Scared Monkeys Discussion Forum

Tibro will tell us all about Australia  :wink:

Oh.. I would love to hear all about it..... starting with do they welcome American tourists???  It is so high on my lists of places I would LOVE to visit.....

Post about Christmas Snow in Australia:

UNBELIEVABLE! We're not dreamin' anymore. (http://www.roddingroundtable.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=6002)

(http://bestsmileys.com/welcome/1.gif)
 
 
New Assue Monkey! Nice to see a new face!
Australia is one place I would just LOVE to see, it's so beautiful....

Thank you all for your interest.  Just let me know what sort of things you are interested in so I can do some research and get my facts straight!
Australia is a very diverse country : from tropical rainforests, mountain snowfields and deserts with everything in between.  We LOVE American and Canadian tourists and have had a lot to do with your countries over the years.  My father was with the RAAF in South West Pacific at a US base during World War 11, my brother and a cousin both went to Vietnam and I have two nephews, one in the RAAF and one in RAN,  both of whom have done their share in Iraq.  All of them came home safely for which we thank God.
I plan to post items about our wildlife and ways of life.  We are not like Crocodile Dundee but certainly have our share of weird characters.  We are very laid back and easy going, in some ways too easy going but that is more of a political topic.  Things have changed a lot here over past few years with the influence of immigrants and we are much more cosmopolitan than when I was young.
Now down to work on my first request.

Ok, I am a very political monkey...  :oops:

so I guess my questions would be...what kind of immigration are you seeing?  How is changing your political landscape?

Do Australians think this is a worthless battle on terror or do they think that it's a fight that needs to happen?

I will have a gazillion questions... but I will leave you with these for now...and please don't be shy to be frank with me... I love to hear all kinds of thoughts.... and I am not always eloquent even though, I try to be... so if you don't understand a question or I have worded it wrong please let me know...

Legend of the Glasshouse Mountains  An Aboriginal legend published by E G Heap, B.A
It seems that Tibrogargan, the father, and Beerwah, the mother, had many children - Coonowrin (The Eldest) Beerburrum, the Tunbubudia twins, Coochin, Ngun Ngun, Tibberoowuccum, Miketeebumulgrai and Elimbah.  According to the story there was also Round who was fat and small and Wild Horse (presumably Saddleback) who was always straying away to paddle in the sea.
One day, when Tibrogargan was gazing out to sea he noticed a great rising of the waters.  Hurrying off to gather his younger children in order to flee to the safety of the mountains to the westward, he called out to Coonowrin to help his mother, who by the way, was again with child.
Looking back to see how Coonowrin was assisting Beerwah, Tibrogargan was greatly angered to see him running off alone.   He pursued Coonowrin and, raising his club, struck the latter such a mighty blow that it dislocated Coonowrin's neck, and he has never been able to straighten it since.
When the floods had subsided and the family had returned to the plains, the other children teased Coonowrin about his crooked neck.  Feeling ashamed, Coonowrin went over to Tibrogargan and asked his forgiveness: but filled with shame at his son's cowardice, Tibrogargan could do nothing but weep copious tears, which, trickling along the ground, formed a stream which flowed into the sea.  Then Coonowrin went to his brothers and sisters but they also wept at the shame of their brother's cowardice.  The lamentations of Coonowrin's parents and of his brothers and sisters at his disgrace explain the presence today of the numerous small streams of the area.
Tibrogargan then called out to Coonowrin, asking him why he had deserted Beerwah; at which Coonowrin replied that as Beerwah was the biggest of them all she should have been able to take care of herself.  He did not know that Beerwah was again pregnant, which was the reason for her great size.  Then Tibrogargan turned his back on Coonowrin and vowed that he would never look at him again.
Even today Tibrogargan gazes far out to sea and never looks around at Coonowrin, who hangs his head and cries, his tears running off to the sea.  His mother Beerwah, is still heavy with child as it takes a long, long time to give birth to a mountain.

My notes :  The titles above are all names of the mountain group or towns around the area. (They are easier to write than to pronounce)  The Glasshouse Mountains are in the hinterland of  Queensland's Sunshine Coast which is north of Brisbane.  The area is very fertile and has many pineapple and banana plantations.  Also Beerwah is where Steve Irwin's Australia Zoo is located.  I do not have a scanner so cannot load pictures onto this story.   Hope you enjoy and for pictures you could google Glasshouse Mountains..

I'll help you out with some pics (klaasend) :wink:

(http://national.atdw.com.au/multimedia/tq/501364_2.jpg)

(http://www.mrdaytours.com.au/images/glasshouse.jpg)

(http://www.home.gil.com.au/~rkbt/crookneck.jpg)

When I was young we had a white Australia policy which limited migrants to coming from European countries and most of those came here to work on large electric power dam projects and stations in the Snowy Mountains.  Totally politically incorrect.  Prior to that most of the migrants had been Chinese and similar who worked in the gold fields in our early history.
But when they lifted that policy and it became an open door we got migrants from all countries.  Now we have nothing against most of them and the majority have settled in and assimilated well and proud to become naturalised and call themselves dinkum Aussies and they have bought good things from their cultures especially their varied foods.   Love them!
The problems now come from a very small minority who although they come here for a better way of life than they had in their homelands still bring their political and religious bias and arguments with them.  They expect us to bend out rules and change our way of life to suit them.  Well we are a Christian peace loving country and if they do not want to take us on those terms they would be better returning to their homeland.
As we are so easy going (you could read that as apathetic too) many do not worry too much about terrorism or the wars going on at present.  Not until it directly affects them.  We have compulsory voting in elections here and if we did not it would be interesting to see how many would actually drag themselves out to the polling booths.  Thinking people agree that terrorism needs to be halted somewhere, preferably not waiting until it gets on our doorstep.  Iraq seems to have gone awry and I think it is time the Iraquis started to do something more for themselves and not rely on US and allies for much longer.  Can see it heading into civil war though without some strong leadership.    Rant over!!!

Thank you Klaas.
In the top picture Tibrogargan is on the left of picture, Beerwah in the middle and Coonowrin on the right further in the distance.

G'Day Mate :wink:

BBL Monkey friends

G'day Sleuth - will you be here for a while?  Have to dash off now but back later   Would love to chat about Koalas and things

Tib...

Thanks for your answer!  I appreciate your frankness and it was interesting to hear that as far as immigration y'all seem to face the same problems that we have....

I loved the story... and those pictures are amazing!!

I will just listen to you and Slueth talk... I am sure that y'all will teach us all a lot!  I am looking forward to learning all about your country!!

Tib - Welcome to SM! I am among the posters here who are fascinated by Australia. I plan to visit Down Under one day. Americans love Aussies, and we are very fond of the accent!
My question would be about the cattle stations and sheep stations. I just wondered what that way of life truly entails.
I'd also like to know how the Great Barrier Reef is faring.

The snow on Christmas in the Southern Hemisphere is incredible. I have NEVER had a White Christmas, having grown up in Florida. I understand the reversal of the seasons though and I shake my head at the thought that people in Michigan have no snow, while those in the SUMMER season south of the Equator are getting snow. Wild.

I will have to do a bit of researching into that as I have never lived in the outback - only in towns or outer suburbs of a city.  Will make it my next project.

Makes you wonder.  We had bad weather here for Christmas weekend and some light snow on the mountains.  I remember about 30 years ago when living in Hobart city area we woke up to heavy snowfall all over the ground which lasted several hours on Christmas day.  Lovely but unseasonal.  We have very changeable weather and can get four seasons in one day.  They always joke that if you don't like the weather come back in half an hour and it will have changed.  

On our west coast which is very rugged with dense forests and some remote mining towns the locals used to say their weather forecast was done by the mountain that hovers over the township of Queenstown :  If you can see top of the mountain it is going to rain, if you can't see it then it is already raining.  You have to have a sense of humour to live over there.

Tibro - from what I can tell, Aussies have a great sense of humor, and such a zest for life!
Don't worry about researching the Outback if it's a time consuming endeavor. I just have such a huge curiosity about what that life is like.
Australia is the most interesting country on Earth to me. :)

pdh3 - research was too strong a word     I have ideas of what life must be like on those big cattle runs but just wanted to read a bit to see I was on the right track.  Will post something here soon.  Having computer troubles today so if I am not around for a couple of days that is the reason, not the research  :lol:  :lol:    Thank you for your interest as I am enjoying sharing my lovely country with the Monkeys.

Life on an Australian Cattle Station.

In the early 1800s many of the new free settlers were given selections of land which they had to take up then improve and develop within five years of the grant or lose it. I have read that the size of the holdings were determined by the amount of land the prospective owner could ride around by horseback within 24 hours. This is impossible to imagine in the case of the larger stations which measure tens of thousands of acres spread over many hundreds of square miles.

Life in those days was very primitive and hard. As well as the vagaries of nature such as floods, drought and bushfires, they had to contend with life threatening injuries from accidents, illness, isolation and stark loneliness. The isolation would have been less of a problem for the men who spent up to many months in the company of other stockmen (cowboys) on long cattle drives where they had to find and muster their cattle which had such large areas in which to stray and hide. These droving runs gave rise to many of our Australian words : “Smoko” = taking a short break; boiling the billy = making a “cuppa” tea and other expressions of camp life under the stars. This is where mateship originated and is the basis upon which our great Nation was founded and which was cemented into our heritage at Gallipoli with the landing of the Anzac forces now commemorated each year on 25 April, known as Anzac Day.

Women were left at the homestead, which would have often still been just a log hut, with any children still too young to accompany the men on the droving run. The women had to contend with all the above drawbacks as well as having to defend their children and themselves from poisonous snakes, feral animals, wandering aboriginals and any other dubious strangers. These women were usually young and fresh out from the “old country” as they called Great Britain, and their strength, perseverance and stoicism is legendary. Raises questions as to being considered the weaker sex. There was very little contact with their neighbours who lived so far away that it would take several days to journey there by horse drawn buggy. Mostly their only source of mail and human contact was with the Indian hawkers who traveled regularly around the isolated areas with their wares similar to gypsy tinkers. They would have had no idea what their new life would entail but once here had to make the best of it and certainly raised generations of patriotic and tough Aussies. The coming of the pedal wireless and correspondence schools enabled the children access to outside influences in addition to their home schooling and when they reached the higher grades were sent away to the cities and sometimes back to England for boarding school. The “Royal Flying Doctor Service” was set up and brought medical care and advice to the furthest outposts. Then with the advent of the telephone and now satellite communications and of course the internet the isolation has markedly decreased.

Work on these stations with their long, hot and dusty days is still very hard. A working day starts at dawn and continues until dark. Activities include mustering and yarding the cattle, still on horseback or by motor bike, branding, ear marking, de-horning, drenching and vaccinating. Horse care is all important and horse stealing is a very serious crime. Cattle duffing (rustling) is also a crime. Other work around the station include checking and mending many miles of fencing, welding gates, checking the many water bores where the cattle drink, and maintenance work on the building and machinery. Most of these workers boast they can repair anything with a length of fencing wire and a pair of pliers. Now mail and provisions arrive at least once a week often by light aircraft, and travel around the property is by utility truck (pick-up) motor bike, light plane and helicopter.

Homesteads are large buildings and surrounded by many staff houses and other farm out buildings. Looks like a small isolated township from the air. Social life has greatly improved with dances, concerts, picnic races (horse races and sometimes camel races) rodeos, camp drafts and campfire get togethers. Now many your people sign up for 1 or 2 year terms to learn to be a jackaroo or a jillaroo just for the experience. Many of them are from overseas and it must be a culture shock for some of them. It is now said that nearly half the station workers are women.

Life on a sheep station would be much the same except for the obvious differences as in the type of countryside and the yearly advent of the shearing season. All sheep stations have their large shearing shed fully equipped and the traveling bands of shearers make their way around the properties to do the shearing. The “ringer” is the one who shears the most sheep in a days work and it is eagerly contested. They are a tough hard working bunch of people and will easily go on strike or leave the property if the amenities are not up to their standard and they are particularly fussy over the standard of their meals. A good shearers cook is worth his/her weight in gold and is the best recommendation when seeking a cooking job in the towns.

Nowadays more and more of these cattle and sheep stations are offering holidays for tourists where you can enjoy the way of life and in some cases even join in the property chores

Thanks a bunch Tibro, keep it up.

Kinda appears that most of the folks there were straight from Britain instead of from all over Europe.

So except for the aborigines population would be a little more homogeneous than here.

Was wondering how the acreage was handed out, with the stipulations and normal real world economics I imagine some folks were a bit more successful than others and managed to accumulate more property thru purchase or default.

Though even economics probably dosen't really account for the really big 'stations' we've heard of.

Guess there must have been some folks who headed out into the no man's land and took their own property grants as what ever they could manage to hold or something like that.

Tibro
I would love to hear about the native wildlife there.  Which are your favorites?  

Tell me about the education system there.  Are there many universities and colleges?  What is your national pastime?  Soccer?  Rugby?  I am afraid I have no idea.   What is your main export?  What city do you live in?  

You will find I often have many questions.   :lol:

I know that in-vitro fertilization was developed by an Australian DR. About 25 years ago, a group of Australians came to the University of Alabama in Birmingham ( UAB) and began doing the procedure there. It was called IVF - Australia. They were a fascinating group.
When I was in the 5th grade, I had a classmate who moved to Birmingham from Melbourne while her father studied medicine at UAB. We all thought she had the neatest accent. Bindi Irwin reminds me of that little girl.
Australia has a great healthcare system, and some talented doctors.

Thanks, Tibro, for all the info on cattle and sheep stations. It's so interesting, and you are so gracious. I really want to visit one some day.

Doing a little fix to Tibro's post on her request.

What kind of monkey is that in your avatar?.....is he from Australia?

Some answers to your kind questions :

Carnut  Our earliest immigrants would have been Chinese who came to work in the gold fields and were well regarded for their hard work and peaceful lifestyle.  Next of course were the British.  This did not change much until the big Snowy Mountains hydro-electric power scheme where they brought out many Europeans to work building the dam and power station.  This was from the early 1950s onwards.  Then they opened it to other Asians and countries.  We have a large percentage of population from Asia.

I would imagine that land holdings could have been just established because either no one else wanted that particular area or they fought and/or pushed aside the aborigines for the land.  The aborigines in lots of cases became friendly with the settlers and worked for them also.

Marriage and other mergers would have helped to increase holdings and during the depression there would have been takeovers etc.  Since then drought, financial problems and lack of family to carry on (sometimes all the sons would have been killed in the wars and daughters marry and go elsewhere) would mean properties being sold.  Some of the really big stations are now owned by companies or a consortium.

BB  My avatar is a Golden Lion Tamarin or Golden Marmoset.  A small monkey native to Brazil.  Said to be one of rarest animals in world with only about 1000 in wild and 500 in captivity.  They are trying to increase their population.
We do not have any monkeys native to Australia.

pdh3  We have some clever medical and scientific Aussies.  Sister Kenny pioneered treatment for polio victims.  A lady doctor recently developed a new treatment for burns patients after the Bali bombings which caused so many horrific burn injuries.  Those are just two I can think of on the spur of the moment.  Bindi Irwin is a real chip off the old block and I am sure Terri will watch her carefully with all the media exposure.
We do have a good government run healthcare system plus private health insurance available so no reason for anyone to lack good medical care.

Lala'sMom  Going to do separate article on our wildlife.  I think I like Koalas best but they are all appealing in their own way.

We have a lot of universities and colleges.  Education is state run and you have choice of state primary and secondary (high) schools or private schools usually set up and run by religious organisations such as Roman Catholics,  Anglican,  Protestant and Quakers.  As for the comparative standards I cannot help but have several friends who are/have been teachers so could source any extra info you may like.

National pastimes ??  Main winter sports are Australian Rules Football, Rugby, and Soccer in that order.   Summer is cricket, tennis and water sports.

Main exports were wool and wheat.  May have changed lately.

I live in Launceston, second largest city in Tasmania, which is an island state south of mainland Australia.  We are near northern coast of the island (Hobart the capital is on southern end).  Also lived in Brisbane, capital of Queensland for many years and travelled around  most of our states except for Western Australia so know a little bit about some of them all.

pdh3   Lady doctor I was trying to think of is Dr Fiona Wood.  Originally from England, marries an Aussie and now living here.  Developed a spray on skin grown in lab from patients own good skin cells.
Prof Ian Frazer is a Scot/Aussie and developed cervical cancer vaccine.
Also Prof Graeme Clark perfected multiple channel cochlear implant.

Tibro

I have a really stupid question, but I'm going to ask it anyway.  :oops:  :lol:

Someone told me that even though koalas are the cutest thing in the world, they smell really bad. Do you know if that's true?

TY

Australian Rules Football :!:

I am a football nut,  would love to hear more about the Australian Rules,  Is it more along the lines of Rugby?

TIA

Ms.DV

Does Australia worry about China and Korea?

Hi BT,

I have cuddled a few Koalas at theme parks and they do not smell bad at all.  In fact they smell a bit like antiseptic from the eucalyptus oil in the gum leaves they eat!  Their fur is very dense and springy not  soft as you would expect.  You have to hold them very firmly and support their bottoms or they will grab onto you to stop from slipping.  They have long sharp claws.  I do not think they bite but have been known very occasionally to pee on people holding them!  One did so on a politician once and the pollie has never lived it down!!
The one animal that can smell really bad is the Tasmanian Devil because they live on flesh and are not fussy how fresh it is.  Also very quarrelsome and noisy little creatures.   In captivity they are kept clean and fed fresh meat so are not so smelly.

Yes - big time.  Also see Indonesia as even more of a threat to us.  All far too close for comfort.   We trade with these countries but many of our political watchers keep a wary eye on them.  The inscrutable Orient.

Have you ever seen a Tasmanian Devil outside of a zoo?  They seem very much like nasty little badgers and noisy and all heck!

I will try to explain the game which is the main winter sport in most of our states and is slowly becoming established in the other couple of rugby mad states.  Originally based loosely on Rugby and Gaelic Football the earliest teams can trace their beginnings from 1850s.  A game is played on an oval shaped ground by two teams of 18 players each.  They all have set positions but can move anywhere on the ground depending on the flow of the game.
Games consists of 4 quarters of 20 minutes each with a long break in the middle and the teams change ends each quarter.
There are four posts each end - centre two posts are about 6 metres high and outer two posts are 3 metres high.  Aim is to kick the oval shaped ball through the centre posts of opposition team end to score a goal worth 6 points. If ball goes between one goal post and the outer post that is a behind which is worth 1 point.

                                 l         l
                                 l         l
                       l         l         l          l
                       l         l         l          l

                          B        Goal     B

To start the game the ball is bounced in centre of ground by the main umpire and this is contested by both teams by leaping up and "marking" or grabbing the ball or by punching it out to teammates.   Can be some spectacular marks taken both there and during the play around the ground.  Once possession of the ball is gained it is then kicked or hand passed to a teammate . If the player who has the ball is not tackled he can also run with the ball but has to bounce it every 15 metres.  Aim is of course to get the ball to the oppositions goal end and kick a goal.  If a behind is scored the opposition then gain control and restart the game by kicking the ball from their goal square.  If a goal is scored ball returns to umpire for a centre bounce again.  If ball goes out of bounds (goes over the white line all around the oval playing area) it is thrown in by boundary umpires.  Free kicks to opposing team are awarded for any infringements.
Final scores could look like this :    
Team A   10 goals    5 behinds =  65 points.  
Team B     8 goals  12 behinds =  60 points.      Team A wins!

Hope this helps you understand the game.  I believe there are AFL teams in some parts of the US and also in Canada.
Usually find a impromptu game going wherever there are Aussie troops stationed.

Well - my illustration of the goal posts did not come out as intended.  Sorry.
Not sure how else to illustrate it properly so will have to hope the description works OK

Yes but they are usually nocturnal and you hear them well before you see them fighting over their kill or carrion.   Have also seen other very shy creatures like wombats and platypus in the wild

pdh3 - The health of the Great Barrier Reef is of great concern to all conservationists and ecologists and of course the tourist operators even though they are a great part of the  problem.  There have been government grants and much research going on to rescue and preserve it.  I will take this opportunity to describe some of it for those who are not familiar with what is probably one of our greatest tourist attractions and is the only living organic collective visible from Earth's orbit.  Is is off the east coast (Pacific ocean) of our northern state of Queensland and is the world's largest coral reef ecosystem.  It has been declared a World Heritage area and is scattered with islands, coral cays, over 3000 reefs  and would cover close to 200,000 square miles.  Damage has been caused mainly by pollutants especially spilled fuel from boats and they say the wetlands has halved since European settlement here.  There have been many shipwrecks in the area also.
Coral make up the reefs and cays and support the many sea and animal life.  Coral is really tiny live creatures that join together and form colonies in many interesting shapes such as fans, antlers, brains and plates.   Some types grow fast and others more slowly and these can be hundreds of years old.  They thrive in warm shallow salty water with plenty of light.
The live coral comes in many beautiful colours and dead coral is white.
The Crown of Thorns starfish is a great danger and has been known for past 40 years.  It kills the coral and thus has an impact on bird and sea life.  Also harming the coral is bleaching which is caused by rising water temperatures.   (Global warming?)
Some of the wildlife that live on and around the reef are turtles, dolphins, whales, dugongs, thousand of types of fish and shellfish and birds.   Many of these creatures are protected and fishing is strongly curtailed and totally restricted in some areas.
Tourists are probably the main danger to the reef.  Latest figures show more than 2 million tourists visit the reef in a year and are carried throughout the marine park's reef system by commercial boats.  The income earned and employment created is enormous and many ways are being sought to minimise their impact on this fragile environment while keeping the reef available to visitors.

Thanks for answering my question, Tibro. I'm so envious that you've been able to hold a koala. That's been a lifelong dream of mine, and I just couldn't believe anything that looked that adorable could smell bad!

 :shock:  :shock:  :shock:

This koala prefers Victoria Secret's "Heavenly".  Most say it smells nice.  :lol:  :lol:

OK - have worked out a way to keep these goal posts where I meant them to stay:

.............................................l.........l
.............................................l.........l
....................................l........l.........l........l
....................................l........l.........l........l

................................. behind...GOAL...behind


Please try to ignore the dots and you may get the general idea.  No nets as in soccer and no crossbar as in rugby.

Here is me being held    :wink:  :wink:

(http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a335/my_photos_/Koalahug.jpg)

Seriously, this is a koala that I held....cute isn't he?

Tibro - have you see the Royal Flying Dr Service.  It was so interesting.

I have seen their planes at the local airports and heard some of the interesting tales the pilots and doctors tell.  The service is wonderful and many doctors and nurses apply for the experience and the travelling.

He is such a sweetie and he has a good grip on your jacket!
They are heavier than you would expect for their size and it is so good they are protected and so much research is going into keeping them healthy and making sure their population numbers increase.
The Japanese go crazy over them.

He's gorgeous! They look as if they were made specifically to be cuddled.

Thanks Tibro.  Interesting country, Australia.  People so much like us in a country so different!  Aside from the beauty and different natrually occurring things in Australia, I think Americans see Aussies as being much like us.  They can be rowdy and boisterous, professional and intelligent, caring and brave and most of all, like Americans, Aussies LOVE THEIR SPORTS!  It's said that there are more natural things that can kill you in Australia than anywhere else in the world.  I guess when you grow up there you learn about these things so you know what to watch for.  So far, there's been no mention of Dingos!

Tibro....thanks for so graciously answering our questions.  :)
The Great Barrier Reef is a unique and wonderful gift of nature. I heard the late great Steve Irwin talk about it, and I hope the human impact can be minimized. I know the Aussies are doing all they can to protect it.
Australia does have great medical talent. It's nice to know that when I visit Down Under, I won't have to worry if a medical issue arises. In much of the world, that wouldn't be the case.
What is the top television show right now? And who is Australia's top celebrity?

Hi  LilPuma and  pdh3  Glad to know you are enjoying my posts.  I love this country so much and am enjoying sharing some of it with all the monkeys.

I will work on the wildlife, including dingoes, this coming week - and yes we do have some very nasty creatures so will add them to the list too.

There is a lot of similarity with our two countries and lifestyle.
Sporting heroes are always celebrities and then pop music singers and film/tv actors.  Only occasionally do the ones that really do the important things like medical researchers and carers, teachers and volunteer bushfire fighters etc. get the recognition they deserve.

Our regular TV programmes are all in recess at present as we are in the middle of the long summer break.  Kids are off school until the end of this month and in some cases mid February.  Too long but it suits the teachers.
I know "24" was very popular and also "Prison Break".  I particularly like "Cold Case" (maybe we should send Kathryn Morris to Aruba?) and "The Unit".
Other popular shows are Aussie made "Home and Away", "All Saints" (like ER), "McLeods Daughters" and a few others.  Do you ever get any Aussie shows on TV there?

Today I am going to indulge in a little culture and reprint a poem that was taught to us in school and is often quoted even today.  It is just the best description of Aust and our feelings for this land.  Hope you enjoy.

My Country

The love of field and coppice
Of green and shaded lanes,
Of ordered woods and gardens
Is running in your veins.
Strong love of grey-blue distance,
Brown streams and soft, dim skies
I know, but cannot share it,
My love is otherwise.

I love a sunburnt country,
A land of sweeping plains,
Of rugged mountain ranges,
Of droughts and flooding rains.
I love her far horizons,
I love her jewel-sea,
Her beauty and her terror
The wide brown land for me!

The stark white ring-barked forests,
All tragic to the moon,
The sapphire-misted mountains,
The hot gold hush of noon,
Green tangle of the brushes
Where lithe lianas coil,
And orchids deck the tree-tops,
And ferns the warm dark soil.

Core of my heart, my country!
Her pitiless blue sky,
When, sick at heart, around us
We see the cattle die
But then the grey clouds gather,
And we can bless again
The drumming of an army,
The steady soaking rain.

Core of my heart, my country!
Land of the rainbow gold,
For flood and fire and famine
She pays us back threefold.
Over the thirsty paddocks,
Watch, after many days,
The filmy veil of greenness
That thickens as we gaze ...

An opal-hearted country,
A wilful, lavish land
All you who have not loved her,
You will not understand
though Earth holds many splendours,
Wherever I may die,
I know to what brown country
My homing thoughts will fly.

**
©Dorothea MacKellar  (1885-1968)

The second stanza is often quoted and I am sure most Aussies could recite it from memory.

Tibro.....loved the poem!

We used to get McCleod's Daughters here, but they stopped showing it for some stupid reason. Lots of people complained, but so far it has done no good. I loved that show. I watched it all the time.
Of course, we all watched Steve Irwin. And there are quite a few Aussies who are big over here in TV, movies, and music.
A few years ago, there was also a show called Outback Jack, where this gorgeous Aussie guy met a group of American women and spent time with them in the Outback. He was supposed to pick one of them to marry, and he did. The last I heard, they were still together. His real name was Vadim Dale.

Give me a home among the gum trees....with lots of plum trees....a sheep or two.....a kangroo....a clothesline out the back....and an old rocking chair :wink:

Click go the shears, boys
click go the shears ..... :wink:  :wink:

Thank you so much for sharing all this info with us.  I have loved every single tidbit.  Since this is about as close to Australia as I will ever get in my lifetime, you have made me feel as if I know a little more than I did last week.  I so look forward to hearing more about your wonderful country.

Thanks Sleuth.
I have been singing this all afternoon   :lol:  :lol:

Kukaburra sits on an old gum tree. Merry, merry king of the bush is he. Laugh Kukaburra, laugh Kukaburra.  :wink:

Growing up we would sing it as:
Kukaburra sits on an old gum tree. Eating all the gumdrops he could see. Laugh Kukaburra, laugh Kukaburra.

This is fascinating.  I'm not even going to ask any questions because I think it's going pretty well without my two cents.  Loved the pictures.  Such fabulous scenery.  

Thank you for sharing.

Sue I am sure we would all love to see them and they will fit in here nicely.

KOALAS

The early European explorers and settlers thought they looked like bears or monkeys!  So they were called Koala Bears and some people still call their favourite food trees "Monkey Gums", but Koalas are tree dwelling marsupials which mean they carry their young in a pouch like Wombats and Kangaroos.
Koala is Aboriginal for "no drink" for they rarely come down out of their trees to drink as they get enough moisture from the eucalyptus leaves they eat.  These gum leaves are 50% water and 5% sugar/starches which is a low energy diet so the koalas sleep about 19 hours a day to conserve strength.
The adults are called bucks or does and the young are called joeys.  They have a 35 days gestation and the joey resembles a small pink jellybean when born.  The males have their own territory and grunt and bellow to defend it from other males.  The southern Koala is larger and has thicker and browner coloured fur believed to be because of the colder climate.  They would weigh almost double the weight of their northern cousins.  A full grown southern male would weigh up to 24 lbs.  Koalas have long strong limbs for climbing trees and scientists say they are the only other animal besides humans that have individual fingerprints.

.............................(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/thn0030.gif)

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/koalataxonomy3.jpg)

KANGAROOS

There are over 45 species of kangaroo and wallaby, ranging from the big red kangaroo to the rat kangaroo.  They are marsupial macropods and live in all habitats ranging from desert, woodland and rainforests.  Large males are called boomers and the young are called joeys.  Joeys remain in their mother's pouches until they are around 9 months old.  The largest are the Red Kangaroos which can weigh up to 180 lbs and be nearly 6 feet tall.  They spend most of their day lying in the shade and are only active early morning and after sundown, when they graze on green grasses.  

Their forepaws are hand like and used for fighting, grooming and holding food.  The powerful hind limbs and large feet enable them to bound over open ground at great speed and the long muscular tail moves up and down like a pump handle to counter balance the body.  When grooming the tail is used as a prop and may be the only limb touching the ground when they are fighting.  We do not have kangaroos in Tasmania but have wallabies.

A kangaroo and an emu appear on the Australian coat of arms.  They were chosen because they are two animals that cannot move backwards.

..............................................Red Kangaroo........(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/roo-red.jpg)

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/roo-grey.jpg) Grey Kangaroo

Wallaby..................................................(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/wallabyrn_small.jpg)

I love this thread, thank you for sharing tibrogragan !!!!!!!

The third verse goes like this (no kidding)

Kookaburra sits on the old gum tree
Counting all the monkeys he can see
Stop Kookaburra, stop Kookaburra
That's no monkey, that's ME!!!


KOOKABURRA
When one thinks of Australian birds, the kookaburra is usually the first that comes to mind. They make loud noises resembling human laughter, often prior to the sun rise. The morning ``laughter'' is to identify territorial boundaries. Kookaburras are powerful, brave, and love to eat meat. It is not unusual to hand feed them.

(http://www.sydneynature.com/birds/small/small_kookaburra2341.jpg)

and love to eat meat. It is not unusual to hand feed them.

Eeeek - does that mean they eat hands?  :shock:  :lol:

RAINBOW LORIKEET

The Rainbow Lorikeet (Trichoglossus haematodus) is a parrot common to the eastern seaboard of Australia, ranging from Queensland to South Australia. It is also found around northwest Tasmania. Its habitat is rainforest, coastal bush and woodland areas.

The larger lorikeets are highly intelligent and make excellent pets for those seeking a playful and energetic bird. All species are strikingly beautiful with their varied colours and stunning glossy plumage. As with any lorikeet species, they have special dietary requirements, and must be provided with nectar and wet/dry mix. The larger lorikeets make excellent talkers but can become extremely noisy and require a committed owner who is willing to provide continuing obedience training. With a very curious nature, the larger lorikeets have a tremendous mimicking ability and will often be heard imitating household appliances such as the telephone or microwave.


We would hand-feed these every day, loved jam and nectar.  They loved green grapes but would actually get angry if we fed them the red ones.    Two (named 'Lori' and 'Keet') were very friendly and accustomed to us.  They even mated right in front of us.  Keet would mimic whistle patterns.  Lori would peek in the windows between the slight crack in the curtain. Both would follow us around constantly when outdoors or would travel from window to window when we were inside.

(http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a335/my_photos_/Lorikeet.jpg)

They like mice, etc. Needless to say, I was not hand-feeding these    :lol:

This map shows the states and territories with capitals and some main towns.  Canberra is our Federal Capital :


..................................................(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/ausmap.gif)

I asked Tibro If I could share Pictures Of my trip to Austrailia in 2004
I am  putting together Slide shows here are a few to start,
The First 2 contain pictures from the Sydney Zoo and Featherdale a wildlife reserve
Taronga Zoo is the nation's leading zoological garden, featuring Australia's finest collection of native animals and a diverse collection of exotic species. What makes Taronga something special is its location. It is situated on elevated land along the waterfront, in one of the most beautiful vantage points on Sydney Harbour overlooking Sydney Cove, the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House.

As you zigzag your way along the paths among the animal enclosures, you are able to enjoy magnificent harbour views. The Taronga Zoo has its own jetty and you are able step off the boat and walk directly into the zoo.

It is always best to start your tour of the Zoo from the top entrance. That way you'll be walking downhill facing the harbour. You'll then be continually surprised as you turn a corner and catch a different vista of the horizon. Then, when you reach the bottom you can catch the Zoo Sky Safari chair lift to take you to the top again and begin your downhill trek along a different path.

If you would like to get up close to the animals and have your picture taken, then try the Animal Encounters experience. For a small fee, with the assistance of the rangers, you can enter the enclosures of some of the animals on display and have your picture taken by a professional. Note: You are not allowed in touch or hold Koalas in NSW.

Want to see Australia's unique wildlife in a natural bush setting? At Featherdale, we've gone out of our way to create a unique wildlife experience… within the Sydney metropolitan area!
You can hand feed a kangaroo, wallaby or emu - or enjoy a face-to-face encounter with one of our friendly koalas - amongst one of Australia's largest private collections of Australian native animals and bird life.

http://s62.photobucket.com/albums/h82/BigMouse1925/Australia%20Trip/?action=view&current=1169494168.pbw

http://s62.photobucket.com/albums/h82/BigMouse1925/Australia%20Trip/?action=view&current=1169493728.pbw

you will have to copy the links into search engine to view the slides shows

Once I upload more photos of my trip to this beautiful country I will share them with you

[/b]

Why does Australia have a patent on marsupials?  What is it about Australia and pouches?  Evolution, creation, either way, what's with the pouches?  Koalas seem to have been named like Pandas--neither are bears.  Beautiful pictures.   Steve Irwin's final show was on Animal Planet yesterday.  They showed sea snakes, box jelly fish, blue-ringed octupus and rock fish, among other things.  Oh yea, great whites.   :shock:

America has a marsupial too, you know. It's those ugly old possums.  :lol:

Man, I sure wish we could trade those possums for some koalas. :?

We have possums too, so more pouches  :wink:   That is an interesting question.  I will see what I can find out.  I know because the continent has been isolated for millions of years that our wildlife is so different and has evolved the way it has.  This isolation has been a good thing as we do not have rabies and there is a lengthy quarantine for any animals brought here even domestic pets.  Heavy fines and goal terms for anyone trying to smuggle in animals or plants and the same for wildlife trying to be smuggled out.

This story is about Harriet the Galapagos Turtle who lived many years at Australia Zoo.  I have seen Harriet several times and although she is an unusual animal there was something very endearing about her.  She would come out to be fed hibiscus flowers and other treats by the keepers and it was very sad news to hear of her passing, only weeks before Steve was killed.

REMEMBERING HARRIET

Tuesday, 27 June  2006


Sad news that Harriet, the much loved tortoise at Australia Zoo, died of a heart attack at the incredible age of 175! Harriet, who held the World Record for the oldest living animal in captivity, is rumoured to have been Sir Charles Darwin’s pet, after he picked her up in 1835 from the Galapagos Islands.

Harriet lived at Fleay's Fauna Reserve at West Burleigh on the Gold Coast for more than 30 years before making the move to Australia Zoo on the Sunshine Coast. Rosemary Thomson from Natural Bridge helped look after Harriet for more than 30 years.

"It's like a death in the family actually", says Rosemary Thompson, "she was very much loved by generations of Queenslanders. She came to us in 1958 when the Brisbane Botanical Gardens collection was disbanded. She roamed on the hills with the kangaroos, emus and wallabies. She was a vegetarian, that says a lot for vegetarian living, although I'm a beef farmer!"

"When you consider Harriet was hatched from an egg before the reign of Queen Victoria it's just astounding. If only she could have talked, she was never mated with another tortoise because they were pretty rare."

It's never been verified she was actually a pet of Charles Darwin, "unfortunately the records from the Botanical Gardens were swept down the Brisbane River on the 1893 flood. It's very sad really," Rosemary says, "my father met Harriet in 1939 when he was on his way to an expedition to New Guinea. He was told she had come to the gardens in 1860."
 
"There were reputed to be three of them named Tom, Dick and Harry. They were about five years of age judging on their size when they went to England on the Beagle, Charles Darwin's vessel. Lt Wickham was on the expedition and he, I think, from letter people have read, took these three animals back to Australia because the English climate didn't suit them. They reach maturity at about thirty years of age. I think they went to Sydney and up to Newstead house where Wickham settled. From there to the gardens. The body of 'Tom' is preserved at the Qld Museum, he died in the 1920s."

"My daughter Jane visited Harriet a week ago with her family, and they said that Harriet hadn't moved from her little shed, and the food hadn't been touched and they were wondering what was wrong with Harriet because she was very fond of her carrots and celery, and vegetarian matter. Hibiscus flowers were a choice item. So they were a bit worried about her when they reported back to us. She must have been ailing, but she had a good spin at 175 years!"

"I'm hoping her body will be preserved for science. There's a possibility Harriet came from Santa Maria island in the Galapagas group, and she would have been the last of her species", Rosemary Thompson.

..........................................(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/0517456500.jpg)[/b]

I don't know any possums.  Do possums live north of the Mason-Dixon line?  I didn't know they were marsupials!  I wouldn't know a possum if I saw one.  Excuse me, must google.

It says that opossums do live north but North American has Opossums, while possums are native to Australia.  

Is a possum and an opossum the same thing?

Yes and no. Throughout America the opossum is often referred to colloquially as a possum (similarly to the way some people refer to a potato as a tater or to a mosquito as a skeeter), but its actual name is opossum. When we refer to it by its colloquial name on this website, we usually add an apostrophe at the beginning to indicate the omission of the initial o: ’possum. But there really is an animal called a possum (without an initial o) that differs significantly from the North American opossum. The true possum is indigenous to Australia and looks quite unlike the American variety. You can see pictures of the Australian possum here, and there are also links to other possum websites on our links page
http://opossum.craton.net/faqs.htm

Brushtail possum.   Also found in New Zealand.

..................................................(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/brushtail_possum.jpg)

Correction
In above article I referred to Harriet as a Turtle.  She was of course a Tortoise, a land dwelling animal.

[/b]EMU

Now to the second animal on the Australian Coat of Arms.

Emus are a flightless bird which stands up to 6 feet tall.  Emu is not an Aboriginal word but is believed to have derived from an Arabic word 'ema' for large bird.  They are found throughout most of the mainland mainly in forests and woodland.  They eat fruits, seeds, plant shoots, insects and small animals.  Depending on food availability they will move hundred of miles and can travel up to 15 mph.  They are not a sociable bird, except for the young birds which stay with their father.  

The male emu performs all the incubation of about 55 days without leaving the nest to eat or drink after chasing away all the other emus including his mate.  The female takes no part in hatching or raising the chicks after laying the dark green eggs.  Chicks are cream coloured with dark brown stripes, ideal for camouflage.  The stripes gradually fade until replaced by dark brown feathers by about 6 months of age.

Emus do not have the option of flying away when threatenend.  If attacked by a wedge-tailed eagle, our largest bird of prey, they will run in a zig zag pattern.  At closer range they will kick with their strong powerful legs. Their calls consist of booming, drumming and grunting.

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/semustands.jpg)

/IMG]tp://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/semuchicks.jpg[/IMG]

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/semuwalk.jpg)

Here are the chicks ........(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/semuchicks.jpg)

A Tennessee possum. Not nearly as cute as the Australian one. Trust me, I know. I have a yard full of them.  :lol:

(http://www.possumrescue.com/otherphotos/f.jpg)

They do look quite different.  If you live near the bush here possums can be a pest as they like to get into any gap they can find in the house roofs and they thump around all night on the ceilings.  Or they leap out of trees onto the house roof and thump and slide all about.   Things that go bump in the night!

We have persimmon trees in our yard, and the possums LOVE to climb up there at night and enjoy the persimmons. It drives our dogs nuts!  :lol: Fortunately, we've never found one anywhere in the house yet.  :shock:

Do the Australian ones "play possum," where they roll up into a ball when threatened?

Posssums are kinda mean, and they hiss like a cat! I had one in my garage. It tore a hole in the big bag of cat food I had stored there, and it was gorging on cat food. I chased it out with a broom, but I was skeert! I was raised in the city, and we did not have possums in our garage. :lol:
They creep me out. :shock:

Pdh3 - I'll try to keep this short and not take over the Australia thread, but I have a funny possum story. Hubby grew up just outside London, so he's certainly a city boy! When we were first married, we found a dead possum beside our mailbox one day. We waited for the dog across the road (Elvis) to take an interest in the possum and drag it away for us, but Elvis shunned our road kill. Finally, hubby said that he knew how to get rid of it without having to bury it. He said there was a house being built down the road, and a pile of brush that smoldered all night. Well, night fell, and hubby skulked out of the house with a shovel and a flashlight. Keeping the flashlight beam pointed low, as if he were a burglar, he scooped up the possum and scurried down the road to the fire. A few minutes later he returned, looking a little sad. He said,"I felt kind of sorry for the poor little thing, lying there in the shovel with it's tongue hanging out, so when I threw it on the fire to cremate it, I said a little prayer over it's body."  :lol:

What a sweet man!! Even possums are God's little creatures. :D

I never realized Australia had possums. They are very adaptable, so I guess they'd do well Down Under.

BT  What a kind hearted husband you have!

pdh3  Possums do very well here and have almost been given "pest" status as they raid the fruit trees and vegetable gardens.  I have not seen them curl into a ball as I have never been that close to one, but they sure can scuttle up a tree very fast.  All dogs seem to hate them.

DINGO
Canus Lupus Dingo

Dingoes have been in Australia up to 5000 years and are believed to be related to Asian and Middle Eastern wolves and brought here to trade with the Aborigines by Asian seafarers.

They are about 18 inches tall and are a yellow brown colour with a bushy tail and pointed ears.  They can have white feet and chest markings.  They have adapted to the many different habitats and in the hot northern tropical areas have a short single coat and in the cool to cold mountain areas further south they have a longer and thicker coat with a double layer of fur.  They will eat almost anything such as reptiles, mammals, insects, carrion and some plants.  They have also adapted well to the   coming of Europeans by hunting and killing the sheep and rabbits brought here by the settlers.

They do not bark but howl to announce their territorial boundaries and have many different sounds to communicate within their small groups or to call any straying pups.  A dingo pair stay together for life and dig a den to house the litters of up to 6 pups.  The pups leave the den at about 3 weeks of age and then are taught to hunt and kill by the parents.  Dingoes will hunt alone or with other dingoes to catch larger prey.

The dingo exclusion fence runs through 3 states : South Aust, NSW and Queensland and it is the longest fence in the world.  Dingoes have been known to stalk and menace people who intrude on their territory and ignore the "Do not feed the dingoes" signs.

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/dingo.jpg)

....................................(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/dingohead_s.jpg)

Dingo and pups ..

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/dingopups.jpg)

ECHIDNA

Pronounced :  E-kid-na

The echidna and the platypus are the worlds only monotremes which mean they are egg laying mammals.  They can grow up to 20 inches long and weigh about 3 lbs.  In the hotter northern areas they are light brown and get darker with thicker hair further south.  They are black in Tasmania.

They are shy creatures with short stout limbs for digging burrows and searching for food.  Their snout is 3 inches long and stiffened to break up logs and termite mounds.  Their favourite food is termites hence they are sometimes called Spiny Ant Eaters.  They catch their prey with a long sticky tongue and as they have no teeth they have to grind their food between their tongue and the bottom of their mouth.

