Southcoast
New South Wales (NSW)
Along the south coast's untouched coastline there are surfing beaches and sheltered coves. In the Jervis Bay region much of the coastline is scalloped by white beaches, and Hyams Beach has been acclaimed as the whitest sand on earth. At Huskisson, dolphin watch cruises head out into the bay.
The resort town of Bateman's Bay is close to a string of untouched beaches. Cruise the sparkling waters, explore the hinterland, fish from the beach, estuary or rocks, or just relax on the beach. Daily cruises sail upriver past historic Nelligen, with its old steamer wharf. At Pretty Beach, Depot Beach and Pebbly Beach in Murramarang National Park, north of Batemans Bay, don't be surprised to be sharing the beach with some tame eastern grey kangaroos.
Further south is Narooma, the place for watersports, and Montague Island which offers a close up view of all kinds of wildlife including Australian fur seals, fairy penguins, whales and seabirds. Nearby, the National Trust classified village of Central Tilba appears today as it did in 1904. In the beautiful green valleys of the hinterland is Bega, a town famous for its cheese. More seaside towns offering the magic of surf, golden sand, fishing and boating include Merimbula, Eden, Tuross Head, Broulee, Bermagui and Tathra.
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Longreach
Major centre in western Queensland and home to the Stockman's Hall of Fame.
Located 1184 km from Brisbane and 676 km west of Rockhampton, Longreach is the largest town in central Queensland. Situated on the Thomson River 191 m above sea level it is the centre of one of Queensland's most prosperous wool and beef areas.
Longreach was named as a description of the 'long reach' of the Thomson River which passes near the town. The river was discovered and named by the explorer Edward Kennedy in 1847. He named it after Sir Edward Deas Thomson (1800-1879), a notable member of the NSW Legislative Council.
The area around Longreach was first explored by William Landsborough and Nat Buchanan in 1861. Landsborough subsequently gained a lease to approximately 2000 sq. miles of land. In 1863 sheep and cattle were overlanded into the area and the mighty 'Bowen Downs' station was established.
By the early 1870s the Mount Cornish outstation (named after the first general manager of the 'Bowen Downs') had been established and Longreach grew up as a camp for teamsters who carried supplies to the property. It was officially gazetted as a town in 1887 and the following year land lots were sold. By 1892 the railway from Barcaldine and the coast reached the town.
The success of wool in the 1920s saw the town boom. Later that year Qantas established a booking office (a model of it is now the Information Centre at the east end of the main street) which became the centre of their operations. The company, known at the time as the Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services Ltd. was set up on 16 November 1920 by Hudson Fysh and Paul McGinniss. Local graziers funded the airline and in 1921 a hangar was built. It subsequently became an important maintenance depot and in 1926 it was converted to a workshop where seven DH50 biplanes were constructed. The hangar, which is nothing but a large shed, is located at the airport opposite the Stockman's Hall of Fame south of the town.
Major centre in western Queensland and home to the Stockman's Hall of Fame.
Located 1184 km from Brisbane and 676 km west of Rockhampton, Longreach is the largest town in central Queensland. Situated on the Thomson River 191 m above sea level it is the centre of one of Queensland's most prosperous wool and beef areas.
Longreach was named as a description of the 'long reach' of the Thomson River which passes near the town. The river was discovered and named by the explorer Edward Kennedy in 1847. He named it after Sir Edward Deas Thomson (1800-1879), a notable member of the NSW Legislative Council.
The area around Longreach was first explored by William Landsborough and Nat Buchanan in 1861. Landsborough subsequently gained a lease to approximately 2000 sq. miles of land. In 1863 sheep and cattle were overlanded into the area and the mighty 'Bowen Downs' station was established.
By the early 1870s the Mount Cornish outstation (named after the first general manager of the 'Bowen Downs') had been established and Longreach grew up as a camp for teamsters who carried supplies to the property. It was officially gazetted as a town in 1887 and the following year land lots were sold. By 1892 the railway from Barcaldine and the coast reached the town.
