While Australian drivers have grown accustomed to the quirky or unique signs dotted along our road network, it seems the opposite is true for the stunned tourists left baffled by the local road signs they’ve encountered while travelling around Australia.

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Whether trivia questions in high-risk fatigue zones or warnings about endangered wildlife such as crabs and bandicoots, it turns out our road authorities are a little less conventional about their signage methods compared to the rest of the world.

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A photograph of a “No Fuel for 500km” road sign along Tablelands Highway – a single-lane 375km stretch of road in the Northern Territory – was posted to Instagram by travel blogger oceaniezeros.

That's because only approximately one-third of the global population including Australia and New Zealand drives on the left side of the road.

While Australia is known for its vast array of wildlife, rarely do they ever require entire roads to be closed for safe movement.

Australia is known for having some of the longest and straightest stretches of road in the entire world, which can lead to fatigue without any bends to keep motorists engaged.

However, continued habitat destruction and the introduction of foreign predators have caused a decline in the population of some species like the bandicoot, causing authorities to declare it endangered, hence the road signs.

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To offer a glimpse into some of the more unusual sightings around our sunburnt country, replacement vehicle provider Right2Drive gathered a list of the most-liked Australian road signs on social media.

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However, red crabs residing on Christmas Island require a dedicated road sign to warn tourists of their presence during their migration from the forests to the beach for mating season.

For example, the sign at the top of this story that features a cow seemingly tipping a car over was shared to Instagram with the caption "There are some interesting road signs in Australia".

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While the debates surrounding the origin of left-side driving continue, according to the myth, it stemmed from British carriage drivers who traditionally used the left side of the road as it allowed mostly right-handed riders to swing a whip at the horses without hurting pedestrians.

Authorities said the red crabs are protected, hence why some roads may be closed at short notice and there is infrastructure such as crab bridges to help the crustaceans on their journey.

While it may look like there's a car-sized cow on the loose, the road sign actually indicates livestock on the road ahead to urge drivers to keep an eye out.

According to Parks Australia, millions of red crabs descend into the ocean to reproduce around October to January – crossing man-made terrains like roads in the process, which can lead to road closures for weeks at a time.

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Professor Narelle Haworth from the Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety Queensland told The Guardian that roadside trivia was a cost-effective way to disrupt the monotony of driving which can lead to a lapse in concentration.

“Road signs displaying bandicoot pictographs can be seen where roads intersect important bandicoot habitats," the NSW Government states.

To keep drivers alert, Australian authorities have erected signs featuring trivia questions in areas where driver fatigue could occur.

“I love the unusual street signs here, [it’s the] only place in the world where you’ll find millions of crabs closing down the entire road networks for weeks at a time,” Instagram user Ben Branch said.

Though this can be a culture shock to some driving tourists, 'drive on the left' signs along Australian roads can be a handy reminder to avoid any confusion that could lead to an accident.

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"The idea of roadside trivia is to make drivers more alert ... maybe a passenger starts up a conversation who knows the answer."

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According to the New South Wales Government website, road and urban development have “displaced and severely fragmented bandicoot populations” leaving the marsupial vulnerable to predators and vehicles.

While overseas tourists have a general understanding of how vast Australia is, the sheer distance between hospitable destinations can leave some visitors in awe.

Ethan Cardinal graduated with a Journalism degree in 2020 from La Trobe University and has been working in the fashion industry as a freelance writer prior to joining Drive in 2023. Ethan greatly enjoys investigating and reporting on the cross sections between automotive, lifestyle and culture. Ethan relishes the opportunity to explore how deep cars are intertwined within different industries and how they could affect both casual readers and car enthusiasts.

According to previous Drive reports, Australia’s continued allegiance to left-hand traffic started because of the country’s previous ties to Britain before it became an independent nation.