Country-guessing Australia vs. New Zealand
Australia and New Zealand are easy to regonize thanks to their unique landscape and left-hand driving direction, amongst other clues. However, telling the two countries apart can be tricky. You can lose a lot of points when you get it wrong, because of the vast size of the two countries. Here are some tips to help you distinguish between Australia and New Zealand.
Bollards
🇦🇺 Australia
In Australia, bollards are typically white, featuring a red reflector on the front and a grey reflector on the back.
Note that on some Australian bollards the red reflector is circular, not rectangular.
🇳🇿 New Zealand
In New Zealand, bollards have a red strip around the upper part of the bollard.
Give-way signs
🇦🇺 Australia
Australian give-way signs are written in black writing.
🇳🇿 New Zealand
In New Zealand, give-way signs have red text.
Soeed signs
🇦🇺 Australia
Australian speed limit signs appear on a white rectangle. This contrasts New Zealand speed limit signs which appear as a circular cut-out.
🇳🇿 New Zealand
In New Zealand, speed signs are typically circular.
Street name signs
🇦🇺 Australia
Australia typically has white street signs.
🇳🇿 New Zealand
New Zealand street signs are blue or green.
Chevrons
🇦🇺 Australia
Australia uses black-on-yellow chevrons without a border around them. White-on-black chevrons also exist.
🇳🇿 New Zealand
Chevrons in New Zealand are black-on-white colored with a black outline.
Flora
🇦🇺 Australia
In Australia, Eucalyptus trees are a prominent feature, typically tall with white bark.
🇳🇿 New Zealand
It's common to see fern growing in forested areas in New Zealand.
Other 🇳🇿 New Zealand clues
Give-way street marking
In New Zealand many give-way intersections also have a white give-way triangle painted on the street.
Silver pole wrapping
In New Zealand, most utility poles have a lone piece of metal, usually silver or white, wrapping around them.
Note that the Australian state of Tasmania also has pole wrappings, but they are usually olive green.