The success of wool in the 1920s saw the town boom. Later that year Qantas established a booking office (a model of it is now the Information Centre at the east end of the main street) which became the centre of their operations. The company, known at the time as the Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services Ltd. was set up on 16 November 1920 by Hudson Fysh and Paul McGinniss. Local graziers funded the airline and in 1921 a hangar was built. It subsequently became an important maintenance depot and in 1926 it was converted to a workshop where seven DH50 biplanes were constructed. The hangar, which is nothing but a large shed, is located at the airport opposite the Stockman's Hall of Fame south of the town.
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Emerald floodwaters to hit peak todayArticle from: AAPFont size: Decrease Increase Email article: Email Print article: Print January 22, 2008 08:04am
MORE homes are expected to be inundated as flood waters peak in the central western Queensland town of Emerald this afternoon.
Authorities project the town's swollen Nogoa River will reach a peak flow level of 15.5 metres around 2pm (AEST) today.
"At the anticipated peak level, water will flow over the Vince Lester Bridge in Emerald," Emergency Management Queensland (EMQ) said.
"The anticipated peak height does mean some inundation of houses in Emerald, and there has already been some properties affected.
"There are no exact numbers of affected properties as these houses have already been vacated."
The river level was just over 15 metres at 5am (AEST) today, and authorities said the water level is rising at about three centimetres per hour.
"The rate of the rise and rate of flow out of the (Fairbairn) dam has slowed allowing some reassessment of the rate of relocation of residents," EMQ said.
"This has also been scaled back."
More than 2000 people have told emergency services they have evacuated their homes.
Most are staying with relatives or friends on higher ground but more than 60 people are living temporarily in the Emerald town hall.
A further 60 people, along with their pets, are seeking shelter at an agricultural college.
These include "18 dogs and one cat, one chicken and one budgie", EMQ said.
Queensland Fire and Rescue Service has eight boats in the town to assist the State Emergency Service, and police, as the waters rise.
Queensland Emergency Services Minister Neil Roberts said evacuations would continue as the floodwaters rose and urged people to heed advice from authorities.
"We'd just ask people to keep tuned to their radios and take notice of emergency service workers as they attend their homes," Mr Roberts told Channel 9.
"At this stage, we're not looking at major flooding in terms of homes going completely under, but there is certainly going to be a lot of water through a number of homes."
Mr Roberts said emergency food supplies such as bread and milk were being rushed into Emerald, and authorities were also looking ahead to dealing with health issues once the water levels dropped.
"We're pulling out all stops to make sure that we supply the town with what's required. We're using air supply, railways where we can, and where we can get the roads open, bringing them in by truck as well," Mr Roberts said.
"There are significant health issues, particularly after the event but also during (the event).
"One of the significant issues is not just the dormant water that lies around but a lot of stock losses in a number of areas of south Queensland.
"There will be a massive clean-up operation and significant health issues there, too, but we're well prepared for that. When the waters recede, we'll be into action straight away."
MORE homes are expected to be inundated as flood waters peak in the central western Queensland town of Emerald this afternoon.
Authorities project the town's swollen Nogoa River will reach a peak flow level of 15.5 metres around 2pm (AEST) today.
"At the anticipated peak level, water will flow over the Vince Lester Bridge in Emerald," Emergency Management Queensland (EMQ) said.
"The anticipated peak height does mean some inundation of houses in Emerald, and there has already been some properties affected.
"There are no exact numbers of affected properties as these houses have already been vacated."
The river level was just over 15 metres at 5am (AEST) today, and authorities said the water level is rising at about three centimetres per hour.
"The rate of the rise and rate of flow out of the (Fairbairn) dam has slowed allowing some reassessment of the rate of relocation of residents," EMQ said.
"This has also been scaled back."
More than 2000 people have told emergency services they have evacuated their homes.