When frightened they will roll in a ball with snout and legs tucked in and sharp spines sticking out.  Pick one up if you dare!!

During the breeding season the female develops a simple pouch into which she lays a single egg which takes 10 days to hatch.  The baby is carried in this pouch until the spines develop at about 3 months of age.

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/Echidna_on_KI.jpg)

WOMBAT

Wombats are very shy nocturnal marsupials with a large blunt head, small eyes and ears, thick soft fur with strong legs and claws designed for digging burrows to live in and foraging for food.  They eat grasses, tree roots and soft mosses, and also raid gardens by knocking down fences which makes them unpopular with farmers.  They can grow up to 4 foot in length and weigh up to 70 lbs and can survive small bushfires by hiding in their burrows.  They can swim but will keep clean with dust baths.  They often sleep on their back with all four feet sticking up in the air.
   
Female wombats have a back opening pouch so that she does not cover her baby with sand and twigs when digging.  They are a close relation to the koala.

...........................................(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/swom.jpg)

PLATYPUS

The only other monotreme in the world beside the Echidna,  the Platypus is native to the eastern areas of Australia and Tasmania.  Often described as an animal that has been assembled by a committee, the platypus is a unique shy and wary creature with a stream lined body, soft pliable muzzle or duck bill, webbed feet and a broad tail.  Grows up to 2 foot long and can weigh up to 5 lbs.  It is deep brown in colour on upper side of body and limbs with the under side being golden or grey in colour.  It has a dense waterproof outer coat and grey woolly underfur for insulation.  Grooming is very important to the platypus.  Fur on the broad flat tail is coarse and bristly and acts as a rudder when swimming and an aid in diving.

They live in burrows they dig on the banks of freshwater rivers, lakes and streams which are concealed by logs and undergrowth.  The females lay 1 to 3 eggs and incubation is 12 days.  At 6 weeks the kits are furred and their eyes are open.  They are weaned by 4 - 5 months old.

The males have a poisonous spur on each hind limb and it can cause a painful injury to humans.  They make a soft growling sound when disturbed.  The platypus forages on the bottom for food and swim with their eyes, ears and nostrils closed.  They use their electro-sensitive bill to locate and probe for prey.  They eat worms, insects, crustaceans, molluscs tadpoles and larvae which is carried in their cheek pouches to the surface to eat.  (I knew there had to be a pouch somewhere)

The platypus is wholly protected and is threatened by pollution and urban development.


(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/platypus.jpg)

Oh this is so fascinating.  That's it.   I'm saving some money up and going to Australia!  It's so beautiful and the wildlife is awesome.   Thank you so much for sharing.  I always knew it was beautiful country, but this just proves it.

hhhmmppfff,  why would anybody even consider going to the Caribbean, when there is Australia!

Here in Ohio, possum's are also known to be a nuisance,  my husbands aunt lives on a farm and they are a nightmare for her house and farm.  She would have my husband and his brother (both hunters) go out and shoot them.  :(  Me the city girl, would be upset, but I eventually learned.

TASMANIAN DEVIL

The Devil can not be mistaken for any other marsupial, owing to it's spine chilling screeches, black colour and reputed bad temper, which led the early settlers to name it Devil.  Although only the size of a small dog it can sound and look incredibly fierce.  The world's largest surviving carnivorous marsupial, it has a thick-set, squat build, relatively large broad head and short thick tail.  The fur is mostly black but can have white markings on the rump and chest.  It can grow to 12 inches at shoulder and weigh up to 24 lbs.

Fossils have been found on mainland Australia where it is believed Dingoes were to blame for eradicating them and now it is found only in Tasmania.   The mother can carry up to 4 young in her pouch for up to 4 months then the young are left in a simple den or hollow log until they are weaned at 6 months of age.

Devils are scavengers with powerful jaws and teeth enabling it to completely devour it's prey : bones, fur and all.  Wallabies, small animals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and insects are all eaten as prey or carrion.  In farming areas they also eat the carcasses of sheep and cattle.

It is said that the threatening "yawn" and strong odour is the result of fear rather than aggression.  They make a variety of fierce noises, from harsh coughs and snarls to high pitched screeches.  A sharp sneeze is used as a challenge to other devils before a fight or as part of a ritual when feeding communally at a large carcass.

Trapping and poisoning decimated their population and protection was finally introduced in 1941.  Although their numbers then increased they are now listed as vulnerable due to the devastating effect of the Devil Facial Tumour Disease.  Researchers funded by grants from even as far away as Japan are trying to find a cause and a cure for this disease.

Devil "yawning"  (http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/devil.jpg)

........................................(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/redears.jpg) young Devil

Some Wildflowers for you to enjoy

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/eficif.jpg)

Red flowering gum

................Close up of waratah...............................(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/waratahs.jpg)

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/New-holland-honeyeater.jpg)

Honeyeater in Waratah.

More Wildflowers

Wattle tree.....(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/mb-wattle.jpg)


(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/longifolia_anbg.jpg)
Close-up of  Wattle flowers

................................................................(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/Sturt-desert-pea.jpg)..Sturt desert pea



Honey Possum on Bottlebrush.................................................(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/honey.jpg)

Tibro - Thanks for posting all this fascinating information. I look forward to reading your posts, and I have learned so much about Australia!
It is my dream to visit there.

Does Australia manufacture many different types of automoblies, or do you rely on imports?

Tibrogargan,

Welcome to the Scared Monkey's Forum. I absolutely adore your posts. Thank you for your gorgeous pics.

With Love,
Louise

Dihannah and Louise...Thank you for your kind comments.  I am really enjoying presenting this thread more than I imagined I could.  I have learned some things about our country too, especially how many creatures we have with pouches!  I did not realise that we have the more of them than any other country until LilPuma commented on them.

pdh3 We have three main car manufacturers here : Holden (GMH), Ford and Toyota.  Depending on the model they are either manufactured here or assembled here.  There are several other makers that partly assemble here but these are the top sellers.  We export Toyota Camrys to the Middle East.  We import all the other more exotic cars but there is a big import tax duty on them so they are expensive.

AUSTRALIA DAY

Today is our National Day.  On 26 January 1788 Captain Arthur Phillip took formal possession of the colony of New South Wales and became it's first governor.  The fledgling colony soon began to celebrate the anniversary of this date and fifty years later it became a public holiday.  After the Federation of all the states and territories in 1901 it became known as Australia Day.  It is now celebrated with a re-enactment of that first landing, regattas and water sports, race meetings, concerts, family day at the beach or playing cricket, Barbeques and official Naturalisation ceremonies. Aboriginals hold ceremonial corroborees and there is an announcement of Australian of the Year and at night fireworks displays.

AUSTRALIAN FLAG

............................................................(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/au-flag2.gif)

Our flag is an blue ensign with the British Union Jack in the upper corner, a large 7 pointed star called the Commonwealth star which represents one point for each of the six states and one point for all the territories.  There is also a representation of the Southern Cross constellation which can be seen from all our states and territories.  We have two mainland territories and several overseas, including two in Antarctica.

And now for all those monkeys who follow the Olympic Games here are the words to our National Anthem so you can learn the first verse and sing along when we win all those gold medals...........

ADVANCE AUSTRALIA FAIR.

Australians all let us rejoice,
For we are young and free;
We've golden soil and wealth for toil;
Our home is girt by sea;
Our land abounds in nature's gifts
Of beauty rich and rare;
In history's page, let every stage
Advance Australia Fair.
In joyful strains then let us sing,
Advance Australia Fair.

Beneath our radiant Southern Cross
We'll toil with hearts and hands;
To make this Commonwealth of ours
Renowned of all the lands;
For those who've come across the seas
We've boundless plains to share;
With courage let us all combine
To Advance Australia Fair.
In joyful strains then let us sing,
Advance Australia Fair.

Happy Australia Day!!!

Do you have big celebrations like we do on July 4th?

Thank you.  Yes we do have celebrations.  Each town or district has something happening with both official and informal gatherings.  I think as the world has altered so much over the past few years the spirit of Aussie mateship has become more apparent and it seems we are becoming more patriotic.

(http://www.completecakedec.com.au/australia-day.jpg)

Thank you Klaasend

That is a very nice emblem too.  I am going to poach it   :lol:  :lol:

Tragic story of the shipwreck coast

The Great Ocean Road south west of Melbourne in Victoria is rated one of the world's most scenic drives but sagas of the sea abound also on a 100 mile shore sector called the Shipwreck Coast.   The rugged coastline has claimed more than 180 ships over the centuries.
One particular wreck was that of the Loch Ard, a three masted square-rigged iron sailing ship, which sailed from England in 1878 with 37 crew and 17 passengers, many of them from an Irish family named Carmichael emigrating to the colonies.
After 13 weeks, on June 1, the ship was within days of arriving in Melbourne when it ran into thick fog.  When the fog lifted about 4 am the Loch Ard was well off course and heading for the jagged cliffs.  Despite all the efforts of the crew the ship struck a reef and sank in 15 minutes.Eighteen year old passenger Eva Carmichael rushed out on deck and found Capt. Gibbs who told her "If you are saved, let my dear wife know that I died like a sailor."  He went down with his ship.
Eva was swept overboard by a huge wave and spent five hours clinging to wreckage before she saw the ship's apprentice Tom Pearce on a small rocky beach - what was later named Loch Ard Gorge.  She yelled to attract his attention and Pearce swam out to her and dragged her ashore, then breaking open a case of brandy to help revive the now unconscious girl.
After the sun rose, Pearce scaled a cliff and following hoofprints, came across two men from a farm a few miles away and raised the alarm.  As Tom and Eva recovered later at the farm it was realised they were the only survivors.
Tom Pearce was hailed a hero and received the first Gold Medal of the Royal Humane Society and a reward from the Victorian Government.  People through the colony saw the situation as romantic and wanted Tom and Eva to fall in love and be married, saying God had brought them together for a reason.  But the couple did not feel the same way and three months later Eva went back to Ireland to be with the only surviving member of her family, a brother named William.  Years later Tom married a woman related to a man who died in the shipwreck and they started a family.
Nowadays when you drive along the Great Ocean Road to Loch Ard Gorge you can see the place where Tom rescued Eva and see the graves where some of the victims were buried.

Loch Ard Gorge ...(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/14_s.jpg)

Aerial view of the Great Ocean Road..(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/03_s.jpg)

Rocky outcrops known as the 12 Apostles...........(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/12_s.jpg)

Thanks for the dingo and t-devil info!  David Letterman had Jack Hannah on once who brought a dingo.  The dingo went to lick Letterman's face or something, which scared him, and occasionally Letterman will still mention the time the dingo tried to bite his face off.   :lol:

I mentioned I watched some of the Aussie Open tennis tournament.  They kept showing pictures of Australia and the things there are to do, especially in Victoria.  So beautiful.  

Reading one of your posts, Tibro, I got confused until I remembered that NORTH for you is warmer, SOUTH is colder.  I have to try to remember that.   :?

Loved the flower pics.  Do you have roses?  Does Australia grow most of their own fruits and vegetables or do you have to import them?

Thanks for reading this LilPuma and all the other Monkeys.   I have seen Jack Hanna on Greta's show and he gets a bit excited sometimes.  He told Greta that baby Kangaroos were called Wallabies so I felt like emailing her to tell her the difference!
I am glad you enjoyed the tennis.  Victoria is a lovely state and not far from Tasmania.  I have the same trouble remembering you are cold in the North and warmer in the South.
We grow roses here and they seem to thrive in all our different climates.
We can grow all types of fruit and vegetables, but they do import some from Asia and use in the canned or frozen mixes.  Big campaign here to support our own farmers and forget the imports.  I do not even support the big supermarkets but buy my fruit and vegetables from a shop run by a local farmer where he has everything straight off his farm and always so fresh.  Tastes better too and you know they have not been sprayed with chemicals to make them last longer.
Tasmania also is the largest grower of opium poppies!  They are very pretty when you see fields of them as they have a pinky mauve colour flower.  They have them well fenced off with electric wiring and big signs and cameras everywhere.
Hope the map of Australia I posted helps you find some of the places I mention but if you are not sure just ask me.  Australia is just a little smaller than the 48 states of America so that will give you an idea of size.

:shock: I'm watching HGTV's Extreme Homes Down Under.  Some guy in Wellington, NZ built a home on a rocky cliff using shipping containers.   :? Three huge metal shipping containers (like they'd put on a train) piled up on the side of a rocky cliff.  What's in his kiwis?  

Next is some guy named Fritz who lives in a dome home in Kapiti, NZ.  It looks like he dug into the side of a hill so most of the home is within the hill but one side is all glass.  They seem to have a rainforest and pool in the middle of the home.  Solar heated.  It's quite beautiful.  Oooh, there's a guest dome!  

Next is some kind of blimp home in Australia.  Commercial now.  They're showing the rocks you posted.  Uh oh, another one built on a cliff.  They had to use rock climbing equipment and hang from the side of the mountain to frame the house.   :shock: And I thought Americans were weird.   :? THere's a kukaburra (sp?) on the balcony and they threw it some fruit.  There were also some red and black parrot-looking birds.  The whole place is built into the trees and such, so I guess they think it's just part of the landscape.  

Off to the rain forest of Brisbane.  Five-story tower home.  The top tower has glass angled to form prisms so when the sun comes in it gives off different colored light like a rainbow.  The bathroom sink is made of a clamshell.  

Well, next is an underground home in the Outback.  Coober Pedy 130 degrees.  3500 people living underground.  If you need room for a piece of furniture, you get out your pick and chip away.   :lol:

There's a couple more coming up, but I've gotta post this puppy and be gone.  If you get HGTV, it's a very interesting show and it's amazing how beautiful the trees and coastlines are.

Yep we have our share of nut cases here and some weird and wonderful homes.  Coober Pedy is unique and the temperatures are so high they live underground to keep cool.  You will be pleased to know that most of us are pretty normal and live in normal houses.  In the tropics (up North) they build the houses on stilts to allow the air to circulate and keep the house cool.  But with air conditioning now most people have built in underneath and turned it into a flat (apartment) or rumpus room (games room).  Some of the designer homes are extreme and must be built more to advertise the architect than for functional living.  The ones built right in the middle of the bush or forest are in danger of bushfires and some of the ones built on the edge of cliffs or headlands especially in New Zealand have been known to slide down the cliff after floods.  Give me a house in a nice suburb any day  :lol:

MORE AUSTRALIAN FLORA

The National floral emblem of Australia is the Wattle and State emblem for New South Wales is the Waratah.  (both on previous postings)
This time I have the Tasmanian emblem which is the Flowering Blue Gum.  Called Blue because of the blue/grey colour of the young leaves and grows very tall so the flowers are rarely seen.

Stand of Blue Gum trees.........(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/Ag0851a.jpg)

Close up of Blue Gum Flowers..........(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/bluegum1.jpg)

Western Australia's Floral Emblem :

Kangaroo Paw Bush...(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/990634.jpg)

Close up of Red K. Paw flower......(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/anigozanthos-flavidus.jpg)

Green K. Paw flower close up............................(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/099_2.jpg)

I've seen those HGTV shows on extreme homes Down Under. I find them fascinating.
Thanks again for all the photos Tibro. You are really making Australia come alive for me.  :)

What's an Aussie pub like? Ever been to one?

Tibro should be getting paid by the Australian Dept. of Tourism.  

Aruba could learn something from this.   :wink:

You're right Puma. Tibro has been so tireless and nice in answering our questions. Another good thing about Australia is the friendliness of it's people, and Tibro has shown us just how gracious they can be.

Thanks monkeys,

Our TV shows both Free to Air and  Pay TV show us homes and tourist places in the US and UK  :lol:

You could say that going to the pub is a national pastime here.  We have all sorts of pubs from trendy bars in upmarket hotels and discos to bistros and corner pubs as well as the famous outback hotels.  Even the smallest  town has at least one local pub and you can get some great meals and meet some real characters as well as having an ice cold beer.  Some pubs are built in the style of a British hotel or an Irish pub.  I particularly like the Irish ones as they have great Irish music and fun times.  So you can see you would never go thirsty here!

Two Famous Outback Pubs :

Birdsville Hotel..(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/r58230.jpg)

Inside the bar at Birdsville Hotel ...(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/r57715.jpg)


Innamincka Hotel...............................(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/innami_hotel_320.jpg)

One of the reasons Americans love Aussies over Poms!   :lol:  :lol:

Poms = Brits, right?

USA:  

(http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k304/LilPuma04/eaglenest2.jpg)
The Bald Eagle is our national bird.  It was hunted to the point of being put on the endangered species list but they think it will soon come off that list.  Hopefully not to be hunted again.  The bald eagle can weigh up to 14 pounds, lives about 14 years in the wild and has a wing span of 6 - 8 FEET.  That's taller than me.   :shock:

(http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k304/LilPuma04/GB_PhotoGallery4_08s.jpg)
Grizzly bears live in both the US and Canada.  Adult females can weigh from 270 to 770 pounds by the age of 8 - 10 years.  Male grizzlies can weigh from 330 -1150 as adults (8-10 years).  

(http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k304/LilPuma04/whitetaileddeer1sm.jpg)
White Tail Deer.  More commonly seen in forested areas except the southwest, I think.  I've seen many many of them in forest preserves just outside the city.  I did see a mom and her Bambi down by a creek once.  So pretty and hunted extensively in some areas, although I think the hunters like to get the bucks with horns.  More macho or something.  

Off the top of my head, those are the first animals I could think of that are unique to USA-Canada.

Thank you LilPuma  I was going to ask if anyone would like to post items or pictures of the American wildlife and the different ways of life in your country as I am so interested and realise we only get a small view of things on the films and TV.  I would think that most of the monkeys that read here are in the US but I am sure they would be just as interested in learning about life in other parts of their own country as it is so vast and varied just like Australia.  I wonder if Klaas thinks this is a good idea and whether we would need to set up a separate thread?
Yes Poms are Brits.  :lol:  :lol:
Also have you caught up with that webcam that Art Colley told us about : www.africam.com.  It is amazing although the best times are a bit out for me, but this morning I saw a lioness come to drink at the waterhole and two large water birds that were there didn't fly away as you would expect - they just glided across the water to the opposite side and continued their foraging for food.  It was near midnight their time and as there was bright moonlight it just looked black and white.  You see these things on TV but it is so exciting to see them as it is happening and the only way I am going to see Africa now.

It occurred to me that while we were drinking in all the pics and info about Australia, we weren't being very good hosts.  So I tried to think of a few things that I'm pretty sure you don't have down under.  Hopefully others will know some other things that you're not familiar with and share.  Oh, I have a thought; maybe I can find a pic.  bbl

We have (from Alaska, USA) the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights):  

(http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k304/LilPuma04/aurora3.jpg)

(http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k304/LilPuma04/aurora1.jpg)

I don't know if you can see from anywhere in Australia the Southern Lights, or Aurora Australis.

These photos were taken in 2003 not far from where I live.  Given the right conditions the "Southern Lights" or Aurora Australis can be seen as far away as northern New South Wales.  Hope the pictures are not too big.

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/aurora1.jpg)


.............................................

(http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o100/klaasen3/aurora2.jpg)

Yep, you blew the margins, but I haven't seen Lala's Mom here, and I won't tell.   :wink:

Beautiful pics though.  Pretty amazing world we live in.

A COUPLE OF ITEMS FROM OUR LOCAL NEWSPAPER TODAY THAT MAY INTEREST SOME OF MY MONKEY FRIENDS.

IRWIN  GRANT

Steve Irwin's environmental legacy will live on with a fellowship giving US high school students the chance to travel to Australia.  The fellowship will enable a US Midwest high school student to travel to Australia for two weeks to work closely with staff at the Irwin family's Australia Zoo on Queensland's Sunshine Coast and at Sydney's Taronga Zoo.

The Examiner 3 Feb 2007

TASSIE SEARCH FOR CIVIL WAR VETERANS
by Fran Voss,  The Examiner Newspaper 3 Feb 2007

Two American Civil War veterans lie in unmarked graves in the north of Tasmania - an oversight that Hobart historian and author Reg Watson wants to redress.  After 15 years of research, Mr Watson has discovered that one veteran lies at Beaconsfield and one in the former Cypress St cemetery in Launceston.  Two others - Henry Wells, at Somerset and James Francis Waters, in Hobart - have markers on their graves.  Mr Watson said that any American veteran buried in an unmarked grave was entitled to have a marker or plaque placed in his honour, courtesy of the US government.
According to Mr Watson's research, the veteran buried in Launceston is Capt.  John Johnston, of ex Company A, 48th Illinois Infantry Regiment.  He died on May 10, 1886. The veteran buried in an unmarked grave at Beaconsfield is Charles Baker, but Mr Watson is unsure of his history.  "He was probably a miner" Mr Watson said.
Yesterday Mr Watson visited the old Cypress St cemetery in Launceston, now playing fields, to determine a suitable site for erecting a plaque for Capt. Johnston.  "Because we don't know the exact location of his grave, the most suitable site is probably the gate" he said.  The tombstones were believed to have been removed from the park in the 1950s.

Mr Watson became interested in the fate of the many American Civil War veterans who emigrated to Australia through his membership of the American Civil War Round Table, a historical group.  "There are hundreds of veterans buried around Australia" he said.
Mr Watson will now apply to the US Department of Veterans Affairs for assistance in erecting a plaque for Johnston and a marker for Baker.
He is also hoping his story will raise community awareness of the project, prompting descendants of the men to come forward with any information about them.

BALLARAT AND THE EUREKA STOCKADE

Ballarat began in 1838 as a sheep run with about 70 inhabitants on the shore of Lake Wendouree in the state of Victoria.  The floodgates of settlement opened in 1851 when Thomas Hiscock discovered gold nearby.  People of all nationalities flocked to the diggings in search of riches.  One was a young Irishman named Peter Lalor who rallied rebel miners under the flag of the Southern Cross to protest against the mining licence fees demanded by the authorities and the brutal methods used by the troopers collecting them.  The oath of allegiance was stated by Lalor and sworn by the miners at Bakery Hill on 28 November 1854. On 3 December soldiers stormed the diggers' flimsy barricades at Eureka Stockade.  Twenty two diggers and six soldiers died, scores more were wounded and Lalor lost an arm in the battle, but the iniquitous system was changed.  The rebellion was a short lived revolt and although a military disaster led to political and personal benefits for many Australians.

Ballarat has always had a reputation for its well preserved buildings and beautiful public gardens.  The very rich goldfields petered out eventually and the last mine closed in 1918.

The old Mining Exchange
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/mining14.jpg)

Some Parks and Gardens in Ballarat :
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/pkgardens06.jpg)

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/helleborous_walk.jpg)

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/Garden01.jpg)

The Eureka Oath and Flag  (The flag is not an official Australian flag)

We swear by the Southern Cross to stand truly by each other and fight to defend our rights and liberties.

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/images.jpg)

RICHMOND BRIDGE, SOUTHERN TASMANIA

Surrounded by fields of crops and grazing sheep and cattle with a background of  forested hills the small town of Richmond presents a scattering of russet-coloured buildings beside the twisting Coal River. In the 1840s it was an important stopping place on the busy highway between Hobart and Port Arthur.  It was decided the road needed a bridge to ford the river and between 1823-1825 one was built by convict labour.  This bridge is the earliest large stone arch bridge in Australia and has had very little change since it was first constructed.  Richmond town has become a smaller tourist town since other more direct traffic links have been built, but it is noted as a treasure chest of well preserved historic buildings.

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/richmond_bridge_tasmania.jpg)

EVANDALE, NORTHERN TASMANIA

Evandale is a small village not far from where I live.  During the early colonial times the first white men to visit the Evandale district were shepherds.  These pioneers were seeking new grazing lands for the rapidly growing flocks of sheep.  By 1816 formal titles to prescribed areas of land began to replace grazing licences and the farming settlement sprang up in no time.  A grand scheme was evolved to provide a permanent water supply for Launceston from the South Esk River.  The evacuation works were carried out by convicts who laboured to build a huge tunnel through a hill which was intended to link up with a canal which would carry the water the 12 miles to Launceston.  The scheme was eventually abandoned after several convicts died in cave-ins and continual flooding frustrated attempts to line the tunnel.
The countryside around the town was soon supporting the many sheep and wheat and oats were being sown.  But even such a quiet rural community could not escape the brutal convict elements of what was still known as Van Dieman's Land.  Escaped convicts often turned to bushranging (highwaymen) and movement between settlements could be a risky business.  For several years in the 1820-1830s notorious convicts Matthew Brady and Ben Ball and their gangs terrorised travellers on the road to Launceston.  They were eventually betrayed by other escapees and shot by the troopers.
Evandale now is a busy little tourist town and at their yearly village fair hold the famous penny-farthing bicycle races.

Evandale cafe

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/951012485.jpg)

St Andrews Church at sunset

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/3723288476.jpg)

One of the original buildings now used as an art gallery

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/gallery-evandale-tas.jpg)

Penny farthing Race

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/c4.jpg)

Pretty darn cool!  I still get such a feeling of loss when I see his shows on TV.  I wasn't so much a fan of his shows, but the realization that his kinda zany personality brought so much attention and joy to the whole issue of animal care and environmental issues.  Truly a loss to the world.

Amazing that US civil war vets even got to Australia back then!   :shock: Most Americans say it's too expensive or takes to long to get there, then you lose a few days to jet lag.  I wonder how long it took them to go by boat?  Nice though that they want to give them proper markings.  My mom's side of the family was in the US going back to the civil war, I think, but my Dad's parents came over from Holland.

Some pretty cool pics, Tibro.  Very pretty, but the one does show that you guys still drive on the wrong side of the road!   :shock:  :wink:  :lol:

 :lol:  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:

Yes we do drive on the left hand side of the road.

Steve Irwin has done a lot for conservation.  A lot of Aussies thought he was a bit "over the top" and were sure he would be eaten by a crocodile eventually as he seemed to take such risks.  To lose his life by such a freak event was a big shock to all.  

I was surprised that we had Civil War veterans here, too.  I know we have a lot of WW11 US servicemen here who decided to stay or to return here after spending time at bases here or in the Pacific areas during the war.

AN ABORIGINAL LEGEND OF HOW THE SUN WAS MADE

For a long time there was no sun, only a moon and stars. That was before there were men on the earth, only birds and beasts, all of which were many sizes larger than they are now.

      One day Dinewan the emu and Brolga the native companion were on a large plain near the Murrimbidgee River. There they were, quarrelling and fighting. Brolga, in her rage, rushed to the nest of Dinewan and seized from it one of the huge eggs, which she threw with all her force up to the sky. There it broke on a heap of firewood, which burst into flames as the yellow yolk spilt all over it, which flame lit up the world below, to the astonishment of every creature on it. They had only been used to the semi-darkness, and were dazzled by such brightness.

      A good spirit who lived in the sky saw how bright and beautiful the earth looked when lit up by this blaze. He thought it would be a good thing to make a fire every day; which from that time on he has done. All night he and his attendant spirits collect wood and heap it up. When the heap is nearly big enough they send out the morning star to warn those on earth that the fire will soon be lit.

      The spirits, however, found this warning was not sufficient, for those who slept saw it not. Then the spirits thought they must have some noise made at dawn of day to herald the coming of the sun and waken the sleepers. But for a long time they could not decide to whom should be given this office.

      At last one evening they heard the laughter of Goo-goor-gaga the laughing jackass ringing in the air.

      "That is the noise we want,"  they said.

      Then they told Goo-goor-gaga that, as the morning star faded and the day dawned, he was every morning to laugh his loudest, that his laughter might awaken all sleepers before sunrise. If he would not agree to do this, then no more would they light the sun-fire, but let the earth be ever in twilight again.

      But Goo-goor-gaga saved the light for the world.

      He agreed to laugh his loudest at every dawn of day; which he has done ever since, making the air ring with his loud cackling, "Goor goor gaga, goo goor gaga, goo goor gaga."

      When the spirits first light the fire it does not throw out much heat. But in the middle of the day when the whole heap of firewood is in a blaze, the heat is fierce. After that it begins to die gradually away until only red embers are left at sunset; and they quickly die out, except a few the spirits cover up with clouds, and save to light the heap of wood they get ready for the next day.

      Children are not allowed to imitate the laughter of Goo-goor-gaga, lest he should hear them and cease his morning cry.

      If children do laugh as he does, an extra tooth grows above their eye-tooth, so that they carry a mark of their mockery in punishment for it, because well the good spirits know that if ever a time comes wherein the Goo-goor-gagas cease laughing to herald the sun, the time will have come when no more Daens are seen in the land; and darkness will reign once more.

MORE STATE FLORAL EMBLEMS

Queensland -  Cooktown Orchid

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/dendrobium-bigibbum.jpg)

Victoria -  Common Heath

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/098_2.jpg)


South Australia's emblem -  Sturt's Desert Pea is pictured on page 5 of this thread

SOME TASMANIAN BIRDS

CAPE BARREN GEESE

The birds are grey in colour and about the same size as the domestic geese.  Endangered it lays about 5 eggs in the tussocks where they live and the eggs hatch in the winter which means the babies are ready to fly in the spring.
The birds eat tussocks, herbs and grasses and drink salt water.

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/geese.jpg)

FORTY SPOTTED PARDALOTE

One of the smallest and rarest birds found only in eastern Tasmania and is highly endangered.  They live in eucalyptus trees and eat insects and the sweet resin from the white gum trees.

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/bird.jpg)

TASMANIAN NATIVE HEN

This bird cannot fly but is a fast runner and can swim.  When in danger it will flick it's tail to warn the others in the flock.  If it is chased it seeks to hide in grasses and reeds, and uses it's short wings for balance.  Ii can run up to 30 miles per hour.  The baby birds eat insects and the adults eat grasses and seeds only feeding at dawn and dusk.  Can be seen most everywhere in Tasmania and has survived so well because it is impossible to eat the tough flesh.  It has been said that to cook them you add a couple of pieces of blue metal to the pot and when the stones are soft the bird will be tender enough to eat.

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/native_hen.jpg)

I have met several Aussies at UAB,and one that I admire at ST Judes.I know the Platypus can when they spur you and the snakes are deadly.You might explain the Wallace line to the monkeys.I enjoyed Bryson's Book"In A Sunburned Land"  CAT

I thought this was interesting.  We think of swans as being white.  All white.  That's what most of us see when we see swans.  They're known for mating for life.  When I looked them up, I see that the Southern Hemisphere, including Australia and Tasmania, have black swans, who also mate for life.  
Northern:
(http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k304/LilPuma04/swans.jpg)
Southern:  
(http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k304/LilPuma04/225px-Black_Swans.jpg)

They're are other swans, some black & white, but these are supposedly the most commonly known.  I couldn't find an explanation for the black v. white in the different hemispheres.

Yes LilPuma we do have the white and the black swans.  The black ones are native to here and the white would have been introduced by the Europeans.  
The young birds are a greyish brown colour until they get their glossy black feathers when they are about two years old.  Their wing tips are pure white but you can only see them when they are flying which is very rare.  They are just as graceful on water as the white ones.

I posted a little blip on the Holloway thread, but the whole post was skipped over  :lol: so I'll repeat it here.  I heard on CNN this morning that a kangaroo was found (and caught by Animal Control) in CALIFORNIA this morning.  I hope they treat this as the criminal act it is and start looking for the poachers.

Yep, I saw that post and answered on page 10   :lol:
Maybe the roo was someone's pet or a zoo escapee?  I cannot imagine how else it got thee except for smuggling which carries a heavy penalty if caught.  Always someone trying to smuggle birds and animals out of the country regardless  :cry:

LilPumaCan you get my email address off Klaas sometime?  Just mark it LilPuma or Monkey in the subject line so it does not get eaten by my spam filters.

THE WALLACE LINE

The Wallace Line is a boundary that separates the zoogeographical regions of Asia and Australasia. West of the line are found organisms related to Asiatic species; to the east, mostly organisms related to Australian species. The line is named after Alfred Russel Wallace, who noticed the apparent dividing line during his travels through the East Indies in the 19th century. The line runs through the Malay Archipelago, between Borneo and Sulawesi (Celebes); and between Bali (in the west) and Lombok (in the east). Evidence of the line was also noted in Antonio Pigafetta's biological contrasts between the Philippines and the Spice Islands, recorded during the voyage of Ferdinand Magellan in 1521. The limit of Asian flora and fauna is modified by Weber. He moved the line to the east. The limit is not fixed, but determined by the type of flora and fauna. This new line is called "Wallace-Weber".

The distance between Bali and Lombok is small, a matter of only about 35 kilometers. The distributions of many bird species observe the line, as many birds refuse to cross even the smallest stretches of open water. Many volant mammals (bats) have distributions that cross the Wallace Line, but non-volant species are usually limited to one side or the other, with a few exceptions (e.g., rodents [Hystrix]).

Australasia does not conform to a single zoological area since New Zealand's fauna are completely different to those on the Australian continent. Zoologists have suggested a term for the distinct area containing Australia, Tasmania and New Guinea that is dominated by marsupials. Suggestions are Meganesia, Sahul or Australinea.

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/walline.gif)

Another good explanation of the Wallace Line and our own Aborigines:  

WALLACE'S LINE

by John H. Lienhard

    Today, we cross Wallace's line. The University of Houston's College of Engineering presents this series about the machines that make our civilization run, and the people whose ingenuity created them.

    Physiologist Jared Diamond makes a pilgrimage to Wallace's line -- an imaginary line separating Borneo and Java from the Celebes and other islands to the southeast. "[Crossing] that line," he says, "may have been what made our ancestors truly human."

    Alfred Russel Wallace was the now-almost-forgotten co-discoverer of the theory of evolution. Darwin had pretty well formulated the theory when he learned that Wallace was about to publish a similar idea. When Wallace heard about Darwin, he politely stood aside and let Darwin publish first.

    Among many contributions, Wallace identified the demarcation between species of southeast Asia and completely different species in Australia and New Guinea. There are other such regions. The Sahara is one. A band from northwest India through the Himalayas and Indochina forms another such zone of separation. But Wallace's line has special importance.

    For a long time, we've known that modern humans evolved in Africa 100,000 or so years ago, and that they began making dramatic art and tools in Europe 30 or 40 thousand years ago. But we've paid scant attention to the world southeast of Wallace's line.

    The so-called Java Ape Man fossils make it clear that ancestors of modern humans reached southeast Asia a million years ago. Java Man got as far as Borneo and Java over land links that existed before the glacial epochs. But those links ended there, and he couldn't get to New Guinea and Australia.

    Yet modern humans have occupied Australia for 60,000 years. Somehow, modern humans appeared in Java Man's world, and they managed to go island-hopping all the way to Australia. There they practiced advanced art and technology that rivals what we find in the caves of central Europe. The catch is, they did so much earlier than the European Cro-Magnons.

    And so, Jared Diamond observes, we were the one species that lived on both sides of Wallace's line. The crucible of human creativity might well have been Australia. He believes the art and technology of Australian aborigines slowly trickled back and eventually reached Europe. Diamond thinks that crossing Wallace's line was the giant step that made us into a technological species.

    Eventually, the vast geography and resources of Eurasia allowed the aborigines' cousins to run ahead -- to invent writing and the wheel, to build canons and cathedrals. Eventually, when Dutch and English navigators found their way back to Australia, all they saw were shockingly primitive humans. They had no way to see the sophistication of their survival strategies.

    And they had no idea they should be saying "Thank you" to their ancient teachers.

    I'm John Lienhard, at the University of Houston, where we're interested in the way inventive minds work.

******************************************
 
My note  For those monkeys who wish to read more about this, there is a very good article by a journalist who travelled through these areas but it is a bit too long to print here so I will just give you the link.  I would be interested in your comments on this article.  Thanks in advance.

www.discover.com/issues/aug-97/features/mrwallacesline1198/

This is how most people think of Aussies :

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/midginbilfig.jpg)

One of our prettiest little birds - an Azure Kingfisher.  

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/Azure3.jpg)

Looks like the Pumpkin Ale from IBE's party was too much for our friend :

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/koalasleeping.jpg)

BROOME  AND CABLE BEACH IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA

 The sun is setting over the 22 kilometre stretch of white sand that is Broome’s Cable Beach. A small crowd has gathered to watch as the sun, now a disc of deep red, sinks into the Indian Ocean.

One or two people linger at the water’s edge, refusing to relinquish the day, while a trail of camels stroll along the sand, giving visitors one of Broome’s most famous experiences – a sunset camel ride.  You see them returning from the beach duty in the evening just after sunset.  The leading and last camels carry bike lights and they silently and slowly pad along the side of the ashphalt.

Cable Beach is one of Western Australia’s most popular beaches and one of the most compelling reasons to visit Broome.  The extraordinary 10 metre tides mean the water is sometimes a long walk but a dip in the warm Indian Ocean is worth the effort.

Sitting just 18 degrees from the equator, Broome has a year-round warm and tropical climate, which encourages relaxation and an outdoors lifestyle.
 
 This exotic town was once the pearling capital of the world and drew its population from a range of nations including China, Japan, Malaysia and the Middle East whose people flocked to the shores of Roebuck Bay in the hope of making a fortune. Some did and others weren’t so lucky, but this colourful history has resulted in the multi-cultural feel Broome has today.

At Sun Pictures, the oldest operating picture garden, visitors enjoy a movie from a deck chair under the stars. This open-air cinema has withstood the ravages of war, cyclones and king tides to become a distinctively Broome experience.

The climate has played a major role in the architecture of the town.  Many of the older buildings have wide verandahs, fine latticework, shutters and corrugated iron roofs to allow cooling breezes to flow through, as well as to cope with heavy rains.

Inland from Broome, the rains provide some incredible natural scenery including the thundering power of the waterfalls in the east Kimberley.

The cascading waters of the Mitchell Plateau and King George Falls are perhaps best accessed by air, also the World Heritage listed Bungle Bungle massif in the Purnululu National Park.

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/CamelsCableBeach.jpg)

Roebuck Bay

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/au104040.jpg)

Red Sandstone Cliffs

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/au104090.jpg)

Manning Creek

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/au104181.jpg)

Bungle Bungles

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/au394211.jpg)

CULTIVATION OF PEARLS

The pearl industry has done an about face over the past 120 years.  In the early days, divers in the tropical waters off the Kimberley coast sought the highly prized mother of pearl shell that was used to make buttons, jewellery, hair clips and decorative objects.  Natural pearls were a bonus – a byproduct of the shell harvest.

While plastics killed demand for mother of pearl in the 1900s, Japanese pearl farmer Kokichi Mikimoto had by then perfected the technique for producing cultured pearls and a new industry was born.  The cultured pearl industry began in Broome during the 1950s and today the Australian pearling industry produces some of the world’s finest pearls.  So how do they do it?

Live oysters are gathered from the wild (under a strictly controlled licence system)  High skilled – and highly paid – technicians working under sterile conditions delicately make a slit near the oyster’s reproductive organ and insert a tiny piece of mantle tissue from another oyster followed by a nucleus, a small sphere taken from the shell of an American mussel. Nacre, the same substance coating the interior of the oyster’s shell, is produced in a sac formed by the inserted mantle tissue.  Over time, nacre coats the nucleus to produce pearls.  After at least two years in the deep – many miles off the coast – south sea pearls are harvested.

There are basically four types of pearls  :

CULTURED South Sea Pearls.  These pearls range from 8mm to 18mm and come in many shapes and colours.

KESHI.  Japanese for poppyseed  and these pearls are as close as possible to a natural gem  from a farm environment.  Small and irregular, they are produced without a nucleus being implanted.

MABE.  These are half pearls grown on half nuclei stuck to the inside of the mother of pearl shell.

FRESHWATER.  Grown mostly in lakes and streams in China and India, they are cultivated in mussels – up to 30 in each.  They are 4mm to 8 mm and vary in colour and shape.  

Pearling Luggers

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/au104081.jpg)

Steep Cliffs near Broome

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/au104072.jpg)

I love this thread.  You have the coolest CONTINENT!  Thanks for sharing.

Now it's my turn.  I adore You Tube.  I found this the other day and thought immediately of you!  And learned more new things about Australia.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INdjRCNcZj0

Peaches  Thank you!!   That is just such a great video.

You must have read my mind as last night I thought of doing something about Waltzing Matilda as it is so well known everywhere.  Thank you again and I am glad you are enjoying this thread.  I know I am enjoying finding articles and the pictures  to match.

SOME OF OUR NASTIER CREATURES

BLUE RINGED OCTOPUS

This is an attractive little creature that lives in the rock pools on the shore.  When threatened it “pulses” luminous bright blue rings on its body.  It’s bite is painless and will only occur if it is handled.

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/bites11.jpg)

PORTUGUESE MAN-O-WAR

Also known as Bluebottles, these are found on most beaches around the country and are really a colony of small creatures living as one.  Small stinging cells which when encountered as a group impart a venomous sting.  People susceptible to bee stings are also usually sensitive to the Bluebottle venom.

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/bites12.jpg)

RED BACK SPIDERS

This spider with the telltale red or orange mark on its thorax is the female of the species.  The Red-Back spider is common all over Australia, and its preferred habitat is under any old building material, or inside sheds and garages.

The spider’s bite is not generally regarded as fatal, although there are recorded deaths prior to the introduction of the anti-venom. Less than 20% of bites actually result in significant envenomation, but generally, the bite is very painful, and causes distress.

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/bites5.jpg)

FUNNEL WEB SPIDERS

The Sydney Funnel Web spider is considered to be the most venomous spider in the world. It is found in the NSW coastal zone from Nelson’s Bay to Nowra. Its habitat is under rocks and houses, in a web-lined burrow. The spider is very aggressive and will attack at the slightest provocation.

Despite its fearsome reputation, there are only 14 recorded deaths due to funnel web spider bite. However, when the spider does inject a dangerous quantity of venom, the effects can be rapid and severe, and death within an hour may occur.

A second type of spider called the Bush (or Blue Mountains) Funnel Web is also recorded as being responsible for fatal bites. Its habitat ranges over most of the NSW coast and the Great Dividing Range. This creature lives in trees behind the bark, or in holes in the trunk. Other types of related spiders such as the Northern and Southern Tree Dwelling species, are suspected of similar venom potency, and are found mostly along the south eastern area of Australia.

There are at least 37 species of funnel web spiders. All are medium to large, robust spiders, mostly dark or black in colour, with stout legs and large fangs. Males search for female mates, a process which may increase the chance of unwanted interaction with people, as they may get underfoot, or into shoes or clothing left on or near the floor.

The funnel web will bite repeatedly if in contact with the skin, and when bitten by the funnel web spider the venom enters the body similarly to that of snakes. Anti-venom is available

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/bites4.jpg)

MORE CREATURES THAT PEOPLE (AND CATS!) SHOULD NOT HANDLE

BROWN SNAKE
The Brown Snake may be found all over Australia. It has extremely potent venom, and although the quantity of venom injected is usually small, this snake causes more snakebite deaths in Australia than any other. Sudden and relatively early deaths have been recorded.
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/brownsnake1.gif)

TAIPAN
The taipan may be found mostly along the non-desert areas of north and north-east Australia (from Brisbane to Darwin). It is an aggressive, large, slender snake, and may be coloured any shade of brown but always has a rectangular head (large in proportion to the body) and red eye. Venom output is high and the amount retrieved from just one milking from one taipan is enough to kill many million mice. Paralysis is difficult to reverse unless treated early. Untreated, a good bite will almost certainly be fatal.
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/taipan.gif)  

TIGER SNAKE
The tiger snake lives in the temperate southern areas of Australia. The characteristic stripes are not seen all year round, and there is a totally black variant found around the Flinders Ranges area of South Australia. Untreated mortality is about 45%
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/tigersnake.gif)

DEATH ADDER
The death adder has strongly neurotoxic venom; this snake has characteristic appearance and may be striped.
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/deathadder.gif)

COPPERHEAD
The copperhead is found in Tasmania, Victoria, and the western plains of NSW.  Despite its large venom output, bites are rarely fatal.
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/copperhead.gif)

REDBELLIED BLACK
The redbellied black snake is found in all eastern non-arid areas. The venom is not as potent as most and no deaths after a redbellied black snake bite have yet been reported.
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/redbellyblack.gif)

SMALL SCALED SNAKE
The small scaled snake (sometimes called the inland taipan or fierce snake) has the most potent venom in the world, but is restricted to relatively uninhabited areas of south-western Queensland, so, fortunately, not many people get bitten.
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/smallscale.gif)

It looks and seems to be a beautiful country.If you see a stray tabby,tickling the ivories at the pub,for grub,it may be me.Cat

A SCIENTIFIC VIEW OF THE EARLY AUSTRALIANS

Aboriginal history is Australian history.  The history of mankind on the Australian continent did not commence when Captain Cook first landed on the eastern coast in 1770 but 40,000 years before that when the ancient predecessors of the Aboriginal people began their sea voyages south. In this long ago time before even North and South America were inhabited, the first small groups of people began arriving here.  At this time the continent had a very different climate and geography as the second last Ice Age was drawing to a close and there were enormous amounts of ice in the North and South Poles of the world.  The ocean was as much as 400 to 600 feet lower than its present levels, the coastline of Australia extended far into what is now ocean, and New Guinea and Tasmania were part of the one great land mass.  This made it quite possible for people to migrate from South East Asia by island hopping by canoe until about ten thousand years ago when the melting ice caused the sea levels to rise and isolate the continent and the people here.

