Hullo Mr Blister and Summitzero, thanks for welcoming me to the forum. I feel I'm among friends.
Re differences between walking in the UK and Australia, wilderness in the UK seems a kinder, gentler place than in Australia. Just a few aspects: you know in the UK that you are never far from water (in Australia you have to carry it with you, even on three-day treks). Our bushfire season lasts six months of the year, and temperatures of 36-38 degrees Centigrade are normal. You can tog up against the cold, but there's no beating the heat. Your wonderful post buses can take you into the countryside to start your walks, whereas we have no public transport outside the towns. I mentioned snakes- the Australian tiger snake bite can kill a man in 30 minutes, and our mosquitoes carry Ross River fever and dengue fever, and soon malaria if the planet keeps heating up.
As someone who has been stuck up to my knees in a Scottish bog and knocked off my feet by a terrifying gale in the Llarig Ghru, on balance I'd still rather walk in the UK.