Australia is the smallest continent [large continuous land mass]
and is the sixth largest country in the world. It has more desert land than any other country. Australia and the USA are much the same size yet the difference in population is amazing as here there is approximately 21 million people [2006]. It has been inhabited for more than 42,000 years by the Aboriginals and as I mentioned to you earlier it was claimed by the British and first settled in Sydney Cove in 1788. It now consists of six states and two mainland territories and other minor territories. The states are New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania, Western Australia and the main territories are Australian Capital Territory [where the capital , Canberra is] and Northern Territory.
Hover your cursor over a photo and you will see where it was taken on the map.
Pat found some websites that you and your friends might like to visit Casey. You will find the links under Resources in the Menu Bar at the top of this page, or on the Introduction Page, by clicking on the link bar at the bottom.
Terragalleria
- Links to some beautiful Australian photos for desktop or screensavers.
Photos of Australia
- Australian photos for home use and personal websites.
Australian Songs
- Read and listen to the national Anthem and some folk songs.
Australian History
- From the Dinosaur Age to Today.
Australian Facts
- Fabulous Facts about Australia.
Australian Slang
- Learn some of the Aussie slangs words and their meanings.
I'll finish this off with a poem that I think describes Australia perfectly and how most Australians feel about their country.
The first verse is referring to England where many of the first settlers came from.
My Country
by Dorothea Mackellar
[1885-1968]
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 ragged 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!
A stark white ring-barked forest
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.
Okay Casey, that wraps up my trip to 'The Land Down Under'. Now I just have to manage to get into that parcel again. Did you figure out how we might do it? Well, after lots of thinking, we came up with the idea that if I shut myself in a dark spot overnight, with no light, food or fresh Aussie air, hopefully I will shrink back down to size again. Keep your fingers crossed that it works and if so, I'll be back home soon.
Thanks for sending me on this wonderful journey. Fair dinkum [the truth] mate, I loved every minute of it and learnt lots of things about this big land and its friendly people.
Before I go, here is a test to see if you remember what the map of Australia looks like. Just move the pieces of the puzzle around by clicking on a section and then clicking where you want it to go until you have a completed image. There are 4 pieces across and 3 down. The puzzle is made from a cross stitch that Pat partly designed, and then worked as a photograph album cover for her brother to remind him of the country.
Well, see you back home, always your mate, Stanley.
PS. If you enjoyed reading about my adventures and want to leave a comment, you can find the Guest Book on the Portfolio Home Page, which you can reach via the Home link below.