Stone tools have been found at various sites dating to the Pleistocene era.
This history is not lost : it has been retained in the memories of successive generations of Aboriginal people and passed on through the rich oral tradition of song-poetry and legend.  The early history of the Australian Aboriginal people, of their origins and way of life, their laws, social organization and customs can be found in legends and song-cycles.  Aboriginal oral literature provides us with accounts of the geological changes that have occurred over the ages since the first discovery of the continent, accounts of dramatic landscape changes and the activities of great Spirit Beings.

Each Aboriginal group in Australia has its own version of the great stories.  Some legends overlap different tribal areas, some stories are known by many groups, while others are the province of a few people only.   Traditional Aboriginal life was quickly disrupted in the southern areas of the continent after European settlement.  In a growing number of Aboriginal communities the people themselves are setting up their own literature centres where they are recording, transcribing and translating their stories.  In the traditional communities the rituals remain strong and beliefs in the origin of man and the landscape are unaltered.  Here the deeper truths are the province of the older men, and will only be passed on to others as they fulfill their ceremonial obligations.  Names and pictures of their deceased are not permitted to be shown so that their spirits may rest in peace.  Aboriginals now feel the need to explain their history of the continent as understood by them so that their basic beliefs about the formation of the land and its laws are understood and accepted by all Australians as part of the whole history of Australia.

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/300px-Endeavour_replica_in_Cooktown.jpg)

A replica of Captain Cook's wooden Bark "Endeavour" - 106 ft and 397 tons.  I have seen this replica and there is no way I would go across the river in a boat this size let alone around the world.  I am no sailor!

Now here is the Aboriginal version of the same events.  I prefer this one!

THE COMING OF THE FIRST AUSTRALIANS – AN ABORIGINAL LEGEND.

 Long ago in the distant past all the animals that are now in Australia lived in another land far beyond the sea and they were at that time in human form.  One day they met together and decided to set out in a canoe in order to find better hunting grounds over the sea.  The whale, who was much larger than any of the rest, had a bark canoe of great dimensions but would not lend it to any of the others.  As the small canoes of the other animals were unfit for use far from the land, they kept watch daily in the hope that the whale might leave his boat, so that they could get it, and start away on their journey.  The whale however always watched it closely and never let his guard down.
The starfish, a close friend of the whale, formed a plan with the other people to take the attention of the whale away from his canoe, and so give them a chance to steal it.  One day the starfish said to the whale : “You have a great many lice in your head; let me catch them and kill them for you”  The whale, who had been much pestered by the parasites, readily agreed to his friend’s kind offer, and tying up his canoe alongside a rock, they sat down.  The starfish immediately gave the signal to some of the others who then assembled on the beach in readiness to sneak quietly into the canoe as soon as the whale was distracted.

The starfish rested the head of the whale in his lap and began to remove the lice from his head.  The whale was lulled into passivity and did not notice the others quickly get into his canoe and push off shore.  Now and then he would ask  “Is my canoe all right?”  The starfish in reply tapped a piece of loose bark near his leg and said “Yes, this is what I am tapping with my hand” and vigorously scratched near the whale’s ears so he could not hear the splashing of the oars.  This continued until the canoe was nearly out of sight, when suddenly the whale became agitated and jumped up.  Seeing the canoe disappearing in the distance, he was furious at the betrayal of the starfish and beat him unmercifully.  Jumping into the water, the whale then swam away after his canoe, and the starfish, mutilated and tattered, rolled off the rock on which they had been sitting, into the water, and lay on the sand at the bottom.  It was this terrible attack of the whale which gave the starfish his present ragged appearance and his habit of keeping on the sea floor.

The whale pursued the canoe in a fury and spurted water into the air through the wound in his head he had received during his fight with the starfish, a practice which he has retained ever since.  Although the whale swam strongly, the forearms of the koala pulled the oars with great strength for many days and nights until they finally sighted land and beached the canoe safely.  The native companion bird, however, could not stay still and stamping his feet up and down made two deep holes in the canoe.  As it was no longer of any use, he pushed it a little way out to sea where it settled and became a small island.  The whale, exhausted after his long swim turned back along the coast.  He still cruises there today with his descendants, spouting water furiously through the hole in his head.

Southern Right Whale Blowing :

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/whaleblowing.jpg)

Starfish :

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/starfish.jpg)

ABORIGINAL ART  -  CATERPILLAR DREAMING

Lorna Fencer Napurrula is a Senior Warlpiri Custodian, and has been painting since 1986. Lorna was born about 1920 at Yartula Yartula. Nearby is land inherited by Lorna, Yumurrpa located south of the Granites Mine Area in the Tanami Desert, Northern Territory.  Lorna is among a small group of women who collectively produced the first paintings at Lajamanu, and she was among the many Warlpiri people forcibly relocated  to Lajamanu along Hookers Creek, where a government settlement had been established. This country is the traditional land of the Gurindji Aboriginal people. Despite relocation, Lorna retained her cultural identity through ceremony, story telling and painting her art.

Lorna’s work depicts the bush foods of her country originating from Dreaming stories taught to her involving the travels of the Napurrula and Nakamarra skin(or kinship) and some Dreamings from her father’s country of Wapuurtarli.  Her main Dreamings are about the gathering and growth of bush foods such as the Yarla (Yam), Wapirti and Marlujarra. These Dreamings entitle her to paint subjects such as the bush yam (sweet potato), “ngalatji” (little white flower), bush tomato, berry, caterpillar (luju), wallaby, onion, water and particular   mens stories including boomerangs. The Yarla is an important Dreaming for the Warlpiri women, and a staple food source in the Western Desert. Here Lorna renders it in her distinctive expressive style. Along with visually describing the Yarla, some paintings contain information about when to gather this food source and how to find it.

Lorna working on her painting :

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/4eb3_1.jpg)

The finished painting :

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/4835_1.jpg)

What is a Trap door spider?We have Brown recluse spiders,which are quite unpleasant for people and cats.Your snakes are bigger and more deadly.I see possums in my yard,all the time.don't taSte so good .fun to tease CAt

thanks for all of this... TIB!!  What a cool place...This is Red's dream to visit... and mine too!

Here you go, Cat :

TRAPDOOR SPIDERS

Most trapdoor spiders but not all are misleadingly named, as not all species make a door for their burrows. These highly camouflaged entrances are almost undetectable, unless the door is open. Common prey items include crickets, moths, beetles and grasshoppers, taken near the entrance to the burrow. Predators of Trapdoor Spiders can include birds, bandicoots, centipedes, scorpions, parasitic wasps and flies.
The female will lay her eggs several months after mating, and protects them within her burrow. When the juveniles have hatched, they remain for several months before dispersing on the ground. They will then make their own miniature burrows. Each time the spider grows bigger, it has to widen its burrow and, in the door-building species, add another rim to the door. In undamaged trapdoors, annual concentric rings can be seen.
Trapdoors have a long life span, between 5 to 20 years, and take several years to reach maturity. Females stay in or near their burrows, whereas males leave their burrows once mature, and go in search of a mate.

Trapdoor Spider's Burrow :

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/misgolas_burrow.jpg)

Trapdoor Spider :

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/trapdoor_spider.jpg)

Glad you are enjoying this thread, Mrs Red.  I enjoy finding the articles and searching for pictures.  Let me know if there is anything in particular you are interested in so I can see what I can find.  It is a lovely place and so diverse.

Hey, Cat  You don't see too many of these nasty creatures unless you go looking for them as most of them are shy and keep away from humans unless we get too close or interfere with their habitat.
I have not seen very many snakes in the wild, most of the ones I have seen are in a reptile park.  Poisonous spiders also hide and if you don't go poking around in rubbish or undergrowth you won't see many of them.  Have seen redbacks and house spiders but they can be easily chased away.
You can see a lot of lizards and blue tongue lizards but they do not harm you.
Some lizards do look like snakes until you notice they have legs and run very fast!

DIDJERIDU PLAYER at a Festival.  All Aboriginal ceremonies and dances are seen and photographed at festivals as they rarely allow white people to see their tribal ceremonies.
Note the modern day amplifier :

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/didjeridu.jpg)

TRADITIONAL DANCE INCLUDING MEN AND WOMEN

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/traddance.jpg)

CEREMONIAL SHIELDS AND WOMENS DANCING STICKS.
Designs are painted on or stuck on using vegetable down, wild cotton and dyed with red ochre.

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/au101301.jpg)

SOME BUSH TUCKER

BUSH BANANA - Only able to eat the skin as inside is a mass of small seeds.

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/bushnana.jpg)

COOKING MUD CRABS :

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/ccokmuddies.jpg)

What does the skin of the Bush Banana taste like?

Klaas - I have never tasted this fruit/vegetable.  Stay away from most of these things as allergic to lots of fruits, pollens etc.

Found this description and photo, and this says you can eat the seeds but I don't think the Aboriginal do so - they probably just munch on the skins for moisture.

BUSH BANANA ALSO CALLED BUSH PEAR
Where do some of these early common names come from?! The fruit looks nothing like a pear or banana. I think a more accurate name could be the Giant Wild Pea as that's exactly what the young seed cluster tastes like - beautiful sweet green peas! The pods can grow up to around 10cm, but get  tougher aid more bitter. Best size is 4-5 cm long - when peeled, reveals perhaps the most stunning and intricate looking vegetable on earth. These hardy vines need a trellis, host tree or fence upon which to climb and produce clusters of nectar sweet flowers followed by the fruit. There is also an edible tuber which grows undergound. Unfortunately, more often than not, the plant is destroyed by harvesting. The tuber has a starchy watery texture with a subtle flavour.

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/l-aust1s.jpg)

WILD RASPBERRY

This superb fruit has clusters of juicy, pink to bright red lobes which form the berry, some 1-3 cm in diameter. They grow on a bramble thicket with regularly spaced sharp barbs on the stems. Flavour is a superb sharp berry-raspberry, stronger than exotic raspberries.

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/r-probs.jpg)

Wow! Justin would love to do this once he is old enough!

It would be a wonderful opportunity for any youngster that was interested in the environment.  Two weeks seems such a short while to learn much but would certainly whet their appetite for more study.

HAHNDORF

    Located 28 km south-east of Adelaide, Hahndorf is a major tourist destination. It is a little piece of Silesia, Prussia and Germany in the Adelaide Hills. It is characterised by beautiful shady, tree-lined streets, lots of advertisements and shop signs in Teutonic script, and lots of German tourists being entertained in cafes, bars and restaurants run by the descendants of the town's early German settlers. The town is 330 m above sea level, has a rainfall of 990 mm and promotes itself as 'Australia's Oldest German Town'.

    The history of Hahndorf starts in 1838 when George Fife Angas went to London as a director of the South Australian Company to try and promote colonisation. While he was there he met Pastor August Ludwig Christian Kavel who was trying to organise for Lutherans (who were being persecuted by the King of Prussia, Friedrich Wilhelm III) to emigrate. Angas was moved by the plight of the Lutherans and not only persuaded Kavel that South Australia was a suitable place for emigration but also financially assisted them with a generous £8,000. The first German settlers arrived on 25 November, 1838 at the unfortunately named Port Misery. These settlers were to establish distinctly German villages at Klemzig, Glen Osmond, Lobethal and most famously Hahndorf.

    Hahndorf's history is connected to the arrival at Port Adelaide, on 28 December, 1838 of the 344 ton ship, Zebra, under the control of Captain Dirk Hahn. He was impressed by his passengers to such a point that upon their arrival in South Australia he was determined to help them. Although a Dane it is he who is honoured with his name being the basis of the town's name.

    The ship was carrying 187 German immigrants. For a time the immigrants lived in tents at Port Adelaide then Hahn came to an agreement to rent 150 acres of land (this was the present site of Hahndorf) which would be divided up so there was 38 acres for living quarters and the rest for farming. Later the grant was expanded to 240 acres. A group of twelve men on horseback and some ladies in a carriage travelled to inspect the site and Hahn was so taken by it that he declared 'It seems to me as if nature had lavished her choicest gifts on South Australia, I should like to end my days here and never return to the busy world.'

    The conditions for settlement were generous. The Germans were given provisions for the first year. They were also provided with a preacher and a substantial amount of livestock. All that was required was that they worked hard and produced a reasonable return on the land and livestock.

    Not surprisingly the early settlers worked hard planting crops and grazing the cattle they had been given. They all contributed to the construction of a church which was completed within a year of the settlement. It stood where St Michael's Church now stands.

    Within the first decade the town prospered. Vineyards were established, the women worked as shepherds, the men hired themselves out to the surrounding landowners as cheap labour and slowly substantial houses, many of which still stand, were built.

    The town was struck by intense anti-German feelings during World War I (rather stupid given that most of the residents could trace their origins back to 1839) and the name was changed to Ambleside by a 1917 Act of Parliament. The German Arms Hotel, for example, became the Ambleside Hotel and did not change its name back until 1976.

    Today it is one of South Australia's premier tourist attractions. There are few places in the country where you can drive through typically Australian countryside and, quite suddenly, enter a world which seems to have been lifted from Central Europe.

MAIN STREET OF HAHNDORF ;

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/hahndorf_mainstreet2.jpg)

DIRK HAHN MONUMENT :

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/Hahnmonument.jpg)

GERMAN ARMS HOTEL :

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/GermanArmsHotel.jpg)

ST MICHAELS CHURCH :

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/hahndorf_stmichaels.jpg)

Just outside of Hahndorf there is an original German style house fully preserved.

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/paechhaus.jpg)

How would we like to cook like this today on this German Outdoor Oven.

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/paech-oven.jpg)

Back in Hahndorf, it is good to see that with all their religious and hardworking history, they still have a sense of humour :

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/hahn-saus.jpg)

SOME MORE UNUSUAL CREATURES ;

The Goanna, iguana or monitor lizard, can grow to well over a metre in length and is prized as a food source among Aboriginal people.

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/Goanna.jpg)

A large Estuarine or saltwater crocodile basks along Yellow Waters Lagoon. These reptiles are dangerous but fully protected.

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/SaltwaterCroc.jpg)

Freshwater Crocodile is not considered dangerous but could give you a nasty bite when protecting its young.

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/FreshwaterCroc.jpg)

The Mountain Devil is a harmless denizen of the desert, despite its fearsome appearance.

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/MountainDevil.jpg)

Bearded Dragons are native lizards from Central Australia.

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/BeardedDragons.jpg)

Pelicans float serenely on Yellow Waters Lagoon at Cooinda, Kakadu National Park, Northern Territory. A boat trip early in the morning is a must here.

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/Pelicans.jpg)

The Curtain Fig Tree, its aerial roots like a curtain dropping 15 metres to the ground, 3 km from the small town of Yungaburra on the Atherton Tablelands.

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/CurtainFig.jpg)

Barron Falls or Din-Din, as it was known to the local Djabugay Aboriginal people, on the Barron River near the small town of Kuranda above Cairns. Most of its water is diverted to the power station, but in the wet season it remains a spectacular sight

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/BarronFalls.jpg)

Cairns taken from the Kuranda Railway in far north Queensland

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/Cairns.jpg)

Beautiful Millaa Millaa Falls on the southern Atherton Tablelands in Far Northern Queensland, during the wet season.

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/MillaaFalls.jpg)

Millstream Falls, Australia's widest waterfall, on the Great Dividing Range near the town of Ravenshoe is a welcome sight for a swim.

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/MillstreamFalls.jpg)

The Blue Mountains National Park, just to the south west of Sydney, offers impressive vistas and great hiking

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/BlueMtns.jpg)

Port Jackson, Sydney NSW, as seen from Australia Square, looking towards Parramatta, with Gladesville Bridge and the Blue Mountains in the background

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/PtJackson.jpg)

Magnificent Sydney Harbour as seen from Australia Square, with Sydney Harbour Bridge, Circular Quay and the Sydney Opera House and the suburbs of North Sydney and Manly in the background.

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/Sydney.jpg)

The Sydney Harbour Bridge, locally nicknamed the "Coathanger", was opened by Premier Jack Lang on 19 March 1932. It has become an icon of Sydney and these days tourists climb it for a great view.

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/SHB.jpg)

The Sydney Harbour Bridge makes a wonderful setting for Fireworks displays.

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/000498.jpg)

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/002008.jpg)

What is Paul Hogan up these days?

Tibrogargan, thank you for sharing your pictures they are beautiful. :D

Bring back the edit option!  I meant to say " what is Paul Hogan up to these days?"  I remember his commercials inviting everyone to Australia and saying "we will put another shrimp on the barbi"  lol

beautiful.I hope to see it some day.CAT

Wow Tibrogargan!! I waited to read this thread when I could actually just sit and enjoy it. Enjoy it I did!! Totally !!

 I always wanted to go there..and probably will one day. But even if I do I am sure I would not have learned or seen as much as you have so graciously have shared with us.

 I do have a question though in regards to vegemite (which I love). I was told there was an old fable the parents would tell thier children to get them to eat thier vegemite, if I remember correctly it had something to do with an animal..a bear?? it had a name. I do not remember it well at all but do remember how cool of a fable. Do you recall it to share with us ?

 I love folklores from different countries. I wish I could remember this one.

 Thank you SOOoo much for all you are sharing with us. BTW I think Tasmanian Devil babies are so cute!!

Sincerely,
 SeaMonkey :)

A bit of trivia - Paul Hogan once had a job painting the Sydney Harbour Bridge...

I am currently planning next year's trip!

Do your box jelly fish taste good on toast.CAT   and can your cat come out and play

Paul Hogan lives on your side of the world now.  Think it is Santa Barbara?  Last time I saw him on TV he was almost unrecognisable with botox or face lifts.  Could barely smile and a lot smoother in face where before he looked quite weatherbeaten.  Definitely not aging in the usual sense!
Last week there was an article in the newspapers that he was involved in tax fraud investigation.  Will look up the article and post interesting parts of it.
I always felt sorry for his first wife as she appeared down to earth and very pleasant and was left with the 5 kids.

Seamonkey You have caught me on that one.  I do not know of any fable about Vegemite.  Plenty of interesting history about the produce.  May do an article on it.  The Americans were going to ban it but have not gone ahead with that and now our souvenir websites advertise exporting it to the US as one of our icons.
The only thing I can think of as a Aussie fable is the bunyip?  Maybe that is what you remember as it would be similar to the BigFoot and Yeti fables.
Will see what I can find and post as a bit of folklore.

Hope you are including Tasmania!  We have a spare bedroom for monkey friends too.
BTW I love your shamrock camouflage.  Bet they do not taste as good as gum leaves. :lol:

You would not be a happy Cat if you tried to eat them.
Are you the handsome tabby that has won my kitty's heart?

Paul Hogan linked to $300m tax fraud case
The Australian Newspaper
By Susannah Moran
February 13, 2007 01:00am

ENTERTAINER Paul Hogan has for the first time been linked to court proceedings involving Australia's biggest tax fraud investigation.
Despite Hogan's repeated denials of problems with the tax office, a string of companies associated with him, his financial adviser Anthony Stewart and his artistic collaborator John Cornell, have been named in Federal Court proceedings relating to the $300 million investigation.
Court documents reveal Hogan, Mr Cornell and Mr Stewart are linked to two Federal Court cases that have been launched to try to stop Australian Crime Commission investigators using seized documents as part of the watchdog's investigations into illegal tax schemes. The documents list 23 companies, including Paul Hogan Enterprises and Stewart Property Trust, that have been subject to investigations by the ACC as part of Operation Wickenby.
The court case has been brought by two men - one described as a financial adviser, and the other as his client, an offshore resident who used to live in Australia.
 Hogan wrote to The Australian last year, following a report that he was being investigated for not disclosing to the Australian Taxation Office that he was holding $40 million in offshore trusts.
"You got me. Almost. The last problem I had with the ATO was in 1972 when they claimed I had fudged the overheads on my earnings from my pub chook raffles," Hogan said.

NOTE: This article has been edited to exclude unnecessary details of other respondents.

BUNYIP

A bunyip is a legendary spirit or creature of the Australian Aborigine. Bunyips haunt rivers, swamps, creeks and billabongs. Their main goal in life is to cause nocturnal terror by eating people or animals in their vicinity. They are renowned for their terrifying bellowing cries in the night and have been known to frighten Aborigines to the point where they would not approach any water source where a bunyip might be waiting to devour them.

There are many reports by white settlers who have witnessed bunyips, so cryptozoologists may still be searching for these creatures. They may have some difficulty in locating their prey, though, since Aboriginal tribes do not all give the same visual description of the creature. Some say the bunyip looks like a huge snake with a beard and a mane; others say it looks like a huge furry half-human beast with a long neck and a head like a bird. However, most Australians now consider the existence of the bunyip to be mythical. Some scientists believe the bunyip was a real animal, the diprotodon, extinct for some 20,000 years, which terrified the earliest settlers of Australia.

According to Oodgeroo Noonuccal (Kath Walker) in Stradbroke Dreamtime, the bunyip is an evil or punishing spirit from the Aboriginal Dreamtime. Today the bunyip mainly appears in Australian literature for children and makes an occasional appearance in television commercials.

BUNYIPS

Aboriginal rock drawing of a Bunyip

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/bunyip_small.jpg)

Two Australian Stamps showing Bunyips.

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/bunyip_stamp_small.jpg)

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/bunyip_stamp2_small.jpg)

Hello Tibrogargan :)

 I knew about the bunyip, which I totally love that whole fable,  maybe it was link to vegimite as I was told it too, I can't remember. I almost think it was a bear like creature though. Maybe it was a regional thing?

 I wouldn't understand it if America bans it though, the jar I was given was made by the same company that makes our active bread yeasts. Then again a lot of what the USA bans and restricts have not ceased to amaze me lately. Don't get me wrong, I love my country, but it is slowly turning into a country I find hard to even recognize at times.

 I love everything you are sharing :) Is there anything you would like to know about the North East of the USA ?? Ummm like here is something trivial, only one in a million lobsters (lobstahs, as we "Mainers/Maniacs" pronounce it) are blue, and one in a couple a million are white. The blue ones are actually considered albino. Lobsters that come out of the ocean are generally blackish green to a brownish, they only turn red AFTER being cooked. If you want any technical facts I will have to look it all up, I am posting this from memory. From when I did research on them when I was making sculpted tshirt lobsters to know what colors to make them lol.
 But whenever I have had friends overseas some were amazed they did not come out of the ocean red. I don't assume you didn't know that, I just thought I would share since you are sharing so much too :)

 Sincerely,
 SeaMonkey

Thank you Seamonkey. I am glad you enjoy this thread.  Yes, I would love to know more about your wonderful country.  So much is similar to ours and yet so different in many ways. What do you think about an American thread too?  I am sure that your people in different parts of your country would like to know more about the lifestyle in other areas.  We might ask Klaasend what she thinks about the idea? :wink:  :wink:
I was interested that you have blue Lobsters.  We have Lobsters here but they are freshwater and the salt water ones are called Crayfish, just to be different.  I know some people who see the fresh or "green" prawns here in the markets think there is something wrong with them when they are not red in colour  :lol:  What is a sculpted tshirt lobster?  I guess it is a craft project?

Now for some history on Vegemite :

The uninitiated spread it with abandon  - and then gasp with horror - but to those who have grown up with it, Vegemite on toast tastes like home

By Chris Sheedy     (Story courtesy of Sunday Life Magazine, Sun-Herald 23 Jan 2005)

In every culture, there are foods locals adore and from which outsiders recoil.   The French love escargot.   On Thanksgiving Day, Americans devour candied yams.   Even the most cultured Italian salivates at the thought of tripe in a white wine and tomato sauce.   We Australians have bottled our internationally reviled obsession.   It's a gooey, black substance, similar in appearance to axlegrease, and it sits proudly in eight out of 10 Australian pantries.

The first jar of the product now known as Vegemite was labelled "pure vegetable extract" by food technologist Dr Cyril P. Callister.   The Fred Walker Company, which produced, sold and exported cheese (and eventually became Kraft Foods Ltd), had hired Callister in 1922 to create a foodstuff from waste brewer's yeast obtained from Melbourne's Carlton & United Breweries.   Yeast cells were taken from a beer vat and washed before being broken down by enzymes, allowing vitamins, minerals and proteins to leach out into the liquid.   It was then concentrated into a thick paste and seasoned with salt and vegetable extracts such as onion and celery.

A national naming competition followed, offering 50 pounds to the winner - an enormous amount at the time.   But although it was launched with much fanfare in 1923, Vegemite did not immediately seduce the Australian palate and, in 1928, poor sales convinced Walker  to change the name to Parwill in an attempt to piggyback on the success of Britain's Marmite ("If Marmite, then Parwill").

Thankfully, Walker reverted to the original name and in 1937, after two years of giving away a free jar of Vegemite with other Fred Walker products, the nation was finally hooked.   But Walker, who died of heart failure in 1935, never witnessed Vegemite's success.

During World War II, Australian troops were kept well fed with Vegemite, creating great goodwill towards the brand.   After the war, its high levels of vitamin B made it a favourite with mums.   Today we consume almost 23 million jars of Vegemite a year and the dark spread is found in one out of every three sandwiches eaten.

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/jar_1980.jpg)

Good Morning Tibrogargan, though I am sure it is your evening lol.

 We have crayfish too, I think it depends in what part of the country you are in that they are also called crawdads. I wonder if what we call crayfish and crawdads are the same thing within our own country. Mini lobsters, and very yummy but a lot of work for so little meat lol. But still not as bad as all the work to get out of a crab. I got rather lazy with my hardshell fish being on the Maine coast most my life I like the almost no work compaired to get the meat from lobsters. lol.

 InRe: Sculpted tshirt lobster. They are tshirts I sculpt to look like lobsters, I then airbrush them, add eyes, then antennae. I call them Louies and B-Louies (blue ones). They were rather popular in the gift shops and tourist spots here until I had to stop making them from a lack of space in our new home, but I am hoping to convert part of our barn into a "louie making studio" lol. When these tshirts are opened, which I don't like to think about, they look like a tie dyed shirt. I had a patent pending on them.
 We have a festival here called the Lobster Festival, people from all over the world come to it, in a 4 day period 100's of thousands of people pass through those gates, my dream is to one day have my louies and b-louies in it. But I will need to make at the very LEAST 500 of them to sell.
 I will try to post a piccy of them..I never posted a picture within my post so i have no idea if it will work.
 (http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e3/Whimsies/louietrap2x.jpg)

 Ohhh I think it worked!!! I am so use to html and have no idea how this code works. I guess the same way only with boxed ends. lol

 Anyways, where was I?.. Those are the louies and b-louies. Not a fantastic picture but it gives you an idea what they look like.

 That is VERY interesting about the vegemite history. I read somewheres that the reason us "yanks" are so cranky is because we do not eat vegemite lol I guess that is because it is so rich in Vitamin B ( the make you happy vitamin) that we do not get it lol.  And the USA banning it I think was a hoax after I dug around a bit about it.
 I also love the song they have to go with the vegemite lol I am beginning to sound vegemite obsessed. ;)

 Yes, and perhaps a thread on USA would be good too, because obviously within our own country there are many differing cultures that would be nice to learn from.

 :lol:

Dispelling the Urban Legend that surrounds the Australian Dropbear
Dropbears
Copyright 2002 Ashley Gittins

It is a disturbing trend, but many people seem to take great pleasure in spreading fear and mis-information. Sadly, the Australian Dropbear is another victim of this type of treatment. For many years, visitors to Australia have been warned of this almost mythical sounding creature which stalks the forest canopy, waiting for a meal to pass by below. Whilst wide-eyed newcomers are listening intently to this new information, the informant-turned-storytellermay stoop to embelishment. This is unacceptable, as the threat posed tohumans by the Dropbear is very real, and should be treated with the utmost seriousness.

I think it's safe to say that most people understand that Aussie's love a good yarn. Indeed, competitions for the telling of tall stories are held at many folk and music festivals around the country. While I think that these in themselves are a great thing, perhaps we should be wary of how we allow our storytelling to alter what in effect should be public service announcements. Some of the un-truths I have heard about the Australian Dropbear include:

The Wrestler
This embellishment claims that the Dropbear resulted from a chance mating between a native Koala and a Pro Wrestler in the mid to late 1970's. Please! This type of rubbish only serves to dilute the credibility of the Dropbear threat. Goodness knows we have enough trouble with the Government in ourCountry doing everything they can to conceal the Dropbear's very existence without resorting to blatant jests (look how well they did at hiding the fact that Tasmania has Tigers roaming freely about). It is well understood that the dropbear has evolved over thousands of years. It's diminutive cousin the Koala was more often found in dryer areas of Australia where it's herbivorous lifestyle was a natural adaptation to scarce food supplies. Conversely, Dropbear prides were more common in sub-tropical forests, where larger mammals (a primary food source) were more prevelant. The population density along coastal areas accounts for the less than comfortable relationship shared over the years by humans and Dropbears. Due to habitat destruction, many Dropbear prides have divided over the years, some of which head further inland in search of more plentiful food sources, and safer environments in which to raise cubs. This in turn has displaced some koala populations. This in fact serves to provide the Australian government with a convenient cover story. They (and others) claim that coastal Koala habitats are being destroyed, thereby lowering the count of koala's typically seen around urban Australia. This is a fallacy, as koala's never inhabited coastal areas in any great numbers due to the Dropbear not being particularly concerned with matters of ettiquette regarding feeding on relatives. However, since many tourists tend to be dissapointed that they do not see a koala in every eucalytpus tree, the government perpetuates this story of an endagered species in a shrinking habitat. As horrible as it is, it sounds a lot better than saying "Oh, those cuddly things? Yeah, the dropbears ate them all".

Vegemite
I have heard it claimed that Vegemite (a black foodstuff, high in vitamin B, manufactured as a joke to play on tourists) is a good Dropbear repellent when applied to the face and neck. I find this very difficult to believe, but cannot in truth disprove it. The fact is that the only true Dropbear repellent is Aeroguard. It is 100% effective, and not a single confirmed dropbear killing has been recorded against a person protected with Aeroguard (not to mention the fact that smearing Vegemite over your body is far less pleasant than a few sprays of Aeroguard). Due to political pressure Aeroguard is marketed as an insect repellent (a task it also performs rather well).

We all have our strange marketing laws, and just as in the USA it is illegal to advertise the health benefits of a non-drug product, in Oz it is illegal to market protection products against "Creatures of plausible deniability". Go figure.

More at:  http://www.purple.dropbear.id.au/curios/dropbear.html

 :lol:

Dispelling the Urban Legend that surrounds the Australian Dropbear
Dropbears
Copyright 2002 Ashley Gittins

It is a disturbing trend, but many people seem to take great pleasure in spreading fear and mis-information. Sadly, the Australian Dropbear is another victim of this type of treatment. For many years, visitors to Australia have been warned of this almost mythical sounding creature which stalks the forest canopy, waiting for a meal to pass by below. Whilst wide-eyed newcomers are listening intently to this new information, the informant-turned-storytellermay stoop to embelishment. This is unacceptable, as the threat posed tohumans by the Dropbear is very real, and should be treated with the utmost seriousness.

I think it's safe to say that most people understand that Aussie's love a good yarn. Indeed, competitions for the telling of tall stories are held at many folk and music festivals around the country. While I think that these in themselves are a great thing, perhaps we should be wary of how we allow our storytelling to alter what in effect should be public service announcements. Some of the un-truths I have heard about the Australian Dropbear include:

The Wrestler
This embellishment claims that the Dropbear resulted from a chance mating between a native Koala and a Pro Wrestler in the mid to late 1970's. Please! This type of rubbish only serves to dilute the credibility of the Dropbear threat. Goodness knows we have enough trouble with the Government in ourCountry doing everything they can to conceal the Dropbear's very existence without resorting to blatant jests (look how well they did at hiding the fact that Tasmania has Tigers roaming freely about). It is well understood that the dropbear has evolved over thousands of years. It's diminutive cousin the Koala was more often found in dryer areas of Australia where it's herbivorous lifestyle was a natural adaptation to scarce food supplies. Conversely, Dropbear prides were more common in sub-tropical forests, where larger mammals (a primary food source) were more prevelant. The population density along coastal areas accounts for the less than comfortable relationship shared over the years by humans and Dropbears. Due to habitat destruction, many Dropbear prides have divided over the years, some of which head further inland in search of more plentiful food sources, and safer environments in which to raise cubs. This in turn has displaced some koala populations. This in fact serves to provide the Australian government with a convenient cover story. They (and others) claim that coastal Koala habitats are being destroyed, thereby lowering the count of koala's typically seen around urban Australia. This is a fallacy, as koala's never inhabited coastal areas in any great numbers due to the Dropbear not being particularly concerned with matters of ettiquette regarding feeding on relatives. However, since many tourists tend to be dissapointed that they do not see a koala in every eucalytpus tree, the government perpetuates this story of an endagered species in a shrinking habitat. As horrible as it is, it sounds a lot better than saying "Oh, those cuddly things? Yeah, the dropbears ate them all".

Vegemite
I have heard it claimed that Vegemite (a black foodstuff, high in vitamin B, manufactured as a joke to play on tourists) is a good Dropbear repellent when applied to the face and neck. I find this very difficult to believe, but cannot in truth disprove it. The fact is that the only true Dropbear repellent is Aeroguard. It is 100% effective, and not a single confirmed dropbear killing has been recorded against a person protected with Aeroguard (not to mention the fact that smearing Vegemite over your body is far less pleasant than a few sprays of Aeroguard). Due to political pressure Aeroguard is marketed as an insect repellent (a task it also performs rather well).

We all have our strange marketing laws, and just as in the USA it is illegal to advertise the health benefits of a non-drug product, in Oz it is illegal to market protection products against "Creatures of plausible deniability". Go figure.

More at:  http://www.purple.dropbear.id.au/curios/dropbear.html

Sorry about the double post.   The good news it is worth a second read   :wink:

Hi Seamonkey I love the Louie Lobsters!  I have never seen anything like that here, even in the fishing/tourist villages.  I hope you are able to make the 500 to have them at the Festival.  They would be a big hit.  
We have a wide variety of fish, all called different names depending on where you are, and shellfish.  I prefer the fish to eat but will eat shellfish at times.  DH loves shellfish. We also have yabbies which live in freshwater and it is a great sport for kids catching them.  They live in earth dams as well but because they dig burrows to hide in during the dryer times they undermine the dam walls.  We have several types of prawns (shrimp) moreton bay bugs, also called balmain bugs in Sydney, as well as sand crabs and mud crabs, oysters and of course the crays and lobsters.  I realised after I wrote the last post that here in Tas we call the saltwater ones crays and on the mainland they call them lobsters.  Exactly the opposite.  Our largest freshwater fish is the Murray Cod which can grow to enormous sizes.  There are a lot of reef or coral fish which are yummy, and our cold water fish are great too : Trevally, Orange Roughy and Blue Grenadier are my favourites.  Don't go much on the baby octopus but like the calamari.  
We will hear Cat over here purring before too long!
I wonder how many other Monkeys would like to contribute to an American  thread as we talked about earlier?

YUM, YUM - both moreton bay bugs and balmain bugs are delicious.   Cat, you can have my leftovers.....

Yes, Tib, the shamrocks provide a good substitute to my normal eucalyptus diet....   :wink:

We are not sure of our exact plans, but definitely will be coming as far south as Melbourne.  Either Tas or New Zealand...

G'day Sleuth They must keep that story for the overseas tourists as I have not heard it before!  I suppose most of my touring has been with locals when I have been interstate and have not been let loose among the tour guides, which seems like it was a good move judging by this story.  I certainly enjoyed reading it.
By the way they still have not proven that Tasmanian Tigers are extinct.  There are still some sightings by very reputable people.  The southwest where they could be living is very dense forest and you could lose a tribe of aboriginals in there without knowing they exist.

Both Tas and NZ are very nice to visit.  Get my email from Klaas if you need any other info at all.  Happy to help my monkey friends. :wink:  :wink:

Dainty Swallow Tail Butterfly:

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/P1030206MyDainty.jpg)

King Parrot male and baby:

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/P1030604babykingparrot.jpg)

THE TALE OF THE TASMANIAN TIGER
   
More than 60 years ago, in a chain-link cage at the Hobart Zoo, in Australia, a creature with a five foot long, low dog-like body died. Its death marked the extinction of the Tasmanian Tiger.
Maybe.............
Ever since that specimen died in captivity, there have been sporadic but unconfirmed reports of tigers being sighted in the wilds near their old habitats. In 1995, a park ranger spotted what looked like a Tasmanian Tiger in the Pyengana region of Tasmania. Two years later, villagers in two remote mountain towns on the island of Irian Jaya, Indonesia, reported a pack of six or seven of the creatures were attacking the villager's chickens and pigs. A hundred years ago the tigers (which are not cats at all, but marsupial wolves) were common on the Island of Tasmania. In the distant past they also populated the continent of Australia, and perhaps many of the surrounding islands, but became extinct about 2000 years ago as they were pushed out by competing animals. They carried their young in pouches as do other marsupials like the kangaroo and the koala. They also sported a long, heavy, kangaroo-like tail. The name "tiger" comes from dark strips that ran across the flanks of the creature's yellow-brown fur. The animals were also referred to as Tasmanian Wolves, or thylacines (their scientific name is Thylacinus cynocephalus). The tigers' primary food source were small mammals like wallabies, kangaroos and rats. The tiger's feet left a five toed print which is similar, but easily distinguished from a dog's. Dogs have only four toes. While the creatures looked fierce because of their large heads and wide jaws (opening larger than that of any other mammal), they were actually shy and retiring. The largest of them grew six feet long, including the tail, and they stood two feet high at the shoulder. At the end of the 19th century as humans moved into the tiger's territories, conflicts arose. Farmers blamed the tigers for livestock losses. Development of cultivated land also interfered with the animal's habitat. A bounty was placed on the creatures and thousands of them were killed. By the time the Australian government moved to protect the tigers, it was too late. Most of the recent reports of Tasmanian Tigers come from the Island of Tasmania, a state of Australia, which lies just south of the eastern portion of the continent. Tasmania covers 26,383 square miles and about a half-million people live there. There are still wild sections where the creature could be hiding. In 1995 the government launched an investigation to try and find the tiger. Also, many amateur cryptozoologists have searched for the animals. So far, if the tigers are still alive, they have evaded science's eyes.

EARLY PHOTOGRAPH OF TASMANIA TIGERS IN CAPTIVITY :

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/wildlife_tiger3.jpg)

PAINTING OF TASMANIAN TIGERS :

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/image06.jpg)

Sleuth -- That's the one!! The dropbear. Now I remember it. Oh thank you so much, it has been nagging at me to remember, ya know? like a song you keep humming but can't remember the name to? I love all the stories you shared. Yes, it was worth a second read. :) Thank you again.

Tibrogargan -- Thank you, I never had seen a louie either. I had a chat friend about 5 years ago, he was talking about his trip to the Maine coast, he lived in New Jersey, he mentioned picking up quite unique art piece that looked like a lobster. I was joking and said " a Louie?" he said "yeah and a B-louie, how do you know" ..being on chat he never knew my real name and all he knew about me was I basically would sculpt with anything i could get my hands on back then lol. I then recited exactly what was on his label that came with the Louie. Over the last 10 years I have met others who have also gotten a louie just by being a tourist lol Makes me very proud and happy to know what was just once a thought and a doodle is appreciated by so many.

 Your animals are so interesting. I love all you are sharing with us :)

Good morning Seamonkey Guess you are asleep now  :lol:
I am glad Sleuth answered your question about the dropbears.  After reading Sleuth's posting (twice)  :wink:  I googled "Dropbears" and came up with the most outlandish collection of tales I think I have ever read!  No wonder tourists come here and think we are all slightly mad.  With dropbears and all the other "leg pulling" antics the average Aussie tries out on the unsuspecting tourist it is a wonder we have any visitors.  You certainly need a sense of humour here, especially if you are talking to some of the oldtimers around the backblocks.  Hee hee  Maybe I should print an Aussie slang dictionary?

Hello Tibrogargan, Ummm would it be good arvo (afternoon) to you? Or doesn't all of australia say that?
 It's the "leg-pulling" that is half the reason I am so fascinated by Australia. I love folklores and legends. And as far as being outlandish..hehehe I am irish, need I say more? lol. But we call it "spinning a yarn" or making things a bit more "illistrative". :)

 Yes, you should do an aussie slang dictionary ! My favorite would be "sticky beak" lol.

OPAL MINING

Opal is one of the world's most rare and valuable gemstones, and it comes in every colour of the spectrum. Opal is made of tiny, microscopic spheres of silica. It is these tiny spheres that give opal its amazing colours, by breaking white light up into rays of different colours. When white light enters a precious opal, it hits the spheres of silica. The spheres split light into rays of different wavelengths, which we see as different colours. The colours and patterns in an opal are determined primarily by the size and arrangement of the silica spheres it contains.

Opal forms within spaces in rock. It is found within sedimentary rocks, such as sandstone; and in volcanic rocks that have hardened from molten lava with air bubbles trapped inside.
The basic ingredients for opal are water and silica - but the exact conditions required for opal formation are still not fully understood. On the extremely rare occasion that conditions are just right, silica collects in spaces within the rock and gradually hardens to form opal. The opal takes the shape of the space it is filling. Where the rock cavities once contained plant or animal remains, opalised fossils are formed.
More than 95 per cent of the world's opal is found in Australia. Most of this opal is found in the Australian outback, around the margins of an ancient inland sea that once covered almost one third of Australia - around 110 million years ago, during the Cretaceous period. The opal is found in small pockets between layers of sandstone in clay beds that once formed the floor of this great lost sea.
Some scientists think this Australian opal took thousands of years to form, at high temperatures and under great pressure; others think the opal formed relatively quickly, at about 20 degrees celcius. It seems that at least some opal formed when bacteria took silica from the surrounding clay or stone, then deposited it in spaces in the rock, where the silica became opal.

Opal mining is just about the only mining enterprise still run by individual operators or small partnerships, rather than by large companies. This is mainly because opal is so rare, and occurs so unpredictably. Despite its rarity (indeed - because of it!), opal is extremely valuable, and is an important export product for Australia. It is also this chance of 'striking it rich' that inspires opal miners to stick to their tough and risky occupation.
The equipment used for opal mining depends on whether the opal is mined underground or by the open cut method; and also on the miner's budget. Equipment ranges from hand picks through jackhammers to small machines called diggers and boggers; right up to large earth moving equipment. Most miners start out with the basics, then upgrade when they strike opal.
Most opal is mined from underground, where it formed. In Australia, opal is found down to around 25 metres below ground level. Occasionally opal is found on the surface after it has been brought there by years of weathering and erosion.
In some areas of Australia opal is mined by the open cut method, whereby all of the ground above the opal is removed to expose the 'opal level ' - the layer of rock in which opal may be found. Material from this layer is known as opal dirt.
Where opal is deep underground or is found in only small, elusive patches, the open cut method is uneconomical. Moving such large amounts of earth is too expensive unless there is a good chance of finding a relatively large amount of opal.
In these cases, underground mining methods are used. A narrow vertical shaft is dug or drilled down to the opal level, then horizontal tunnels called 'drives' are dug out in the search for opal. Miners climb up and down their shafts on ladders; opal dirt is usually taken out of the mine using an automatic hoist or a blower, which uses suction to transport opal dirt out of the mine and into a truck waiting above. Most opal mining at Lightning Ridge is done this way.
At Lightning Ridge, miners tumble or wash their opal dirt to remove bulky clay or sandstone from the opal. This washing process is done in a large agitator - usually a modified cement mixer. The products of the washing process are called tailings, and these are carefully sorted for any trace of the elusive, precious opal.

