In December 2009, Olga and I travelled to Australia to explore the country, see the Great Barrier Reef (on our list of must-dos) and get some sun and warmth. Since Australia was settled by the British, it has a rich history of tea traditions as well. We learned that Australians love their tea! Here are some cool facts about Australia and tea:

Billy Tea - tea made in the bush using a billy can (metal canister) over a fire or camping stove. Billy tea evokes thoughts of outback explorers waking up and making their morning cup before heading out further into the bush. We had a chance to experience billy tea while watching a sunrise over Uluru, which is in the centre of Australia.

Australian-grown tea - there are some tea estates in Australia that grow and process tea. They are located in the north part of Australia in north Queensland and northern New South Wales.

Tea Tree Oil - it comes from a different plant than the tea we drink. The tea we drink comes from Camellia sinensis, while tea tree oil is derived from Camellia oleifera. Traditionally, tea tree was used by the aboriginals for its antiseptic and antifungal properties when applied to wounds, cuts and other skin conditions. Today, tea tree oil is found in many skin care products.

Tea houses in Australia - we were fortunate to visit several tea houses in Australia. They serve tea traditionally with scones, jam and cream. The most memorable was the Lake Barrine Tea House, built in the 1930s that is situated on a volcanic lake about an hour outside of Cairns. Surrounded by ancient rainforest, the tea house is a quaint look at the culture and wildlife of the Atherton Tablelands area. If you are visiting Cairns, we highly suggest to take a tour or rent a car and see the ancient rainforests. We recommend the Wait-A-While Rainforest Tours company, an independent small business that took great care of us and provided a fantastic rainforest tour.