Australia

Bothwell · Post by **Bothwell** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 5:24 am

I shall be touching down in Sydney on 24th of Nov til the 3rd of dec. I am at an exhibition all day and want to know what attractuions may be open after about 6pm (apart from the bars). I know I can search on tourist sites but a little local knowledge would be apprectiated. I am staying in Darling harbour (is that a good location?)

orangesox1 · Post by **orangesox1** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 5:38 am

Bothwell wrote: I shall be touching down in Sydney on 24th of Nov til the 3rd of dec. I am at an exhibition all day and want to know what attractuions may be open after about 6pm (apart from the bars). I know I can search on tourist sites but a little local knowledge would be apprectiated. I am staying in Darling harbour (is that a good location?)

Darling Harbour is definatly the best place to stay. You'll find lots to do, you can climb the harbour bridge if you like, you can vist Taronga Zoo, take a ferry ride to Manly. the whole area around where your staying is fantastic, I'll try find some piccies for you, I'll be right back.

lady cop · Post by **lady cop** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 5:41 am

hey Orange...he's a tad concerned over the local poisonous creatures...nothing in the wild! LOL

orangesox1 · Post by **orangesox1** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 5:44 am

Ok I'm back with piccies

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orangesox1 · Post by **orangesox1** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 5:45 am

Not like your aligators and Pythons in the swamps you have over there.

I think he'll be perfectly safe:-6

Bothwell · Post by **Bothwell** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 6:01 am

Cheers Orange:D

lady cop · Post by **lady cop** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 9:54 am

Orange, there is a terrific book that Bothwell just finished and i just started about Australia...if you haven't read it yet, you may enjoy it! Bill Bryson, "In a Sunburned Country". :-6

abbey · Post by **abbey** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 10:58 am

lady cop wrote: hey Orange...he's a tad concerned over the local poisonous creatures...nothing in the wild! LOL

He'll have to take care with the cute Koala's, they may hug him to death!;)

Bothwell · Post by **Bothwell** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 1:02 am

Abbey everyone knows that Koalas are deadly, they can leap up to 12ft and have large fangs that they sink into your extremeties, their preferred method of attack is to lure you close by looking cute then they pounce, after subduing you with their venom they drag you up a tree to feast on you flesh at leisure, and while we are at it I see Washingto Zoo has another picture of their deadly Panda baby.....

now where's my jacket with the straps that fix at the back gone.....

abbey · Post by **abbey** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 1:32 am

Dont they have bloody great big Funnel web spiders in Australia?:sneaky:

orangesox1 · Post by **orangesox1** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 1:50 am

lady cop wrote: Orange, there is a terrific book that Bothwell just finished and i just started about Australia...if you haven't read it yet, you may enjoy it! Bill Bryson, "In a Sunburned Country". :-6

Hi LC

I have heard of it but haven't actually looked at it, next time I go to town I'll have a look in the book shop.

orangesox1 · Post by **orangesox1** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 2:00 am

Well it was something I had to get used to when I left England to live here.

I have Red back spiders in the garden and occasionally one will come into the house, My parents get a few brown snakes as they have a big garden, but the really nasty one is the one rearing up, I'v had a few of those rear up at me, Idon't know what it's called, and the white tailed gives a nasty bite to along with a few others.

Bothwell won't encounter any of these in Darling harbour, but a trip to taronga park zoo would be worth while.

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Alfred · Post by **Alfred** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 2:12 am

Redbacks...hate the little buggers.

find them under outdoor tables and chairs all the time in summer.

not to mention how many probably find there way into the school.

Bothwell · Post by **Bothwell** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 2:23 am

Thank you all so much for the pictures!!!!

i have read up extensively on the so called Sydney Funnel web, so called because it's home territory extends in a radius 160km from Sydney, I have now relocated my hotel 161km from Sydney but will almost certainly be bitten by one that cannot read road signs and doesn't know it's too far from Sydney:D

This is no joke, as LC will attest I am inherently clumsy and things just seem to happen to me, I am the guy who the nutcase sits next to on the bus, the cross dresser talks to in the bar etc etc

Orange the book LC refers to is called Bill Bryson "Down Under " here in the UK and that may be what it is called in Australia

orangesox1 · Post by **orangesox1** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 2:40 am

Alfred wrote: Redbacks...hate the little buggers.

find them under outdoor tables and chairs all the time in summer.

not to mention how many probably find there way into the school.

SHHHH Alfred, Bothwell will never come to OZ..