UNDERGROUND OPAL MINER :
(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/mining_drilling.jpg)

OLD TIME MINERS COTTAGE :

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/minerscottage.jpg)

OUTBACK OPAL MINE BUILDINGS :

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/outback_east_turleys_c.jpg)

ROUGH OPALS

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/roughopals.jpg)

FREE FORM OPAL

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/freeform.jpg)

ELECTRIC CRYSTAL OPAL :

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/CrystalOpal.jpg)

LUMINOUS GREEN BOULDER OPAL :

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/GreenOpal.jpg)

UNDERGROUND BUILDINGS AT OPAL MINING TOWN OF COOBER PEDY :

CATHOLIC CHURCH

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/catholic1.jpg)

SERBIAN CHURCH

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/serbian1.jpg)

Buildings used to have to be dug out of the sandstone by hand with picks and shovels but are now done by machinery which gives a smoother finish.  A whole new meaning to adding a room or renovating a house, as most of the population live underground.  Shops, bars and resort motels can also be found underground to escape the intense heat.

Yes most of Australia say "arvo".  Most of our early settlers came from England and Ireland so I guess that is where the humour came from.  Australians have always had a reputation for being larrikins and not very class conscious!  "Jack is as good as his Master" was often quoted.  We also have some rhyming slang which would have come from the Cockney English.

Larrikin : harmless prankster

Sticky Beak or Treacle Beak : An inquisitive person.

Having a sticky beak : Looking for something

Yarning or Having a Yarn : Talking to someone

SHIP HITS HOBART BRIDGE  

Lake Illawarra was a steel motor vessel, bulk carrier, 7274/4343 tons. Captain B. J. Pelc. Undoubtedly Tasmania's most sensational shipping disaster which sank after running into and demolishing part of the Tasman Bridge crossing the Derwent River at Hobart, 5 January 1975.  Seven of her crew and five people in cars that went over the bridge lost their lives. Sailed from Port Pirie, South Australia, with a cargo of zinc concentrate for the Electrolytic Zinc Company's Risdon works. Approaching the bridge she was surging forward at eight knots, apparently under the influence of a strong flood tide, and the master dropped speed to approach the bridge at a 'safe' speed. As the vessel came closer it was seen she was out of line for the central navigation span of the bridge, and despite several changes of course the ship proved quite unmanageable, apparently due to insufficient speed relative to the current to maintain steerage way. In desperation the master finally called out full speed astern, at which point all control was lost and the vessel drifted bodily towards the bridge about midway between the navigation span and the eastern shore, crashing first into the pile capping of pier 18 and then pier 19, bringing the three unsupported spans crashing onto the vessel's hull. The ship listed to starboard and sank within minutes in deep water a short distance to the south, where most of it remains to this day in 110 feet of water.  The master had his certificate suspended for six months after it was found that had not handled the Lake Illawarra in a proper and seamanlike manner. The ship herself could not be moved without high risk of further damaging the bridge, and after all oil was recovered from the wreck to reduce the likelihood of pollution, she was left where she lay. The damage to the eleven year-old bridge wrought havoc on the city of Hobart, the residents of the heavily populated residential eastern shore being forced to drive a considerable distance to Bridgewater in order to cross the Derwent River and then drive the same distance along the river’s western shore to Hobart city area where most were employed. The disruption to the livelihood of the eastern shore residents resulted in large shopping centres and business branches being established there as well as all other essential services. A temporary Bailey Bridge was erected by the Army further up  river but the amount of traffic using this was restricted.  The Tasman bridge was repaired and reopened for traffic on 8 October 1977.

Photograph showing cars suspended on edge of bridge.
One of the drivers had only one arm and was fortunate to be able to exit his vehicle.  Some lucky motorists who managed to stop in time tried to flag down others who were speeding across the bridge in the sudden darkness but were ignored.  I used to work with one young woman who, with her husband and unborn baby,  perished in the tragedy as they were driving home across the bridge at the wrong time.  All lighting, electricity and telephones to the eastern shore were cut as the bridge carried the cables for these services.  It was total chaos for many days.  Owners of small boats helped the only ferry service operating to carry people across the river for many weeks.  Several more ferries were purchased or borrowed from interstate and these did a roaring trade in the three years it took to restore the bridge.

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/tasbridge1.jpg)

Side view of bridge showing the extent of the damage :

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/tasbridge3.jpg)

PRESENT DAY PHOTO OF TASMAN BRIDGE WITH LIGHTNING :

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/0539119400.jpg)

Thanks for the bridge story. Very interesting, and very sad.

I think my favorite Aussie word is "tosser" ! I take it to mean someone who drinks a lot, or "tosses" back a few quite often. Is that right? We'd say someone is a drunk, and an Aussie would say someone is a tosser?

Hi pdh3
That was a well thought out meaning.  Tosser is a word we have borrowed (poached) from the English (poms) and actually means an idiot.
The word was given some publicity lately as the anti-litter council used it as a slogan "Don't be a tosser" which could mean both an idiot and/or someone who tosses (throws) rubbish away in public places.
Someone who drinks too much can be called a boozer, as well as other less polite terms.  Booze is slang for alcohol and the boozer also can mean a pub (hotel).
An idiot can also be described as a galah, a sandwich short of a picnic or a few kangaroos short in the top paddock.  No offence meant to galahs which are really quite clever birds but at certain times in the year they feed on wild nectars which have an effect on them and you can see flocks of them staggering around on the ground looking quite stupid.  Boozed you could say!
Hope that helps  :lol:  :lol:

GALAH

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/20060406084521_galah.jpg)

PAIR OF GALAHS

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/20060423152412_galah2.jpg)

LYREBIRD

A very shy and wary, drab coloured bird about the size of a chicken.  So called because of shape of male bird's tail when displayed is like the musical instrument.  They hide in heavily wooded areas and are great mimickers of other bird's calls.

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/lyrebird1.jpg)

SCARLET ROBIN

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/20060419222400_scarletrobin.jpg)

CLOSE-UP OF CRIMSON ROSELLA

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/RosellaFace.jpg)

RAINBOW LORIKEETS

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/Rainbow_Lorikeet_Heidelberg030425.jpg)

Thanks for the clarification! I had seen the use of tosser on another forum where Aussies post, and the discussion was about people in rehab, so I was interpreting it in that context. One Aussie called the person in rehab a tosser! :lol:
So the next time I want to call someone an idiot, I'll just use tosser instead. :wink:

Another thought.....this is why culture plays such an important role in interpreting language. It's so easy to get it wrong.

BAY OF FIRES, EAST COAST OF TASMANIA

The unusual name for this area was given by Capt. Tobias Furneaux as he sailed along the Tasmanian coast in 1773 because of numerous fires burning which led him to believe the country was densely populated.  Abundant evidence of this occupation by Aboriginals can be seen today by their middens (shell and bone deposits) in the sand dunes.

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/fire_bay.jpg)

We have a very well respected Maritime College here in Tasmania, where students study Fisheries, Marine Resources and Aquaculture and also an Antarctic Research Station which is the home port for Antarctic expedition icebreaker ships going to our Southernmost bases.

One marine biologist was telling his friend about some of the most recent research findings into the whale songs.  "Some whales can communicate at a distance of 300 miles" he said.
"What the hell would one whale say to another whale 300 miles away?" the friend asked sarcastically.
The biologist replied : "Well, I am not absolutely sure, but it sounds something like : Can you hear me now?"

Humpback Whales in Antartica :

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/adb.jpg)

A GOOD NEWS STORY ABOUT CROSS COUNTRY CHILD ABDUCTION

Finally back together: Malaysian prince meets long-lost Australian mother
Published: August 25, 2006

A MOTHER, son and daughter separated by one of Australia’s most notorious custody battles embraced in a Melbourne garden today - all together for the first time in 14 years.

Jacqueline Pascarl was rejoicing at the surprise arrival in Australia of her 23-year-old son, Iddin. He was following in the footsteps of his sister Shahirah, 21, who was reunited with her mother in April and now lives permanently with her in Melbourne.  Iddin, then nine, and Shahirah, seven, were snatched from their mother in 1992 during an access visit to Australia by their father, Malaysian prince Raja Bahrin.  Then known as Jacqueline Gillespie, Ms Pascarl fought a protracted and unsuccessful battle with her former husband for her children’s return. She secretly rekindled her relationship with them through emails and phone calls and finally, in April, Shahirah travelled from Malaysia to be with her mother.

Today, Iddin also held his mother and told reporters:”I’ve got two homes now.” Asked why he had returned to Melbourne, he said: “Because I want to see my mum. I miss her a lot. I love her a lot.” Iddin indicated he would stay in Melbourne “a really, really long time” but did not say if he intended to stay permanently.  “Well, he’s had 14 years to think about this,” Ms Pascarl smiled. “Australia is his home, too.”

Ms Pascarl, who has two other children from a later marriage, said Shahirah and Iddin had surprised her with Iddin’s arrival in Melbourne.“It’s absolutely blissful and wonderful,” Ms Pascarl said as the three stood arm in arm outside her home in suburban Hawthorn today. “I have four beautiful, unique and amazingly individual children and a wonderful husband and we are overjoyed to be together as a family for the first time in 14 years,” Ms Pascarl said.

“We need to get to know each other and they (Iddin and Shahirah) need to get to know me, and they need to get to know themselves, which is really important. “I’m just so overjoyed that my children are at home together and they’re here with me, and we are happy. We want to thank everyone for your support and the generous good wishes all through the years, and the people who have just sort of stuck in there with us.”

Ms Pascarl married Raja Bahrin in 1980 and Iddin and Shahirah were born in Malaysia.  She returned to Australia with the children after the prince took a second wife under Islamic law. He abducted Iddin and Shahirah in 1992, driving them to Queensland, where they were smuggled by boat to Indonesia and then Malaysia.

Shahirah and her mother reunited :

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/sinceiwas.jpg)

Iddin, their mother and Shahirah reunited :

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/iddinREUNIONtheage24thaug06.jpg)

SUNSET OVER DERWENT RIVER SHOWING TASMAN BRIDGE

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/06_19_0008.jpg)

IRWIN ZOO TO EXPAND FOR SAFARI EXPERIENCE

(The Examiner Newspaper 24 Feb 2007)

The zoo made famous by crocodile hunter Steve Irwin is to be enlarged and developed as a world-class tourist destination after a land deal with the Queensland Government.
The Government has agreed to hand over a parcel of state land so Australia Zoo can set up an open-range experience, incorporating wildlife from Africa, South-East Asia and North America.
In return for the land, the zoo will give the Government a larger piece of land near the Peachester State Forest, to be used for forestry. The zoo also will pay the state the difference in land value for the swap.
Queensland Environment Minister Lindy Nelson-Carr said the move would bring to fruition Steve and Terri Irwin's dream of a stand-alone world-class tourist destination.
The zoo's new piece of land will be excised from the Beerwah State Forest, to the south-east of the attraction's existing facilities.  A spokeswoman for the zoo said the deal was welcome.  "There are a number of processes which Australia Zoo must implement to realise its dream, but the agreement on forestry land which it has reached with the Government brings expansion one step closer" she said.
Irwin, 44, died last September when a stingray barb pierced his chest as he filmed a documentary on the Great Barrier Reef.

Missed by The Examiner, but included by other newspapers, with the above  article :

Steve's legacy conservation fund, Wildlife Warriors, has attracted millions of dollars in donations since his death, with some of the money to go towards building a new animal hospital at the zoo.

GORDON RIVER - WEST COAST OF TASMANIA

Two wild rivers hurtle through mountainous rainforest wilderness and merge as the Gordon River, which flows into the vast Macquarie Harbour on the west coast. The scene is the Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park, in the Wilderness World Heritage Area of the south-west. The rivers were the centre of a controversy in the 1980s, when they were to have been dammed for hydro-electricity, but the scheme was quashed by an environmental campaign.

Part of Gordon River showing wilderness :

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/Gordonriver.jpg)

Cape Sorell at mouth of Gordon River :

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/CapeSorell.jpg)

ROCKY CAPE - FAR NORTH WEST COAST OF TASMANIA
:

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/RockyCape.jpg)

I will present this story without comment ......

The Examiner Newspaper 12 Feb 2007.

We don't want to stop at 10 : Mum[/b

A Brisbane couple who made world-wide headlines for having two sets of quads through fertility treatment are expecting baby number 10.
Life in the household of Dale and Darren Chalk, of Strathpine in Brisbane's north, is about to become even more hectic with the couple revealing they are pregnant again.
And despite being plagued with morning sickness, Mrs Chalk,28, said they couldn't wait to have more babies.  "It's not morning sickness, it's all day sickness, but hopefully it will soon pass," she said.  "We adore children, so there are no plans to stop at 10."  They have been assured this is a single pregnancy.
Mrs Chalk and her husband, a taxi driver, became parents to quads in August 2004 using an anonymous sperm donor through the Queensland Fertility Group.  Emma, Ellie, Samuel and Joseph were born 13 weeks premature.
The Chalks made international news when they gave birth to another set of quads born in October the next year - Sarah, Alice, Matthew and Milly.  However, Milly was stillborn.
The Chalks have another daughter, Shelby, 4.

Awwww - I can't help myself.

Who needs immigration?

Can you imagine the anonymous donor's face if they all turned up one day on his doorstep  "Daddy......."

LOL! Tibro, I really have enjoyed reading your thread here, keep up the great work!

PIE FLOATER

Unique to the state of South Australia the pie floater is a minced meat pie floating is a sea of thick split pea soup and topped liberally with tomato sauce, which is more savoury that American ketchup. Typically, they are only available extremely late at night from caravans (pie carts?) parked around inner Adelaide.

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/pie.gif)

VIEW OF HOBART WITH MOUNT WELLINGTON

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/MtWellington.jpg)

OMG! all those babies at only 28...eeek! Takes a special person to do that, that's for sure.

Your pictures you are sharing are very breath takingly beautiful. I like to pop in here with my morning coffee, it is relaxing to read the posts and pictures you post.
 thank you for adding to my peaceful mornings :)

I like this land down under - beautiful scenary, amazing wildlife, friendly people and a relaxed attitude; but there must be other culinary dishes native to Oz other than the pie floater.  That picture is truly disturbing.  I have never seen pea soup that green.

Thank you monkeys for your kind comments.
Leslie, I agree that the pea soup is a strange colour - hopefully it is the lighting or the photography.  :lol:
We do have a very varied cuisine especially the past few years with all the influences from many other cultures.
Years ago the main foods were good solid British cooking : roasts and puddings etc, but over the years there has been a few dishes that are considered exclusive to us.
Pictures (and I will post any recipes if any monkeys would like them)

Roast Leg of Lamb, served with baked veges and green peas.  Topped with mint sauce and gravy.

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/BBQLegLamb.jpg)

Famous meat pie.  Meat can be minced or diced and cooks in its own gravy.  Flaky puff pastry.  Family size can be served with mashed potatoes and veges.  Must have the tomato sauce.

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/MeatPie.jpg)

Damper is large scone loaf.  Was originally made by travelling stockmen while on their long cattle drives and baked over open fire.

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/Damper.jpg)

Outdoor meals are popular with family and friends gathering for a barbeque.  Usually meats cooked are sausages, chops and steaks. Served with salad and icy cold beer or wine.

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/BBQchopsSnags.jpg)

More Aussie Food :

Vanilla Slices (or custard squares).  The slices shown have passionfruit icing on top.  Also on plate are chocolate eclairs for BTgirl :wink:

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/VanillaSlice.jpg)

Anzac Biscuits. A firm chewy cookie which keep very well and were so named because they were baked and sent to our troops in the first world war.

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/300px-Single_ANZAC_biscuit.jpg)

Pumpkin Scones

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/scones.jpg)

Lamingtons which are made from squares of day old cake covered in melted chocolate or chocolate icing and rolled in coconut.

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/lamingtons.gif)

This is as Australian as you can get  :lol:  :lol:

Vegemite on toast

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/250px-Vegemiteontoast_large.jpg)

For all the seafood lovers : A Seafood Platter.  Would contain hot and cold seafood - lobster, moreton bay bugs, prawns, oysters, crabs, calamari, scallops, fish fillets with salads and tropical fruits.

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/seafood-platter.jpg)

And if you have any room left there is a pavlova topped with whipped cream and fresh seasonal fruits :

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/350px-Pavlova.png)

And for when all the monkeys drop in for an Aussie barbeque I have invited our Robots to do the cooking for us :

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/BBQRobots.jpg)

LAVENDER FARM

The lavender-rowed hills of Nabowla in North-East Tasmania might seem an unlikely place to produce a world leader in essential oils industry.  Volatile oils are extracted from a wide variety of plant materials including sandalwood, eucalyptus, mint, anise and neroli, and used for flavourings, perfumes and medicines.

Bridestowe Estate at Nabowla is the largest single producer of lavender oil in the world, producing 3.5 per cent of total world output.  The essential oils industry is now huge worldwide.  But it could have stayed a cottage industry without the brilliance and ingenuity of industry pioneer, Tim Denny.  
 
It was Mr Denny’s ground breaking research at Bridestowe that revolutionized the steam distillation extraction process around the world.  For years he had been convinced that the orthodox theory of steam distillation, set out in 1910, was wrong because it defied the second law of thermo-dynamics.  “This law states that heat cannot be transferred from cooler to hotter bodies by any continuous self-sustaining process’” he said.  “Here at Bridestowe we worked out the right way that steam did in fact extract the oil”

The new distillery equipment he installed increased the oil yield by 20 per cent and also reduced the time required to extract the oil from the loads of flowers.  It also improved the quality of the oil to a point where it could hardly be matched anywhere in the world.

Mr Denny’s father established the estate in 1921 with seed from camphor-free French lavender.  The climate and the fact that there are no native lavenders to cross pollinate with the pure lavender was what brought him to Tasmania.

The 120 acres of rolling fields of lavender are a spectacular sight when the lavender blooms in December and January and then there is a 5 week long harvest.
The café on the property also serves lavender flavoured ice-cream.

LAVENDER ESTATE :

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VIEWS OF THE LAVENDER FIELDS :

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WOW!!! those fields are absolutely GORGEOUS!!
 and Yummmyyyyyy all that food. And vegemite *drool*

BRISBANE RIVER

Tales of a river - by Phil Hammond

March 01, 2007 11:00pm Article from: The Courier-Mail

WE GRAVITATE to water. To enjoy a cooling breeze from the front of a speeding CityCat, or a picnic beneath a shade tree on the shore at New Farm Park, is to appreciate the moody and mysterious grandeur that is the Brisbane River.  If you have plenty of cash, you can buy a home with riverviews.

The german shepherd, with a koala riding its back, was once the welcome to Lone Pine Sanctuary for visitors who took the river route. And even though the pleasure boats have been ousted from their old North Bank moorings below the Treasury Casino, the MV Mirimar still gives new generations pleasure with its daily Lone Pine trips.

The wool stores these days are up-market blocks of units, but the big water dragons still sun themselves on the rocks up Indooroopilly way. Where once there was industry, children now play in riverside parks such as the Octopus Garden at Colmslie, or the showpiece Rocks Riverside Park near the river's Seventeen Mile Rocks. The youths who used the coal barges sliding past Toowong for target practice with .22 rifles are grown up. Dredging is a memory, and since it stopped the waters have cleaned up. Not quite as clean yet as when colonial soldiers could paddle knee deep near Tank St, ease their hands in, and flick sizeable fish ashore. Dozens of community groups plant trees, remove rubbish and repair the river's tributaries, but familiar still in the creeks are tennis balls in the tide, flushed in stormwater from distant streets, along with choking growths of introduced plants.

On September 25, 1824, when John Oxley was exploring the reaches upstream of the Bremer junction, he noted metre-long sharks. Today, the bull sharks, in packs of up to 70 according to marine research, maraud far up towards Mt Crosby.

Water destined for Brisbane's consumption flows steadily from the wall of Wivenhoe Dam to the Mt Crosby treatment works. For most of the 56km, as far as Kholo, it is a worthwhile canoe adventure, with fast flowing races around tight bends and calm stretches bordered by cow paddocks. From the days when forests of hoop pine and river gum grew right down to the shoreline camps of local Aborigines, to the city Riverwalk – a 15-year project to create 34km of continuous riverside walkways and boardwalks – the river has been a fascinating story.

Far up near Esk, you can enjoy SEQWater's Lake Somerset Holiday Park, launch a tinnie, and with a $7 fishing permit, try for everything from red claw crayfish to Mary River cod and saratoga.

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View of Brisbane River showing part of River Walk.  Story Bridge in far right of photo

MORE VIEWS OF BRISBANE RIVER :

Ferry passing close to the CBD

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Night view of city skyline and river

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Moon over Brisbane CBD

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SOUTH BANK IN BRISBANE

For the World Expo in 1988 they landscaped a large area close to the CBD and built an artificial beach by transporting sand from coastal areas.  The area was so popular during the Expo that it was left for future public use and is very popular.  

South Bank Lagoon

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Bougainvillea Arbor on one of the walkways

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Tasmania looks like a paradise.

MAP OF AUSTRALIA


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"RIVERFIRE" - A QUEENSLAND SPECTACULAR

A very popular event held annually in September as part of the Brisbane River Festival.

In a spectacular display of choreographed colour and music the bridges, rooftops and skies above Brisbane City will light up the river for Brisbane's most popular annual celebration.

The gravity defying Roulettes* will begin the festivities with an awesome display of aerodynamic precision.

Then at 7pm sharp electric skies erupt with a massive fireworks display set to the exclusive Riverfire soundtrack live on Triple M 104.5FM.

As Brisbanites unite on the banks of the river and in Brisbane backyards, Channel Nine hosts Bruce Paige and Heather Foord will cover the action in a special live broadcast commencing at 6:30pm and simulcast live with Triple M from 7pm.

And for the Riverfire finale, an RAAF F-111* strike jet will sweep low over the city, reaching speeds of up to 800kph before performing the crowd favourite ‘dump and burn’ display.

Roulettes fly in formation over the city at dusk

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Vapour trails from Roulettes flying over fireworks and illuminated city

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Fireworks on Story Bridge

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More Firework Displays at Riverfire

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The Finale :

F-111 "Dump and Burn"

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Yes Leslie, it is a paradise and you can see why we returned to live here.  I have a very soft spot for Queensland also as you can see so I guess I have concentrated on these two states.  I promise to give the other states a fair go from now on  :lol:

IRWIN LEGACY TO SICK ANIMALS

By Lou Robson   March 03, 2007 11:00pm   Article from:  Sunday Mail

IN A small corner of the busy emergency room, Jon Hanger is preparing to operate. The 36-year-old scrubs up, dons a surgical mask and raises his hands. "This patient was hit by a car and has quite nasty injuries," Dr Hanger says. "Ada's got a bad jaw fracture, serious lip lacerations and is one sad koala."
Ada is among 5000 patients admitted to the Australian Wildlife Hospital at Australia Zoo at Beerwah, 20km inland of Caloundra on the Sunshine Coast. Opened in March 2004, the hospital is open 24 hours and treats all-comers. It was inspired by Lyn Irwin, the mother of the late Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin.  Mrs Irwin, who died in a car crash in 2000, was a pioneer in wildlife care in Queensland and it was her dream to establish the hospital.
Tree frogs have received tiny leg splints, lizards had broken limbs cast and a 4g feathertail glider was treated for shock. Magpies, crows and emus are welcome. Possums, kangaroos, feral pigs and baby platypuses are admitted. Wild dogs, brown snakes, exotic parrots and blind koalas are also accepted.  "We don't send anything away," Dr Hanger said.  "We are here to relieve the suffering of animals and that means all of them, even feral animals such as pigeons, dingo-cross puppies and wild dogs. We don't look at a species and say, 'Oh it's common, we're not going to deal with it.' "
The small hospital is always busy. Last week, a green sea turtle was treated for shell lacerations, while a koala went under the knife. A 3m carpet snake received medication for a mouth infection while week-old wood ducklings waited for hourly feeds. An eclectus parrot with a nervous condition roosted outside while two baby platypus did laps of a kiddie pool.
Steve's widow, Terri Irwin, said the hospital, initially a koala care facility, had an "all creatures great and small" policy.  Terri, who recently returned to the Sunshine Coast after touring Canada with daughter Bindi, 8, and Robert, 3, to promote Australian tourism, said the facility catered to all animals.  "Steve always had this concept of treating animals the way you'd like to be treated," Terri, 42, said.  "Certainly if my leg was broken I'd hope that somebody wouldn't say, 'There's billions of humans, let's not worry about this one'."
At the hospital, crows are cared for as carefully as rare breeds, possums receive five-star treatment and goannas get top medical attention  "It's the idea of caring for the individual animal whether or not they're endangered and we do not put a dollar amount on that," Terri said. "We've spent thousands of dollars on individual koalas to get them back up and running again."
One injured animal became a family friend. Terri said an emu called Kristy, found while the Irwins were travelling, has befriended Robert.  "We have an emu that we personally brought back from out west a couple of years ago. We go check on Kristy regularly, and Kristy and Robert have a very special relationship," Terri said.  "Kristy stopped growing so they're about the same height and they have long conversations together at the hospital when we drop in, which is often."
The hospital, once an avocado packing shed, is to be expanded to treat up to 10,000 animals a year. It needs more room because some injured animals never leave. Blind 18-month-old koala Sammy, brought in as a baby, would die in the wild and now spends his days eating eucalyptus leaves outside the ER. Three-year-old koala Whistler, the victim of a dog attack, lives a life of leisure in an outdoor enclosure and often donates blood to injured koalas. Reno, the psychologically disturbed parrot, enjoys the calming company of sane birds in a sheltered courtyard. The animals, like the hospital's four vets, six full-time nurses and 70 volunteers, are fixtures.
Inside, it's organised chaos. Donated equipment, animals and staff vie for space. The reception area merges with the operating room. Incubators, gifts from hospital pediatric wards, line the walls along with anaesthetic equipment, tiny X-ray machines and oxygen tanks.  A koala X-ray, clipped to an illuminated white board, shows Dr Hanger's handiwork. There are metal pins, a section of steel plate hand-sculpted to fit the animal's jaw, and a series of staples.
"No one else does this kind of work," said vet nurse Pauline Brookman. "Dr Hanger is really good at what he does. He's one of Australia's best veterinary surgeons."
Since December 2003 he has worked on crocodiles, tigers, cheetahs, pelicans, camels and dingoes. He's wormed venomous snakes and performed check-ups on elephants and alligators.  "About 30 per cent of our work comes from Australia Zoo," Dr Hanger said.  "But the Wildlife Hospital caters for incoming animals, so we charge the zoo for the treatment we give."  
The hospital, built on land donated by Australia Zoo, is part of Wildlife Warriors Worldwide Ltd, a charity created by Steve and Terri in 2002. The charity operates independently with Terri as patron.  Wildlife Warriors Worldwide spokesman Steve Francia said it cost more than $1 million a year to run the hospital and more funds were needed to expand the facility. Donations and volunteers were always appreciated. • Anyone with an injured animal can contact the hospital's 24-hour hotline on 1300 369 652 . For more information, visit www.wildlifewarriors.org.au

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In good hands ... Veterinary nurse Pauline Brookman and top vet Jon Hanger take a close look at Ada the Koala.
Picture: Megan Slade

THE BILBY
 
Bilbies are marsupials and the largest of the bandicoot family. They are covered in silky, grey fur, have a long snout and a slender tongue. Their large, hairless ears assist them in keeping cool as well as hearing predators. Although they have poor vision, their sense of smell is very good which is important for finding food. The strong front limbs have three toes with claws and two without claws which bilbies use to burrow rapidly. The hind limbs are slender with a large middle toe like a kangaroo and are used for grooming. With such a delicate appearance one is led to wonder how such an animal could ever survive such harsh desert conditions.In recent times, Australians have begun a trend of using the bilby as the symbol of Easter replacing the rabbit which has caused so much damage to the Australian environment. The rabbit, with its incredible reproductive capability, symbolised the fertility that spring brings at this time of the year. Although the female bilby has eight teats in a backward-opening pouch, it usually has litters of no more than three young. The gestation period is around 21 days and the young will stay in the pouch and suckle milk for another 75 days. It is possible for young to be born throughout the year, but breeding may depend on rainfall and the amount of food available. Therefore, as a symbol of fertility, the bilby is not really an appropriate substitute. No one knows how long they live in the wild but captive bilbies can live for up to 5 years.At night bilbies emerge from the coolness of their burrows to forage for insects and their larvae or native fruit and seeds. As the seasons change, so do the food sources. In times of drought colonies of termites can provide bilbies with energy and moisture. Bilbies are mainly found in grasslands and acacia scrublands amongst spinifex and tussocks. Although most bandicoots do not make burrows, bilbies dig burrows that spiral downwards to a depth of about two metres. These burrows usually have a single opening which are hidden by a small bush, grass tussock or termite mound. Early this century, bilbies were hunted for their fur, killed by poison baits and caught in rabbit traps. Today they are preyed upon by foxes and feral cats. Most destructive has been the spread of rabbits and cattle who compete with bilbies for food and habitat.

BILBY IN IT'S NATURAL HABITAT

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BILBY EMERGING FROM BURROW

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A LARGE CONFECTIONERY MANUFACTURER PRODUCES "EASTER BILBY" WHICH HAVE BECOME VERY POPULAR AND PART OF THE PROCEEDS GOES TO THE "SAVE THE BILBY FUND"

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FRILLED NECK LIZARD

Otherwise known as the ‘cloaked-lizard’, the Australian Frilled Lizard is truly a unique creature. Its spectacular frill is used for defence and communication. This distinctive reptile loves the sun and is a member of the dragon family, a sub-species of lizards. Like most lizards it is active during the day. The energy absorbed from the sun warms its body allowing it to feed and run quickly.
Adult Frilled Lizards vary in size and weight but are usually between 26-38 inches in length (from head to tail). Their long, strong tail can measure up to 25 inches alone. They can weigh up to1 lb. The diameter of the frill is 8-10 inches, about the size of a small dinner plate!
Frilled Lizards can be found throughout northern and north western Australia. They favour tropical to warm temperate dry forests, woodlands and savanna woodlands, usually with an open shrubby or tussock grass understorey. This reptile chooses to dwell in trees. Using its long, slim front limbs and its strong hind legs it is able to stretch and move easily between branches. Frilled Lizards mostly live a solitary life, defending their territory against rivals.
The Frilled Lizard hunts in the trees for spiders and insects like cicadas. It goes to the ground looking for ants, small mammals and small lizards.
The main predators of the Frilled Lizard are birds of prey like eagles and owls, larger lizards, snakes and some mammals like dingoes and quolls.
When it sees danger the Frilled Lizard slowly lowers itself onto the ground, relying on its natural body colours to act as camouflage. If the lizard feels threatened it will extend its legs, open its brightly coloured mouth and show its teeth. It erects the frill which looks like a scaly umbrella. This helps to make it look bigger. With a loud hissing sound, it will jump towards the threat. If the frill and hissing is not effective the Frilled Lizard will begin to thrash its tail repeatedly, whipping it against the ground. As a last resort, the lizard will make a sudden turn and run off on its hind legs to the nearest tree, climbing until finding safety. If it is forced to fight, the Frilled Lizard is able to deliver painful bites with its large canine teeth.

FRILLED NECK LIZARD ON ALERT.

Colour of the Lizard varies according to it's surroundings and can range from grey to brick red.  (refer to pictures of Bilby to see red colour of the outback.)

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PERTH - WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Offset by the vast tranquil waters of the Swan River, the beautiful city of Perth is a tourist's delight. Modern and vibrant, it contrasts with its historic counterpart - the port city of Fremantle accessible within 20 minutes by car from Perth.   The first recorded sighting by Europeans of Western Australia was in October 1616, when the Dutch navigator Dirk Hartog landed at Shark Bay, near Carnarvon. Von Edels discovered land a little further south in 1618, while, in 1619, Frederick Houtman sighted small rocky islands off the coast near Geraldton and named them Abrolhos, meaning 'lookout'. British authorities settled at the Swan River in 1828 and on May 2 1829, HMS Challenger commander Captain Charles Fremantle raised the British flag at the head of the Swan River and proudly took possession of the territory. Captain James Stirling arrived during the following month on his ship 'Parmelia' and with settlers in tow, founded Perth at a site near the present town hall on August 12, 1829. The Swan River colony experienced initial difficulties including a shortage of labour, financial problems and poor communication. To cope with such problems, the British Government sent convicts to Western Australia from 1850 to 1868 to assist with development. Tourists commonly refer to Perth as the ‘friendly city’ and famous notables have also renamed the city after their personal experiences. Astronaut John Glenn called Perth the ‘City of Lights’ after his historic fly-over in 1962 and victorious America’s Cup skipper Dennis Connor referred to it as the ‘most isolated city in the world’

PERTH SKYLINE

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BLACK SWANS ON SWAN RIVER BANK

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TREE WALK NEAR PERTH

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SWANS WITH CYGNETS PARADE THROUGH PERTH'S BURSWOOD PARK

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FREMANTLE - WESTERN AUSTRALIA

In a bygone era when passenger ships were the preferred mode of transport for world travellers, Fremantle was the western gateway to Australia. Millions of migrants arrived by ship and many made the area their home. Jet travel changed Fremantle’s prominence as a destination but the port city was rejuvenated when it became the centre of world attention during the Australian defence of the America's Cup in 1987.
Fremantle today retains much of its old charm: its situation at the mouth of the Swan River, its picturesque old buildings, its cultural diversity and what its long time residents still call the Fremantle feeling. This sets it apart from the capital, Perth. The feeling comes upon you when you cross the bridge over the Swan River from the northern suburbs, pass historic Cantonment Hill from the east or (ideally) drift down river from Perth in a pleasure boat.
Fremantle is a working port, host to a big fishing fleet as well as container ships and the occasional large cruise vessel. It maintains a vibrant commercial life and is a desirable tourist destination. It has, however, retained its cosmopolitan nature and preserved its identity, largely through the good sense and dedication of its modern-day civic managers.
A special feature of Fremantle is its maritime atmosphere and this can be best appreciated on a stroll around the Fishing Boat Harbour. This is a working harbour all year round and you may see fresh seafood being unloaded from the fishing boats ready for export or local despatch. There are many waterfront restaurants in Fishing Boat Harbour with spectacular views over the Indian Ocean out to Rottnest and beyond. The atmosphere is similar to San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf, with cuisine catering for all tastes - Italian influences feature heavily, and, of course, the taste of freshly caught and cooked seafood should not be missed.

MARITIME MUSEUM - FREMANTLE

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Oh those are CUTE!!!
Now I know what my Chihuahua, Fernando,  REALLY looks like with his WAYYyyy to large of ears for his head and his little rat feet lol
 The Bilbys (Bilbies ?)  really are adorable animals. I might have to smuggle me one home someday so Fernando doesn't feel so freakish looking lol. :)

DALAI LAMA TO PROMOTE KINDNESS AT IRWIN ZOO

By Christine Flatley

March 05, 2007 11:32am  The Courier Mail
Article from: AAP

CROCODILE Hunter Steve Irwin built his Queensland zoo show the world his love of animals - now the Dalai Lama will use it to promote kindness to all creatures.

Australia Zoo's 5000-seat Crocoseum will become the stage for the 14th Dalai Lama to launch the start of Kindness Week later this year, as part of his 2007 Australia Tour.

Kindness Week, which runs from June 13-19, is a major initiative by Karuna Hospice Services - Australia's only Buddhist hospice - which provides comfort and quality of life for people who are dying and their families.

It is designed to promote compassion for all living things.

Over the years, Australia Zoo - on Queensland's Sunshine Coast - has fostered a long-standing relationship with the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala, India, with both sharing a similar philosophy for wildlife and conservation.

During his visit to the zoo, the Dalai Lama will share this philosophy with visitors through a short talk on kindness and animal conservation.

The Dalai Lama's Australian tour takes the spiritual leader to a number of cities around the country, starting with a forum in Perth on June 6.

He also will visit Bendigo, Canberra, Brisbane and Sydney.

SYDNEY - NEW SOUTH WALES

LIGHTNING OVER DARLING HARBOUR AND GLEBE

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LIGHTNING OVER CBD SKYSCRAPERS AND TOWER

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THE LITTLE PENGUIN
 
The Little Penguin, also known as the Fairy Penguin or Blue Penguin, is the smallest of the 18 penguin species and the only penguin to breed in Australia.  Despite being only 13 inches tall, the Little Penguin is adventurous and a young bird can travel distances of over 600 miles in the first year of its life.The Little Penguin cannot fly in the air but has been said to ‘fly’ through the water. It uses its small wings or flippers to glide through the water at speeds of up to 4 miles per hour.The Little Penguin is covered in short stiff feathers, almost like scales, which are a blue-grey colour on their back and white on its belly. This type of colouring is called ‘countershading’ and camouflages the penguin while in the water - from above it blends with the surface colour of the water, while from below it blends with the light entering from above. A layer of down feathers insulate the Little Penguin from the cold. It secretes an oily liquid from the base of it’s tail which is rubbed over the feathers to help keep them waterproof. Its small legs are low on the body so they can be used as a rudder in the water or to walk upright on land where it waddles awkwardly. The Little Penguin has webbed feet and long toenails. It communicates with high pitched yapping ‘barks’ and becomes quite noisy when it leaves the water to roost or during fishing.The Little Penguin has a life expectancy of around 6½ years, but some survive for over 20 years. Every year the Little Penguin fattens up and then retreats to its burrow to moult. It takes about two weeks to moult its old feathers and grow new ones. It cannot feed in the sea during this moulting phase.The Little Penguin lives along the coast of southern Australia, including Tasmania and New Zealand. Major colonies occur on islands, sometimes with 40 000 Little Penguins on one island. Although needing the shore to roost each evening, the Little Penguin may travel 12 miles off shore to feed. It is the only penguin to wait until after dark to come ashore and form groups before waddling across the sand dunes to roost in rock crevices or burrows lined with plant matter.The Little Penguin eats mainly fish and squid, sometimes diving deeper than 100 feet to catch its food.  Ashore, the Little Penguin is vulnerable to attack by foxes, dogs and cats, whereas in the water it is on the menu for sharks, fur seals and sea lions. By keeping in groups the Little Penguin lessens the threat from predators.

LITTLE PENGUIN

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PENGUIN SWIMMING

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Hmmmm note to self...also smuggle out a fairy penguin. SOoo cute.

I LOVE the Dalai Lama! I wish I could be there!!!!!

Hey Seamonkey you are going to have to build an ark to carry all these animals you plan to take home to America with you. :lol:  :lol:

BT it would be a very inspiring talk.  He is such a compassionate and peaceful person.

*building an ark* hehehe :)
Beautiful Lightening Photos !!

I think I could spend hours in this thread just dreaming of visiting all these places.  It's almost as good as being there.  You have no idea how much I have enjoyed this, I just come here and read and look at the pictures over and over.

LaLa's Mom - isn't it so peaceful and enchanting? This is where I have my morning coffee. It is so generous of Tibrogargan to do this..THANK YOU Tibrogargan :)

Oh BTW I wanted to tell ya I couldn't get fairy Penguins out of my head all yesterday so ...since I make fantasy art dolls, I was drawing out plans for a fairy penguin lol. See how easily influenced I am? lol

Then I sculpted a caricature of my chihuahua and it came out looking somewhat like that bilby, then again, Fernando really does look like one , except he is white with sable spots, lol I need to get his picture on here to show you the resemblance.

Lala'sMom I am glad you get so much pleasure from these pages.  You cannot imagine how much enjoyment and fun I get from presenting them.  Makes me feel more a part of SM and also that I can contribute something for the Monkeys who are working so hard for Natalee and her family.

Seamonkey Looking forward to photos of Fernando, and also the Penguin dolls when you make them.  They would be cute.

Something different for St Patrick's Day :

Photos taken at last year's parade in Sydney.  Looks like a great time was had by all.  Oh, and do does America have a Bachelor quest on your St Patrick's day celebrations?  Sounds like a good idea.
 :lol:  :lol:

ST PATRICKS DAY 2007

This is the fourth year that the Sydney St Patrick’s Day Parade Org Inc has held the St Patrick’s Day Bachelor of the Year but it is fast becoming a not to be missed event in the lead up to St Patrick’s Day.
The Organising committee has been busy scouring the suburbs of Sydney in search of 12 fine lads of Irish heritage. On the night, the lads will perform their special cabaret talent not only for the judges but also in front of a live audience of 300 people.
As well as the adulation of Sydney’s Irish community, 2007’s Bachelor will win a travel voucher to the value of $1,500.

Pipe Band leading the march

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Irish Wolfhounds enjoying the march

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One of the Floats

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Old time travel

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Our American friends join in the fun also

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At the end of the march, they all join in a dance and party in one of the large parks in the city

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Lady Monkeys, here is something that will go well with your morning coffee:

St Patrick's Day Irish Bachelor of the Year 2007 entrants:
(Individual details are available on website - just ask me) :lol:  :lol:

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AUSTRALIA'S OWN CAR

First produced in 1948 and adapted from an American design the Holden Model 48-215 was built almost entirely in Australia.

A photo  of a nicely restored vehicle in original ivory colour :

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ULURU IN THE NORTHERN TERRITORY

Once called Ayers Rock, Uluru rises from seemingly nowhere in the deep centre of Australia, and is one of the world's great natural wonders.
Most visitors would have seen photographs, or advertisements featuring Uluru, but nothing prepares you for the physical impact of this vast monolith. Its sheer immensity dwarfs everything around it. Uluru has acquired its reputation not just because it is such a unique landform, but also because of the effect the sun has on its colours and appearance. Sunrises and Sunsets cause changes to its colour from browns though oranges, reds to finally grey.

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Welcome to Aboriginal land,
welcome to our home.

Pukul ngalya yanama, Ananguku Ngurakutu
welcome greeting in Yankunytjatjara

Pukulpa Pitjama, Ananguku Ngurakutu
welcome greeting in Pitjantjatjara

We, the traditional land owners of Uluru - Kata Tjuta National Park, are direct descendants of the beings who created our lands during the Tjukurpa (Creation Time). We have always been here. It is our duty to look after the land, which includes passing on its history to our children and grandchildren. We call ourselves Anangu, and would like you to use that term for us.
Some of us speak Yankunytjatjara and others speak Pitjantjatjara as first languages. We teach our language to our children.
"This is Aboriginal land and you are welcome. Look around and learn, in order to understand Aboriginal people and also understand that Aboriginal culture is strong and alive."
Nellie Patterson, traditional owner.

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Our land is a unique and beautiful place. This is recognised by its listing as a World Heritage Area for both its cultural and natural values. We would like all people with an interest in this place to learn about the land from those who have its knowledge. Please respect this knowledge and open your minds and hearts to our enduring culture.
You are welcome to visit Uluru to be inspired by the natural beauty, to enjoy it. We are greatly concerned about your safety while on our land, because we want you to return to your families to share the knowledge about our culture that you have gained.

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Please Don't Climb Uluru

Nganana Tatintja Wiya - 'We Never Climb'

The Uluru climb is the traditional route taken by ancestral Mala men upon their arrival to Uluru. Anangu do not climb Uluru because of its great spiritual significance.
Anangu have not closed the climb. They prefer that you - out of education and understanding - choose to respect their law and culture by not climbing. Remember that you are a guest on Anangu land.
Also, Anangu traditionally have a duty to safeguard visitors to their land. They feel great sadness when a person dies or is hurt.