Most are staying with relatives or friends on higher ground but more than 60 people are living temporarily in the Emerald town hall.
A further 60 people, along with their pets, are seeking shelter at an agricultural college.
These include "18 dogs and one cat, one chicken and one budgie", EMQ said.
Queensland Fire and Rescue Service has eight boats in the town to assist the State Emergency Service, and police, as the waters rise.
Queensland Emergency Services Minister Neil Roberts said evacuations would continue as the floodwaters rose and urged people to heed advice from authorities.
"We'd just ask people to keep tuned to their radios and take notice of emergency service workers as they attend their homes," Mr Roberts told Channel 9.
"At this stage, we're not looking at major flooding in terms of homes going completely under, but there is certainly going to be a lot of water through a number of homes."
Mr Roberts said emergency food supplies such as bread and milk were being rushed into Emerald, and authorities were also looking ahead to dealing with health issues once the water levels dropped.
"We're pulling out all stops to make sure that we supply the town with what's required. We're using air supply, railways where we can, and where we can get the roads open, bringing them in by truck as well," Mr Roberts said.
"There are significant health issues, particularly after the event but also during (the event).
"One of the significant issues is not just the dormant water that lies around but a lot of stock losses in a number of areas of south Queensland.
"There will be a massive clean-up operation and significant health issues there, too, but we're well prepared for that. When the waters recede, we'll be into action straight away."
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Shopping/Banking
* Shops in main centres are generally open from 9 am to 5 or 6 pm, Monday to Saturday. Some 24hr supermarkets in Major centres.
* Convenience stores are open for longer hours, 7 days a week.
* ATMs and EFTPOS facilities are widely available.
* Most banks are open 9.30 am to 4 pm, Monday to Friday
* Petrol is available 24 hours in major centres.
* Petrol prices vary between $0.85 and $1.20 per litre.
* Speed limits are 60 km/h in built up areas with a maximum of 100 km/hr outside cities and towns, unless otherwise indicated. 50km/hr in some centres.
* Speed cameras and random breath testing units operate throughout Australia.
* Seat belts must be worn in motor vehicles - motorcyclists and bicyclists must wear helmets.
* Contact police, fire and ambulance by dialling 000
* The Australian GST (goods & services tax) of 10% applies to most purchases.
* Australia operates on Australian Eastern Standard Time. For daylight saving, clocks are advanced one hour between October and March.
* Electricity is supplied at 230/240 volts (50 hertz)
* Shops in main centres are generally open from 9 am to 5 or 6 pm, Monday to Saturday. Some 24hr supermarkets in Major centres.
* Convenience stores are open for longer hours, 7 days a week.
* ATMs and EFTPOS facilities are widely available.
* Most banks are open 9.30 am to 4 pm, Monday to Friday
* Petrol is available 24 hours in major centres.
* Petrol prices vary between $0.85 and $1.20 per litre.
* Speed limits are 60 km/h in built up areas with a maximum of 100 km/hr outside cities and towns, unless otherwise indicated. 50km/hr in some centres.
* Speed cameras and random breath testing units operate throughout Australia.
* Seat belts must be worn in motor vehicles - motorcyclists and bicyclists must wear helmets.
* Contact police, fire and ambulance by dialling 000
* The Australian GST (goods & services tax) of 10% applies to most purchases.
* Australia operates on Australian Eastern Standard Time. For daylight saving, clocks are advanced one hour between October and March.
* Electricity is supplied at 230/240 volts (50 hertz)
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The System
Education
Education in Australia is primarily the responsibility of the individual states. In each state administration, the training and recruiting of teachers are centralized under an education department. Education is compulsory between the ages of 6 and 15 in all the states except Tasmania, where the upper age limit is 16. Most children start their schooling at the age of 5. State schools provide free secular education; students may attend religious classes offered by the clergy of various denominations. About 72 percent of students attend state schools. In addition to the state school system there are private schools, which are usually denominational and charge tuition fees. The majority of the private schools are Catholic. Some private schools, which in some states are called public schools as in Britain, accept day students and boarders. Schooling is provided at kindergartens and play centers for children from 2 to 6 years of age. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation conducts broadcasts for kindergarten children unable to attend such centers. Special provisions are made for children in isolated areas. These include Schools of the Air—where children use two-way radios, television sets, video and cassette recorders, and computers to participate in classroom instruction—and correspondence schools.
