Y – Yabbies

The yabby is an Australian freshwater crustacean found in swamps, dams, streams, creeks, rivers and reservoirs. Growing up in Australia many children get to go yabbying, however this yabby, which we found at Protest Falls was the first that my husband and I have ever seen in nature. He was alone and we loved watching his antics in the little creek. Our yabby was a blue-green colour which is common for turbulent waters.

yabbie on the falls walk


A – Australian Fun Facts

What better way to start the April 2016 A – Z challenge than with some fun facts about my amazing country, Australia.

  1. Our population hit the big time this year when we made it to 24 million people.
  • Australians love to shorten words and add an O to the end, for example ambulance driver becomes ambo.
  • The first selfie was taken in Australia.
  • The box jellyfish kills more people annually than sharks, stone fish and crocodiles combined.
  • Australia has over 10,000 beaches. you could visit one a day for 27 years.
  • The Emu and the Kangaroo are on our coat of arms because neither animal can walk backwards.
  • On Christmas Eve, 1974 Darwin one of Australia’s capital cities was destroyed by cyclone Tracy, a category 5 cyclone.
  • In 1973, the Australian government spent $1.35 million dollars to purchase Jackson Pollack’s Blue Poles. At the time, this was a very controversial decision, however it is now recogised as a great work of art, worth all the money and more.

Blue Poles

 

  • Melbourne has the world’s largest Greek population outside of Athens.
  • 83% of Australia’s population live within 50 kilometres of the coast.
  • Since 2012 Australia has been recognised as the world’s most obese nation with 26% of the population obese.
  • Australia was the second country in the world to allow women to vote.
  • Australia has the world’s large supply of camel’s with one hump and exports them to Saudia Arabia.
  • Tasmania has the cleanest air in the world.
  • There are over 150 big things in Australia.

 


Celebrating Australia Day

Today is Australia day. To celebrate I would like to share my A-Z of Australian things. Although far from a complete list it is  fun way to share Australia. Included in the list are:

  • Animals
  • Birds
  • Food
  • Inventions
  • Items
  • Places
  • Treasures

A: Aboriginal Art – Paintings by indigenous Australian often using a dot design.

     Anzac biscuits – Australian biscuits eaten by our troops on the shores of Gallipoli hence the name. They are made from rolled oats, golden syrup, coconut and butter.

B: Beaches – Australia is known for its sandy beaches. The most famous being Sydney’s Bondi Beach.

Bondi Beach Photo Credit: Google Images

     Black Box Flight Recorder –  The black box voice and data recorder was invented in Australia.

     Beetroot – Your typical Aussie hamburger include beetroot, lettuce and tomato.

     Baby Safety Capsule – Developed in 1984 to make sure babies and small children could be safely locked into a seatbelt.

C: Cockatoo – There are 21 varieties of Cockatoos in the world and all can be found in Australia. In my area the Sulphur-Crested Cockatoo is common and are often seen on the ground in groups     looking for food.

     Caramello Koalas – Small Australian chocolate bar

cadbury-giant_caramello_koala-40g_

Photo Credit: Cadbury

 

D: Dual Flush Toilet –  Toilet with two flush buttons—able to flush either a half or full load of water dependent on amount required.

     Dame Edna – Australian iconic entertainer known for her

 

     Didgeridoo – An wind instrument, invented by Aboriginals and originally found only in Northern Australia. It is  thought to be the oldest musical instrument in the world.

E: Emu – Australian flightless bird

Emu

     Esky – Portable coolers keeping food and drink cool in the Australian sun.

     Electric Drill – originally invented to drill through rock this technology was later adapted to household use.

F: Fair Dinkum – Aussie slang meaning true or fair. Used when wanting someone to believe you.

     Fridge – In 854 the first mechanical ice making machine was invented in Australia that lead to the development of the refrigerator—”fridge.”

G: Great Barrier Reef – World’s largest coral reef covering 2,300 kilometres off Queensland

Photo Credit: Google Images

 

      G’day Mate – Australian welcome

      Google Maps – 2003-4 Australian’s Lars and Jens Rasmussen developed the platform that developed into Google Maps.

H: Holden cars – Holden is an Australian automaker based in South Australia. With limited choice for cars in the early days many families had a Holden.

 I: Icy Pole – Famous Australian water ice block

Icy Pole

Photo Credit: Peters Icecream

J: Jackaroo/Jillaroo – Male and Female workers on a cattle or sheep station in Australia.

     Jumbuck – name for sheep in Waltzing Matilda.

