What do you really know about Australia?

[MirrorSweep]

I know it's Australia day
And I love living here.. ^^

 

[Lexodus]

A fair bit, since I'm well-educated and English, as well as having friends and family out there.

 

[TheEvilCheese]

The number one reason for a day off work in Australia is:
[HEADING=2]Possum Attack! Possum Attack![/HEADING]

 

[Boris Goodenough]

A fair bit, spent 2½ months all over the place, both territories and the 5 states.

 

[Lexodus]

Eight out of ten of the most poisonous spiders in the world live there.

That's all I need to know.

And the sea is inhabited almost exclusively by things designed to kill you; sharks, jellyfish, swimming knives, they're all in there.

 

[guntotingtomcat]

Eight out of ten of the most poisonous spiders in the world live there.

That's all I need to know.

And the sea is inhabited almost exclusively by things designed to kill you; sharks, jellyfish, swimming knives, they're all in there.

Well I've never heard of swimming knives, so I have a horrible image of stab victims being washed up on the Australian shore.

Seriously, I am content to remain in Scotland. Wildlife is something I feel like I shouldn't have to worry about.

 

[Trolldor]

1. The original natives are known as "Aborigines."
2. The British used it as the world's largest prison for a while.
3. It's home to some of the most awesome animals on earth (kangaroo, dingo, koala etc.).
4. The capitol is Canberra.
5. Sydney is the largest city and is home to the Sydney Opera House (go figure).
6. It was a part of the British Commonwealth until the mid-20th century.
7. Australian gaming regulations are more draconian than most other industrialized nations.
8. The government tends to lean more conservative than the United States.
9. There are some magnificent coral reefs off-shore.
10. A "bogan" means a stupid person.
11. There are several nonnative species that are major pests, such as cane toads.
12. The outback is a place you don't want to get lost in.
13. During the World Wars, Australian troops fought tenaciously and made great sacrifices.
14. Its people have a reputation for being friendly but direct.
15. I have distant relatives that live in Australia.

That's what I can come up with off the top of my head.

Close, but not quite.
Australians can be quite cruel, they just tend to congregate in places nobody wants to go like Timbricki.

Eight out of ten of the most poisonous spiders in the world live there.

That's all I need to know.

And the sea is inhabited almost exclusively by things designed to kill you; sharks, jellyfish, swimming knives, they're all in there.

Well I've never heard of swimming knives, so I have a horrible image of stab victims being washed up on the Australian shore.

Seriously, I am content to remain in Scotland. Wildlife is something I feel like I shouldn't have to worry about.

It's okay, as an Australian I can tell you that you don't have to worry about the wildlife. Either you have a natural resistance or immunity to them, or they kill you before you even realise what's happening.

No worries mate.


As a side note, I read anecdotally that since the introduction of universal anti-venom there has not been a single death by snakebite since the 1980's.

 

[Trolldor]

Edit:...

 

[El Poncho]

Aussie Rules fans sit with each other. It confused me when I went with my Uncle and Aunties( I have family in Melbourne so we stayed with them and they showed us about the place) to see the Bulldogs. Funnily enough it ended in a draw

There is an Island where you can see wild tiny penguins come out of the sea. No one believed me when I told them this and they thought I was crazy.
Steve Irwin was my hero when I was younger.
When it comes to games I want to hug you to make you feel better.
Part of the commonwealth. Britain used to use it as a prison.
Where Taz originates
Aborigines, with their boomerangs and didjeridoo's.

 

[CaptainKoala]

You are more likely to get skin cancer in Ausralia than in any other country in the world.
It has the largest deficiency of O-zone atoms than any other country, so the UV rays are more dangerous.

 

[SBoggart]

Australia is the America to New Zealand's Canada.
This is what I know.

 

[Chaos-Spider]

Eight out of ten of the most poisonous spiders in the world live there.

That's all I need to know.

And the sea is inhabited almost exclusively by things designed to kill you; sharks, jellyfish, swimming knives, they're all in there.

I'd have to check the spider one but Australia also has something like nine of the top 11 most poisonous snakes in the world, including the most poisonous one.

The thing about the sea life is probably true to some extent though I would like to see a picture of a swimming knife.

On the bright side, there is also a diverse range of bird life here.

 

[WhatHityou]

I don't know much. How much do you know about Canada?

 

[LetoTheTyrant]

Kangaroo means "I don't know" in the native language

Not true. Kangaroo was the name of the animal in the language of a native tribe, and then when they move to another tribe and were talking about Kangaroo's the second tribe didn't know what they were talking about coz the tribes had a different language.

 

[Berethond]

Australia is the country most similar to the U.S. in terms of culture.

 

[Wildcard5]

Australia is a Death World. 90% of the wildlife has some way to kill you, and REALLY wants to do so.

And the huge arachnids are are the least of ones worries.

What I know is that large amounts of convicts were shipped there before the 20th century and that there is an interesting town made of underground areas due to people mining the area for opals.

 

[Anomynous 167]

1. The original natives are known as "Aborigines."
2. The British used it as the world's largest prison for a while.
3. It's home to some of the most awesome animals on earth (kangaroo, dingo, koala etc.).
4. The capitol is Canberra.
5. Sydney is the largest city and is home to the Sydney Opera House (go figure).
6. It was a part of the British Commonwealth until the mid-20th century.
7. Australian gaming regulations are more draconian than most other industrialized nations.
8. The government tends to lean more conservative than the United States.
9. There are some magnificent coral reefs off-shore.
10. A "bogan" means a stupid person.
11. There are several nonnative species that are major pests, such as cane toads.
12. The outback is a place you don't want to get lost in.
13. During the World Wars, Australian troops fought tenaciously and made great sacrifices.
14. Its people have a reputation for being friendly but direct.
15. I have distant relatives that live in Australia.

That's what I can come up with off the top of my head.

1. "Aborigine" should of been a generic term for natives, but then we had the nerve to trademark it.
2. The reason for sending the convicts to Australia was because Ghana would of been too big of a hell-hole to send convicts (or something of those lines)
5. Really, the Opera House? Doesn't any one recognize the gloriousness of the Toaster (Built in 1998. Located in Circular Quay)?
8. That's the Liberal Party for you (And the Labor, but I don't like how they liberally spell it with out a u.)
10. Technically it means backwater (or was it back wash?), as in Boganville. It is also synonomous with hill-William (or Billy for short), and Detroit.
15. I have distant Canadian relatives.

 

[Dr.Susse]

We have only ever put a shrimp on the barbie to confuse a tourist.
And Fosters is poison.

 

[jigilojoe]

We kicked the Aussies arses this year at the Cricket! I know little more than that

Mad Max? Didgeridoo's? Surf? Relaxed lifestyle? Surprising prejudices for a race who are descendants of Britain's waste? Couple of other things us Brits think about you. But I think that Britain thinks of Australia as a lucky coincidence of our misuse of power, like an accidental child becoming prime minister. It's great you're on the planet, I mean, who else would we beat at cricket?

 

[FlashHero]

Lolis aren't allowed and you all like wales . Thats pretty much all I know. Oh and spiders...evil spiders.