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Some of the many other ways to enjoy Uluru besides the coach and 4WD tours.

Mala return to Uluru

Anangu and Parks Australia have completed the construction of a 170 hectare feral proof enclosure, which is the new home for 25 Mala, reared in Watarrka National Park in the Northern Territory. It is hoped that the Mala will adapt to their new home, breed and eventually be released into the wild and contribute to the long-term survival of the species.
The Mala, or rufous hare-wallaby, once inhabited spinifex country throughout Central Australia. Today the Mala is extinct in the wild, wiped out by European settlement, changing fire regimes and feral predators such as cats and foxes. There have been no Mala in Uluru – Kata Tjuta National Park since the mid 1900s. But for Uluru’s traditional owners, Anangu, the Mala or 'hare wallaby people' are important ancestral beings. For tens of thousands of years, the Mala have watched over them from rocks and caves and walls, guiding them on their relationships with people, plants and animals, rules for living and caring for country. Mala Tjukurpa, the Mala Law, is central to their living culture and celebrated in story, song, dance and ceremony.

The Mala story

In the beginning, Mala men women and children travel a long way to reach Uluru. When these hare wallaby people arrive, they camp at sites separate from one another: young men in one place, old men in another, senior single and married women elsewhere, all surrounding the other women and children in the middle.
Senior Mala men come from the north-west, bearing a ceremonial pole which they plant at a high point on Uluru. Now the Inma or ceremony can begin. Everything is done in a proper way, even everyday jobs like hunting, gathering and preparing food, collecting water, talking to people, or just waiting. This has been Tjukurpa, the Law, for men, women and children ever since.
Luunpa, the kingfisher bird, cries out a warning “Purkara, purkara!”: an evil dog –like creature called Kurpany has been created by people in the west to destroy the Mala ceremony. The warning is ignored and Kurpany kills two Mala men, and everyone, men, women and children run away.

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MONKEY MIA - WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Located at Dolphin Beach, famous for its kilometres of secluded crystal blue waters and pristine white-shell beaches, Monkey Mia has attracted schools of dolphins to its tranquil shores daily for more than forty years.

Wonderful things started happening in the early 1960s, when a pod of bottlenosed dolphins began what has become a ritual. Every day a number of dolphins swim into the clear shallows of the bay to interact with humans, delighting visitors with their intelligence and grace. As the dolphins are wild, numbers and the exact time of their visit varies, however they usually visit the shore several times a day and more frequently in the mornings

This dolphin interaction is known to be one of the most reliable meeting places for dolphins in the world.  Dolphins have visited everyday in the last five years excluding only four times.  It is the only place in Australia where dolphins visit daily, not seasonally, and researchers from across the world come to Monkey Mia to study the dolphins.
Monkey Mia dolphins are the only dolphins in the world known to use ‘tools.’ For example some use sea-sponges to protect their snouts when they hunt!
The brain of a bottlenose dolphin is bigger than that of a human!
‘Wedges,’ one of the local dolphins, enjoys catching Golden Trevally (a large Australian fish). He was once seen hunting a particular Trevally for over an hour!
Many dolphins of the region often herd fish onto the beach and then search in waters just several centimetres deep to catch them!
Adult dolphins hang out in groups of two or more called ‘alliances.’ These alliances cruise together in search of a female and just like a group of boys they’ll compete to win her heart! They may spend up to a month pursuing a particularly attractive female.
Dolphin youngsters have a close bond with their mother who teaches them hunting, survival and social skills.

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STEVE IRWIN DOLLS GO NATIONAL

March 11, 2007 11:00pm     The Courier Mail
Article from: AAP

STEVE Irwin dolls are to be dispatched from their Australia Zoo home in a crusade to raise money to save endangered species.
And they soon may be joined by Bindi The Jungle Girl, with plans under way for a doll of the late Crocodile Hunter's daughter Bindi.

Australia Zoo's Brian Dore today said a new line of animal toys and Steve Irwin dolls currently only sold at Australia Zoo would be sold at stores across Australia by the end of the month.  The new toys were launched in the US last month at the 2007 International Toy Fair.

Mr Dore said it was hoped the range would "excite and engage children, igniting their passion for wildlife and the environment".

All royalties received would go directly to the zoo's endangered species program, which supports conservation around the world, he said.

Tibro,
Oh, I'm so glad you posted about the Dolphins at Monkey Mia.  I saw something about this on Discovery channel.  I just love Dolphins, (don't tell anyone but I love them more than Hummingbirds) I swam with two of them in California 3 years ago.  It was the most magical day of my life.  I was in the pool with 5 other people.  I was positioned on the wrong side of the trainer when he had the dolphin do a jump, and the dolphin sorta hit the side of my left arm. Oh man, they are so powerful, anyway after the dolphin did that, she came over to me real close and looked into my eyes as if to say "I'm so sorry I hit you".  It brought tears to my eyes, I felt so special because  of what that dolphin did.

hummingbird that is just such a special experience.  They are so intelligent and I am sure they wish to communicate with us.  We are just too dumb!
I had a similar moment with a Dolphin at Sea World on our Gold Coast.  We were among the crowd watching them swim around in a smaller pool where they come to be fed by some of the visitors.  People are not allowed to swim in the pool with them, which I think is because of chance of illness as they do not swim freely out in the ocean.  They have a very large fenced off ocean area to keep the sharks away where they can swim away from the people.
Anyway one dolphin swam a little away from the others and as I was on the edge of the crowd I concentrated on this dolphin and was thinking what a beautiful creature it was when it swam right over in front of me and nodded its head up and down.  It stayed there for a couple of minutes looking at me while I spoke to it and then it glided off.  It was a very warm and fuzzy moment.
I will find some more pictures to post that you would like.  Thank you for your interest in this thread.

MONKEY MIA  
Monkey Mia (pronounced My-Ah) was named after a pearling boat called Monkey that anchored there in the late 19th century when there was a large pearling industry in the region.
It is totally up to the dolphins to come to swim with people and the feeding is strictly controlled to ensure the very smart dolphins do not pick up a "free feeding pattern" so they do not become dependent on humans for their food.

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KURANDA - FAR NORTH QUEENSLAND

Kuranda is a romantic village, shrouded by pristine rainforest and nestled alongside the mighty Barron River and the big boisterous Barron Falls. First settled by Europeans in 1885 and then connected to Cairns by rail in 1891, Kuranda quickly earned a well-deserved reputation as a premium visitor destination, a cool mountain retreat removed from the sweltering heat and humidity of the tropical coast. Today Kuranda is known as the "village in the rainforest" an exciting vibrant community on Cairns' doorstep. Kuranda is a pulsating township that exudes a bohemian character. Kuranda' s natural beauty, prolific wild life and embracing year round climate has mesmerised people of all ages, creeds & cultures. An atmosphere of kinship surfaces then radiates from the picturesque village, a community united in its love of Kuranda and her tranquillity. Kuranda sees a diverse multi-cultural population come together as a bonded community; today, exhibited by all to few other places in the world. Kuranda citizenry's passion for home and habitat dominos into a generous community spirit, where neighbours sincerely care for each other in a measure from a bygone era; a return to an age of grace. Kuranda is a Mecca for artists of every genre painters; sculptors, visual artists, musicians, and thespians. Kuranda enjoys a burgeoning cottage industry community, people inspired by its majesty and drawn by its charm. Gifted artisans and crafts people market their hand made wares from quaint shops, studios and bazaars where the artist, artisan, miner or crafts person by being on-hand, provides the visitor with the opportunity to buy, first hand. Do something daring buy original and be different. Every lady still drawing breath will fall in love with Kuranda's shopping; language is no barrier as most staff are multilingual. She will discover unique jewellers who create from rare diamonds coloured with hues of rose & champagne. Look on as the jeweller turns and polishes opal then facets gem stones. Tour Kuranda and unearth aromatic leatherwear of distinction, alluring pelts taken from the kangaroo, crocodile, barramundi, emu and flamboyant sea snakes. Artwork may be found everywhere on canvas, ceramics, glass, metals, textiles, earthenware, stoneware, terracotta and clay pots. Hideaway antiques stores and photo galleries must be prospected for that special little, "stumble upon". Rainforest timbers with richly coloured grains are shaped and sculptured as you watch on. Stylish boutiques and market stalls offer garments reflecting the colours, culture and lifestyle of Kuranda. Souvenir an inexpensive t-shirt or treat yourself to a one-off, hand sewn creation by a local couturier. Kuranda Heritage Markets and The Original Kuranda Markets provide a timeless wander through a beautiful rainforest setting where you may also observe artists at work and sample the local produce, picked at sunrise by the same farmer standing before you, ready to serve. The rainforest setting has been and continues to be an inspiration for artists. Kuranda over the years has attracted some of the world's best artists to reside in or near the village.

KURANDA STREET

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KURANDA SCENIC RAILWAY STATION

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KURANDA RAIL PASSING BARRON FALLS

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SKYRAIL RAINFOREST CABLEWAY

Stretching for 7.5 kilometres (4.7 miles), Skyrail is the world's longest gondola cableway. There are 32 towers along the way, with the tallest being 40.5 meters above the rainforest floor. Skyrail is indisputably the most admired and most popular tourist attraction in North Queensland, you will see why the moment you step aboard your gondola. The cableway voyage grants amazing panoramic views of Cairns City and environs, the Coral Sea, coastal tropical islands and the Great Barrier Reef, enchanting visitors with a literal birds eye perception of the beauty of Tropical North Queensland. As the gondolas soar over the mountaintops towards Kuranda village, the scenery transforms into dense rainforest, one moment you are gliding along with the rainforest canopy only meters below your feet, then across wild impenetrable, ravines, gorges and thunderous waterfalls.

VIEW OVER CAIRNS FROM CABLE CAR

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RAINFOREST TRIP IN CABLE CAR

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CABLE CAR TRAVELS OVER RIVER

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CASSOWARY

The Southern Cassowary (Casuarius casuarius), the most famous bird in the Wet Tropics has become a rare sight since it was listed as endangered Federally in April 1999. It is the largest and most spectacular flightless bird in the Australian rainforest, which flourished in Gondwanaland around 100 million years ago. Cassowaries are amongst the most ancient birds on earth. They belong to the Ratite Family like the Emu, Ostrich, Rhea and Kiwi. They are fruit-eating (frugivore) animals that disperse over a hundred species of rainforest trees and vines. Therefore, this "Rainforest gardener" plays an important role in rainforest regeneration and diversity.
There are three cassowary species in the world: the Southern Cassowary in Australia, New Guinea and Ceram; the Single Wattled Cassowary (Cassowary unappendiculatus) in Northern New Guinea; and the Dwarf Cassowary (Casuarius bennetti) in Montane New Guinea. The name cassowary is of Papuan origin. It comes from 'kasu' meaning horned and 'weri' meaning head, in reference to the casqued or helmeted head.
These birds can be dangerous and inflict serious wounds if threatened or cornered.

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WALKWAY OVER MOSSMAN GORGE

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MOUTH-TO-MUZZLE SAVES DOG

By Glenis Green
March 15, 2007 11:00pm   Article from:  The Courier Mail

 IT was lucky for Beethoven that Kingaroy ambulance officer Travis Comello didn't mind dog's breath. If he had, the lively little collie would not be here today.
Mr Comello, a patient transport officer, went above and beyond the call of duty to give the kiss of life to Beethoven recently when the dog choked while playing with a ball.
A reluctant hero, Mr Comello said yesterday he did not even know if administering mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on the apparently lifeless dog would even work "but it just happened".
He said the drama began just after he had arrived back from work at his home in Harris Rd, Kingaroy, when he heard his neighbour, Rosalie Rudd, yelling for help.
When he saw Beethoven lying on the ground, Mr Comello thought at first the animal had been hit by a car but was told he had choked on a ball.
Putting his fingers down the dog's throat to extract the ball, Mr Comello said Beethoven was still not breathing but he was able to detect a very faint heartbeat.
Cupping his hand into a fist, he put it against Beethoven's muzzle and blew in a few puffs of air and then pushed firmly on the dog's ribs.
"To be honest, I didn't think it would work but she (Mrs Rudd) was so upset that I thought I'm going to at least try," he said.
Mr Comello said Beethoven had been "completely out of it . . . not moving at all" but after he administered mouth-to-mouth the dog had gasped several times and regained consciousness.
"He was sitting up in five minutes," he said.
"He was a bit away with the fairies for a while – a bit dopey and disoriented – but in about 10 minutes he was fine. I was amazed."
Mr Comello, who has been with the ambulance service for nine years, admitted it was the first time he had saved a dog's life and only thought of trying the kiss of life "because I'd seen something like that on telly".
Mrs Rudd said Beethoven would probably have died if not for Mr Comello's quick actions.

That was a good news story to start our day.  Kingaroy is an outback town in Queensland and is noted for peanut growing (ground nuts)

Here is a picture of Beethoven :

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Beethoven with his rescuer and his owner :

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I love good news stories, Tibro.
Thanks

Yes, Sam they do not print or report enough of the good things people do for each other.  There are some very kind and compassionate people in the world but they get swept aside by all the negative ones and their wrong doings, and the media's preoccupation with all the grubby details.

KINGAROY - Australia's Peanut Capital

Kingaroy is a rather pleasant, middle-sized town which proudly boasts that it is both the 'Peanut Capital of Australia' and the 'Baked Bean Capital of Australia'. For a time it was one of Australia's best known country towns. The reason: It is the home of Sir Johannes Bjelke-Petersen, long time Premier of Queensland, would-be aspirant Prime Minister in the 'Joh for PM' campaign, and one of the most controversial, frustrating and entertaining politicians of recent times. Love him or hate him the political scene changed when he departed. It is not surprising that his name appears everywhere. There's the Johannes Bjelke-Petersen Airport (which is conveniently located next to the property of the former premier) and the Bjelke-Petersen Research Station. And, if you want a memento of your brief visit to Bjelke-Petersen country, you can buy tea towels which combine a picture of Lady Flo with the recipe for her famous pumpkin scones.
Located 431 m above sea level and 225 km northwest of Brisbane on the D'Aguilar Highway, Kingaroy was probably named after the Aboriginal word 'kinjerroy' which was a term used to describe a particular type of red ant. However, there is a school of thought that says the town was named after an early settler named King but there is little evidence to support this claim.
Like so much of the land north of Moreton Bay, Kingaroy was opened up in the 1840s when Henry Stuart Russell and the Haly brothers moved into the area. Taabinga Station homestead (now listed on the National Estate) was built in 1846.
The old homestead is described as follows: 'A slab building erected in 1846 by the Haly brothers. The west elevation is sandstone blocks, 60 centimetres thick, quarried on the site. The shingled roof is now covered with corrugated iron and the wide verandahs with trellises and weatherboards. Stables and yards are in excellent condition. This is a fine example of the early homesteads of the Kingaroy district.' It is located 5 km south of Kingaroy and is closed to the public.
Areas of the vast Taabinga Station were set aside for a town as early as the 1880s but it wasn't until 1902 that any serious development of the town centre began. In the next five years the town grew rapidly. In 1904 the railway arrived (thus ensuring the town's continuing existence), the Post Office and Police Station were built, and the first hotel was constructed. Three years later Taabinga Station was opened up for closer settlement and a butter factory was built.
The next major stage in the town's development occurred in the 1920s when the first significant crops of peanuts was harvested and the first peanut silo was built (1928). Today the town seems to be run by peanuts. There are big peanut signs in the street, peanut selling points known as 'The Peanut Van' are located at either end of the town, the peanut silos dominate the town, and even the Visitors Centre gets in on the act by ensuring it has peanuts for sale.
The town is now one of Australia's major peanut producers with part of the crop being exported to New Zealand, Britain and Japan. The huge peanut silos are 29 m high and capable of holding 12 000 tonnes.

View of Kingaroy coutryside

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Peanut Silos and Sheepdog Trials

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Peanut Fields

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BUNYA MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK

One of the true natural highlights of the area is the Bunya Mountains National Park which is about 60 km from Kingaroy.
This pleasant and isolated area of the Great Dividing Range has bushwalks, camping facilities and excellent picnic sites. With an average elevation of 975 m and a diversity of flora including rainforests, woodlands and grasslands it is an area rich in history and typical of the development of much of the region.
The Queensland National Parks and Wildlife Service, who administer the area, record the park's interesting history in numerous brochures and leaflets.
'Every three years in February and March, the bunya pine produces a heavy crop of cones. Aboriginal tribes came from as far as the Maranoa, the Clarence and Maryborough area for six weeks of tribal ceremonies, hunting, feasting, mock fighting and corroborees. Most evidence of this important gathering of tribes is gone.
'European settlers moved into the region in the early 1840s; however, the Bunya Mountains were not opened for selection until 1878. In the late 1860s, sawmillers arrived to log red cedar; initially, the bunya pine was not cut because of its significance to Aboriginals. The last great bunya feast took place in 1875 and remnants of the tribes continued to assemble until 1883 when the Great Bunya Sawmill opened and commenced cutting bunya pine. The last sawmill on the mountain closed in 1945.
'In 1908, 9303 hectares were gazetted as the Bunya Mountains National Park - the second national park in Queensland. The park now covers 11 700 hectares.

Bunya pines in National Park

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Bunya Pine Cones

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Hiking country in Bunya National Park

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Sunset over Kingaroy Fields

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BASS STRAIT SHIPPING

     During the 1830s and early 1840s, the days of early European settlement in Victoria, most regular traders were sloops and schooners of around 12 to 25 metres, carrying everything from sheep, cattle, timber and general cargo; and in the early days, all the passengers and mail.

Passenger, mail and important cargo services, were gradually taken over by steamers, and the sailing craft continued carrying timber and lower-value goods across Bass Strait, and also between Tasmanian ports and Bass Strait Islands, until after World War II. Typical of the later, was the 143 gross ton, 33-metre brigantine Woolamai, built in 1876 which carried timber around the southern Australian coastline until being wrecked at Apollo Bay, Victoria on 4 June 1923, fortunately without loss of life.

In 1842 regular steam services between Launceston, Melbourne and Sydney commenced first with Benjamin Boyd's wooden paddle steamer Seahorse, replaced in 1843 by the Hunter River Steam Navigation Company's iron paddle steamer Shamrock. Although under 50 metres in length, these vessels provided reliable transport and soon carried most of the passengers and mail between the colonies. In 1851 the first full-time Bass Strait steam ferry service commenced with the wooden screw steamer City of Melbourne. With the onset of the Gold Rush later in the year, large numbers of steamers arrived from the U.K., many taking up running across Bass Strait.

By the 1950s an increasing number of tourists were travelling to Tasmania, and many wanted to drive their own cars. The Taroona could only carry a small number, laboriously loaded on board by crane. However, in Europe the ferry business was being revolutionised by the introduction of Roll-on/Roll-off ships, into which cars could be driven directly on and off. The Federal Government agreed to built a number of such vessels to service Tasmania, to be operated by their Australian National Line.
After several roll-on roll-off type ferries over the years the current ones are named Spirit of Tasmania, I and II.

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PORT PHILLIP HEADS, THE 'RIP' AND PORT PHILLIP BAY - VICTORIA

The entrance to Port Phillip Bay from Bass Strait is recognized as being capable of becoming one of the most dangerous sections of water in the world. The water depth, changes dramatically between the Port Phillip Bay and Bass Strait, and fast flowing tides over the uneven seabed between the deep and shallower water, combined with bad weather can create very dangerous conditions. There is a long list of shipwrecks which have occurred there. Most have come to grief on Corsair Rock, a rock named after the pilot vessel which discovered it about 1853 after a search owing to several large vessels having been damaged or lost. The rock, lies beneath the surface about a kilometre west of Point Nepean, and has less than four meters of water over it at low tide. There has been established, a system of lights at Queenscliff within the bay. Ships coming into the bay keep two lights in at this location in line in order to to keep to the middle of the channel. Tidal flow in and out of Port Phillip Bay is very strong at its peak, between 6 and 9 knots, and combined with gale force winds which occur, particularly on the darkest of nights, this stretch of water is easily turned into a navigational nightmare for those unfamiliar. Ships sailing in or out of the Bay with the tide in their favour, can appear as if to moving really swiftly, while some sailing in or out against the tide can sometimes appear to be not moving. A pilot vessel is based at nearby Queenscliff and transfers pilots to incoming ships and picks them up from outgoing ships. Transfers are made a few miles or so out into Bass Strait. In the second picture, a hill called Arthurs Seat a little over 1,000 feet high, can be seen in the distance in the left. The deeper shipping channel which most ships navigate, heads towards this, and then a sharp turn to port is made (about 90 degrees) before heading for Port Melbourne. (From the Heads to the top of the bay is some 42 nautical miles).   Due to the narrow entrance to Port Phillip Bay, and the huge volume of water it holds, together with the inadequate time the water has to flow in and out to equalise the depths, the bay never achieves the high and low tide variation of Bass Strait. The tide consequently stops flowing, and then changes direction at the heads, when the tide level in Bass Strait is at around half as this is when the water levels in the Bay and Bass Strait are about the same.

Spirit of Tasmania passing through Port Phillip Bay on a calm day :

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SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE CELEBRATES 75th ANNIVERSARY

 Mar 18, 2007

Thousands of people wearing celebratory hats and waving Australian flags walked across Sydney Harbour Bridge on Sunday to celebrate the "Coathanger's" 75th birthday.
The last time the bridge closed for a public walk in 2000, about a quarter of a million people crossed in support of aboriginal reconciliation.
The aboriginal community again played a leading role on Sunday when a didgeridoo player in traditional dress mounted the bridge's northern gantry to herald the start of the day's diamond jubilee celebrations.
Among the first wave of the good-natured crowd to cross the Coathanger, as locals fondly call the bridge, were De Hampel and Sue Griffiths, two friends from Shellharbour, about 100 kilometres south of Sydney, whose parents were children when the bridge opened.
"It's the biggest party I've ever been to and I'm not one to miss many," said De Hampel, 61, sporting a silver sash proclaiming "Happy Birthday" and a tiara with 75 written on it.
"The bridge is part of our life, it's Sydney. I can't imagine the city without it."
Another walker was Bruce Boddington from Bathurst, about 200 kilometres west of Sydney, who, as a four-year-old, was the youngest person to walk across the bridge at the 1932 opening.
"It's wonderful, seeing the crowd," grinned Boddington, now 79, as he prepared to cross. "They've all got happy looks on their faces."
Organisers were expecting 200,000 walkers, many of them sporting bright green commemorative baseball caps, to cross the bridge's 500-metre-span during the day, serenaded by loudspeakers playing archive recordings of events that have impacted Australia throughout the bridge's history, from World War II to the Bali bombings of 2002.
Waltzing Matilda
There were more light-hearted memories too, including a recording of the 1948 international retirement of Australian cricket legend Donald Bradman, while a medley of songs from Waltzing Matilda to modern Australian pop kept the Sunday strollers' feet moving.
Beneath them, Sydney Harbour filled with a flotilla of boats, including Berrima, a 1940s workboat, two tugs from the 1960s, and rowing boats used by Sydney's lifesavers on the city's beaches.
Formal ceremonies passed with little mishap unlike on March 19, 1932, when a maverick former cavalry officer named Francis de Groot pushed in front of the official opening party to cut the ribbon with his sword.
The ribbon was swiftly retied, de Groot temporarily detained, and around a million people lined Sydney's harbour to enjoy the opening celebrations.
During the preceding 8 years, about 1,500 workers had worked on the bridge's construction, between them hauling more than 50,000 tonnes of steel into place, all held together by six million hand-driven rivets imported from northern England.
Australian engineer John Bradfield oversaw the project, but tension has simmered for three-quarters of a century over whether he was responsible for the detailed design or Ralph Freeman, a consulting engineer retained by Dorman Long, the British engineering firm that built the bridge.
The debate over who really designed the bridge continues between Australia and Britain. The official opening plaque mentions both men.
Living bridge
Although the bridge is firmly fixed in the world's eye for hosting Sydney's annual New Year's Eve celebrations or the dazzling fireworks display that closed the 2000 Olympics, it is an integral part of the city's day-to-day life.
Around 200,000 cars cross in 8 lines of traffic every day and two busy train lines carry office workers into the city from Sydney's northern suburbs, flanked on either side by a foot and and cycle path.
This heavy usage, as well as Australia's fierce sun, means maintenance is a big job, including regular repainting of about 485,000 square metres (5.221 million sq ft) of steelwork - the equivalent in area to 60 football fields.
Among the workers who have given the bridge a lick of paint over the years is Crocodile Dundee Paul Hogan, who worked on the bridge before hitting fame as a TV comic in the 1970s.

SOME OF THE CROWD WALKING ACROSS THE BRIDGE

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CLASSIC PICTURE OF THE BRIDGE

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That harbor is so pretty :) As are all the images you are sharing. Such a beautiful place.

Seamonkey - Sydney Harbour is magnificent.  I have some more great photos to post at a later date but will post a couple more tonight from the celebrations of the 75th Anniversary of the Bridge.  I have seen reports of from 200,000 to 500,000 people having crossed the bridge - maybe they counted them going and returning to get the higher figure?  However the night scenes are very pretty with the walkers carrying lights and instead of fireworks, which would have been dangerous for all the crowd, they floodlit the bridge by coloured lights.

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/SHBPeople.jpg)

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/SHBNight.jpg)

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/SHBLights.jpg)

WOW!! beautiful !! Hmm you think that viking ship will fit under it?? lol

KATOOMBA AND THE BLUE MOUNTAINS, N.S.W

 The Blue Mountains are part of the Great Dividing Range, which stretches from Gippsland region of Victoria in the south to the tropical rainforests of north Queensland.
The range rivals the Rockies in length, but nowhere near in height. Australia's highest mountain is Mount Kosciusko about 500 kilometres south of Sydney. At 2229 metres it is a mere baby by North American and European standards.
Yet the Blue Mountains, peaking at about 1000 metres, proved a heartbreaking challenge until they were conquered by a trio of explorers - Gregory Blaxland, William Lawson and Charles Wentworth in 1813. They and four men hacked through dense bush for 18 days to find a route. Sections of the Great Western Highway from Sydney still follow parts of their trail.
The 'mountains', as they are commonly called, stood between the still fledgling settlement at Sydney and the agricultural and grazing country to the west. The conquest of the Blue Mountains opened up the vast grain growing and sheep grazing areas of New South Wales. East of the range the climate was too wet for wheat and sheep, which developed 'footrot', which literally caused their hooves to rot.
The settlement of the western slopes and plains established Australia's fine wool and wheat industries, which created great wealth and are still very important export industries. Australia led the world in the development of the Merino sheep, imported from South Africa. It is still the finest sheep wool in the world, gracing the backs of fashionable men and women from Rome to New York.
The Blue Mountains are so named because, from Sydney, they look blue. They are clad in vast forests of eucalypts (commonly called gum trees), which in the hot sun discharge a fine mist of eucalyptus oil from their leaves. The mist refracts light, which makes the haze look blue at a distance. That same oil makes the Australian bush as volatile as a pine forest in a bush (forest) fire. The vapour explodes, causing the fire to race through the canopy.
The first road was cut into the Blue Mountains by William Cox using a team of 30 convicts and eight guards. Starting at Emu Plains at the foothills in July 1814, they cut an incredible 47 miles to Mount York (past the highest point of the mountains at Mount Victoria - 1064 metres) in just four months. At the end of six months they completed 101 miles of road to Bathurst, which was founded as the major centre for agriculture on the western slopes.
The road was too steep for horse-drawn carriages until another branch was built from Mount Victoria to the historic township of Hartley in 1832. That could be considered the start of tourism to the area.
The first railway into the mountains, from Emu Plains to Wentworth Falls, opened in July 1867. Trains now run to Katoomba and beyond. The first motor car did not cross the Blue Mountains until 1904, and then it had to be hitched to a horse to make the steep incline up Mount Victoria. The advent of the motor coach opened the area to 'mass' tourism in the 1920s.
For most people Katoomba is the true heart of the Blue Mountains. When they think of the Blue Mountains they think of the spectacular views over the Megalong and Jamieson Valleys, the Three Sisters, the Skyway and the Scenic Railway  The area became hugely popular with the establishment of a railway station in 1876. It was first called 'Crushers' but was changed to Katoomba a year later.
It is known that when Blaxland, Lawson and Wentworth crossed the mountains they came close to the present town site as one of the members of the expedition clearly marked a tree. The evidence suggests that they camped near the modern-day town site on 25 May 1813. The town's name reputedly comes from a local aboriginal word 'godoomba' meaning 'water tumbling over a hill'.
As early as 1841 George Clarke had discovered coal in the area (the whole Sydney basin has an underlay of coal which rises at Newcastle in the north, around Wollongong in the south and is present at the bottom of the cliffs in the Blue Mountains) and by 1870 kerosene shale had been discovered in Kanimbla Valley. A coal mine opened at Katoomba in 1879 and kerosene shale was being mined by 1885.

KATOOMBA TOWNSHIP

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/Katoomba.jpg)

KATOOMBA SCENIC RAILWAY

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/KatRailway.jpg)

KATOOMA SKYWAY

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/BlueMtns-1.jpg)

BLUE MOUNTAINS

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/region_blue_mountains1.jpg)

THE THREE SISTERS

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/ThreeSisters.jpg)

KATOOMBA FALLS TAKEN FROM UNUSUAL ANGLE

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/KatoombaFalls.jpg)

MORNING MIST IN THE BLUE MOUNTAINS

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/BlueMtnsMist.jpg)

AND AS THE SUN SINKS SLOWLY IN THE WEST ....

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/BlueMtnsSunset.jpg)

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/BruceCat.jpg)

The Boss of the RSPCA

(Pictured above)

Brian Williams

March 20, 2007 11:00pm
Article from: The Courier-Mail

RSPCA staff have a rather interesting case on their paws - they are trying to find the owner of a lost and cranky American.

A fine-looking stray cat was caught by a resident in a trap at Carindale on the city's eastside on March 13 and handed in to the Fairfield shelter.  Fairfield is a suburb of Brisbane, Qld.

As usual, staff passed an electronic wand over the cat to see if it had been micro-chipped. It had . . . but the chip was from the US.

Staff named the Bengal cat Bruce – aka singer Bruce Springsteen who had the smash hit Born in the USA.

For the past week, veterinary nurse Shannon Whiting and veterinarian Vickie Lomax have been trying to track down chip details to see if they can locate the owner. Dr Lomax said she had spoken to two chip manufacturers who said the chip would have been issued in either Florida, Maryland or South Carolina.

Ms Whiting and Dr Lomax have since contacted numerous vet surgeries but none have records of a green-eyed cat, such as Bruce, aged about seven.

"It's a bit of a mystery unless he was chipped when he was a kitten and the details were not registered," Dr Lomax said.

"He's such a beautiful-looking animal. I don't think he's been on the streets too long."

WOW! if ever I have to leave the United States and live somewhere else I am going to Katoomba ! That place looks wonderful !! It is so beautiful !

Maleny in the hinterland of Queensland's Sunshine Coast would be my choice of somewhere else to live. Will look for some info on that area for next time.

For browsng through Aussie products available in the US here is a good website.  It was like a trip through our local supermarket for me.  Plenty of Vegemite (5 lb pails to take on Cat's journey) but out of stock of most of the Tim Tams.  BTW Buderim products are tops.  I have never heard of any of the wine labels though.

www.simplyoz.com

Now to my favourite area in Queensland :

MALENY AND THE BLACKALL RANGE

The unique rural community of Maleny is perched high above the Sunshine Coast beaches on the Blackall Range between Brisbane and Noosa and also overlooks South-East Queensland's amazing Glasshouse Mountains, so named by Captain Cook who was reminded, by the sun reflecting off the rockfaces, of the glasshouses back in his beloved Yorkshire.
It is an area of spectacular views and stands of lush rain forest. Maleny was initially a timber region with virtually all of the Cedar, Beech & Hoop Pine being felled to provide furniture and construction timber for SE Queensland and the UK. Once clearing had been achieved it quickly became a dairy farming area and supported the surrounding areas for many years with all their milk-based products.
Maleny is now better known for its tourist activities and its diverse population. The area is a craft paradise and is home to many nationally recognised artists and art galleries. It is also an area of extreme interest to the eco-tourist.
Other towns on this strip of range are Montville, Mapleton and Flaxton all of which are tourist attractions in their own right, and the scenic drive along the top of the Range is considered one of the best in Queensland.

Maleny is pronounced Ma-lay-nee.

MALENY TOWNSHIP

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MALENY MAIN STREET

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VIEW OF GLASSHOUSE MOUNTAINS FROM MALENY

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ANOTHER VIEW OF GLASSHOUSE MOUNTAINS FROM THE RANGE

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/mistyglasshousemts.jpg)

MALENY COUNTRYSIDE

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/malenymistam.jpg)

BLACKALL RANGES

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/aerial.jpg)

ROAD ALONG BLACKALL RIDGE

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/Mapleton.jpg)

BUDERIM FALLS

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/buderim-falls-buderim-fores.jpg)

A COOL OASIS

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TWO OF THE MANY TOURIST ATTRACTIONS IN THE AREA :

THE BIG PINEAPPLE

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TRAIN TAKES TOURISTS THROUGH THE PINEAPPLE FIELDS

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/BPTrain.jpg)

GINGER FACTORY TOURIST TRAIN

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/GingerFactory.jpg)

KENILWORTH  ON THE EDGE OF THE RAINFOREST

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RAINBOW LORIKEETS

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OH stunning!! I can see why that is your favorite area!

 I also had fun going through that Aussie site of goodies. YUmmm.
I also know where I can replace my Ughs if they ever wear out lol They are over 12 yrs old and still look new. The boots there look like the same type. Most comfy boots I ever wore and warm too, which in Maine I NEED.

 I am gonna put in a few orders probably this month, yummm I can smell the vegemite now lol

Glad you enjoyed that site, Seamonkey.  I see they now have new stocks of Tim Tams, a favourite of my DH.  My favourites are the chocky Teddy Bears!
Also worth trying is the Buderim Champagne Sensation, particularly if you prefer a less sweet jam.  It has a nice tang to it.
The prices of the foodstuffs look very reasonable.  I think it is AU$1 = US80c at present and the prices they quote are close to our supermarket prices.

I found the prices very reasonable.
 I want to try those tim tams, those look sooo yummmy! And I may follow your advice and try the Buderim Champagne Sensation, I do like my jellys and stuff on the less sweeter side.

An explanation of the saying "doing a Harold"

Prime Ministers of Australia ....Harold Holt ....1966-67

Harold Holt had plenty of time to find out what being Prime Minister would be like - he served for ten years as Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party under Menzies. He took over as Prime Minister when Menzies retired in 1966 and later that year won a sweeping victory at the polls on the issue of support for the Australian and United States involvement in the Vietnam War. Late in 1967 he disappeared while swimming in the ocean, making him the third Australian Prime Minister to have died while still in office.Rt Hon. Harold Edward Holt was Prime Minister from 26 January 1966 to 19 December 1967. Born: 5 August 1908 at Sydney, New South Wales. Presumed dead: 19 December 1967 (Melbourne) Harold Edward Holt was born in Sydney on 5 August 1908, and disappeared, presumed drowned, on 17 December 1967.

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/MenziesHolt.jpg)

Robert Menzies (left) with Harold Holt.

When R.G. Menzies retired as Prime Minister, Holt took over the leadership of the Liberal Party, having been deputy leader since 1956. As the war in Vietnam grew more intense, Holt visited the USA in June 1966 to discuss the situation with US President L.B. Johnson. Holt confirmed his government's full support for USA's Vietnam policy, and adopted the slogan 'All the way with LBJ'. On the 14 February 1966, Holt introduced decimal currency - dollars and cents.
The war in Vietnam was growing bigger. 4,500 soldiers were sent in 1966, including the first conscripts (non-volunteers). By the end of the year the number had risen to 6000. The first major battle in which Australians were involved, Long Tan, was fought in June 1967, leaving 18 Australian soldiers dead.
As more and more people in Australia began to protest against sending Australian troops to Vietnam, Holt campaigned for a general election on 26 November 1966 with Australian involvement in the war as a major issue. It seemed that, for the most part, the people of Australia agreed with his war policy, as his government was returned with an impressive ten seat gain. On the 14 February 1966, Holt introduced decimal currency - dollars and cents. More and more people became opposed to sending our troops to Vietnam. Holt's government was also under attack over various other issues, including its handling of the Voyager disaster, VIP aircraft flights, and a proposal to break the nexus between the two federal houses of parliament.
When US President L.B. Johnson visited Australia in October 1966, demonstrators protested fiercely in the streets of Sydney and Melbourne.In August 1966 the Aboriginal stockworkers of the Gurindji tribe living on Wave Hill station in the Northern Territory went on strike and walked off the property in protest over low wages and living conditions. In March 1967 they occupied part of the station in an attempt to force the government to return their tribal land, an action which was later seen as being the beginning of the Aboriginal land rights movement.
On the 27 May 1967 Australians voted 'Yes' in a Referendum to change the Commonwealth constitution. 'Full-blood' Aborigines could now be counted in the national census, which meant that the federal government was now just as responsible as the states for Aboriginal affairs.
Harold Holt disappeared while swimming in heavy surf near Portsea, Victoria, on 17 December 1967. Despite a major search his body was never found. His memorial service in St Paul's Cathedral, Melbourne, on 22 December was attended by US President L.B. Johnson, the Prince of Wales, UK Prime Minister Harold Wilson and other heads of state and government.

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/HoltLBJ.jpg)

Lyndon B & "Ladybird" Johnson with Harold Holt


An article by Ross Coulthard of Nine Network Australia outlining some of the speculation that followed the disappearance of Harold Holt :

Sink or Swim? Spy or Suicide?

On a beautiful sultry Summer's day, just before the Christmas of 1967, Australia's then Prime Minister Harold Holt - a keen and highly competent skindiver - went out for a snorkel at Cheviot Beach, just near his Portsea beach house. Holt was cast as a '007' wetsuit-clad James Bond character by the popular press because of his enthusiasm for watersports. But after he entered the water at about noon on December 17, he was never seen again. Thirty years on, conspiracy theories still rage about what happened to Australia's then 59-year-old Prime Minister. A colleague tells me of how he recently heard a classic Holt conspiracy yarn: While travelling in far North Australia he bumped into a man who claimed to be a former spook for the Australian Government who had helped Holt return to Australia several times since his death. Holt travelled incognito from a home in France. It appears the PM had swum around to the next bay, hopped in a car driven by a lover, and slipped out of the country. The spook claimed Holt had later died of a heart attack on the French South Coast sometime during the 1980s. The conspiracy theory has it that many people know about this, including one very senior Liberal Party figure. Just when we were trying to laugh away this theory, one former very senior Labor Minister told us he had "the astounding truth" about Holt buried in his confidential files -- only to be released in the event of his and his informant's death. Some of the wilder theories had it that Holt was assassinated by the CIA because he wanted to get Australia out of Vietnam. The best one of all came in 1983 when British author Anthony Grey published a book claiming that Holt was a Chinese spy and fled Australia via a Chinese submarine parked off his beach. A Victorian State Court officially declared the Prime Minister dead, presumed drowned. Nothing, not even a piece of clothing, was ever found of the PM's body. There were always rumours of an official cover-up because the public had been falsely led to believe that only one person had been with Holt - a Mr Alan Stewart, who was chief of the local quarantine station. But, in fact, the PM had been on the beach with an alleged lover, Ms Marjorie Gillespie, and other young women. There were also rumours that the PM might have suicided because of the recent death of his brother and threats to his leadership. His then press secretary, Tony Eggleton, pooh-poohed such claims at the time, saying his boss was quite happy. The cop in charge of the investigation, then Inspector Lawrence Newell, told the Melbourne Age in 1992 that he thinks Holt fell for his own publicity about his swimming prowess, and in fact the PM, "believed he couldn't drown. Remember, he wasn't a young man anymore. When you are 59 years old you don't have the reserves to draw on that you used to have. And he had a bad shoulder. He got into trouble and couldn't get himself out." And so, that's the end of the matter...or is it? We discount the wilder claims surrounding this mystery, but that still leaves many questions unanswered.          
Ross Coulthart, Reporter

After a very busy and tiring day catching up with relatives I am going to cheat a little tonight and just post some of the photos I have already stored in my Photobucket of Sydney Harbour and two of the many beautiful beaches near there.  Enjoy :

SYDNEY COVE AND OPERA HOUSE

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SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE SHADOWS

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NORTH SYDNEY

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THE ROCKS AREA

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MANLY FERRY

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/ManlyFerry.jpg)

MANLY BEACH

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/ManlyBeach.jpg)

BONDI BEACH

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/BondiBeach.jpg)

GROUND LEVEL VIEW OF BRIDGE

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Tibro.....Hi...I woke up early this morning and started on page 18...reading back to where I left off last time...vegemite...!
This thread could be a travel brochure...thank you for the articles
and the pictures....your country is gorgeous.... :D   Mere

MeMere I am so glad you are enjoying this thread.  Please let me know if there is anything you would like to know more about or any place or subject I have not yet covered.  Thank you for your appreciation.

Now something for the dog loving monkeys.  I will feature the four dog breeds that have evolved here in Australia, apart from the Dingo.  I will not include the Australian Shepherd as that breed did not originate here and has only been recognised in local Show breed standards recently.

THE AUSTRALIAN TERRIER

As his name implies, the 'Aussie' is essentially Australian. The only true terrier to be evolved outside the British Isles, he must never be confused with the Australian Silky, which is a Toy breed.  Early free settlers in Australia needed a small, hardy, alert dog, keen enough to hunt and kill its own food, for killing vermin, such as snakes, rats and rabbits, and to act as a guard dog.  Several terrier breeds were combined over a number of years to produce the hard bitten Aussie. Those used are believed to include the old Scotch (not to be confused with today's Scottish Terrier), Dandie Dinmont, Black and Tan and Yorkshire Terriers. By the late 1800s a definite new breed type had emerged and a standard was set in 1896.

The Australian Terrier is a lowset, sturdy, rough coated dog. His double coat is extremely well adapted for Australia's changing climates and provides protection when hunting.  He is an even tempered dog, very agile in movement, good company for young and old and delights in human companionship. Small and tough, he is equally at home on a farm or in a suburban backyard and makes a good house dog. The Aussie normally barks only when there is something amiss.

A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THE AUST TERRIER

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/austterr.jpg)

PUPPY

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AUSTRALIAN CATTLE DOG

Bred as a knock-about farm dog. the Australian Cattle Dog has become one of Australia's national symbols. Nicknamed the 'blue heeler', this dog is renowned for its outstanding loyalty and physical endurance.  In search of a good cattle dog - a silent biter that could be easily trained - squatter Thomas Hall mated his two blue merle, smooth-coated Collies to a Dingo in 1840. The progeny, Hall's Heelers, were mated to Timmon's Biters (a Dingo-Smithfield Collie cross made 10 years earlier). Its breeding was continually refined - adding Dalmatian blood improved its loyalty and rapport with horses, Kelpie crosses gave intelligence and Bull Terriers were used for toughness. All this stopped in 1893 and since then the breed has remained pure. It has a hard, flat coat that is either blue or red speckle.
Loyalty and protective instincts are the hallmarks of this breed. It has been said the Cattle Dog "will eat anything that doesn't eat him first" but the breed is not naturally aggressive. Although naturally suspicious of strangers, a dog that trusts his owner will not react with fear or aggression towards others. Cattle Dogs have great intelligence, a strong will and endless energy. Their alertness and vigilance make them wonderful guard dogs while their protective instincts extend to the family's children. As it was bred for the outback, the Australian Cattle Dog likes the wide open spaces and while suitable for the backyard, it still requires plenty of exercise.

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/austcatt.jpg)

AT WORK GUARDING THE HERD

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/aworkingdog.jpg)

TWO RED HEADS

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PUPPY HEELER

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/bundi2.jpg)

LATEST NEWS :

CORBY STRIPPED OF PROFITS
Leanne Edmiston and Amanda Watt
March 27, 2007 02:21pm  Article from: The Courier-Mail

SCHAPELLE Corby has been stripped of any proceeds from her tell-all book about her conviction and jailing for smuggling marijuana into Bali.