K: Kangaroo – One of Australia’s most iconic marsupials

 

2013-12-01 14.49.38

     Koala – small bear-like herbivorous marsupial that eats gum leaves.

Photo Credit: Google Images

 

L:  Lamingtons – Spongy butter cake coated in chocolate sauce and rolled in coconut.

      Long wearing Contact Lens – Were developed by the CSIRO as the original ones couldn’t stay in day and night for long periods.

M: Melbourne Cup – “The race that stops the nation” is the richest two-mile handicap horse race in the world. Run the first Tuesday in November, it is a public holiday in Melbourne.

      Meat Pie – The meat pie is an Australian icon. Traditionally it is pastry filled with beef and gravy just big enough to fit into your hand, making it easy to eat on the go.

      Macadamia – A tree nut specific to Australia with a creamy texture.

N: Nullabor Plains – 1200 kilometre stretch of desert runs from South Australia in the east to Western Australia. Its name means no trees, just flat mostly straight road. In fact, the Nullabor holds the record for the worlds stretch of straight bitumen 146.6 kilkometres.

     New South Wales – My home state between Queensland and Victoria.

O: Opera House – Multi-purpose entertaining venue on Sydney Harbour. A white building during festivities it is changed dramatically using lights.IMG_6535

     Outback – The Outback is the large, remote, arid space that covers a Australia. Usually covered in red soil.

P: Platypus – Unique Australian mammal that looks like a cross between a duck and beaver

Credit: Gambassa

Credit: Gambassa

      Plastic Banknotes – Invented by the CSIRO, making bank notes tougher and reducing their ability to be counterfeited.

     Powerboard -Invented in 1972 allows multiple electrical devices to be powered from one electrical socket.

 

Q: Quokka – Australian macropod about the size of a cat found on Rottnest Island off Perth

Photo Credit: Google Images

Photo Credit: Google Images

      Quoll – Carnivorous Australian marsupial first seen by Captain Cook in 1770.

 

Quoll

Photo Credit: Wikipeadia

      Queensland– Australian state north of New south Wales.

R: Rotary Clothes Hoist – Clothes line that raises and lowers as well as swings around in the wind.

      Rottnest Island – 18 kilometres off Perth, it is home to Quokkas, pristine beaches and world-class surf.

S: Sydney Harbour Bridge – The world’s largest steel arch bridge and connects Sydney to the north shore. I travel across it everyday on my way to work and never tire of the sight.

2013-12-12 16.05.25

      Surf Life Savers – Australians classics that keep our beaches safe by rescuing swimmers in difficulty

Photo Credit: Google Images

Photo Credit: Google Images

       Surf Ski – Australian invention to assist in saving lives see above photo

       Speedos – Australian men’s swimmers—sometimes colloquially referred to as “budgie smugglers.”

      Splayd – Australian invention that combines the spoon fork and knife

T: Tim Tams – Iconic Arnott’s biscuits that involves two layers of chocolate biscuits joined together with chocolate cream and covered in chocolate.

U: Ugg Boots  Unisex sheep skin boot with fleece on the inside.

      Uluru  Also known as Ayers Rock is a large sandstone rock in the Northern Territory.

Photo Credit: Google Images

Photo Credit: Google Images

      Ultrasounds – Invented in Australia through work with the Department of Health.

V: Vegemite – Sandwich spread most Australians won’t travel without and most of the rest of the world try but find it very bitter. Below is the original ad that explains alot.

 

 

       Victoria – Southern State of Australia on the East Coast—Capital is Melbourne.

W: Wiggles – The original Wiggles —children’s entertainers—are Australian.

Photo Credit: Wiggles

Photo Credit: Wiggles

      Wine casks – Wine casks are an Australian invention to carry large amounts of wine in a plastic bladder with a simple pouring spout

      Wi-Fi Hotspots – Wi Fi technology was invented in Australia through research at the CSIRO.

X: XXXX Beer – Famous brand of Queensland beer

Y: Yackandandah – Small tourist town near the New South Wales and Victorian border

Z: Zeehan – Former silver and gold mining town in Tasmania

 

 

 


Weekly Photo Challenge: (Extra)ordinary

I love this clever use for old toilets at the entrance to the local sewerage works at Dorrigo, New South Wales.  It brought a smile to my face but I am not sure if it is because of  my Australian sense of humour.

Let me know your thoughts and any other unusual ways you have seen old toilets used.