Most children transfer from the primary to the secondary school level at the age of 12. Secondary schools, known as high schools and junior technical schools, provide five- or six-year courses that enable students to prepare for state examinations for university entrance. The commonwealth government conducts the educational program for all children in the territories. In 1995 Australia had nearly 10,000 primary and secondary schools, with an annual enrollment of 1.9 million primary students and 2.4 million secondary students.
Education
Education in Australia is primarily the responsibility of the individual states. In each state administration, the training and recruiting of teachers are centralized under an education department. Education is compulsory between the ages of 6 and 15 in all the states except Tasmania, where the upper age limit is 16. Most children start their schooling at the age of 5. State schools provide free secular education; students may attend religious classes offered by the clergy of various denominations. About 72 percent of students attend state schools. In addition to the state school system there are private schools, which are usually denominational and charge tuition fees. The majority of the private schools are Catholic. Some private schools, which in some states are called public schools as in Britain, accept day students and boarders. Schooling is provided at kindergartens and play centers for children from 2 to 6 years of age. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation conducts broadcasts for kindergarten children unable to attend such centers. Special provisions are made for children in isolated areas. These include Schools of the Air—where children use two-way radios, television sets, video and cassette recorders, and computers to participate in classroom instruction—and correspondence schools.
Most children transfer from the primary to the secondary school level at the age of 12. Secondary schools, known as high schools and junior technical schools, provide five- or six-year courses that enable students to prepare for state examinations for university entrance. The commonwealth government conducts the educational program for all children in the territories. In 1995 Australia had nearly 10,000 primary and secondary schools, with an annual enrollment of 1.9 million primary students and 2.4 million secondary students.
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Sir Donald Bradman
Sir Donald Bradman
Australia´s greatest sporting legend is known simply as The Don. Sir Donald Bradman was barely 20 years old when he was selected for Australia´s cricket team in 1928. Over the next two decades, he averaged 99.94 runs every time he went to bat — 40 runs clear of any other player. Bradman was voted the greatest Australian of all time in a recent national poll. Playing fields and songs have been named in his honour. In every state, the postbox number for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Australia´s national broadcaster, is 9994 — a reference to Bradman´s phenomenal run record.
Sir Donald Bradman
Australia´s greatest sporting legend is known simply as The Don. Sir Donald Bradman was barely 20 years old when he was selected for Australia´s cricket team in 1928. Over the next two decades, he averaged 99.94 runs every time he went to bat — 40 runs clear of any other player. Bradman was voted the greatest Australian of all time in a recent national poll. Playing fields and songs have been named in his honour. In every state, the postbox number for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Australia´s national broadcaster, is 9994 — a reference to Bradman´s phenomenal run record.
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Fred Hollows
Fred Hollows (1929–1993)
Fred Hollows was born in Dunedin, New Zealand. He became a doctor and began to specialise in the treatment of diseases of the eye. He had to travel to England to do this and won a prize as one of the top students.
After he returned to Australia, Hollows spent a lot of his time studying and treating an eye disease called ´trachoma´, which causes blindness if it is not treated quickly. Many Aboriginal people suffer from this disease.
Fred Hollows helped set up the Aboriginal Medical Service in Sydney and arranged for teams of people to travel all over the country to treat trachoma. This saved many people from becoming blind. He also helped to train doctors for work in Africa and set up a program to cure another common eye disease called ´cataracts´.