In a unanimous judgment this afternoon,  the Queensland Court of Appeal has ordered that the money not be spent until the courts have decided whether the Commonwealth has any legal claim to it. The three-judge panel also moved to stop Schapelle's sister Mercedes from spending the $15,000 paid to her for an exclusive interview with New Idea magazine. However, the judges said the move was only an interim measure and the family had the right to appeal the ruling.

The Commonwealth Director of Public Prosections brought the matter before the Queensland Court of Appeal after an application under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 to the Brisbane District Court was refused on February 15. Both hearings were held in secret and without the knowledge of the Corby family, lest the money be spent before the court could intervene. "The application is brought ex parte . . . because the moneys (sic) in question might be easily disposed of before any order could be made if notice of the application were to be given to the respondent," the judgment stated.

It does not detail how much money Schapelle received from the book, but indicated publishers Pan McMillan Australia wired funds to her Indonesian-based brother-in-law. It was suspected by federal agents, in affidavits submitted to the court, that the money was held on her behalf. It reported that it was not known whether the $15,000 payment intended for Mercedes Corby – for an exclusive interview, photographs and excerpts from Schapelle's diary – had been paid; and if so, to whom. Mercedes lives in Bali, where Schapelle is serving 20 years for trying to smuggle 4.1kg of cannabis into Indonesia in a surfing bodyboard bag in October 2004.

Tom Gilliat of Pan MacMillan, which published My Story, by Schapelle Corby with Kathryn Bonella, has previously stated that Schapelle wanted to use the money from her best-selling book to fund her ongoing legal battle. The book, published last November, has been constantly on the best-seller list.

Justices Pat Keane, Glenn Williams and John Helman ordered that any further legal action arising from their order be brought before the Brisbane Supreme Court.The order was made on March 2, 2007, and the Corby family has since been notified of the action. The judgment could not be made public until certain terms of the order were met.  The judgment did not indicate whether dates had been set for further hearings of related matters, including final determination of the distribution of the funds.

AUSTRALIAN SILKY TERRIER

The Australian Silky Terrier is an alert, friendly companion dog. He was originally developed to hunt domestic rodents and pursues this today when opportunities arise. Because the Silky is single coated he does not shed coat and makes a great little household pet for asthmatics and allergy prone people.  The development of the Silky began in the 1800s when it is said that the Skye, Dandie Dinmont, Clydesdale, Scotch, Waterside and Paisley Terriers were all interbred. There were many theories as to the Silky's origin after this, however, the most common theory in Australia is that the Australian and Yorkshire Terriers were crossed to develop better colour. From this cross breeding litters were sorted into three types - the Australian, Yorkshire and Silky. In 1932 the Kennel Control Council prohibited cross breeding between the three types so as to protect each breed identity, as small Silkys were becoming increasingly difficult to separate from large Yorkshire Terriers.

The Australian Silky Terrier is a toy breed with terrier characteristics. When groomed properly, his blue coat lies flat against his body and has a glossy silk like appearance that feels like satin. Puppies are born black and tan and it takes up to 18 months for the mature colour to develop. The Silky may be small in stature but his brave, outgoing terrier-type temperament leads one to think he believes he is much larger than he is. An intelligent breed, the Silky is loyal to his family, easy to train and an excellent watchdog.

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SILKY PUPPY

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KELPIES

Drovers say a good Australian Kelpie is worth two men on horseback. It is the workaholic of the canine family and an estimated 80,000 are employed on farms in Australia. In the 1800s thousands of immigrants and their working dogs travelled to Australia from Europe to take part in the wool boom. It was survival of the fittest and the Kelpie was one of those few survivors. In the 1870s a NSW grazier imported two 'Rutherford fox collies' and a Victorian shipped over two Collies (collie was the Scottish term for sheepdog), and through selective breeding farmers produced an ideal working dog, many claiming "a dash of Dingo" was best for the breed.
Kelpies are intelligent, good natured and alert. Their energy is inexhaustible and they have a natural aptitude for herding sheep.

A one man dog, the Kelpie shows marked loyalty and will work for his master under any circumstances.  A courageous breed, they are equally as willing to take on a one tonne bull as they are a sheep flock. Despite its loyalty, the Kelpie is an independent thinker and graziers claim their dogs know what has to be done to the flock just as much as they do. Kelpies are easy to care for, with a water-proof coat and great heat tolerance. They do not suit indoor living and even with a backyard need plenty of exercise each day.

KELPIE RUNNING ON SHEEP'S BACKS, A TYPICAL WAY TO AVOID BEING TRAMPLED BY THE FLOCK

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TWO KELPIE PUPS

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KELPIE "WORKING" HEWY, DEWY AND LOUIE AT A FUN DAY

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Beautiful dogs. I love to read about the backgrounds of the breeds.
 Those kelpies are very handsome dogs, they also look like they are full of character.

FLYNN OF THE INLAND

The Very Reverend John Flynn, O.B.E., D.D., 'Flynn of the Inland', was born at Moliagul, Victoria, 45 kilometres west of Bendigo, on the 25th of November, 1880. He was the third child, and second son of Thomas and Rosetta and his mother died in childbirth, causing him to be raised in Sydney, until he was five, by his mother's 18 year old sister. Flynn was around 16 when he decided to join the ministry and studied theology at Ormond College, at the University of Melbourne. He was ordained into the Presbyterian Church on 24th of January, 1911, and arrived at Beltana, in northern South Australia, to take up missionary work in early February.

An energetic worker, Flynn already had some training in missionary work in Victoria and was a keen writer and photographer. In 1910 he had published a book of hints for outback people on the proceeds of lectures he had given using his collection of lantern slides, and at Beltana he began publishing a quarterly newsletter,'The Outback Battler', in addition to his missionary work. In 1912 he was asked by the Church Home Mission Directors to prepare a report on religious conditions in the Northern Territory. After conferences in Melbourne and Sydney, he travelled by ship to Darwin where he visited Katherine, Bathurst Island and Adelaide River researching his paper. His report prompted the committee to authorise the implementation of his proposals for Inland Missions, and later that year the name Australian Inland Missions (A.I.M.) was adopted for the scheme. He was appointed Superintendent of the new body, a position he held all his life.

During the formative years of the AIM, Flynn became interested in the possibility of establishing an aerial medical service in outback areas. Several articles appeared in newspapers and magazines around the country recommending such a service, and Flynn pushed the idea through his own magazine,' The Inlander', which he began in 1913. He worked tirelessly at organising people and resources until in 1928, the first medical flight of what was to become the Royal Flying Doctor Service, was made from Cloncurry in Queensland. Radio was still more of a novelty than a fact in Australia at this time, but Flynn saw the potential of using it for outback communications. ( The A.B.C. in Australia had only begun broadcasting 5 years earlier.) In 1929 Alfred Traeger, who worked with Flynn as his radio expert. launched a pedal radio set at a cost of only $65, and another of Flynn's visions became reality. Flynn had been made a member of the Wireless Institute of Australia in 1925. In 1931, aged 51, Flynn married Jean Baird, a secretary with the AIM, and in 1933 he was admitted to the Order of the British Empire. By November 1939, all states had their own Aerial Medical Service, and the Australian Inland Mission operated hospital-hostels in remote areas over most of the country. At this time there were 200 outpost radios and six aircraft with pilots and doctors attached to the Aerial Medical Service.

Flynn was appointed Moderator-General of the Prebyterian Church in Australia in 1939, a position he held until 1942. In May 1950, Flynn attended what was to be his last Flying Doctor Council meeting, he died of cancer in Sydney on May 25th, 1951. His body was cremated and the ashes rest under the Flynn Memorial just west of Alice Springs in the shadow of Mt. Gillen. In 1976, the ashes of his wife, Jean, were also placed there. The burial service for Flynn on the 23rd, May, 1951 was linked up to the Flying Doctor network and was heard at remote stations and settlements all over the outback.

Flynn's work is perpetuated throughout the outback in many ways. The Royal Flying Doctor Service and the Australian Inland Mission are working testimonials to his drive and vision. In 1956 the Flynn Memorial Church was dedicated in Alice Springs; at Threeways, north of Tennant Creek a massive monument marks the junction of the Barkly Highway from Queensland and the Stuart Highway to Darwin, it is called the Flynn Memorial. Flynn once said. ' If you start something worthwhile - nothing can stop it.' A former Governor General of Australia, Sir William Slim once said of Flynn.' His hands are stretched out like a benediction over the Inland.' The outback owes much to 'Flynn of the Inland', and he will long be remembered by the hundreds of thousands of people who have benefited by his work.

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FLYNN'S GRAVE

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The Rev John Flynn died on 5 May 1951 and his ashes together with those of his wife Jean are buried at this site in Alice Springs. In 1952 a large eight ton boulder, from the Devils Marbles area, was put on a low loader and driven 480 kilometres south to Alice Springs by George Nicholls and placed here as a marker for his grave.

Unfortunately the stone had been taken from the highly sacred women's site of Karlu Karlu at the Devils Marbles. It has taken more than 45 years of negotiations between the Arrernte Aborigines and the White custodians before the original stone was returned to its sacred site and replaced by the present one on 4 September 1999.

 While the new grave stone was dedicated and blessed with a Christian service at Alice Springs, the Warumungu and Kaytej women celebrated the return of their granite boulder at Karlu Karlu.

PART OF THE DEVIL'S MARBLES

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Tib I love all you have shared with us here, my brother had a roommate from Australia whose family is in cattle ranching, he returned post college to take over the ranch from his grandfather. Thank you for sharing so much of your life and country with us.

Our dog is an adoptee from the pound but resembles a dingo in part? The photos of the red's you posted resemble him greatly? He's the sweetest dog we've ever had, but we were told he was an assimilation of carolina walking dog with even some pitbull but seeing that photo I do think he has some of the red lineage in him? I'll post a good photo later to see what you think?

Hi None - glad you are enjoying this thread.  I have fun putting it together and like to hear my monkey friends are learning something about my wonderful country.  It must be very similar to America and your lifestyle.
The two reds are taken from a Heeler Fan Club site.  The one on the left has a more correct broad head for show qualities and the one on the right looks a little fine in the head.  Maybe a female but they still are supposed to have the broad head.  They are very solidly built dogs and tremendously strong for their size.  I would love to see the photo of your dog.  They say that there is some dingo in the best of the Heelers and Kelpies.  Frowned on now of course by the ANKC for show registration but who knows what happens on the outback stations?   A Dingo head for comparison :

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RED PANDAMONIUM AT TARONGA ZOO, SYDNEY, N.S.W.

Taronga Zoo is seeing red after twin Red Panda cubs have started to emerge from of their warm nestbox to explore their outdoor exhibit with their mum.  The two male cubs, named ‘Jishnu' (meaning bright or triumphant) and ‘Tenzin' (after the famous Nepalese Mountain climber Tenzin Norgay) were born on 8 January this year. Their mum ‘Wanmei' (meaning beautiful) and called “Winnie”, came to Taronga from Erie Zoo in America last year to breed with the Zoo's male Joshi, called “Mayhem” and to establish an important new bloodline in the Australasian breeding program.  

The Red Pandas at Taronga Zoo are part of the international breeding program for this endangered species and including the two new arrivals, 43 cubs have been born at Taronga since the program commenced in 1977. Red Pandas are also known as Chitwas or Wahs in their native Nepal. The size of a small dog, they move like a bear and act like a cat. Discovered 48 years before their Giant Panda relatives, Red Pandas also love bamboo, eating up to 200,000 leaves in one day.

Senior Carnivore Keeper Louise Ginman said: "It is always a time of great celebration when an endangered species is born at Taronga Zoo, especially when they are as charismatic as Red Panda cubs. ‘Wanmei' is a very experienced mother and she is doing a fantastic job rearing her cubs.  
"The cubs are now 12 weeks old and on their last weigh-in they weighed 1.04kg and 871 grams. Red Pandas are excellent climbers and even though their coat is rusty red in colour, they camouflage extremely well high up in the branches and canopy of the trees. Visitors will need to look carefully to try and spot them", said Louise.

‘Jishnu' and ‘Tenzin' will start eating a huge variety of fresh fruit and vegetables soon including apple, pear, melon, kiwi and sweet potato. Fresh browse and leaves such as bamboo will also take up a large part of their diet.  Taronga's veterinarians have also given the cubs a clean-bill of health after they quickly checked the cubs in their nestbox at eight weeks. The cubs received a general examination which included a vaccination, weigh-in and the insertion of a small micro chip.

Taronga Zoo's Red Panda breeding program is supported by a regional education program in Nepal to teach locals about the devastating effect of harvesting forests for firewood. This reduces the amount of forest available to the Red Pandas for food and refuge.  

Red Pandas, which range across the Himalayan mountains and foothills of northern India, China, Nepal and Bhutan are listed as endangered. It is uncertain how many Red Pandas remain in the wild today, but estimates suggest numbers may be as low as 2500 individuals. They are threatened by illegal hunting and deforestation of their wild habitat.  Remaining populations are fast becoming fragmented and isolated from each other.

TENZIN AND JISHNU :

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CLOSE-UP OF TENZIN :

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OMG!!!! Those are adorable!!!! So precious. Ok, I need to add Red panda to my list too. I have never seen anything so cute!!!
I really enjoy these posts , Thank you so much for sharing them :)

Hi Seamonkey.  You are an early bird.  I am just about to go to bed!  It is nearly 11pm here.  Those Red Panda cubs are cute and I love that bushy tail.
I think you had better check with Cat how big his viking boat is going to be before you load too many animals on it.  
 :lol:  :lol: :lol:  :lol:

Early?? I get up at 4am lol It is almost a noon to me ( 9am). I am on a break :)

 Oh yes, that tail is wonderful !!

 As far as cat goes, I will just load another barrel on board, he will be so busy playing the piano and singing he won't notice. You know how cats can be lol.

 Sleep well Tibro and dream sweet :)

oh Tib those red pandas are precious, I suspect once Anna sees those she will want to visit you ! Honestly when you posted the photos of the reds it's the first time I've seen another dog that I really felt resembled our Red? I can't find a photo of him in repose with his mouth shut  :lol: but he's just the happiest most loving fella. He looks more like the female on the right in your picture when his mouth is shut  :lol: He's such a part of our family, even loves our cats and they him, plus he loves fondant icing  :lol:

(http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k101/daisysistah/family/DSC02409.jpg)

he thinks he's a human too  :lol: he loves to sit in my late hubby's chair surveying his backyard kingdom. he does 'eliminate' moles and field mice too pretty effectively even though daughter/mommy to him is horrified when he does. He also likes to dig into the earth and sniff, like he gets a high from sniffing in and smelling dirt ??? Go figure  :lol:

(http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k101/daisysistah/family/DSC02411.jpg)

I really do just love your thread here and all  you are sharing, you are so knowledgeable and Australia such a beautiful and strong country !

Tib,

of course my daughter saw the photos I posted and as a typical mom I did it ALL wrong  :lol: she's so excited and is on the web researching heelers now after my showing her your thread. Anyway she wanted <rather demanded lol> I post this photo for you

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None, what a handsome dog!  He looks so regal and happy.  Easy to see he is loved.  I have to agree there must be some heeler or dingo in him, or at least the same breeds they used to make up the heeler over time.
Thank you for sharing those photos and I can see why your family is so proud of him.  There would be Heeler breeders in the US.

I don't know about being too knowledgeable but when I went to school all those years ago we had to learn a lot about our country (and England) and I fear it is not so these days.  I have always has an inquiring mind and love to learn about other countries and how their people live. Also I have a good Google search engine which allows me to confine searches to Australian sites.  Thank goodness for the internet otherwise I would be camped at the library most of my days  :lol:  :lol:

BINDI'S US TV DEBUT

Peta Hellard in Los Angeles
March 29, 2007 12:00am Article from: The Courier-Mail

BINDI Irwin will make her US television debut in June - hosting a kids nature series and a one-hour special about her late father Steve.
The bubbly eight-year-old's series Bindi: The Jungle Girl, which she began filming with her father in early 2006, will premiere on June 9 on Discovery Kids Channel.

Discovery Channel spokesman David Schaefer yesterday (Thursday Aust time) said the 26 episodes showed Bindi interacting with a variety of animals, including koalas, elephants and snakes, while explaining how all animals needed to be respected and protected.

Mr Schaefer said Irwin, who died died in September after a stingray's poisonous barb pierced his chest during shooting for the series, would appear in the series in scenes shot before his death and in other archival footage.

He said Bindi and Irwin's widow Terri had decided to continue on with filming the weekly series, which is designed to help get more children interested in wildlife conservation, after his death. Production on the series, which was originally set to debut in January, was delayed for several months after Irwin's tragic death.

Bindi will also host My Daddy the Croc Hunter, a one-hour special that will air June 8 on the Animal Planet. The special includes clips from Bindi's early childhood.  It is not clear when the series and special will air in Australia.

Bindi visited the US in January as a Tourism Australia ambassador for the annual G'day USA week, where she performed in sold-out concerts in Los Angeles and New York with her back-up dancers The Croc Men.

Ok I finally got piccys of Fernando actually sitting still to show you the resemblance, of course, it is NOT in the poses I had hoped to show his little RAT Bilby-like feet too lol. But you can see what I mean by the Bilby nose and ears.

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(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e3/Whimsies/fern32907ax.jpg)

 I tried to take pictures of my sculpture of the characture, but I seem to be out of practice for taking images of things so small..VERY out of focus. I still haven't done the fairy penguin, all I got done so far is the drawings lol. But now I am adding Red Panda to the list of possibilities for art dolls.

 Thank you again for providing such inspirational posts.

Those ears!  They are enormous for such a small dog.  But he would not think he is small of course.  I bet he does not miss much either.
What a dear little dog.  He does look like he has some Bilby in him - you can use him as a live model for the Bilby dolls :lol:  :lol:
Just as well you had not seen the pictures before you got him otherwise you would have named him "Bilby"  :lol:  :lol:

Thank you for the compliments.  I will see what other soft and furry creatures I can find.  Cannot have you with nothing to do, can we?  :wink:  :wink:

LOl, no, he does not think he is small. That's half his problem..BIG dog in LITTLE dog body . :) But very much a sweetheart to those he trusts.

  He is extremely alert. Then again, how can help not to even pick up space transmissions with those ears lol. That would have been a great idea to have named him Bilby. The pictures still didn't do justice to the actual size.

 Ohhh no, couldn't have me just sit around doing nothing, I may melt lol.

Tib-

I appreciate your information, I was hoping your photo and information might head off the expenditure of $100 my daughter was going to pay to have Red's DNA tested  :lol: and I'm not kidding for she's that curious and attached to him !

Seamonkey, what a precious pup, and he's the BIG little dog? Even cuter !

Hello None, I think that is cool your daughter wants to do a dna test on her dog. BTW, he is a very nice looking dog, rather regal looking. That is one dna test that won't be splashed across the media I hope, unless it turns out that HKS is the dogs father lol. Sorry, bad joke.

 Yes, BIG little dog, all 3 pounds of him lol.

BOULIA AND THE MIN MIN LIGHT

On the edge of the Simpson Desert in Queensland's Outback lies a tiny town with a ghostly reputation.  If you are driving through the bush at night around Boulia, 300km south of Mount Isa, and you see a strange light with no apparent source dancing in the gidgee scrub or floating near an isolated highway - you're not the first.

This is the Min Min light - a bizarre, ghostly light that can appear, hover, disappear and reappear with an eerie will of its own. The light has been reported around Boulia, population 300, for more than 70 years.  And no-one has any decent explanation as to what it actually is.

Locals have their own theories as to its origin. Old timers believe the light was first seen in the vicinity of the old Min Min Hotel - about 70km from Boulia on the road to Winton. One story has the light rising from behind a grave at the back of the hotel.

Theories abound on what causes the Min Min light - some ideas are that the light is caused by a will-o'-the wisp which is a phosphorescent light often seen over marshy ground, firefly insects, a bird or even an unidentified flying object.  Others say the Min Min could be a kind of mirage - caused by a distant light refracting off a temperature inversion. Whatever the cause and despite the lack of explanation - or maybe because of it - the Min Min light is a source of fascination for visitors to Boulia.

Boulia local Robert "Bruiser" Cooms has lived in the area all his life and sighted the Min Min at least half a dozen times while driving at night.  "It's an orange glow that hovers around you," Bruiser said. "It doesn't throw a beam. It's just a big lump of ball. It hovers and bobs around. It puts the hairs up on the back of your neck."

Let's face it, if you go to Boulia and talk to the locals, you'll find someone who's seen the light or knows someone who has. Boulia visitors can explore this phenomenon more fully at the $1.8 million Min Min Encounter in the heart of town. The centre houses a fascinating sound and light display, interactive features and the history of the Min Min light. The best part is that it combines the Outback's dry irony with some spooky special effects.

Boulia itself is an amazing little town, not much more than a village, flanked on one side by a vast plain and on the other by the Burke River. The vistas are superb in this area: low plains spreading to the horizon, crumbling mesas and bizarre, jumbled rock formations. Boulia is also focal point for the annual Desert Sands Camel Races on the third weekend of each July. These races are Australia's largest professional camel racing event and attract thousands of visitors. Boulia lies 300km south of Mount Isa or 350km west of Winton on the sealed Min Min byway.

BOULIA SIGN

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BOULIA TOWNSHIP

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BURKE RIVER

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FEATURES OF THE BOULIA DISTRICT

CAMEL RACES

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QUARTERHORSE EVENT AT RODEO

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DUST STORM APPROACHING

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An amusing story about a serious subject.

HOUNDED ABOUT HEALTH

Janelle Miles  March 31, 2007 12:00am Article from :  The Courier Mail

ALISON Brennan's dog Adonis senses when she's about to have an epileptic fit and lets her know – 15 minutes before it happens. Until she got her golden labrador four years ago, she was afraid to be in the house alone, worried she may have a seizure in the shower or if she left the oven on, that the house may burn down. These days, her pooch paws at her legs to warn her of a pending attack, giving her time to lie down and avoid injuring herself in a fall.

And on at least one occasion when her husband Keith was serving with the Australian Defence Forces in Iraq, Alison Brennan says Adonis probably saved her life. She was on her way to do some shopping when he tried to take her house keys off her and then blocked her path so she couldn't leave. He didn't let up even when she went to lie down, continuously pawing at her.

"I thought it must be going to be a bad one so I called an ambulance," recalls the 28-year-old who runs a Townsville secondhand bookshop. "By the time the ambulance got there I was already unconscious. Nobody would have known I was unconscious and I probably would have died." That night Brennan, who was diagnosed with epilepsy when she was 15, was operated on for a blood clot on the brain. When she awoke from surgery, she was told how organised Adonis had been, giving the ambulance officers a set of house keys to lock up and a backpack they assumed was an emergency overnight bag for his owner. But when hospital staff unpacked it, instead of a nightie and toothbrush, they found it was full of Adonis's toys and dog treats.

"When I woke up from the operation, they were all still laughing about my dog bringing his own backpack into hospital," Brennan said. She said having Adonis had taken some of the anxiety out of living with epilepsy. "I have fewer seizures. I think it's because you're not as stressed out thinking: 'When's the next one going to happen?'," she said. "Once you have a dog telling you every time you're going to have a seizure, that stress isn't there any more."

Faye Downie, of the Association for Australian Assistance Dogs, said not all dogs were able to alert their owners to impending epileptic seizures. She said it was a mystery why some dogs could sense an owner's attack ahead of time. Some believe that dogs, which have a sense of smell much more acute than humans, can sniff out subtle changes in body odour before their owner has an epileptic fit. Others suspect the dogs can detect extremely subtle changes in their owner's behaviour. Downie said puppies could not be trained to be seizure-alert dogs – they either had the ability or not.

Although some within the medical fraternity remain sceptical of a pet being able to foresee a health emergency, neurologist Terence O'Brien, of the University of Melbourne, said he believed in the benefits of seizure-alert dogs like Adonis. "There's quite a lot of good anecdotal evidence that these dogs do somehow sense a change in their owners before a seizure," Associate Professor O'Brien said. "We know that there can be complicated changes in brain-wave activity . . . 10 or 20 minutes before a seizure. Things do happen before a seizure and these dogs do seem to be able to sense it."

(snipped)

ALISON AND ADONIS

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Thanks Tibro for posting this great story.  Alison is so lucky to have found such a wonderful friend and protector.  
I love all your posts about your homeland.  It is like going on vacation every time I read here.   Thanks so much, I know you put a lot of work into it.   :D

Hi hummingbird.  These medical alert dogs do a wonderful job.  They use them for diabetics also as they can sense the variations in blood sugar levels.
I particularly liked the part where Adonis made sure they took his toys and treats with them.  :lol:  :lol:
It is not hard work as I enjoy it so much and I like to think I am entertaining the monkeys who do such hard work for Natalee's family.  It is difficult to do anything useful from over here so I feel I am doing my bit in this way.  Thank you for your kind words.  It is my pleasure.

JELLYFISH THAT ATE HOLLYWOOD

March 30, 2007 12:00am  Article from:  The Courier Mail

DEADLY jellyfish interrupted filming in Queensland of a new movie by Hollywood stars Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey.

A new location will now be found when the two actors return from the US to complete filming of the final scenes of Fool's Gold in coming weeks.  The stars have been filming in Queensland since last year and were due to act out their final scene in the waters of Hervey Bay for the Warner Brothers feature until a marine expert sighted potentially fatal irukandji jellyfish. James Cook University's Dr Jamie Seymour had been hired to ensure the safety of the film's stars while in the water and it was money well spent after he spotted the thimble-sized creatures in the nick of time.

The irukandji jellyfish, which has a translucent body and 30 centimetre stingers, is regarded by many scientists as one of the deadliest creatures in the animal world. An antidote is yet to be discovered for its venom, which can inflict pain, paralysis and increase blood pressure to dangerous and sometimes fatal levels. "We were aware it was jellyfish season, we just weren't aware it would be such a problem," the film's publicist Fiona Searson said.

Two tourists died from so-called "irukandji syndrome" in Queensland in 2002 which led scientists to ramp up research into treatment for the jellyfish's sting. While the irukandji usually inhabits warm tropical waters off far north Queensland, global warming has been linked to its migration south.

The final scenes of Fool's Gold, in which a married couple played by Hudson and McConaughey rekindle their romance when they discover a clue to finding a lost treasure, will be picked up in the next month at a location yet to be decided. "There's only a little bit of filming still to do, so we'll have to complete that in another location," Ms Searson said.
Ms Searson confirmed most of the US cast and crew, including Hudson and McConaughey, have returned home until the final scenes can be scheduled, which should happen in the next week. "They're all gone, everybody's left for the time being, all the Americans anyway," she said. The film's scheduled release in early 2008 will not been affected by the delay, Ms Searson said.

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The Irukandji (Carukua barnesi) inhabits Northern Australian waters. This is a deadly jellyfish, which is only 2.5 centimetres (1 inch) in diameter, which makes it very hard to spot in the water, but can cause death to humans within days.  It is related to another deadly marine creature, the box jellyfish.

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The Box Jellyfish (also known as a Sea Wasp) is a very dangerous creature to inhabit Australian waters. The Jellyfish has extreme toxins present on its tentacles, which when in contact with a human, can stop cardio-respiratory functions in as little as three minutes.
This jellyfish is responsible for more deaths in Australian than Snakes, Sharks and Salt Water Crocodiles.
The creature has a square body and inhabits the north east areas of Australia. The tentacles may reach up to 80 cms (30 inches) in length. It is found along the coast of the Great Barrier Reef.

GUM TREES OR EUCALYPTS

In California the eucalypt is so common that many people believe that it is a Californian native. With the exception of E.globulus, which is listed among the exotic pest plants of greatest concern by the California Exotic Pest Plant Council, eucalypts seem to have been generally accepted in California for their intrinsic qualities but there are understandable concerns about the widespread use of what is, after all, an alien species. An excellent account of the history, uses and environmental issues of Californian eucalypts can be found in The Eucalyptus of California: Seeds of Good or Seeds of Evil?

GUM TREES OR EUCALYPTS (continued)

Gum trees (eucalypts) are the essence of the Australian flora. Their range extends from sub-alpine areas to wet coastal forests, temperate woodlands and the arid inland. In fact, the only major environment where eucalypts are absent is probably rainforest. There are about 12 species which occur naturally outside of Australia but around 700 are Australian endemics. Only 2 species are not found in Australia. One of these, Eucalyptus deglupta, is the only eucalypt to be found growing naturally in the northern hemisphere, occurring in the southern Phillipines (as well as in New Guinea and parts of Indonesia).
Even Australians who wouldn't know a Banksia from a Begonia know what a gum tree looks like and smells like. Soldiers returning by ship from the first and second world wars are rumoured to have been able to smell the aroma of the eucalypt before land was visible on the horizon. Most Australians may not be able to identify a particular species (there are hundreds of them, after all!) but they will know "that's a eucalypt".
The term "gum tree" is derived from the habit of some eucalypt species to exude a sticky, gum-like substance from the trunk. This is by no means a general characteristic but "gum tree" has become a common generic term for most eucalypts. A number of other common names have been applied to certain groups of eucalypts based on features such as bark type, timber characteristics or growth habit. Some names in common usage are:
·   Apple - A name used by early European settlers due to a similarity in appearance of some plants to apple trees (eg. Angophora bakeri, "Narrow-leaved apple")
·   Ash - Timber is similar to the European ash trees (eg. Eucalyptus regnans, "Mountain ash")
·   Blackbutt - The lower part of the trunk has persistent bark which is usually black due to past fires (eg. Eucalyptus pilularis, "Blackbutt")
·   Bloodwood - Timber often has pockets of a dark red gum known as kino (eg. Corymbia eximia, "Yellow bloodwood")
·   Box - Bark is retained on the tree and is short fibred; plates of bark may shear off with age (eg. Eucalyptus melliodora ("Yellow box")
·   Ironbark - Bark is retained on the tree and is hard and deeply furrowed (eg. Eucalyptus crebra, "Narrow-leaved ironbark")
·   Mallee - Multi-stemmed trees, usually fairly small in height (eg. Eucalyptus albida, "White-leaved mallee")
·   Peppermint - The oil in the leaves has a peppermint-like aroma (eg. Eucalyptus dives, "Broad-leaved peppermint")
·   Ribbon Gum - Bark is deciduous and is shed in long strips which often hang from the branches (eg. Eucalyptus viminalis, "Ribbon gum")
·   Scribbly Gum - Bark is deciduous and the smooth trunk is marked with "scribbles" caused by an insect larva (eg. Eucalyptus sclerophylla, "Scribbly gum")
·   Stringybark - Bark is retained in long fibres which can be pulled off in "strings" (eg. Eucalyptus eugenioides, "Thin-leaved stringybark")
The most important commercial use of eucalypts is in forestry and this is an area where there has been considerable conflict between conservation and timber interests in the last 20 years or so, particularly as resistance to woodchipping and the move to preserve old growth forests have gained momentum.
Timber production from eucalypts is carried out in Australia and overseas. Many different species are used both from natural forests and from plantations. Eucalypt plantations can be found in more than 90 countries with the largest overseas plantations being in Brazil which has over 1 million hectares. Some of the uses for eucalypts are:
·   Building (for termite resistance);
·   Furniture;
·   Woodchips;
·   Paper;
·   Fuel;
·   Another commercially important feature of eucalypts is the extraction of the oils contained in the foliage. Eucalypt oil has been used in medicine, industry and for perfumes.
The flowers of all eucalypts contain nectar and many species are important in the beekeeping industry. Honey is often marketed under the name of the main species involved in its production (eg. Yellow box, Red ironbark

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Eucalypt bark types - clockwise from left top: Angophora bakeri, "Narrow-leaved apple"; Corymbia maculata, "Spotted gum"; Eucalyptus saligna, "Sydney blue gum"; Eucalyptus eugenioides, "Thin-leaved stringybark"

SOME VARIEITIES OF EUCALYPTS

SPOTTED GUM

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RED RIVER GUM

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/RedRiverGum.jpg)

NORTHERN SALMON GUM

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MORE EUCALYPT VARIETIES

APPLE GUM

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CAZNEAUX

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MOUNTAIN ASH

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MACROCARPA FLOWER

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/Macrocarpa.jpg)

STILL MORE EUCALYPTS

MOUNTAIN ASH

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/MtnAsh.jpg)

RED IRONBARK FLOWERS

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WESTERN COOLIBAH

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ILLYARRIE FLOWERS

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SHOWING EUCALYT REGENERATION AFTER BUSHFIRE

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Oh My!! Those are quite scarey looking!! I certainly won't be adding them to my booty of critters I plan to bring back to the states.

I often thought Australia must be the most pleasant smelling place because of all the euclyptus trees, but I NEVER realized there was even more than ONE or two kinds lol.

I wonder what kind it is we find in our markets that I even have in my home. They have little round leaves , they come in browns and greens and reds ( loke a brick red). they are thick leaved like the MACROCARPA seems to be but with little and round leaves. We have some broad leafed ones too that I buy but those leaves are thinner.

 I also always assumed with all those lovely smelling trees around that Australians may run a lesser occurance of breathing problems. Is that true?

Yes, Seamonkey I was amazed that there were 700 varieties of eucalypts.  They are trying to split them into sub-groups as they are so varied.  Unfortunately the proliferation of the eucalypts does not help with our breathing problems.  A lot of them are unscented or have very little scent, and we have so much dust especially in times of drought as at present.  Also there is a lot of pollen and other irritants everywhere. And of course there is pollution in the cities and industrial areas so we have a lot of asthma and other breathing problems just like everywhere else.
From what little I know, the round leaves you describe could be from the Spinning Gum.  I found a good site which describes these particular gums as growing well around Seattle.  I would expect their weather to be similar to where you live?  The site is www.arthurleej.com and on right hand side about 6 titles down you will find "Articles."   Somewhere in 1990 you will find "Spinning Gum" and may find his description and pictures help you to identify the leaves.
I hope you enjoy the next article.  Still on Eucalypts but a bit different than what I normally post.  Trying to find articles to interest most people  :wink:

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MAY GIBBS

Cecilia May Gibbs.....1877 - 1969

"I could almost draw before I could walk" May Gibbs recalled when her thoughts travelled back to her childhood.

There was much to remember. Her earliest recollections were of England, where she was born in Sydenham during the cold January of 1877. Then, when she was four, came the exciting voyage to join Papa who had gone ahead to South Australia. Her baby brother Ivan, forever to be called "The Wreck of the Hesperus" (the ship they sailed in from England), was born shortly before the storm-delayed ship reached Adelaide.

May had three brothers and when the family moved to The Harvey in Western Australia, the children enjoyed remarkably carefree growing years. After daily lessons with Mother came the joys of riding the pony, Brownie, swimming in waterholes, fishing and frog hunting, turning Kurrajong seeds into boats and, best of all, borrowing the big laundry tub to sail on the river. The children helped make the daily bread, sampled the preserves and eagerly listened to readings of Alice in Wonderland and other books. May drew and she painted, but she wanted to be an actress, not an artist. However, by her twelfth year one of her drawings was published in a Perth newspaper.

By then the family lived close to that city and the little girl with thick reddish-brown hair and bright brown eyes already had imaginatively observed the Western Australian bush. The Banksias on The Harvey district were destined to be immortalised by May. "I was out walking, over in Western Australia, with my cousins," she said. "We came to a grove of Banksia trees and sitting on almost every branch were these ugly little, wicked little men that I discovered and that's how the Banksia Men were thought of."

The creation of the gumnut babies was less defined for May. "It's hard to tell, hard to say, I don't know if the bush babies found me or I found the little creatures," she recalled. "Perhaps it was memories of West Australia's flowers and trips to Blackheath."

Whatever triggered their inspiration was probably after the seven years she spent studying formal art in London, just as her parents had done years before. Twice May made the long sea voyage to England and during her last stay she illustrated her first books - historical dramas. British publishers were not enthusiastic about the Australian environment of her own stories, so she wrote About Us, based on the imaginary chimney-pot people of London and this was later published in the UK and the USA, but not Australia.
It wasn't until 1913 when she returned to live in Neutral Bay, Sydney that the gumnut babies first appeared, unobtrusively peeping over the edge of a gumnut on the cover of Ethel Turner's book, The Missing Button.  Careless glances could easily overlook their debut.

During the years of World War I May received recognition for her indigenous, cheerful postcards and bookmarks, calendars, school magazine illustrations and her series of five booklets featuring gumnut babies and flower children. However, her mind searched for a story book. "I thought of the name Snugglepot for a book on bush babies," she remembered, ''but I could not get another name. I wanted two, and one night, lying in bed quietly, I thought Snugglepot. . .Cuddlepie!" The adventures of the two half-brothers were published during the Armistice celebrations of 1918. The book, which has remained in print, was dedicated to "The Two Dearest Children in the World, Lefty and Bill." Few people realised that they were May's beloved parents, Cecilia and Herbert.
Shortly afterwards May Gibbs married James Ossoli Kelly. Work continued, including weekly comic strips, Bib and Bub and Tiggy Touchwood. There were more books but she found time to learn to drive a car nicknamed Dodgem with Scottish terriers yapping on the back seat or riding in wicker baskets on the running board during camping trips. Eventually, in 1925, "Let's build her a house," said Bib to Bub. It was Nutcote with cheerful yellow walls and blue shuttered windows, and a cherished garden where generations of Scotties dug holes but inspired May, especially after the death of James in 1939.

May lived on, still working during her eighties. The nation honoured her with an MBE and a small literary pension. Best of all, generations of children have loved her books and immediately recognised "ugly little, wicked little men" lurking amongst the Banksia leaves.

Jean Chapman
All quotes are from a taped interview with May Gibbs produced by Hazel de Berg for the National Library of Australia, Canberra.

SNUGGLEPOT AND CUDDLEPIE

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GUMNUT BABIES

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KOALA BOAT

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NUTCOTE AT NEUTRAL BAY, SYDNEY

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UNRIPE GUMNUTS

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RIPE GUMNUTS

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Thank you Tibro.after going to the site you posted I found it is a spinning gum. Seattle is a lot like where I am as far as wetness,  but I think thier temps stay a bit higher than Maine for longer periods of time.

 I LOVED that story about May Gibbs. I also think I have seen her illistrations before. I never heard of those stories, but am very intrigued to look them up. I love her sense of whimsy and imagination which never seemed to ebb even late in life. I can admire that since I am also one of those " I never wanna grow up kinda kids " lol. I often feared if I grew up TOO much inside I ( my mind's eye) will no longer see the fairies or other characters I create.

 Thank you so much for sharing her story, I totally enjoyed it and learning of an author and artist I never heard of before. She is such an inspiration!!

I though you would enjoy that story about May Gibbs.  Most generations of Australians have grown up with Snugglepot and Cuddlepie and their friends.  I do hope it is not too unsophisticated for our current children.  Imagination and dreaming never hurt anyone.  The illustrations are magical.

Now for an unusual photo :

A MOB OF RED KANGAROOS DRINKING :

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ST ANDREWS CROSS SPIDER'S WEB

Orb-weaving spiders have puzzled, charmed and inspired people over the centuries. If you observe closely, you’ll notice that the web of each species is unique in its pattern. The St Andrews Cross spider usually spins one that is a complete and vertical orb, but this springtime juvenile only spun the bottom two thirds of his web. It’s fascinating to watch the spider build as it walks around each circle, using a leg to measure off the exact distance to lay down the next thread.

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PINT-SIZED WAVE KING

April 05, 2007 12:00am
Article from: The Courier Mail

HE might be just two years old, but Jaylan Amor is making giant waves in the world of surfing.
The toddler is believed to be the youngest boarder on the Gold Coast and is already winning sponsorship deals with surf businesses.
He first stepped on a board at Currumbin beach six months ago and now brings the beach to a standstill each time he catches a wave.

"No one here has ever seen anyone this young surf before – he's just incredible," dad Peter said.
Jaylan's surfing skill came as no surprise though, as his four-year-old sister Shayla learned to surf a year ago.
"They both took to swimming like ducks to water and love the beach. Their mum and I were keen surfers when we were younger, so I guess our kids have got it in their blood," Mr Amor said.

Jaylan sits on his board while his dad paddles out to the open water. The toddler then hops up and rides waves back to the beach, sometimes cruising along for more than 50m.
"When he falls in he just dog-paddles back to the board and waits for me to get him," Mr Amor said.

But Jaylan is under no pressure to become the next Kelly Slater.
"We'll just let nature take its course. He's a pretty good soccer player so he might become the next Harry Kewell instead," his father said.
"The most important thing is that he enjoys surfing. You only have to watch him smiling to see that he loves being on the water."

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EASTER IN AUSTRALIA

Easter commemorates the resurrection (return to life) of Jesus Christ following his death by crucifixion. It is the most significant event of the Christian calendar. Easter, also known as Resurrection Day, is observed between late March and late April (early April to early May in Eastern Christianity). It celebrates the resurrection of Jesus, which his followers believe occurred on the third day after his death by crucifixion. In the Roman Catholic Church, Easter is actually an eight-day feast called the Octave of Easter.
The Christian churches began Easter celebrations about 300 years after the death of Jesus Christ, however pagan Spring equinox festivals associated with birth, the renewal of life, fertility and sunrise date back long before Christianity. Many of the present-day customs of Easter have their origins in these festivals. The date on which Easter falls varies from year to year.

RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCE

The Christian churches in Australia observe the Easter Christian Calendar which begins with Shrove Tuesday, some 40 days before Easter, and ends with Whitsun (or Pentecost) which is 50 days after Easter Sunday.
Good Friday, the Friday before Easter, commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus and is a day of mourning in church. During Good Friday services Christians meditate on Jesus's suffering and on his last words spoken from the cross: 'Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.' (New English Bible, Luke 22: 34)
Easter Sunday is the commemoration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ and is celebrated with great enjoyment by Christians. Churches are usually filled with flowers and the celebrations include the singing of special hymns.

EASTER TRADITIONS

Pancake Day

Pancakes became associated with Shrove Tuesday because they were a dish that could use up perishable foodstuffs such as eggs, fats and milk, with just the addition of flour, prior to the beginning of the 40 days of fasting during Lent.
Many Australian groups and communities make and share pancakes on Shrove Tuesday. Selling pancakes to raise money for charity is also a popular activity.

Hot Cross Buns

Hot cross buns are sweet, spiced buns made with dried fruit and leavened with yeast. A cross, the symbol of Christ, is placed on top of the buns, either with pastry or a simple mixture of flour and water. The buns are traditionally eaten on Good Friday, however in Australia they are available in bakeries and stores many weeks before Easter.
A recent variation on the traditional fruit bun has become popular in Australia. A chocolate version is made with the same spiced mixture, but cocoa is added to the dough and chocolate chips replace the dried fruit.

Easter Eggs

Eggs, symbolising new life, have long been associated with the Easter festival. Chocolate Easter eggs, along with other forms of confectionery specially manufactured for Easter, have become a favourite part of Easter in Australia.
In the lead up to Easter, many organisations take the opportunity to raise funds by selling tickets in raffles for baskets of Easter eggs. Community groups organise Easter egg hunts for children in parks and recreational areas.
Easter eggs are traditionally eaten on Easter Sunday, however stores start stocking Easter treats well before the Easter holiday period.

The Easter Bunny

Early on Easter Sunday morning, the Easter Bunny 'delivers' chocolate Easter eggs to children in Australia, as he does in many parts of the world.
The rabbit and the hare have long been associated with fertility, and have therefore been associated with spring and spring festivals. The rabbit as a symbol of Easter seems to have originated in Germany where it was first recorded in writings in the 16th century. The first edible Easter bunnies, made from sugared pastry, were made in Germany in the 19th century.

The Easter Bilby

Rabbits are an introduced species in Australia and are unpopular because of the damage they do to the land.
In 1991 a campaign was started by the Anti-Rabbit Research Foundation to replace the Easter Bunny with the Easter Bilby (an endangered species). Author Jenny Bright wrote a children's story called Burra Nimu the Easter Bilby to support the campaign.