Lava Tree

 

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_photo_challenge/extraordinary/


Weekly Photo Challenge: Boundaries

The most amazing physical boundaries and divides I have explored are high in the Taihang Mountains, China. The Guoliang Tunnel shown in the photos below was carved by hand to allow Guoliang village people access to the outside world. To be even more inspired by this amazing part of China and learn more about the Guoliang Tunnel please visit my previous post https://www.inspiringmax.com/guoliang-tunnel/

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_photo_challenge/boundaries/


Weekly Photo Challenge: Forces of Nature

Many opportunities can be found to study the forces of nature in the Blue Mountains, Australia.  More information on this beautiful area can be found here.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_photo_challenge/forces-of-nature/


Share Your World 2015 – Week 17

What is your most favorite smell/scent?

I don’t focus on smells I am more of a visual person.  Although at the end of a long day at work, I love to walk into the house and smell that someone has cooked dinner—I don’t care what it is I love them for it. My favourite perfumes are Beautiful by Estee Lauder and Opium.

Do you prefer long hair or short hair for yourself? 

I have never had long hair. My hair has always reached a certain point and grown out rather than down. It gets more puffy. Today, it is shoulder length as this seems to be the right length for me. If I want to put it up I can and it drapes well around my face to soften it.

Do you plan out things usually or do you do them more spontaneous (for example if you are visiting a big city you don’t know?)

I like a mixture of both. If I need to do something specific I plan it but I often just go exploring and see what gems I can discover as I go. My experience teaches me, the more I plan even a little the less time is wasted, but the less of the actual city I see as I am too focused on getting from A – B.

What is your favorite outdoor activity?

I love spending time with nature in any way. Different seasons different ways. Walking on the beach, skiing, bush walking, ice skating, swimming, sailing and cycling these are all fun activities I have enjoyed over recent times.

http://ceenphotography.com/2015/04/27/share-your-world-2015-week-17/


R – Reginal Express (REX) Airlines

Last month I fly to Lismore, Norther New South Wales with Rex Airlines. To me it was just another small airline and the only way for me to get where I wanted to go. Boy was I wrong. REX is Australia’s largest independent airline and services 52 destinations around Australia—South Australia, Queensland, Victoria, Tasmania and New South Wales.

REX was born in Wagga Wagga 2002 after the Ansett Airline collapse shut down the ability of people in regional areas to fly. The people of Wagga Wagga had been able to commute to Sydney daily prior to this with Hazelton and Kendall Air. We had actually lived in Wagga Wagga until two weeks after the 2001  Ansett collapse and my husband had flown to Sydney regularly with this work. I cannot imagine how frustrating it would have been in the six months before REX began flying and people needed to drive for 6 hours to do business in Sydney.

Move forward 12 years and the airline that was born out of need is rewarded for its efforts. In December 2014, REX was awarded ‘Best Australian Regional Airline’ in the Australian Traveller People’s Choice Awards. To my surprise REX has also been recognised as a top performing regional airline by Aviation Week and Space Technology Magazine in the world for the past 6 years and is one of the top 5 carriers in the world.

My experience with REX was very pleasant and even the delays which were out of their control were handled well. Nothing was too much trouble and I do believe they deserve their standing in the industry.20150330_154733

 

#A -Z Challenge


N – Nimbin # A -Z Challenge

Nimbin is the hippy capital of Australia. Although I have known this for many decades it was not until last month that I got to experience what that meant for myself. I was surprised. Tolerance for individualism was everywhere—two woman were verbally fighting loudly in the park. Nobody cared. It was normal.

“They have been at it all morning” said the local shopkeeper.

“Really” we replied.

” It is common for people around here to have rants. Some are just longer than others” she replied very matter of factly.

This set the scene for the rest of our visit.

The Nimbin community developed its identity in 1973 when it hosted Australia’s Aquarius festival celebrating alternate living choices and the arts. It attracted students, hippies, visionaries from all over Australia many of whom stayed on after the Aquarius Festival making Nimbin their home continuing to follow these dreams and ideology.

Names around the village describe its history well.

  • Peace Park
  • Hemp Embassy
  • Hemp Bar
  • Rainbow Power Company
  • Nimbin Co-op
  • The Green Park
  • Hemping Around
  • Tribal Magic

Forty years later the areas is still internationally renown for its alternative lifestyle culture. Marijuana reform has played a large role in the community over the decades. Today they are strongly fighting to legalise medical marijuana through their annual law reform rally—MardiGrass—held in early May.

“May the long time sun shine upon you, all love surround you and, the pure light within you guide your way home.” Aquarius festival anthem

#A – Z Challenge