His work has been recognised in many ways. He was given a Human Rights Medal, an Australian Achiever Award, made Australian of the Year, given an Order of Australia Award and had a medical foundation named after him.
Fred Hollows (1929–1993)
Fred Hollows was born in Dunedin, New Zealand. He became a doctor and began to specialise in the treatment of diseases of the eye. He had to travel to England to do this and won a prize as one of the top students.
After he returned to Australia, Hollows spent a lot of his time studying and treating an eye disease called ´trachoma´, which causes blindness if it is not treated quickly. Many Aboriginal people suffer from this disease.
Fred Hollows helped set up the Aboriginal Medical Service in Sydney and arranged for teams of people to travel all over the country to treat trachoma. This saved many people from becoming blind. He also helped to train doctors for work in Africa and set up a program to cure another common eye disease called ´cataracts´.
His work has been recognised in many ways. He was given a Human Rights Medal, an Australian Achiever Award, made Australian of the Year, given an Order of Australia Award and had a medical foundation named after him.
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Alfred Deakin
Alfred Deakin (1856–1919)
Alfred Deakin was born in Melbourne, Victoria. He was Australia´s second prime minister. He believed that governments should try new ideas and improve the lives of Australians.
Deakin worked as a lawyer and a writer. He was elected to the Victorian Parliament in 1879 and 1880. He introduced laws that improved conditions for workers in shops and factories.
Deakin believed that the Australian colonies should join together (federate) and become one nation. He was a powerful speaker and gave many speeches in favour of Australia becoming one nation. He was elected to the first Commonwealth Parliament and became the first attorney-general (the minister in charge of laws and courts) in 1901. He became prime minister in 1903 when Edmund Barton resigned.
While Deakin was prime minister, old age pensions were started and Canberra was selected as the national capital. He was prime minister three times, his final term ending in 1910.
A suburb of Canberra, an electorate (voting area) in Victoria and a stamp honour his work.
Alfred Deakin (1856–1919)
Alfred Deakin was born in Melbourne, Victoria. He was Australia´s second prime minister. He believed that governments should try new ideas and improve the lives of Australians.
Deakin worked as a lawyer and a writer. He was elected to the Victorian Parliament in 1879 and 1880. He introduced laws that improved conditions for workers in shops and factories.
Deakin believed that the Australian colonies should join together (federate) and become one nation. He was a powerful speaker and gave many speeches in favour of Australia becoming one nation. He was elected to the first Commonwealth Parliament and became the first attorney-general (the minister in charge of laws and courts) in 1901. He became prime minister in 1903 when Edmund Barton resigned.
While Deakin was prime minister, old age pensions were started and Canberra was selected as the national capital. He was prime minister three times, his final term ending in 1910.
A suburb of Canberra, an electorate (voting area) in Victoria and a stamp honour his work.
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Mary Seah
Mary Seah (1905– )
Mary Seah was known as the ´Angel of Changi´. Changi was a very bad prison camp in Singapore where many Australians were kept during the Second World War. They were given little food or medicine and Seah risked her life to help the prisoners-of-war for several years. She would go to the camp with her son, dressed up as a street seller, and offer items for sale to the Japanese guards. When they were busy looking at her goods, she would sneak food and medicine to the Australians. If she had been caught, she would have been killed. When the guards became suspicious, she was beaten up, but she told the guards nothing and kept on helping the Australians. Many of the men would have died without her brave work.
Mary Seah is highly respected by the returned soldiers and has been guest of honour at some of their celebrations. She was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 1996.
Mary Seah (1905– )
Mary Seah was known as the ´Angel of Changi´. Changi was a very bad prison camp in Singapore where many Australians were kept during the Second World War. They were given little food or medicine and Seah risked her life to help the prisoners-of-war for several years. She would go to the camp with her son, dressed up as a street seller, and offer items for sale to the Japanese guards. When they were busy looking at her goods, she would sneak food and medicine to the Australians. If she had been caught, she would have been killed. When the guards became suspicious, she was beaten up, but she told the guards nothing and kept on helping the Australians. Many of the men would have died without her brave work.