Greek Orthodox Easter traditions

The celebrations for Greek Easter begin two months before Christian Easter celebrations with Mardi Gras. The Carnival or Apokria season starts on the Sunday of Teloni and Fariséou and ends on Shrovetide Sunday with the Burning of the Carnival King , which involves setting fire to an enormous papier-mâché effigy of Judas.
For Greeks, Clean Monday is one of the most festive holidays of the year. As Lent begins, children and their parents go into the hills of Athens and the Greek countryside to fly kites and feast at local tavernas or outdoor picnics.
On Holy Thursday the bright dyed red eggs that are symbolic of Easter in Greece are prepared. Tradition says that the Virgin Mother, Mary, dyed eggs this colour to celebrate the Resurrection of Christ and to celebrate life. On Good Friday or Great Friday, flags at homes and government buildings are set at half mast to mark the mournful day.
Celebrations continue with the cracking of eggs and The Resurrection Table. The dyed red Easter eggs that are found on the Resurrection Table become pieces of a traditional game. Each person takes an egg and challengers attempt to crack each others' eggs, which is meant to symbolise Christ breaking from the Tomb. The person whose egg lasts the longest is assured good luck for the rest of the year.

The Ulladulla Blessing of the Fleet Festival on the New South Wales south coast is an old tradition which originated in Sicily to ensure that the fishermen would return to port and have a bountiful catch.
In 1956, Italian fishermen and their families organised Ulladulla's first Blessing of the Fleet, with St. Peter being chosen as the patron Saint of Fishermen. Activities included the spaghetti-eating contest, climbing of the greasy pole, apple on a string, greasy pig and the naming of the Fishermen's Princess, traditions which still continue.
 
THE EASTER HOLIDAY IN AUSTRALIA

The four-day 'weekend'

In addition to its religious significance, Easter in Australia is enjoyed as a four-day holiday weekend starting on Good Friday and ending on Easter Monday.
This extra-long weekend is an opportunity for Australians to take a mini-holiday, or get together with family and friends. Easter often coincides with school holidays, so many people with school aged children incorporate Easter into a longer family holiday. Easter is the busiest time for domestic air travel in Australia, and a very popular time for gatherings such as weddings and christenings.

The Sydney Royal Easter Show

The Sydney Royal Easter Show is Australia's largest annual event and celebrates all everything from our bush heritage to the vitality of city life. It takes place annually at Sydney Olympic Park over a two-week period which includes the Easter long weekend.
The Show is part of the long tradition of agricultural shows that are held in towns and cities across Australia. At these shows, rural and farming communities showcase their livestock and produce, and exhibitors, organisations and companies provide people in urban areas with a glimpse of rural life.
Shows are also a time for competition, spectacle and entertainment. The Sydney Royal Easter Show includes the Sydney Royal Rodeo, and the visitors to the show can enjoy the latest on offer in the way of extreme rides and attractions.

Festivals

There are many festivals held over the Easter holiday in Australia. Performers and audiences travel long distances to attend music festivals as diverse as the National Folk Festival in Canberra, the East Coast International Blues & Roots Festival at Byron Bay in northern New South Wales, and the Australian Gospel Music Festival in Toowoomba in Queensland.
There are also festivals with a more local or regional nature such as the Bendigo Easter Festival, in Victoria.

Sport

The football season is well under way by Easter and all football codes schedule major league matches over the Easter holiday period which are well attended.
The Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race, a 308 nautical mile ocean race, is Queensland's premier blue water classic and one of Australia's major sporting events over the Easter weekend.
For horse racing fans there is a four-day Easter Racing Carnival at Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, Caufield Racecourse in Melbourne holds an Easter Saturday Meeting and an Easter Monday Meeting, and other cities and regional centres also schedule racing events at this time of year.
The Tasmania Three Peaks Race, a four-day, non-stop 335 nautical mile sailing and endurance running race around Tasmania's east coast every Easter attracts contestants from around the world. Teams of two runners leave their yachts at three points on the coast for 133 km of running. Each run involves scaling a rugged mountain peak.

CHURCH OF ST JOHN THE BAPTIST, BUCKLAND, TASMANIA

The village of Buckland sits in a district known as Prosser Plains by the first European settlers. White settlement here began in the 1820s.  The name Buckland was bestowed upon the small hamlet by Governor Franklin in 1846, in honour of the Dean of Westminster (1845-56), William Buckland.

The year 1846 was also when the sandstone St John the Baptist Church was built in Buckland. Designed in the English-style by architect Crawford Cripps Wegman, the church features a stained glass east window, which has been authenticated as dating from the 14th century. The window depicts the life of John the Baptist and has been linked historically as being originally designed for England's Battle Abbey on the site of the Battle of Hastings. The means by which the window arrived in Buckland has been disputed but it is said that in the 1800s the Marquis of Salisbury gave the window to Buckland's first rector, the Reverend T.H. Fox. It was installed in the church in 1849.

ENGRAVING BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN DONE AROUND 1848


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The stained glass window referred to is pictured above.

SOME AUSTRALIAN EASTER ACTIVITIES

THREE PEAKS RACE :

One of the many international events conducted each year in Tasmania is the Three Peaks Race.
It starts near AMC's campus at Beauty Point each year on Good Friday, and comprises:
·   A sail leg of 90 nautical miles to Flinders Island from Beauty Point on the Tamar River
·   A 65 kilometre run to Mt. Strezlecki on Flinders Island
·   A sail leg of 145 nautical miles from Flinders Island to Coles Bay on the East Coast
·   A 33 kilometre run across the "The Hazards"
·   A final sailing leg to Hobart of 100 nautical miles
·   A 35 kilometre run up Mt. Wellington and back down to finish at Constitution Dock.

The concept of a race combining sailing and climbing or running first arose in 1976 in a small seaside Welsh village of Barmouth, the home of the famous seaman and mountaineer, Major Harold William (Bill) Tilman.
From the start, the race flourished. The unique combination of the two disciplines giving a much wider appeal than a simple yacht race. The competitiveness on land by dedicated runners was augmented by boats of increased performance and so, fast multihull vessels started to come to the fore. Being so fast and spectacular, the multihulls also attracted the sponsors and so the race as a whole benefited even further from the increased publicity.

In 1987 Martin Pryor led the first Australian team to compete in the British event in a chartered formula 40 catamaran. Although very fast and leading at the time, the team was forced to retire due to damaged rudders.
During the planning of that campaign, Pryor came up with the idea of a sister event in Australia. It was obvious that the only place to satisfactorily replicate the British event was Tasmania. The uncanny similarity of the Tasmanian course, in terms of terrain, distances and waters to be sailed made course selection relatively easy. In addition, the event could encompass the two largest cities in the State, Launceston and the capital, Hobart.

On returning to Australia, planning began in earnest, culminating in the highly successful inaugural race over Easter 1989, followed by exciting events being held at Easter each year since.

The Australian Three Peaks Race is a non-stop event, commencing at Beauty Point just north of Launceston on the Tamar River and finishing in Hobart on the Derwent River. En-route, teams have to scale Mt Strzelecki, Mt Freycinet and Mt Wellington.

The east-coast course around Tasmania affords the best combinations of suitable mountains, coastal centres, accessibility for followers, press crews and the public. It brings publicity and exposure to two of the more beautiful but remote areas of the State, Flinders Island and the Freycinet Peninsula, and takes competitors, supporting groups and the media the length of the beautiful east coast.

For competitors it offers an interesting alternative for the yachting fraternity and a challenging new activity for runners, climbers and bushwalkers. It is this unique combination of the two disparate disciplines which provides for such a challenging event.

THE SYDNEY ROYAL EASTER SHOW

The Sydney Royal Easter Show is the largest annual event staged in Australia, attracting on average around one million Showgoers each year.  Sydney Showground, Sydney Olympic Park is transformed to play host to a festival that is unique to Australia and its diverse cultural and rural heritage.  

The Show runs for 14 days over the Easter period and is a pinnacle event enjoyed by Australians of all ages.  Each year, the Sydney Royal Easter Show aims to highlight Australian agricultural excellence through competitions and education and to promote national and international awareness of the country’s proud rural heritage.  

Approximately 15,000 competitors submit some 35,000 entries for judging in over 50 unique and diverse Sydney Royal competitions including livestock, domestic animals, District Exhibits, apiculture, poultry, arts, woodchopping and horticulture to name but a few. The Sydney Royal Easter Show is a festival of diversity, culture and lifestyle, a celebration of the legacy that is Australian agriculture.  

The Sydney Showground literally overflows with entertainment, excitement and educational opportunities. Whether it’s a culinary feast you desire or a day of adrenaline pumping action, fireworks and fashion, rides and races, the Sydney Royal Easter Show is your ticket to the real Australia.

On Easter Sunday 8 April, the The RAS and the Salvation Army will host an Easter service in the Amphitheatre.  The service welcomes all denominations and is a great opportunity for all the entire Show family to come together on site to commemorate Easter at the Show.   The service will take place from 8.30-9.30am.

SOME PHOTOS FROM THIS YEAR'S SHOW (2007)

SECTION OF THE CROWD

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ANIMAL NURSERY

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YARD DOGS DEMONSTRATION

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A WINNING EXHIBIT TITLED "BUTTERFLY ENCOUNTERS"

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PART OF THE GRAND PARADE OF LIVESTOCK

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Happy Easter Monkeys.

I have had internet problems but looks like it is all sorted out now.

Here is a nice Easter Bilby story for you and the children.  Enjoy :

www.easterbilby.info/default.html

STEVE IRWIN’S VISION LIVES ON

Melissa Maugeri
April 07, 2007 12:00am  Article from: The Courier Mail

AUSTRALIA Zoo will launch whale watching tours from the Sunshine Coast as part of its expansion plans.
Zoo director Wes Mannion told guests at a VIP breakfast that a 130-seat catamaran had been bought and named Steve's Whale One.
"Steve knew whales were so much more important to the world alive, living in our oceans than on some fancy dinner plate," Mr Mannion said.
The tour, which will operate out of Mooloolaba's Spit with bookings taken from May 1, will be the only whale watching tour based on the Sunshine Coast.
Australia Zoo is also continuing with plans for an open-range safari and had part of the land through a state government-approved land swap.
It comes as animal attraction is proving a big winner in the tourism stakes across the board – with smaller parks starting to ride on the popularity of their bigger brothers.
While new animal attractions feature at Dreamworld, SeaWorld and Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, smaller operations such as Alma Park Zoo are also planning improvements.
There have also been big changes in the way wildlife parks are presented, with the highlight of visits to modern attractions being interaction and education.

REEF “COULD DIE IN 20 YEARS”

Rosemary Desmond
April 06, 2007 12:00am  Article from: AAP

THE Great Barrier Reef could be dead in 20 years unless there is a drastic reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, a marine biology expert said today.
Rising sea temperatures were bleaching the coral and causing it to die, said Professor Ove Hoegh-Guldberg of the Australian Research Council Centre for Excellence for Coral Reef Studies.
At the same time, increasing levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere were turning the world's oceans more acidic and preventing corals from forming their limestone skeletons, he said.
Prof Hoegh-Guldberg and Professor Terry Hughes provided expert advice to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) which released its latest report in Brussels today.
The combination of rising temperatures and increasing acid levels could be deadly for the reef, Prof Hoegh-Guldberg said.
"I'd say with 20 to 50 years under the current unrestricted emissions of CO2 into the atmosphere it is highly likely that it will be significantly changed to the point where we no longer have live corals," he said.
"They could be replaced by things like seaweed.
"It (the reef) certainly won't be the place it is now, which is a place of incredible biodiversity."
The warning signs had been around since 1998 when a major bleaching event caused the death of 16 per cent of the world's coral.
Prof Hoegh-Guldberg said the reefs were like a "canary in a coal mine" for other vulnerable areas of the environment, such as glaciers and rainforests, which were also retreating due to global warming.
Around 60 per cent of Australia's bird species were in the wet tropics area of north Queensland.
"The predictions are that if we have a very sharp increase in temperature that is predicted, we will lose at least 50 per cent of that by the middle of the century."
Also of concern was the dramatic increases in the rate of coral diseases, some of which have increased five fold in the past decade.
But action was needed now on climate change.
"If we don't cut back on emissions very dramatically, we are going to look at loss of things like the Great Barrier Reef and other coral ecosystems," Prof Hoegh-Guldberg said.
"If we take it seriously and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80 per cent in the next 30 years, we have chance of saving these ecosystems but this is the last time we have the option to choose."

THE SNOWY MOUNTAINS SCHEME

The Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme is by far the largest engineering project ever undertaken in Australia. It is also one of the largest and most complex hydro-electric schemes in the world.
The system's construction is seen by many as a defining point in Australia's history, and an important symbol of Australia's identity as an independent, multicultural and resourceful country.

The Snowy Scheme is also considered economically important for Australia. It supplies vital water to the farming industries of inland New South Wales and Victoria. The system's power stations also produce up to ten per cent of all electricity needs for New South Wales.

The Snowy Mountains Scheme consists of:
·   sixteen major dams
·   seven power stations
·   a pumping station
·   225 kilometres of tunnels, pipelines and aqueducts.

This makes it one of the most complex hydro-electric schemes in the world. Only two per cent of the entire construction is visible above the ground.  The entire scheme covers a mountainous area of approximately 5,124 square kilometres in southern New South Wales.

The purpose of the scheme is to collect water from melting snow and rain in the Snowy Mountains. Where once most of this water used to flow into the Snowy River, it is now diverted through tunnels in the mountains and stored in dams. The water is then used by the power stations to create electricity. The water then flows mainly into the Murray and Murrumbidgee Rivers. These rivers are important for irrigation of farms and for household water for communities in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia. A small proportion of the water flows into the Snowy River.

JOUNAMA DAM

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TUMUT 3 POWER STATION

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SNOWY MOUNTAINS SCHEME (continued)

Because the project was so much bigger and more complex than anything that had been done before, the engineers needed to develop methods that were new to Australia and the world. Safer and cheaper construction techniques were created and the project set some new standards in occupational health and safety for the time. The power stations adopted higher outputs of electricity transmission than ever before.

The project used Australia's first transistorised computer, which was also one of the first in the world. Called 'Snowcom', the computer was used from 1960 to 1967, contributing greatly to the efficient and successful completion of the project.

More than 100,000 people from over thirty countries came to the mountains to work on the project. Up to 7,300 workers would provide their labour at any one time.  Seventy per cent of all the workers were migrants. They came to Australia to work on the project, attracted by the relatively high wages. At that time, soon after the Second World War, work was hard to come by in Europe.
At first, most of the workers were men who had left their families at home in Europe. Their plan was to work hard, save money and bring their families out when they could afford to.  The work was hard and the conditions were tough. Because ninety-eight per cent of the project was underground, there was a lot of tunnelling, often through solid granite rock. Work in the tunnels was dirty, wet, noisy, smelly and sometimes dangerous. More than 120 workers died in the project's twenty-five year period.

Living conditions were also hard in the camps and towns built in the mountains to house the workers and their families. Often these dwellings were not suited to the freezing conditions. They were cold and the water would freeze in the pipes. When the workers' wives came to join them in the townships, these women had to work hard to overcome the hardships and establish communities in the strange, new, wilderness environment. When work in one area was completed, the dwellings were dismantled and moved to another area, so very little remains of these towns today.
The majority of the workers stayed on to live in Australia after the project was completed, making a valuable contribution to Australia's modern multicultural society.

SNOWY MOUNTAINS DAM

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MAIN RANGE

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EIGHT MILE CREEK

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SNOWY MOUNTAINS SCHEME (continued)

Work on the system started in 1949 and was finished in 1974, taking twenty-five years to complete. The entire project was completed on time and to budget, costing approximately A$820 million.  At the launch of the project, the then Prime Minister Ben Chifley presented it as a national milestone - important for the drought relief it would bring to inland Australia, the power it would supply and for the ambitious size of the project.
 
The Snowy Mountains scheme is situated in the Kosciuszko National Park. The balance between the scheme's operations and the surrounding environment is closely monitored. Efforts are also made to prevent soil erosion and to monitor the impact on plants and animals. Hydro-electricity is a fairly clean and efficient source of renewable energy. However, the scheme has had some direct impacts on the environment. When dams were built, some eco-systems that were habitats for plants and animals were flooded.

Diverting and storing water for the scheme has changed the nature of the Snowy River and other rivers in the region. In some places, the Snowy River carries only one per cent of the water that it used to before the scheme was built.

In 1998, the New South Wales and Victorian governments set up The Snowy Water Inquiry to find a solution that balanced environmental, economic and social factors. The governments have agreed to restore twenty-one per cent of the original flow to the Snowy River by the year 2010. Eventually, the river flows will be restored to twenty-eight per cent, which is the minimum amount that scientists say the river needs to return it to good health. The governments will also invest in water saving projects to ensure that the farmers who currently rely on water from the scheme do not suffer from water shortages.

LAKE EUCUMBENE

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SNOW BRANCHES

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FIRST LITTER OF SUMATRAN TIGER CUBS BORN AT DREAMWORLD!

Dreamworld’s first litter of Sumatran tiger cubs were born at Tiger Island on Saturday, March 31, 2007.

The first cub, a baby girl arrived at 7.45am weighing in at 1.19kg. Just under an hour later, a second female cub arrived weighing 1.18kg. Both cubs measure approximately 30cm in length (head to tail).

The little sisters are bonding well with their mother and spend the day suckling and sleeping. Soraya, the first-time mum, has become the model parent.

The cubs and their mother will remain in a quarantine environment for the next couple of weeks to allow the cub’s immune system’s to strengthen.
 
Dreamworld guests can view the cubs through closed circuit television monitors positioned at Tiger Island. In the next 2-3 weeks the cubs will be moved to their purpose built nursery. At 6 weeks they will be walking around the park.

“The birth of the cubs is a hallmark event for Dreamworld, as this is the very first littler of Sumatran tiger cubs born at Tiger Island. In 1998, we welcomed our Bengal tiger cubs, including the birth of the first white tiger in Australia,” Dreamworld Chief Executive Officer, Stephen Gregg said.

Now the primary focus is the health and well-being of Soraya and her cubs, and presently they are all doing well.

The cubs are under the watchful eyes of Dreamworld’s on-site vet and the Tiger Island team.

The cubs are born to Soraya (meaning Princess), 4yrs of age, and father, Raja (meaning King/Ruler), 3yrs of age). Both Sumatran tigers arrived to Tiger Island from German Zoos as the part of the an international breeding program to save the species.

Having limited human contant prior to their arrival to Tiger Island, Raja and Soraya live in their purpose built, off-exhibit tiger facility at Tiger Island.

With less than 400 left in the wild, Sumatran tigers are listed as one of the world’s most critically endangered species, that's why the cubs are a great step to help save the species from extinction. They will be raised at Tiger Island until they are required by other zoos for breeding.

Dreamworld’s Tiger Island is part of the theme park situated on Queensland's Gold Coast and is also home to seven Bengal tigers (larger than Sumatran species) and two cougars.

In addition to supporting the breeding and conservation programs, Dreamworld makes a significant contribution through the park’s Tiger Fund. To date, over $650,000 was donated to world-wide organisations saving tigers in the wild.

PROUD MOTHER SORAYA

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CUBS AT TWO DAYS OLD

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WEIGH-IN

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IT IS HARD WORK BEING TWO DAYS OLD

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Photographs taken from the Dreamworld website.

Tibro,
 What beautiful photos of the animals and trees.  I cant get over the 2 year old on a surfboard  LOL  and I loved the pic of the red kangaroos drinking together!!!

Hi Angie - glad you enjoy this thread.  I liked the picture of the kangaroos too.  I bet if you tried to get them to line up like that they would not do it for you!  You have to be very patient to catch animals at their best like trying to photograph children and get it to look natural.   :wink:

SCIENTISTS WORK ON MAP OF SINKING COMMUNITIES

By Belinda Tasker April 10, 2007 06:35pm  Article from: AAP

A HUGE digital map of Australia's coastline is being created by scientists to help pinpoint coastal communities that face being washed away by rising sea levels.

The Federal Government's Australian Greenhouse Office is coordinating dozens of scientists to take part in the project amid fears about the dramatic rises in sea levels that climate change could trigger.
The map will identify coastal roads, homes, businesses, transport and port facilities in danger of going under water if sea levels continue rising.

One scientist taking part in the mapping exercise, the Australian National University's (ANU) Professor Will Steffen, said the seas surrounding Australia were predicted to rise by between 8 inches and 5 foot.

“We want to have a very fine resolution map right around Australia's coastal zone because sea levels have risen about 8 inches in the last century or so and are predicted to increase much more,” Prof Steffen said. “So when you combine that with storm surges and then the waves associated with cyclones it gives you a much better handle on which parts of our infrastructure could be quite vulnerable. In order for people to adapt to that we need a very good data base.”

Prof Steffen, who heads ANU's Fenner School for Environment, said the map would be able to help local council planners, developers and engineers work out how to respond to the possibility of some coastal communities being submerged by higher sea waters. “I think what we will have to do is some serious assessment of the most vulnerable regions and we need to engage with communities,” he said.

GeoSciences Australia will also play a role in developing the digital coastal map.

Dozens of scientists have already held initial meetings about how to best develop the map, but no deadline for its completion has yet been set.
A United Nations climate change report focusing on Australia and New Zealand released today predicted rising sea levels would threaten built-up areas of south-east Queensland.

The Northern Territory's famous Kakadu nature park is also feared to be at risk of saltwater intrusion from rising sea levels.


HERE ARE SOME VERY EXPENSIVE REAL ESTATE AREAS THAT WILL LOSE VALUE VERY QUICKLY WITH ANY SEA LEVEL RISE :

GOLD COAST HIGH RISES ON BEACHFRONT

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MANSIONS ON THE CANALS AT NOOSA

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MORE GOLD COAST BEACHFRONT DEVELOPMENT

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PROPOSED ARTIFICIAL ISLAND DEVELOPMENT

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ROSE BREEDING

The rose is among the most popular flowers in the world and that means rose breeding is big business. But it's not a job for the faint hearted. One of Australia's best known rose breeders is George Thomson from Willunga, 44 kilometres south of Adelaide. He painstakingly plants more than 350,000 rose seeds a year, with the aim of breeding roses ideally suited to Australian conditions.

George says that rose breeding is really a lottery. “It's the old numbers racket. The more seeds you put in, the better chance you've got. After planting 320,000 seeds, you might end up with two good roses if you're lucky.”

George completed an apprenticeship at Kew Gardens in London and then worked with renowned rose hybridiser, Alex Cocker in Scotland, before immigrating to Australia in 1958. It wasn't long before he started breeding roses in Australia.

He says the first step in rose breeding is the selection of parents. It's very important to get that right. Each flower has male and female parts. The male part, or stamens, is on the outside and the female part is in the middle.

“To breed roses take the stamens out of the rose. It takes 24 hours for them to drop their pollen. Then prepare the seed parent or mother by removing all petals and stamens.

“Then leave it for about 24 hours and come back with the pollen and a little dish. Take the pollen on a finger and put two little dabs onto the seed plant. And do the same again in 24 hours. Do this in early spring until late autumn.

“When the rose sets seeds inside the hips simply take the hips off and split them open with a knife. Then plant the seeds in a box.

“The seeds are put in the fridge. Roses are a cold country plant and the seeds need to be chilled for anything up to two or three months in the fridge to make them come through at the same time.

“Then we take a handful of seeds and scatter them on about 2 inches or 5cm of potting mix. Level it off, water and put it outside. In about three weeks, rose seedlings start to pop through.”

Just four months after the seeds are sown, the seedlings flower, so that the breeder can tell whether the flower is single or double and most importantly its colour.

George says it's always a fantastic feeling to see the first flower because you never really know what colour you're going to get.

“The roses are then planted into our trial gardens and gardens around Australia. Trialling is very important because we've got a vast country with different climatic conditions.

“Roses must be disease resistant, have a nice flower, perfume, and the public have then got to like them- that’s the final test.

“If we think we have a winner, it is then budded onto root stock in the fields. On average it's about seven years from the day that you plant the seed, to the day that the public can buy it.

“I love the challenge. It's 40 per cent know how, 60 per cent luck…. and at the end of the day you really do need Lady Luck on your side,” George says.



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2005 NATIONAL ROSE TRIAL GARDEN WINNERS

BEST AUSTRALIAN ROSE - BURGUNDY ICEBERG

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BEST AUST BRED ROSE - CHINA SUNRISE

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OTHER GOLD MEDAL WINNERS :

RANCH

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KNOCKOUT

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SUNDANCE

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.

Tibro, thank you for posting these pictures of your lovely country.  I wanted to tell you that I have met a rosebreeder from Australia who studied at Kew, who later went to China to work and design gardens there.  He was such an inspiration for me via e-mail and on a visit to the south, I actually had occasion to meet him in Birmingham at the Botanical Gardens there.  Birmingham has some of the finest rose gardens in the south.  In fact, I think they are my favorites.  He also was my inspiration for the rose Renae, which he did not breed, but was a big advocate of.  The rose is one of Ralph Moore's and he was at that time on his way to meet with Mr. Moore.  For non-rose-growers, Ralph Moore celebrated his 100th birthday this year and is still breeding roses.  Our California friends probably know of his celebrity.

Beautiful.My cousins and the Tiger cubs,and the Roses

Thank you Tylergal and Tiger.  I will post a few more rose photos.  They are prize winners at a Rose Show on the Gold Coast which is a sub-tropical area but they are unnamed which is a pity.  They grew here in Aust so I will claim them as Aussies anyway  :wink:  
Rose breeders seem to live long lives.  Must be the patience and serenity that comes from working with these perfect flowers.  Close to God and Nature.

I will keep a watch on the tiger cub site and post any more photos as they grow.  It does not take long for them to grow up.

NO WONDER THIS BLOOM WON FIRST PRIZE

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A VARIETY OF COLOURS

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MY FAVOURITE

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PUZZLE - SPOT THE INTRUDER

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.

THE AUSTRALIAN STOCK HORSE

This, possibly the world's most versatile horse, is often referred to as 'The breed for every need'. The Australian Stock Horse is a fine working and performance animal, renowned for its toughness, endurance, resilience and strength. It also has cat-like speed and agility, giving the horse a cosmopolitan blend of attributes which have produced the world's best at work and play.  The basic prerequisites of high performance sporting horses are a quiet temperament, intelligence and an athletic ability. The Australian Stock Horse has all of these qualities, and is now regarded as the benchmark for equestrian breeding excellence.  

The ancestors of the Australian Stock Horse arrived in Australia on the First Fleet in January 1788. The end of the 18th century saw horses imported into Botany Bay in small numbers, believed to be of Arabian and Barb blood. The Barb, developed on the Barbary Coast of North Africa, was a desert horse with great hardiness and stamina. Eventually more horses where imported, these were of English Thoroughbred and Spanish stock. Later importations included more Thoroughbreds, Arabs, Timor and Welsh Mountain Ponies. All horses sent to the Colony needed strength and stamina - not only to survive the long sea journey, but also to work in the foreign, untamed environment that had become their home.

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In the 1830s, knowledgeable horse breeders imported a steady stream of Thoroughbreds to improve the local horse strains. The settlers had a keen interest in horse racing, so Thoroughbreds became very popular at the beginning of the 19th century. The use of Thoroughbred stallions over the condition-hardened local mares produced the beautiful strain of tough but stylish animal exemplified by today's Australian Stock Horse.

Australian horses had been selectively bred for strength and stamina, reliability and versatility. The strongest were retained for breeding and despite their mixed origins they developed into a strong and handsome type. The horses that developed had a good temperament, were tough and reliable, able to work under saddle and in harness. They were used to clear timber, plough the land and herd sheep and cattle. From this base the breed was refined and developed, using the outstanding sires of the day. Thoroughbreds had a considerable influence, even though the breed carried bloodlines from other breeds.

Explorers, stockmen, settlers, bushrangers and troopers all relied on horses that could travel long distances, day after day. Weak horses were culled; the stronger types were used to breed sturdy saddle horses that were essential for the Colony's settlement. Exploits of the explorers and stockmen and their reliable horses in the Australian bush became Australian folklore, and stories such as The Man from Snowy River and Clancy of the Overflow depict the character of these pioneers and their horses.

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Many Australians refer to their horses as stock horses or station horses. When purchased by a cavalry exporter, the horse became known as a remount horse. Originally all Australian horses came from New South Wales (thus the name Waler), but as the settlers spread throughout the continent, they took their horses with them. It was in 1846 that the term Waler was coined by the British. The hardiness of the Waler made him a natural mount for the cavalry. The Australian Army used the Waler in the First World War.

The origins of the Waler date back to 1840 and during the Boer War and World War I the Australian Horse received worldwide recognition through the success of the Australian Light Horse regiments, a quite significant achievement for horses in Australia's history. The Waler was considered to be the finest cavalry horse in the world, winning International acclaim for its endurance, reliability and hardiness during the Indian Mutiny, the Boer War and the First World War. In the Boer War, the Waler served in such regiments as the Lancers, Commonwealth Horse, Mounted Rifles and Bushmen's Troop.

Around 160,000 Australian horses served in World War I and their performance was best summed up by the English cavalryman, Lt Col RMP Preston DSO, in his book, The Desert Mounted Corps. He described the stamina and spirit of the Australian Light Horse, "… Cavalry Division had covered nearly 170 miles…and their horses had been watered on an average of once in every 36 hours…. The heat, too, had been intense and the short rations, 9½ lb of grain per day without bulk food, had weakened them considerably. Indeed, the hardship endured by some horses was almost incredible. One of the batteries of the Australian Mounted Division had only been able to water its horses three times in the last nine days - the actual intervals being 68, 72 and 76 hours respectively, yet this battery on its arrival had lost only eight horses from exhaustion…. The majority of horses in the Corps were Walers and there is no doubt that these hardy Australian horses make the finest cavalry mounts in the world…."

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After the First World War, despite the recognition Australian Horses had won and although the Waler was known as a distinctive type, there was no Stud Book or Registry. Mechanisation of primary industries reduced the need for working horses and it was not until the 1960s that an interest in horses was revived due to the increasing leisure time available to society.
In June 1971, the Australian Horse was given the recognition and formal organisation it deserved with The Australian Stock Horse Society being established.  The object of The Australian Stock Horse Society Limited was to preserve the identity and breeding records of the Stock Horse through registration and to promote their attributes through exhibitions and performance.

Australian Stock Horses are used for general riding and stock work on rural properties, as well as equestrian competitions. With its versatility, the Australian Stock Horse has achieved outstanding success in a wide variety of sports including: campdrafting, showjumping, dressage, eventing, pony club events, harness, polo and polocrosse.

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The Australian Stock Horse is intelligent, with courage, toughness and stamina, and has a good temperament. The Australian Stock Horse is considered possibly the world's most versatile horse, the horse evolved through selective breeding in response to the demands of the environment.  The basic pre-requisites of a high performance horse are a quiet temperament, intelligence and athletic ability. These qualities are essential for a brilliant performance whatever the event.

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CAMPDRAFTING

A truly Australian sport, requires agility, intelligence and strength of both horse and rider. The horse must also have speed and 'cattle sense' which is required when the competitor selects a beast from the 'camp' or yard and separates it from the remaining cattle. After 'cutting-out' the beast, the rider has to work it with his horse around an outside course.

DRESSAGE

This is the most elegant of equine sports. A dressage horse must have intelligence, suppleness, obedience and smoothness of movement to produce a flowing and disciplined performance.

POLO and POLOCROSSE

These sports require fast, strong horses with stamina and a 'love of the game.' Called ponies in both games, these horses must demonstrate intelligence, agility and control at speed.

SHOWJUMPING and EVENTING

These horses are indeed athletes and need to be obedient, intelligent and bold with obvious strength and soundness.

PONY CLUB

These horses need a quiet temperament, and the ability to perform capably in a variety of events. They need intelligence, athletic ability and the ability to adapt to their rider's standard of horsemanship.

A FINE EXAMPLE OF DRESSAGE

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THE NEXT GENERATION

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To my monkeys friends who read here regularly :
I will be unable to post for a few days.
If there is anything in particular you would like me to post or if there is any more details on anything you would like to know, please post your request and I will follow up later in the week for you.
The items I have posted so far show how different but also how alike our countries are and I hope it helps to cement the friendship between our two
free nations.

UPDATE ON TIGER CUBS

Two beautiful, healthy female babies and eight nervous fathers celebrated today (17/4) as Dreamworld’s two week old Sumatran tiger cubs took their very first look at the outside world.

Thrilled onlookers watched the cubs graduate to their purpose built, glass fronted nursery at Tiger Island to begin the hand rearing process essential to establishing the strong bond between handler and tiger.

This bond will enable the cubs to interact as fully grown tigers without the confines of cages and will ensure they have a rich, fulfilling and stimulating life at Tiger Island.

Guests can now come face to face with the adorable cubs, the result of an international breeding program to save one of the most critically endangered species on Earth.

Dreamworld’s number one dad, Tiger Island Manager Patrick Martin-Vegue said people have a very rare opportunity to see the babies grow right before their eyes as the cubs receive their daily weigh-ins and get down to what cubs do best.

“At this early stage, eating and sleeping are the most important parts of their day. They’ll also play and wrestle and start to develop their own personalities in the coming weeks,” Mr Martin- Vegue said.

Both weighing in at around 2.5kg, the cubs have both doubled in size, each drinking more than 250mls of special milk formula each day.

The cubs will remain in this quarantine environment for the next three to four weeks to minimise the risk of infection and allow their immune systems to strengthen.

They will then begin to take brief walks through the park and interact with guests at exclusive “Cub Experiences” starting mid May before mixing and mingling with Dreamworld’s big cats on Tiger Island from about 2 months of age.

Dreamworld Chief Executive Officer, Stephen Gregg said the best way to send a message about the importance of conservation of rare and endangered species is giving people real world experiences that they can personally relate to.

“Tiger Island’s charter of ‘conservation through education’ fulfills a very important role in this work. It is an enriching opportunity for guests to gain a first hand understanding of the grim future faced by tigers in the wild,” Mr Gregg said.

LATEST CUB PHOTOS

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McLEOD'S DAUGHTERS

WHERE IT ALL BEGAN......

McLeod's Daughters was launched on the Nine Network in August 2001 and was the third most watched Australian TV drama series in 2002.

Series one of McLeod's Daughters was sold to the giant American cable network Hallmark, who successfully debuted it in the UK in October 2001, and throughout Asia in March 2002.

The series was also been picked up by TVNZ in New Zealand, where it became an instant hit with viewers.

Creator Posie Graeme-Evans developed the original concept for McLeod's Daughters for a successful and high-rating 1996 Nine Network telemovie, and it has been in development since as a series.

Posie says a photograph depicting "blue skies and quintessentially Aussie girls' faces with big wide grins under the broad brim of a classic RM Williams hat" inspired her.

Anecdotes by country friends and Posie's love of South Australian landscapes, as depicted in Sir Hans Heysen paintings, also contributed to the McLeod's Daughters concept.

While the series was being developed, Kingsford, the property featured in the original telemovie, was put on the market. The Nine Network seized the opportunity to purchase the property in 1999, knowing that being able to film on a working farm would be fundamental to the success of the series.

Although the location remains the same as the telemovie, the characters in the series of McLeod's Daughters have been developed considerably and are played by a different cast.

Ex-cast member Bridie Carter, who played Tess Silverman McLeod, was a newcomer at the beginning of the series but became a household name along with fellow cast newcomer Rachael Carpani and ex-cast member Myles Pollard. Simmone Jade Mackinnon, who joined the cast at the end of 2003, has fast becoming a recognised name. The highly talented Michala Banas joined the core cast in 2004.

Sonia Todd and Aaron Jeffery complete the core cast and bring diverse experience in both television and features films — contributing immeasurably to what Posie refers to as "a well-balance cast". They are supported by experienced actors Marshall Napier and John Jarratt who play regular guest cast roles.

The four female leads carry the heart of each story throughout the series, which Posie believes reflects much of the truth of what's happening in Australia.

"The timing was right for this type of show - a rural-based series which showcases a predominately female cast and tells stories that reflect the lives and desires of contemporary Australian women," said Posie.

McLeod's Daughters is the first prime-time drama series to be filmed entirely in South Australia. The series, which is currently in its seventh series, is a co-production between Millennium Television and Nine Films and Television, produced with the assistance of the South Australian Film Corporation.

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McLEOD'S DAUGHTERS

ABOUT THE LOCATION AND PRODUCTION :

McLeod's Daughters is filmed on a working property located in the Light Regional District, between the townships of Gawler and Freeling, one hour north of Adelaide.

The property, Kingsford, is surrounded by 135 acres (55ha) of farming land, which Posie Graeme-Evans refers to as "our very own backlot".
Although originally part of a 30,000-acre (12,245ha) property, Kingsford has been used in recent years by the South Australian Government as a wheat research station. The Nine Network purchased the property in 1999.

The historical house was built from Edinburgh sandstone, transported to Australia as ship ballast. It took over 30 years to build and was finished in 1856.

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Production Designer Tony Cronin (Shine, Innocence) says the position of the property is perfect for filming. "It is isolated among the hills and gives a clear 360 degree view."

Although Kingsford was a grand property in its day, it is now quite run down - a look that was important for the production design of the series, as the McLeod family has no money for maintenance.

"The character is something you would spend a million dollars trying to re-create. The old buildings have warm orange colours in the stone from years of dust and red dirt," Cronin said.

The interior scenes set at Drovers Run are all filmed inside the house. Not only does this add to the authenticity of the production, it is also convenient, as the large rooms and high ceilings are ideal for filming.

Additional buildings on the property are used for Meg's cottage and Becky's quarters. The property also includes a machinery shed, shearing shed and stockyards.

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Kingsford was a working farm in its day. "Everything on the site was purpose-built for farming and adds an authenticity which would be hard to emulate on a set," said Cronin.

The yards and paddocks at Kingsford house the stock needed to create McLeod's Daughters. The property currently has 150 sheep, 100 cattle, 15 horses, working dogs and a team of stockmen headed by master animal wrangler Bill Willoughby.

Bill is resident at Kingsford with brother Jim and two other stockmen. The wranglers maintain the stock, double for stunts and teach the actors farming skills including riding, shearing, drenching and mustering.

"We know every aspect of station life," said Willoughby, who has worked in films for over 20 years. He worked on the telemovie of McLeod's Daughters in 1996 and plays an important role in authenticating the animal sequences in the series.

He says that keeping the stock on the property at Kingsford works well and helps the horses "to look like farm horses."

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Although the actors had little riding experience before the series began, Bill is happy with their progress, noting that Lisa Chappell and Bridie Carter are doing particularly well with their riding skills and other farming abilities.

The cinematography for McLeod's Daughters is vast and the composition is beautiful. Director of Photography, Roger Dowling has masterfully created the illusion that the series is shot on a 20,000 acre property in the Australian bush, instead of on a heritage estate, the size of a hobby farm, just one hour north of Adelaide.

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McLEOD'S DAUGHTERS

FANS OF THE SHOW WILL BE FAMILIAR WITH THESE SCENES :

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McLEOD'S DAUGHTERS

MORE FAMILIAR SCENES :

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My Note :

All photographs I have posted for these articles on McLeod's Daughters have been taken from the website of www.mcleodscountry.com.au and used with their kind permission.  Please visit their website for more photographs of their tours and tourists.

They organise custom designed tours where you can find out more about where many of the scenes are filmed for the television series McLeod's Daughters. You can also hear from those whose properties are used and also from those who have worked behind the scenes.
See the beautiful countryside and enjoy a country morning tea. You will be captivated by the history of the Light Region of South Australia.
You are sure to make some new Aussie friends and have plenty of time to chat about those memorable moments in the series.

Thanks for posting all this info for us Tibro.  Tyler is right, maybe some of us are thinking of moving, lol!  

Of course I liked the dog breeds of Australia best and those breeds are just so popular in this country, too.  The Australian shepherd is very popular here as a working dog, sort of.  Lots of guys seem to prefer that breed because they will mind so well.  I have seen several "guarding" trucks and they seem to belong to men.

Silky Terriers are just like great big Yorkies!  Love em and also the Australian Terrier which is sort of like Yorkie Carin?

Most of all I like all the photos you post.   I like to look at them when I am too tired to think late at night they are soothing.  Fun to imagine a place so far away and what it would be like to live there.  A young country full of adventure.

.

Hi Anna.  If you are thinking of moving - the bamboo grows well here too  :lol:  :lol:

Silky Terriers are supposed to be up to 10 inches at withers according to their standard.  The Aussie Terrier is about an inch shorter than the Scotties, Westies and Cairns.  Much wirier coat and a solid, no nonsense and tough little dog.

I left out the Aust Shepherd as they were not developed here but for the readers who are wondering what we are talking about here is their history. They are a recognised breed here now and can be shown.  Also I must find out more about those Basque Sheepherders.

SHORT HISTORICAL SURVEY - While there are many theories as to the origin of the Australian Shepherd, the breed as we know it today, developed exclusively in the United States.   The Australian Shepherd was given its name because of the association with Basque Sheepherders who came to the United States from Australia in the 1800's.

The Australian Shepherd's popularity rose steadily with the boom of western horseback riding after World War II which became known to the general public via rodeos, horse shows, movies and television shows.   Their inherent versatile and trainable personality made them assets to American farms and ranches.   The American stockman continued the development of the breed, maintaining its versatility, keen intelligence, strong herding instincts and eye-catching appearance that originally won their admiration.

Although each individual is unique in colour and markings, all Australian Shepherds show an unsurpassed devotion to their families.   Their many attributes have guaranteed the Australian Shepherd's continued popularity.

SHAME THEY DOCK THE TAILS :

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HERE IS A NICE MATCHING QUARTET

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I just wanted to tell you how much I have enjoyed your postings, not only here but throughout.

I found this neat story, and enjoyed it.  Interesting, very interesting.

Fri Apr 20, 10:46 AM ET

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australian rescuers were on Friday trying to solve the "Mary Celeste" style mystery of a yacht found floating off the coast with its engine running, food on its table ready to eat, but no crew.

 
The 12-meter (36 feet) catamaran was found 80 nautical miles off Townsville on the northeast coast, but there was no sign of the three crewmen who had set sail from Queensland state bound for Australia's west coast on Sunday.
"What they found was a bit strange in that everything was normal, there was just no sign of the crew," Jon Hall from emergency management in Queensland told local radio on Friday.

Hall said the yacht's sails were up but one was badly shredded. He said the engine was running, there was food on the table, a laptop was turned on, and the radio and global positioning satellite (GPS) were working.

Three life jackets and survival equipment, including an emergency beacon, were found on board, but no life rafts.

The Mary Celeste was an abandoned "ghost ship" found off the coast of Portugal in 1872. None of the Mary Celeste's crew or passengers were ever found.

The KAZ 11 was spotted adrift on the outer Great Barrier Reef on Wednesday. Rescue crews boarded the vessel on Friday but there was no sign of the three crew men, aged 56, 63 and 69.

Police said weather conditions at sea on Sunday and Monday were rough. "There was a fair sort of a wind out there but it's improved since then, so who knows what could've happened," said Police Chief Superintendent Roy Wall,.

Rescuers have retrieved the boat's GPS system to analyze data for clues to the mysterious disappearance of the crew.

"That will now enable us to track backwards where this yacht has actually been in the last few days, and we're hoping that can pinpoint the search area for the missing crew," said Hall

KILKIVAN GREAT HORSE RIDE

Annually on a Saturday in April close to Easter up to 1100 horses, riders and horse-drawn vehicles start from five points around Kilkivan Shire, travel 20 - 30kms through some of the most picturesque country in South-East Queensland, then meet up for the grand parade through Kilkivan township at 4.00 pm.

