective,” Matt continued. “When they swoop, they’re defending their nest.”
Though magpies have the same name as birds you’ll find in other parts of the world (like the US and Europe), the Australian subspecies is actually different. One difference? They’re much more territorial, especially between July and November.
Knowing this, I made sure to follow safety tips, such as wearing a hat, to avoid getting swooped.
I dug in my backpack for the sunscreen bottle. I could feel my skin already warming, even though it was cloudy. I’d put sunscreen on this morning, of course, but being extremely pale (and never living in Australia before), my body was not used to the sun.
The only problem? I was almost out of sunscreen.
“We’re gonna need to buy more,” I told Matt as I smoothed some sunscreen onto my arm before putting it back into my bag. I readjusted my hat to protect my face.
I knew that Australia was known for many things such as funny abbreviations (McDonald’s is known as Macca’s, for instance) and unique wildlife. But, it was another thing entirely to experience the endless hot days, as Australia has extremely strong UV exposure almost all year around.
There are some benefits to the hot weather though, of course. For instance, it’s the perfect opportunity to take advantage of solar panels.
As we walked along the outdoor food court, we passed by a “smart” bin.
This recycling bin uses solar energy to compact the items and make it more efficient.
Quite innovative!
If you visit Australia, you’ll come across some Aussie humor which is usually blunt and dry.
Matt and I were walking along the beach when we both stopped to read this sign and promptly burst out laughing.
You’ll see many people at the beach soaking up the sun and having a relaxing afternoon. But, that doesn’t mean the lifeguards want to babysit the kids.
We also found another hilarious sign, in an unexpected place: a library.
“Please be patient. Our display will be up soon,” read the sign.
“Shhh,” Matt said to me as I tried to cover up my giggling. The sign was, of course, located on the “quiet” floor.
“That’s brilliant,” I said while admiring the wit of the staff member who had put up the display. “Absolutely genius.”
Books on procrastination could have been useful for some tips on how to get my work done. But, maybe the books would have just delayed me from completing the work I had actually planned to do in the library. Nonetheless, the sign brightened my day.
Australia is a unique and wonderful place. As a tourist, I took notice of a lot of the fascinating and unexpected details, like quintessential Aussie signs. It’s in these small things that I found some of the most joy or humor.
Now, I can’t help but think of all of the American signs I pass every day without thinking twice. What do the tourists think of us?
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This article is part of Globetrotter’s January monthly challenge — signs.
Check out some other amazing stories from some fellow writers, like Shawn B. Swinger who shared some strange and funny signs he found in Japan. I also enjoyed Paul S. Marshall’s article which gives an insightful look into the complicated history of Australia Day.