Mary Seah is highly respected by the returned soldiers and has been guest of honour at some of their celebrations. She was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 1996.
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Ariah Park
Rural service centre now listed as a National Trust conservation area.
Located 536 km west of Sydney via the Great Western, Mid Western and Newell Highways and 65 km south of West Wyalong, Ariah Park (pronounced 'area') is known as a town of 'bowsers, wowsers and peppercorn trees'.
The Ariah Park region was first settled by Europeans in 1850. In the 1870s a small settlement called Broken Dam grew up north of the current town. By the 1880s the settlers had cleared the land and in 1906 the railway arrived. It was the railway that effectively created the town. In 1907 a village was formally gazetted and pieces of land were sold. Less than a decade later, on 27 September 1916, bulk wheat was loaded onto a train for the first time in Australia. It was also in that year that the distinctive peppercorn trees were planted in the main street. By 1919 such was the importance of the town that wheat silos were built beside the railway line. It was a town dependent on the prosperity of the surrounding agricultural activity.
Today Ariah Park is a lovely old village of shady trees and historic shops with wide verandahs. The town is listed by the National Trust as a Conservation Area. It's primary purpose is to serve the surrounding area which now produces a range of cereal crops, wool, beef, fat lambs, deer, pigs, ostriches and stud rams. It is a little known fact that the original pig featured in the movie, Babe, was born and raised in Ariah Park
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Yackandandah (including Allans Flat)
Fascinating historic gold mining town
Yackandandah is a rather special and very attractive historic village situated in a valley amidst a series of substantial hills. The streetscape is largely unchanged from its heyday as a goldmining town. Many of the buildings are genuinely historic and attractive: so much so that the entire commercial area has been classified by the National Trust. The fine main street is lined with shady English trees (some planted in the 19th century), verandahs, wide awnings, tea houses, galleries, shops selling crafts, gifts, antiques and collectables, a couple of country pubs and some gracious churches.
With a population of around 700 Yackandandah is located 288 km north-east of Melbourne via Beechworth and 28 km south-west of Wodonga. Fishing, goldpanning, gemstone fossicking, horseriding, bushwalking and four-wheel driving are all popular in the surrounding countryside.
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chonsigirl
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Where did the name come from? And what is fossicking? Sounds like an interesting town.
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chonsigirl;893415 wrote: Where did the name come from? And what is fossicking? Sounds like an interesting town.
It is a lovely little town ,very pretty when there is no drought.
The name Yackandandah is said to have come from two Aboriginal words meaning ‘rock’ and ‘water-hole’. Long ago, two rocks sat one on top of another in what is now known as the Yackandandah Creek. Today, granite boulders can still be seen along the creek. There is however, a second meaning of Yackandandah; ‘country of hills’; a name equally as befitting.
When I was little we used to fossick for gold,never found any :wah:
fos·sick (fsk)
v. fos·sicked, fos·sick·ing, fos·sicks Australian
v.intr.
1. To search for gold, especially by reworking washings or waste piles.
2. To rummage or search around, especially for a possible profit.
v.tr.
To search for by or as if by rummaging.
It is a lovely little town ,very pretty when there is no drought.
The name Yackandandah is said to have come from two Aboriginal words meaning ‘rock’ and ‘water-hole’. Long ago, two rocks sat one on top of another in what is now known as the Yackandandah Creek. Today, granite boulders can still be seen along the creek. There is however, a second meaning of Yackandandah; ‘country of hills’; a name equally as befitting.
When I was little we used to fossick for gold,never found any :wah:
fos·sick (fsk)
v. fos·sicked, fos·sick·ing, fos·sicks Australian
v.intr.
1. To search for gold, especially by reworking washings or waste piles.
2. To rummage or search around, especially for a possible profit.
v.tr.
To search for by or as if by rummaging.
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