KILKIVAN is one of the few towns actually situated on the Bi-Centennial National Trail, which runs from Cooktown to Victoria, and this was the inspiration for establishing the annual Kilkivan Great Horse Ride in 1986.
The Kilkivan Great Horse Ride was first suggested by Widgee grazier and former Kilkivan Shire councillor Fabian Webb, who wanted people of all ages and riding ability, from all walks of life, to get involved with a recreational ride through the scenic country which makes up Kilkivan Shire. In 1988 the Queensland opening of the National Trail was incorporated into the ride and legendary late R M Williams was among the riders who followed the trail.

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Markets and street activities provide fun and entertainment in Kilkivan while spectators await the arrival of the horses. Following the parade, riders relax at the Tom Grady Campfire Concert at the Kilkivan showgrounds, with a fully licensed bar and catering by local community groups. The evening concert features the finals of the Toyota Kilkivan Country Talent Search sponsored by Toyota and Ken Mills Toyota. 2007 is the second year of this competition catering for up and coming country artists.

"Sunday is Funday" with  a wide range of horse-sports, a Team Penning Competition as well as Pony Club events for all ages and abilities, including Senior and Junior novelty events.

WAITING TO START ONE SECTION

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ALONG THE HANGING ROCK TRAIL

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THE GRAND PARADE

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Thanks for your interest Tyler.  I enjoy finding articles and hunting for suitable pictures.  I try to keep them varied and not just what I am most interested in.........
That is a mystery about the missing men on that boat.  Will try to see if there is any more up to date news in the morning.  Spooky.

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UPDATE FROM THE SUNDAY MAIL NEWSPAPER

WITHOUT A TRACE

Sonia Campbell, David Murray and Kay Dibben
April 22, 2007 12:00am

THE mystery deepened yesterday into the fate of the crew of a north Queensland ghost yacht with boating experts questioning whether they were victims of their own inexperience, piracy, a fatal swim or freak squall.

The chilling disappearance of skipper Des Batten, 56, Peter Tunstead, 69, and his brother James, 63 – all from Western Australia – has baffled emergency services and the yachting community. Their 9.8m catamaran, Kaz II, was found unmanned and adrift on Wednesday about 160km off Townsville, where it was towed for testing by police forensic officers. Helicopters and two boats joined a scaled-down search for the trio yesterday along the coastline between Airlie Beach, from where they set sail on their ill-fated voyage last Sunday morning, and north of Bowen, as hopes of finding the trio alive began to fade.

While police said the crew of Kaz II most likely had been washed overboard after hitting rough seas and strong winds last Sunday, rescuers reported finding the men's clothing in neat piles on the boat's rear deck – as if they had gone swimming.

As families of the victims arrived in Townsville yesterday searching for answers, police admitted they were baffled by the mystery of what happened.  "There is very little hope that they would have survived at this stage if they were still in the water, so we're concentrating on the coastline just in case they made it to shore," Chief Supt Roy Wall said.
Data collected from GPS systems on board the vessel indicated the yacht was on course last Sunday morning after departing Shute Harbour at Airlie Beach, but had struck trouble that afternoon.
"The vessel in the early part of Sunday was on course, but later on during the day it appears that it's just been tracking in a slightly different direction," Chief Supt Wall said.

When the yacht was boarded, its engine was running, a laptop computer sat switched on inside, navigational equipment and plotting gear were laid out and all safety gear was on board. Police denied previous reports that food was on a dining table ready to eat. Chief Supt Wall said the men could have been swept overboard in rough conditions. "We really don't know for sure and it's probably dangerous to speculate but obviously they've become separated from their vessel, it's as simple as that," he said.

"There's no indication whatsoever of anything untoward, no sign of a struggle or a fight. There doesn't appear to be any blood or anything like that. Everything seems to be quite intact.  We may never ever know exactly how it all unfolded. There are a number of scenarios. One of them could have been fishing and may have fallen in and the others might have tried to rescue him. Who knows? They were obviously long-term friends. It would be obvious that they would help each other if they were in strife."

But Emergency Management Queensland helicopter rescue crewman Phil Livingstone told The Sunday Mail clothes had been found neatly placed on the rear deck, suggesting the men may have gone for a swim. "There were neatly placed shorts, sunglasses, cap, sitting on the back deck, unruffled like they'd just gone for a swim," Mr Livingstone said. "Alongside the clothing was a fishing rod with its line in the water."

The only thing out of place aboard the catamaran was its badly ripped sail.

The Travel Channel is featuring Australia this evening.

Should be interesting.

.

Good viewing, Anna.
You can watch for familiar places or note any you need more info on for this thread  :wink:  :wink:

TARGA TASMANIA

SOMETHING FOR THE MOTOR SPORT FANS
17 - 22 April 2007

In 2007 Targa Tasmania celebrates its 16th anniversary, hallmarking the historic staging of what has become one of the ‘must do’ tarmac rallies on the world’s motorsport calendar.

Targa Tasmania is an exciting International Classic. It is a tarmac rally with competitive stages on closed roads for the best touring, sports and GT cars in the world. Its inaugural year was in April 1992 when Tasmania hosted this distinguished International motoring classic.

The competition concept is drawn directly from the best features of the Mille Miglia, the Coupe des Alpes and the Tour de Corse. However, Targa Tasmania is not a slow-motion re-run. It is a genuine "red-blooded" motor sport competition. It is also a unique annual opportunity for the owners of sports cars and GTs to drive them the way they were designed to be driven, on some of the most exciting and challenging tarmac roads in the world.

Targa Tasmania caters for up to 300 select cars including many overseas competitors. Entries are selected from Applications to Compete, by a Vehicle Selection Committee. Invitations to Compete in each year's Event are announced on a progressive basis from August through to March (close of applications).  Targa Tasmania has quickly established itself as an annual event, conducted in April each year. The present format is to conduct the event over five days plus a Prologue on some 2,000 kilometers of tarmac roads.

Targa Tasmania entrants comprise a wide range of media-attracting personalities including former World Champions and other well-known motor sport competitors from both Australia and overseas, as well as national and international celebrities. In short, this is not only a competitive motor sport event. It is a unique commercial and tourist attraction capturing the imagination of the Australian public as well as the national and international motor sport fraternity.

Tourism Tasmania has announced that more than 200,000 people per annum watch Targa Tasmania each year over the five days, while an international viewing audience of over 480 millions has been estimated for each event.

Targa Tasmania has the support and backing of the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport (CAMS) as well as the Federation International de l' Automobile (FIA). The Tasmanian Government rates this special event as having a substantial commercial contribution as well and being a major tourist attraction to the State, and active support is provided by the Department of State Development. Thus, Targa Tasmania is another example of the successful partnership between Government and Motor Sport, attracting between $5 and $10 million new tourist dollars to Tasmania each year.

The goal of organisers, Octagon, and the Tasmanian Government has been achieved - to see Targa Tasmania develop into the premier motor sport event of its type in Australia, ranking alongside the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne and Rally Australia in Perth.


QUADRIPLEGICS SET TO RACE IN TARGA TASMANIA

Contributor: AQA Victoria.Source: AQA Victoria.Posted: 11-04-2007
Targa Tasmania is an exciting international classic car race / rally drive held annually in Tasmania. The event in 2007 commences on Tuesday 17 April and includes the best sports and GT cars in the world.This year, the six day event will again see the entry of two drivers who have a spinal cord injury – SCI Team Targa Tasmania. In 2006, the team successfully overcame all odds to complete the Targa and become the first ever 'disabled entry' to achieve such a goal.Alan Stevenson, a quadriplegic since 2001 after an accident, had a vision for some time to participate in Targa Tasmania. With his motor racing skills, determination, ingenuity and knowledge of spinal cord injury, it all came to fruition.He is being joined by Nazim Erdem, also a quadriplegic caused by a diving accident. Nazim is a two time Paralympian in Wheelchair Rugby who works at AQA Victoria (a support organisation for people with spinal cord injury) has enlisted support from AQA to assist Alan fulfill this challenge.They both aim to show others, including the general public and others with disability, that 'life with a disability isn’t a dead end'. Hopefully by creating awareness they will be able to get their message across.

TARGA TASMANIA

SOME OF THE 2007 COMPETITORS

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ANZAC DAY

Australian war historian C.E.W. Bean attributes the acronym ANZAC to a Lieutenant A.T. White, one of General Birdwood’s ‘English clerks’. The first official sanction for its use was at Birdwood’s request to denote where the Corps had established a bridgehead on the Gallipoli Peninsula. However, there is little argument that ANZAC was first used as a simple code in Egypt. A later historical work, Gallipoli, by the English historian Robert Rhodes James states:
Two Australian Sergeants, Little and Millington had cut a rubber stamp with the initials ‘A & NZAC’ for the purpose of registering papers at the Corps headquarters, situated in Shepheard’s Hotel, Cairo. When a code name was requested for the Corps, a British officer, a Lt. White, suggested ANZAC. Little later claimed that he made the original suggestion to White. It was in general use by January 1915.

Whatever its origin, the acronym ANZAC became famous with the landing of the Corps on the Gallipoli Peninsula at the Dardanelles, on 25 April 1915. It has since become synonymous with the determination and spirit of our armed forces. The significance of the day, and the acronym, in Australia’s heritage is probably best stated by Dr. Bean in the following excerpt from his official war history:
It was not merely that 7600 Australians and nearly 2500 New Zealanders had been killed or mortally wounded there, and 24,000 more (19,000 Australians and 5,000 New Zealanders) had been wounded, while fewer than 100 were prisoners. But the standards set by the first companies at the first call - by the stretcher-bearers, the medical officers, the staff, the company leaders, the privates, the defaulters on the water barges, the Light Horse at The Nek - this was already part of the tradition not only of ANZAC but of the Australian and New Zealand peoples. By dawn on 20 December, ANZAC had faded into a dim blue line lost amid other hills on the horizon as the ships took their human freight to Imbros, Lemnos and Egypt. But ANZAC stood, and still stands, for reckless valour in a good cause, for enterprise, resourcefulness, fidelity, comradeship and endurance that will never own defeat.

The acronym survived Gallipoli. I and II ANZAC Corps fought in France and the ANZAC Mounted Division fought in Palestine. The decision to separate the Australian and New Zealand components of the ANZAC Corps was taken on 14 November 1917 when it was announced that the Corps would cease to exist from January 1918. An Australian Corps was then created to absorb the Australian divisions.
There was a brief period during World War 2 when ANZAC was resurrected. On 12 April 1941 in Greece, General Blamey declared I Australian Corps to be the ANZAC Corps, much to the delight of its Australian and New Zealand formations.

ANZAC was again a reality during the Vietnam conflict where, in the late 1960s and early 1970s, an ANZAC battalion served in Phuoc Tuy Province. These battalions were created by absorbing two companies and supporting elements from The Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment into a battalion of the Royal Australian Regiment (RAR). Our 2nd, 4th and 6th Battalions held the distinction of being titled, for example, 2RAR/NZ (ANZAC) Battalion

The ANZAC Day Dawn Service has become an integral part of commemorations on 25 April. However, credit for its origin is divided between the Reverend Arthur Ernest White of Albany, WA and Captain George Harrington of Toowoomba, Queensland.
Reverend White was a padre of the earliest ANZACs to leave Australia with the First AIF in November 1914. The convoy assembled at Albany’s King George Sound in WA and at 4 am on the morning of their departure, he conducted a service for all men. After the war, White gathered some 20 men at dawn on 25 April 1923 on Mt Clarence overlooking King George Sound and silently watched a wreath floating out to sea. He then quietly recited the words ‘As the sun rises and goeth down we will remember them’. All were deeply moved and the news of the ceremony soon spread. White is quoted as saying that ‘Albany was the last sight of land these ANZAC troops saw after leaving Australian shores and some of them never returned. We should hold a service (here) at the first light of dawn each ANZAC Day to commemorate them.’
At 4 am on ANZAC morning 1919 in Toowoomba, Captain Harrington and a group of friends visited all known graves and memorials of men killed in action in World War 1 and placed flowers (not poppies) on the headstones. Afterwards they toasted their mates with a rum. In 1920 and 1921 these men followed a similar pattern but adjourned to Picnic Point at the top of the range and toasted their mates until the first rays of dawn appeared. A bugler sounded the ‘Last Post’ and ‘Reveille’

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(Above) One of the few photos taken during the landing at ANZAC Cove, Gallipoli. (AWM J3022)  By kind permission of the Australian War Memorial, Canberra

SIMPSON AND HIS DONKEY

Twenty-two years old, English-born and a trade union activist, John Simpson Kirkpatrick was an unlikely figure to become a national hero. Having deserted from the merchant navy in 1910, he tramped around Australia and worked in a variety of jobs. He enlisted in the AIF, expecting this would give him the chance to get back to England; instead, Private Simpson found himself at ANZAC Cove on 25 April 1915, and was killed less than four weeks later.

Simpson would not have made a good peacetime soldier, and he was recklessly independent in war. Instructed to recover and help the wounded he undertook this work enthusiastically. Famously, he used a small donkey called Duffy to carry men down from the front line, often exposing himself to fire. Simpson and his donkey became famous among the Australian soldiers at Gallipoli because of their bravery. Day after day Simpson and his donkey would wind their way through the hills and valleys looking for wounded soldiers. Even though it was very dangerous, Simpson would crawl on his belly and drag soldiers back to safety. He would then put the injured soldier on the donkey’s back and lead him down to the beach. One day Duffy came down to the beach with a soldier on his back, but without Simpson. Simpson had been killed trying to save another soldier. The donkey somehow knew that even though his friend was dead, Simpson would have wanted him to take the injured man to safety.

The bravery of this "man with the donkey" soon became the most prominent symbol of Australian courage and tenacity on Gallipoli. Although Simpson carried no arms and remains an enigmatic figure, the nature of his sacrifice made a vital contribution to the story of ANZAC. Simpson’s actions are regarded as the highest expression of mateship, and he remains one of Australia’s best known historical figures.

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(Above) This photograph is the only authentic one of Simpson and Duffy in action in Shrapnel Gully, Gallipoli. (AWM A03114) By kind permission of the Australian War Memorial, Canberra

ANZAC BISCUITS

1 Cup Flour
155 gms Butter
1 Cup Rolled Oats
1 Level Teaspoon Bicarb Soda
1 Cup Coconut
1 Tablespoon Golden Syrup
1 Cup Sugar
2 Tablespoons Water

Combine flour, oats, coconut and sugar. Add melted butter. Mix syrup, bicarb soda and hot water and add to other ingredients. Mix well. Drop in small pieces on greased tray. Bake in slow to moderate oven 10 - 20 minutes. Allow to cool slightly on tray before removing.

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During World War 1, the wives, mothers and girlfriends of the Australian soldiers were concerned for the nutritional value of the food being supplied to their men. Here was a problem. Any food they sent to the fighting men had to be carried in the ships of the Merchant Navy. Most of these were lucky to maintain a speed of ten knots. Most had no refrigerated facilities, so any food sent had to be able to remain edible after periods in excess of two months. A body of women came up with the answer - a biscuit with all the nutritional value possible. The basis was a Scottish recipe using rolled oats. These oats were used extensively in Scotland, especially for a heavy porridge that helped counteract the extremely cold climate.
The ingredients they used were: rolled oats, sugar, plain flour, coconut, butter, golden syrup or treacle, bi-carbonate of soda and boiling water. All these items did not readily spoil. At first the biscuits were called Soldiers’ Biscuits, but after the landing on Gallipoli, they were renamed ANZAC Biscuits.
A point of interest is the lack of eggs to bind the ANZAC biscuit mixture together. Because of the war, many of the poultry farmers had joined the services, thus, eggs were scarce. The binding agent for the biscuits was golden syrup or treacle. Eggs that were sent long distances were coated with a product called ke peg (like Vaseline) then packed in air tight containers filled with sand to cushion the eggs and keep out the air.
As the war drew on, many groups like the CWA (Country Women’s Association), church groups, schools and other women’s organisations devoted a great deal of time to the making of ANZAC biscuits. To ensure that the biscuits remained crisp, they were packed in used tins, such as Billy Tea tins.
ANZAC biscuits are still made today. They can also be purchased from supermarkets and specialty biscuit shops. Around ANZAC Day, these biscuits are also often used by veterans’ organisations to raise funds for the care and welfare of aged war veterans.

YACHT THREE "KIDNAPPED"

Christine Flatley ..April 25, 2007 12:00am .. Article from: The Courier-Mail

RELATIVES of the skipper of a mystery yacht found off the coast of north Queensland believe the three missing crew members may have been kidnapped.

Hope Himing, niece of Derek Batten, 56, said yesterday there were many unusual circumstances that suggested foul play in regard to the yacht, which was found adrift off the coast of Townsville last Wednesday.

Emergency service crews found the engine running, computers turned on and the GPS system operating but no sign of the boat's crew.

"It just doesn't all add up," Ms Himing said her family dismissed police suggestions that her uncle, known to the family as "Des", and his crew members – brothers Peter and James Tunstead, aged 69 and 63, all from Perth – were washed overboard in bad weather.

She said she strongly believed that the 9.8m catamaran Kaz II was boarded, and the trio may have been kidnapped.

"It looks like they've been boarded," she said.

Ms Himing said she held grave fears for the trio's safety, but believed they were still alive. She said the families would continue to search Airlie Beach and the surrounding islands until they had closure.

"My mum and I are both spiritualists. My mum's had a really strong feeling from Des that he's somewhere dark and he can't see and I don't feel that he's dead either," she said.

Ms Himing said the families of all three crew members felt that authorities had called off the search too quickly.

LOGIES TO HONOUR IRWIN

April 25, 2007 02:00am...Article from: The Courier-Mail

CROCODILE Hunter Steve Irwin is to be posthumously honoured for revolutionising the wildlife documentary industry with induction into Australian TV's Hall of Fame at next month's Logie Awards.
The TV presenter built a loyal worldwide following as he shared his passion for wildlife conservation in his TV series and a feature film.

His widow Terri will accept the award while daughter Bindi, whose own wildlife series begins airing in the US in June, will present the award for most outstanding children's program.

The awards will be held in Melbourne on May 6.

"Our documentaries started airing in Australia, and we were only ever going to do one episode about crocodiles and, in a very short period of time, we'd done 10 episodes to tremendous ratings," Terri Irwin told TV Week.

She said people had become detached from wildlife in recent history and it was a "point of pride" for Steve that he was considered a pioneer of his genre.

"Changing the face of television and bringing wildlife back into people's living rooms in a hands-on way was so important to him," she said.

The Hall of Fame award goes to a nationally known individual or program for "an outstanding and sustained contribution to Australian television".

Terri and Bindi Irwin appear today on the cover of The Australian Women's Weekly wearing elegant gowns, and tell the magazine that fond memories of Steve were helping them overcome the grief of losing him.

"My grief comes easily, but I keep putting one foot in front of the other as there are so many things I want to accomplish," Terri tells the magazine.

She says Bindi and her brother Bob need her more than ever since their father's passing.

"I need to be there for them, and they need me to be there, too," she says.

Here you go, Mishy.  This will explain "hooning"   :lol:  :lol:

CAMERAS TARGET HOONS

By Chris Griffith...April 25, 2007 12:00am...Article from: The Courier-Mail

A QUEENSLAND road safety group is offering "hoon removal kits" to help frustrated households rid their neighborhood of reckless drivers.
For $150-$200, residents upset by the antics of hoons will be able to hire a ‘’consultant’’ to film them with specially made cameras.

The cameras take 10 still photos per second, can snap number plates clearly even where cars travel at high speeds,and offer evidence that can be tendered in court, says the organisation.

Roadside Watch founder Loraine McElligott said the group was interviewing former Queensland Police Officers and private investigators who would provide the ‘’hoon removal’’ consultancy service and operate the cameras.

The controversial service will see roadside video surveillance not just a police activity but also in the hands of private citizens.

In a double whammy to dangerous drivers, parents concerned about their teenage children’s driving habits will be able to mount the same high speed cameras in their cars as monitoring devices.

She said that in the United States, parents had mounted cameras in cars in states where breaches of law could lead to a parental car being confiscated

"The parents know what is going on in the car before the police arrive on the doorstep.’’

She said the two special cameras would be trialled this weekend.

"We’re going to do a test run this weekend. We’ve just imported two cameras from the States,’’ Ms McElligott said.

She said Roadside Watch had written to police ministers around the country who had been supportive of the group’s aims while not necessarily endorsing its tactics.

"We got these cameras from OBS (on Board Security) in the States and they offer evidence that’s usable in court,’’ Ms McElligott said.

She said evidence of driving offences, and dangerous spins and wheelies would be available to police.

“We’ve also had a good response from police at the local level and higher level.’’

She said the group had established a blog for hoons to hear their side of the story.

"I don’t have a problem with them chatting on our site. It opens up the project. They say they have a right to let off steam on the road.’’

Ms McElligott said frustrated residents knew exactly where and when hoons would be operating, and therefore getting them on camera was likely to be relatively straight forward, whatever the time of day or night.

She said Roadside Watch planned to make its business national and offer consultants with their cameras in each state.

MAGPIES

The piping shrike is also known as the white-backed magpie. Magpies can roughly be divided into white-backed and black-backed. The white-backed magpie is largely confined to western and southern Australia. (Kaplan, 2004).

There are at least four different subspecies of Australian magpie:
·...The Black-backed Magpie found in Queensland and New South Wales, right across the Top End and most of arid Western Australia. In the future the black-backed race may be further split into four separate races, as there are regional differences between them.
·...The White-backed Magpie  found in Victoria, South Australia, and outback NSW.
·...The Tasmanian Magpie.
·...The Western Magpie  in the fertile south-west corner of Western Australia.

At least two of the races were originally classified as separate species, but they are cross-fertile and hybridise readily. Where their territories cross, hybrid grey or striped-backed magpies are quite common. Magpies mate across the year, but generally in winter. Nesting takes place in winter and spring is the season when the babies are looked after. By late summer the babies either make their own clan or separate from their parents whilst staying in the same clan.

Magpies are known to "dive-bomb" people or animals who venture too close to their nesting sites.  They can inflict nasty wounds and protective headgear is necessary if walking or cycling through their territory.

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NUMBAT

Numbats (also known as Walpurti) are small marsupials, which feed almost solely on termites. Because of this, they are also known as the Banded Anteater. When fully grown, they reach about 40 cms from nose to tail.

They inhabit woodlands in Western Australia, this is the only state in which they are found in the wild. To improve numbat numbers, they are also bred in captivity at the Perth Zoo. However, a new colony has now been established in South Australia. The area in which they live have a high termite population, and each numbat can consume up to 20,000 per day! Numbats have a long snout, and this helps them to find termites in soil. They also have a long tongue which aids when feeding on termites.

Numbats are one of the few marsupials who are active during the day.
Numbats were critically endangered a few years ago, but populations have now increased. With their unique look, it makes them a very popular animal. Their body is covered in reddish-brown fur, and has white bands running across. They have long bushy tails, about the length of their body

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WEDGE-TAIL EAGLE

Wedge-tail eagles are among the world's largest eagles with a wingspan of up to 2.5 metres. They are relatively common all over the Australian mainland, in Tasmania and southern New Guinea, except in densely populated areas. To get off the ground they use an active flapping flight, but once airborne these eagles use thermal updrafts to carry them effortlessly aloft and gracefully spiral upwards to great heights.

Australia has three species of eagle, the Little Eagle (Hieraetus morphnoides), the White-bellied Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster) and the largest, the Wedge-tailed Eagle (Aquila audax - literally 'bold eagle'). Wedge-tails prefer open woodland, but are found exploiting a range of habitats from arid desert to grasslands, mountainous areas, and even rainforest.

Easily identified by their size (up to 3.2 kg for males and 4.2kg for females), Wedge-tails are known as booted or trousered eagles thanks to the heavy feather 'trousers' covering their legs. They are also characterised by finger-like wing feathers and, of course, a long wedge-shaped tail. Young birds can be distinguished by their light brown plumage and golden highlights; the plumage of older birds tends to darken to near black at sexual maturity between five and seven years.

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BORONIA

The large family of plants which includes the genus Boronia is distributed over many parts of the world. Botanically the family is known as the Rutaceae and it includes a number of commercially important plants such as the citrus group of fruit trees (oranges, lemons, lime, etc) and popular ornamental plants such as Diosma which is native to South Africa. Within Australia there are about 40 genera, many of which are cultivated. The most widely cultivated of these are the genera in the "Boronia group".
Generally the Boronia group comprises plants of open forests and woodlands. They only rarely are to be found in rainforests or in arid areas. Overall the group is distributed throughout Australia but certain genera within the group may be restricted in their distribution (eg Correa is not found in Western Australia).

The flowers are bisexual and usually have four or five petals but it is not unusual for some of the flowers on a particular plant to have an abnormal number of petals. In some cases the petals are fused into a bell-like tube while in others the petals are small and the stamens are the conspicuous parts of the flowers, similar to the flowers of the well known but unrelated genera Callistemon and Melaleuca. The number of stamens either equals the number of petals or is twice the number of petals. The fruits contain hard, waxy seeds which are expelled over a wide area when ripe.

The Boronia group of plants are usually small to medium sized shrubs; none would reach even small tree proportions. A feature of most of the group is the presence of aromatic oils in the foliage and, in some cases, the flowers. When crushed or brushed against, the foliage gives off quite a strong aroma. In most cases this is an attractive feature but a few people find the very strong aroma of some species to be unpleasant. A number of the boronias have a very attractive perfume with the "Brown Boronia", being the most famous.

LEDUM BORONIA

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BROWN BORONIA

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BORONIA MICROPHYLLA

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HARLEQUIN BORONIA

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SOFT BORONIA

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"ODDBALL" IDEA PROTECTS ISLAND PENGUIN POPULATION

Story by Lorna Edwards

A South-West Victorian chicken farmer known as Swampy and his dog Oddball may have found a way to save some of Australia's endangered wildlife from predators.

After Warrnambool's once-flourishing penguin population was decimated by foxes and dogs until only 27 remained, Allan "Swampy" Marsh hatched a radical plan to save the birds. His four maremma sheepdogs had been protecting his chickens against predators for a decade. He figured they could do the same for the penguins.
"The difficulty was trying to convince all the wildlife wallies to think outside the square," Mr Marsh said. "It's not an altruistic view of penguins or chooks but an ingrained sense of territory that makes maremma dogs work, and it is far stronger in these dogs than any other domesticated breed."

Oddball's stint as guardian of Middle Island's colony last month was a success. At the end of the month, 70 pairs of happy feet were counted returning to the island. About 2000 penguins inhabited the island in the 1990s.

"The poor little buggers have copped such a hiding," Mr Marsh said. "Oddy is really protective of the chooks, so to her the penguins were only chooks in dinner suits."

Highly territorial dogs, maremmas have been bred in Italy to guard livestock for 2000 years. They instinctively ward off intruders such as foxes and dogs.

The trial's success has generated interest from overseas. The use of guard animals such as maremmas — and even alpacas, which also deter foxes — is now being considered to save other endangered species such as the eastern barred bandicoot.

Oddball's first encounter with a penguin resulted in a peck on the nose.
But they soon learnt to live in harmony, with Oddball sleeping metres from the penguins' burrows. "They pretty quickly got used to the fact there was a new smell on the island," said Mr Marsh, who also camped on the island.
Warrnambool City Council environment officer Ian Fitzgibbon said the community was excited by the trial's success and its implications for wildlife.

"The penguins are part of the Warrnambool community and everyone feels pretty strongly about them," he said. "People see maremmas as a conservation technique that could be used with other animals suffering from predation."

The council closed Middle Island to the public during the trial amid concerns that the dog might attack people. Department of Sustainability and Environment regional biodiversity manager Craig Whiteford said the concept could be adapted to protect shearwater, gannet and other penguin colonies along the coast, as well as the eastern barred bandicoot in the Hamilton area. "We've adapted a normal agricultural process into conservation of an animal and we don't know that that has happened before with native species," he said. "There is global interest in this little trial."

The council and DSE are now considering a year-long trial at Middle Island, using two maremma puppies recently acquired by Mr Marsh.
With Oddball back guarding her chooks and interview requests trickling in from overseas, Mr Marsh said he was chuffed she had become the "Paris Hilton" of the animal world. "From the point of view of having introduced a new idea to the conservation community and opened a lot of closed minds, I feel really proud," he said.

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Oddball the maremma and Allan "Swampy" Marsh at Middle Island in Warrnambool. The chicken-loving dog spent last month guarding the island's penguin colony, with great success. Photo: Robin Sharrock

Awwww, they are so pretty, such nice coloring and all!

Beautiful markings too, Elaine.  You can see the differences in the black lines on the individuals cubs faces.  I have been checking the website but no new photos yet.  Hope they print some soon otherwise the cubs will have grown quite big.

THE AUSTRALIAN WINE INDUSTRY

Australian wine has won an international reputation for quality and value. Australian wines have taken key international awards, competing favourably against longer-established national wine industries. Innovative Australian winemakers are sought internationally for their expertise.
Australia produces a full range of favoured wine styles from full-bodied reds and deep fruity whites through to sparkling, dessert and fortified styles. Prized Australian bottlings grace the menus of many of the world's leading restaurants, while popular varietal and blended wines compete on the shelves of wine shops and supermarkets in some 80 countries around the world.

Wine-grape growing and winemaking are carried out in each of the six States and two mainland Territories of Australia. The principal production areas are located in the south-east quarter of the Australian continent, in the states of South Australia, New South Wales and Victoria.

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The older-established concentrations of productive wineries in South Australia's Barossa Valley, in the Hunter River region north of Sydney in New South Wales and in Victoria played a major role in the development of the industry and continue to be important sources of fine wines. However, wine is produced in over 60 regions, reflecting the wide range of climates and soil types available in the continent. These include areas such as Mudgee, the Murrumbidgee and Murray River valleys (New South Wales); the Southern Vales, Clare Valley and Riverland (South Australia); and Rutherglen and Yarra Valleys (Victoria). The States of Western Australia, Tasmania and Queensland have smaller wine industries, which have grown rapidly in volume, quality and reputation. The Canberra region, near Australia's national capital, has a recognised cool-climate wine industry.

A generous range of grape varieties goes into the making of Australian wine. In 2003-04 Shiraz was the most-produced variety, followed by Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. Premium white varieties other than Chardonnay include Semillon, Riesling and Colombard. Main red wine varieties other than Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon include Merlot, Grenache and Pinot Noir.

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Wine is very much a part of Australian life, closely associated with both business and leisure. Wine consumption is often linked to the country's outdoor-oriented lifestyle as well as to the cosmopolitan urban way of life of the bulk of the Australian population.
Wine festivals are a feature of cultural life in the major wine producing regions of Australia and draw many Australian holidaymakers and international visitors each year.

The first vines arrived with the first European settlers to Australia in 1788. Initially wines were produced in the coastal region around the fledgling city of Sydney. John Macarthur established the earliest commercial vineyard.
In 1822 Gregory Blaxland shipped 136 litres of wine to London, where it was awarded the silver medal by the forerunner of the Royal Society of Arts. Five years later a larger shipment of Blaxland's wine won the gold Ceres medal.

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Planting of vines accompanied the spread of European settlement across the Australian continent, and by the beginning of the 20th century Australia was exporting some 4.5 million litres of mainly full-bodied dry red wines to the United Kingdom.

The end of the Second World War saw a rapid influx of migrants from Europe who brought with them a strong culture related to wine. This provided an important impetus to the Australian wine industry.
However it is the period 1996 to 2004 that has seen spectacular growth in exports following rapidly increasing appreciation of Australian wines overseas. Major wine producers from abroad have invested in Australian wineries and Australian companies have taken controlling interests in wineries in countries such as France and Chile.

AIN’T NOTHIN’ BUT A HANGDOG

Martin Philip..May 01, 2007 12:00am..Article from: The Courier Mail

EIGHT-year-old blue heeler Patch is one old dog that can be taught new tricks. Perched high on a hang-glider above Rex Lookout near Cairns in Norther Queensland,  the versatile cattle dog looks every bit the seasoned pro he is But Patch isn't just a hang-gliding hound. The 12-flight veteran is also an accomplished motorcyclist and surfer, not to mention an old hand at the job he was bred for – rounding up cattle.

Professional hang-gliding instructor Greg Newnham has owned Patch since he was five weeks old, but waited until he turned two before taking him on his maiden voyage. It's not where a dog should be, I think they're happier on the ground, but to come up with me and see what I do, I think that puts the whole world in a different perspective for him," Mr Newnham said.

After Patch passed his first aerial test with flying colours, Cairns-based Mr Newnham set about equipping him with a set of skills usually reserved for Hollywood stuntmen. "I taught him to ride a surfboard, he rides on the front and on the back of motorbikes and he's good on cattle as well – he's a jack-of-all-trades," he said.

Patch is strapped into a training harness before taking to the skies. The unflappable bluey is a better learner than a lot of his hang-gliding students, according to Mr Newnham – a hang-gliding veteran of 23 years. "He's easier to handle, there's less weight to carry and he doesn't talk as much," he said.

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IRWIN TEAM TO CATCH LA ALLIGATOR

Peter Mitchell…May 02, 2007 12:00am…Article from: AAP

STEVE Irwin's expert crew of Australian crocodile wranglers are set to fly to Los Angeles to catch one of the city's most elusive rogues - Reggie the alligator.
LA residents were stunned yesterday when news broke that Reggie, a 2m long alligator, was spotted swimming in Lake Machado, a popular inner-city lake.
Reggie was last seen in the lake 18 months ago and Irwin, who was visiting LA at the time, vowed to catch the reptile before it attacked a jogger or picnicker.
LA City Council contacted the late Crocodile Hunter's manager, John Stainton, in Australia yesterday to ask if Irwin's crack crew of wranglers at Queensland's Australia Zoo could trap Reggie.
"They have shown initial excitement about this," LA councilwoman Janice Hahn told AAP today.
"They felt like it would be a great way to honour Steve's memory and fulfill his promise.
"We're in discussions right now and they're going to call us back when they have a sense of when they could come over."
In LA, a city filled with celebrities, Reggie has created his own cult status.
Hundreds of locals lined the lake today with binoculars, hoping to spot the elusive reptile, while local TV stations led their news bulletins with the Reggie sighting.
US authorities allege the alligator was owned by a former LA policeman, Todd Natow, who kept it as a backyard pet, but when Reggie grew too big Natow dumped it in the 16-hectare Lake Machado.
Natow has pleaded not guilty to misdemeanour charges tied to Reggie's possession and lake release.
If Reggie is captured he will likely be housed at LA Zoo.
Reggie shocked locals when he was first spotted swimming in the lake in August 2005, but two months later he disappeared until yesterday's sighting.
Hahn and LA city officials and residents are dumbfounded about where Reggie may have been hiding.
"I want to talk to Steve's crocodile guys to give me a sense where Reggie has been all this time," Hahn said.
Irwin, who was killed by a stingray on Queensland's Great Barrier Reef last September, toured Lake Machado in a small boat with Hahn in early 2006 searching for Reggie.
"Steve knew we were in quite a predicament since we were very unfamiliar with alligators," Hahn said.
"Steve was such a gentleman and so gracious.
"I loved my hour with him.
"Steve said 'I want to help Los Angeles'.
"All of LA felt connected with him and when he passed away the city was devastated."
Hahn said she did not know if Steve's wife, Terri, and budding TV star daughter, Bindi, would join the Reggie expedition.
"That would be so sweet if they could come over," Hahn said.
Details of who would pay for Irwin's crew to fly to LA were still to be finalised.
"We'll work all that stuff out," Hahn said.
"If they can come, we'll try to figure it out."
Adding to the folklore of Reggie, LA Council had enlisted a motley crew of American crocodile trappers to catch Reggie, but all failed.
"We've had our share of 'gator wranglers," Hahn laughed.
"One of them had escaped from jail."

OBESITY PILL DEVELOPED FOR DOGS

May 02, 2007 01:31pm…Article from: AAP

OVERWEIGHT dogs may soon get a scientific leg-up to help shed unwanted puppy fat after an Australian company's animal weight-loss drug passed initial tests.
Perth-based Stirling Products Ltd's R-salbutamol drug was trialled on 15 beagles in the US, each losing 3 per cent weight loss a week, the company said.
Stirling chief executive and managing director Calvin London said it was early days in the drug's development.
"Phase one established an initial dose range that was considered safe to administer to dogs without any clinical side-effects and the second phase tested both high and low dose options in reducing the weight of overweight dogs," said Dr London.
"While it is early days, these results are extremely encouraging and we know we can enhance the effectiveness of R-salbutamol even further with revised formulations in studies."
The company will now tweak the formulation before more extensive trials.
If the second phase of testing is successful, the company will seek approval from the US Food and Drug Administration - a stage Dr London hoped to reach in about two years.
Should R-salbutamol make it to the supermarket shelves, the spoils won't be small (dog) biscuits.
About 35 per cent of US dogs and cats are considered to be overweight or obese, a statistic mirrored in Australia and Europe, Stirling said.
The market for anti-obesity drugs for pets is estimated to be worth more than $US200 million ($242.17 million) in the US alone.

CRADLE MOUNTAIN

Cradle Mountain is the central feature of the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park, part of Tasmania's World Heritage area. The park covers an area of 124 942 ha which is characterised by a rugged, glaciated landscape with over 25 major peaks and a wide range of glacial formations - tarns, glacial lakes, moraine deposits, U-shaped valleys and waterfalls.  The area was glaciated during the last ice age (about 10 000 years ago) when a huge 6 km ice cap formed and glaciers flowed from its edges carving the landscape into dramatic shapes with their inexorable erosive powers.

The mountain is one of the favourite features in the park and is surrounded by stands of native deciduous beech (wonderfully colourful in autumn), rainforest, alpine heathlands and buttongrass. Icy streams cascade down the mountainsides, and ancient pines are reflected in the still glacial lakes.  Here you see the face of creation all around you in the mirror lakes and rugged mountain peaks. And you don't need to be an environmentalist to feel humble in the towering presence of a King Billy Pine - over 1,000 years old yet still a relative newcomer to these ancient forests At night time the nocturnal animals which inhabit the park - the Tasmanian devil and possums can be seen.  There are also pademelons and Bennet's wallabies in the area.

The first human settlement of the region occurred when the local Aborigines moved into the highlands as the glaciers began retreating. The extensive button grass plains are a legacy of their extensive use of fire to clear pathways through the rugged terrain and to aid hunting by attracting animals to the tender shoots of the new vegetation.  Early reports of the Aborigines in the area tell of recently burnt vegetation and well constructed huts of bark some of which were still standing 25 years after the last of the people had been removed.  Archaeological research in the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park has revealed many Aboriginal sites consisting of stone tools and quarries which suggests that people moved mainly through the valleys with occasional visits to higher areas.

Cradle Mountain was named in 1827 by the explorer Joseph Fossey who decided it bore a remarkable similarity to a cradle. It was first climbed by a European in 1831 when the explorer Henry Hellyer successfully reached the summit. Surveyor General George Franklin passed through the area in 1835 and he was duly followed by prospectors, trappers and settlers. As early as the 1890s there was some tourism in the area. Governor Hamilton had a house and boat shed built for visitors on Lake St Clair.

The man remembered as the founding father of tourism in the area was the Austrian born naturalist Gustaf Weindorfer who, in 1911, bought land in Cradle Valley where he built 'Waldheim' which he opened to guests who wanted to explore the region. When his wife died Weindorfer moved to Cradle Valley permanently. He died in 1932 and is buried near 'Waldheim'. Weindorfer is credited with naming  Dove Lake, Crater Lake and Hansons Lake. He named Mount Kate after his wife.

Reservation of land began in 1922 when an area from Cradle Mountain to Lake St Clair was set aside as a 'scenic reserve and wildlife sanctuary'. It became a National Park in 1971.  In 1978 the National Parks and Wildlife Service built a replica of 'Waldheim' and this, combined with the Cradle Mountain Lodge and the excellent new NPWS Information building, have made Cradle Mountain one of the most accessible and interesting attractions in Tasmania.  In 1982 Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park along and the Franklin-Lower Gordon Wild Rivers National Park were placed on the prestigious world heritage list in recognition of their outstanding natural, cultural and wilderness qualities.  Today the area is a model of an accessible wilderness region. There are numerous walking huts, a wide range of walks through the mountains, a road to the edges of Lake Dove which lies in the shadow of Cradle Mountain, and plenty of excellent accommodation.

CRADLE MOUNTAIN

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DOVE LAKE

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LAKE ST CLAIR

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CRADLE MOUNTAIN SNOW

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SOMETHING FOR THE CHOCOHOLICS :

CHOCOLATE TO HELP ARMY SOLDIER ON

Glenn Cordingley…..May 04, 2007 12:47pm….Article from: AAP

VITAMIN-packed dark chocolate that won't melt in the heat of battle - but will melt in your mouth and also last for years - is being developed for Australian soldiers.
Scientists from the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) at Scottsdale in Tasmania are working on a new super chocolate for army ration packs.
"From a nutritionist's point of view we would love to give the soldiers a fresh meal every day," DSTO spokeswoman Helen Ward said.
"But logistics don't always allow that and we don't want our soldiers to die of malnutrition when they are in a foxhole feeling hungry."
Ms Ward said the idea of supplying troops with chocolate had psychological and physiological advantages.
"We could just give them a pill containing the same vitamins, but it would be nothing like giving them real food.
"Chocolate has long been regarded as a treat, something to look forward to, and something that would provide a mental and physical boost.
"That's why this is being developed to withstand the elements."
DSTO food technologist Dr Lan Bui, who is based at Scottsdale, said the new product is more granular and firmer but the flavour is still appealing.
"DSTO is looking at product reformulation, including new fat compounds, to improve texture and flavour, without affecting the melting point," Dr Bui said.
Normal chocolate melts at about 25-30 degrees celsius, but she said the new version will be expected to maintain its uniformity for extended periods at over 49 degrees celsius.
Scientists are working with food experts on coating vitamins to keep out humidity, moisture and oxygen, while allowing them to be slowly released into the body.
The team also is working on a milk chocolate variety and developing less permeable packaging to extend shelf life.

AND FOR THE NEMO FANS :

NEMO REALLY CAN FIND WAY HOME

May 04, 2007 12:00am….Article from: AAP

THE cute clownfish made famous by the hit movie Finding Nemo really can find his way home after spending months at sea, researchers have found.
An Australian-led team of coral reef scientists has discovered that 60 per cent of clownfish complete the journey back to their reef of origin after being swept into the open ocean as babies.
The team of Australian, American and French scientists say they have achieved a world breakthrough that could revolutionise the sustainable management of coral reefs and help restore threatened fisheries.
The team, led by Dr Geoff Jones and Dr Glenn Almany of the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at Queensland's James Cook University, pioneered a new way to study fish populations by "tagging" adult fish with a minute trace of a harmless isotope which they pass on to their offspring.
The findings were published today in the international journal Science.
Working on coral reefs in a protected marine area in Papua New Guinea, the researchers tagged more than 300 female clownfish and vagabond butterflyfish with a barium isotope.
The researchers found that 60 per cent of their offspring returned to the tiny home reef - only 300 metres across - after being carried out to the sea as babies.
"Just as importantly, 40 per cent of the juveniles came from other reefs that are at least 10 kilometres away, which indicates significant exchange between populations separated by open sea," Dr Almany said.
"This shows how marine protected areas can contribute to maintaining fish populations outside no-fishing zones.
"...If we can understand how fish larvae disperse, it will enable better design of marine protected areas and this will help in the rebuilding of threatened fish populations."
The team is conducting further research at an aquaculture facility in Bali, looking at the possibility of applying the tag to coral trout.
They hope to conduct trials on coral trout off Great Keppel Island on the Great Barrier Reef and in PNG, as well as work with a threatened species, the Nassau groper, in the Caribbean.

SOME COLOURFUL INHABITANTS OF THE REEF

MOORISH IDOLS

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/MoorishIdols.png)

CLOWN TRIGGER

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/ClownTrigger.jpg)

SEND IN THE CLOWNS

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/CLOWNS.jpg)

WHITE HUMPBACK

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/WhiteHumpback.jpg)

PTEROIS

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/pterois.jpg)

ANEMONE

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/Amemone.jpg)

CUTTLE FISH

(http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/Coonowrin/CuttleFish.jpg)