Bothwell I'm glad you moved to a new room 160 km out of Sydney but you just put yourself in the Red Back area:yh_rotfl :yh_rotfl :yh_rotfl

orangesox1 · Post by **orangesox1** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 2:47 am

ArnoldLayne wrote: Ah the delightful funnel web, a gregarious creature who likes nothing less than the company of a man and responds well to cradling in the arms and the occasional kiss on the lips. Purrs like a kitten when the soft down on its legs are stroked. Likes to be hand fed marshmallows and small puppy dogs

Would you like Alfred or me to send you one then?:wah:

orangesox1 · Post by **orangesox1** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 2:52 am

ArnoldLayne wrote: Well Ive... er run out of marshmallows :rolleyes:

Have you got any birds, my son had a bird eating spider as a pet in a aquarium in his bed room, they grow as big as a dinner plate and eat birds:wah:

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orangesox1 · Post by **orangesox1** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 2:58 am

ArnoldLayne wrote: My son has also had tarantulas. He has a very large snake at the mo that bites like a dog. He also has giant African snails. At the mo they are about the size of a mans fist. Very cuddly

Well, I'm glad he lives with you and not me, I would never go near them and if there in his room it would never be cleaned as I couldn't stand it. :-3

abbey · Post by **abbey** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 6:14 am

Let's not forget the mighty Kangaroo Bothwell,

it kicks like a mule & knock you into the middle of next week!:wah:

abbey · Post by **abbey** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 6:20 am

Or the Wombat, they have teeth like a beaver!

CUTE THOUGH!

orangesox1 · Post by **orangesox1** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 6:27 am

abbey wrote: Or the Wombat, they have teeth like a beaver!

CUTE THOUGH!

It looks like a giant one:yh_rotfl :yh_rotfl :yh_rotfl That would scare the pants of me.

orangesox1 · Post by **orangesox1** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 6:31 am

Our Box Jellyfish is deadly.:sneaky:

Poor Bothwell, he won't go swimming now either,:(

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lady cop · Post by **lady cop** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 6:39 am

[quote=orangesox1]Our Box Jellyfish is deadly.:sneaky:

Poor Bothwell, he won't go swimming now either,:([/quote florida is looking positively benign.

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orangesox1 · Post by **orangesox1** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 6:41 am

Well he probably won't leave the hotel complex either after all the piccies

abbey · Post by **abbey** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 7:38 am

Tasmanian devil........speaks for itself really!

Lon · Post by **Lon** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 8:00 am

I will be making my first visit to Melborne in March of 06. We will be coming over from Christchurch, N.Z. I have made a number of visits to Oz, but this is the first to Melborne.

Bothwell · Post by **Bothwell** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 8:59 am

Thank you all so much for the concern for my safety, it is reassuring, actually I spit in the face of such dangers and may even venture to Queensland to wrangle the odd "Saltie" a la steve Irwin.

I am more concerned with breathing avian flue virus in my 23 hours on a plane that stops over in Hong Kong.

I shall obviously be sending in pics of me swimming with white sharks whilst balancing a box jellyfish on my nose and emerging from the depths to eat a funnel web sandwich with a taipan side salad all done whilst clad in my sensible all over British woolen bodysuit as knitted by my mum in 1963

Honneykit · Post by **Honneykit** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 12:26 pm

Bothwell wrote: Thank you all so much for the concern for my safety, it is reassuring, actually I spit in the face of such dangers and may even venture to Queensland to wrangle the odd "Saltie" a la steve Irwin.

I am more concerned with breathing avian flue virus in my 23 hours on a plane that stops over in Hong Kong.

I shall obviously be sending in pics of me swimming with white sharks whilst balancing a box jellyfish on my nose and emerging from the depths to eat a funnel web sandwich with a taipan side salad all done whilst clad in my sensible all over British woolen bodysuit as knitted by my mum in 1963

Sounds like you are going to be busy, be safe hurry back and tell us all about your adventures.

lady cop · Post by **lady cop** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 6:26 pm

whatever you do, don't have a few pints!

:rolleyes:

Almost one in three people bitten by deadly saltwater crocodiles in Australia had been drinking alcohol before the animal attacked, new research has found.

An Australian review of unprovoked crocodile attacks on humans between 1971 and 2004 found that 29 percent of the 62 attacks had involved some alcohol consumption by the victim.

"About one-third of the people who had been attacked had actually been drinking alcohol," study co-author Charlie Manolis told AFP Wednesday.

"But it doesn't mean they were ... (drunk) when they fell into the river -- although it did happen."

Manolis said the research found that crocodiles were opportunistic predators and that when people took risks while in their habitat, they sometimes paid the ultimate price.

"Sometimes when people do drink they throw caution to the wind," he said.

The study, published in the US-based Wilderness Medical Society journal, found that fatal attacks had remained roughly stable at about two per year since the 1970s.

"But the number of non-fatal attacks has increased markedly," Manolis said.

Non-fatal attacks increased sharply from about 0.1 per year between 1971 and 1980 to 3.3 per year from 2001 to 2004, according to the study.

The research found that most attacks (81 percent) occurred while the victim was swimming or wading and that all fatal attacks involved water.

Manolis said the dramatic increase in the saltwater crocodile population since the species was protected in the early 1970s was not necessarily responsible for the increase in attacks.

The number of wild "salties" estimated to live in the Northern Territory has jumped from as few as 3,000 in 1971 to more than 75,000 currently.

But he said because the average size of crocodiles had increased over that time, the animals attacking humans had often changed from a small "hatchling" to a four-metre giant weighing hundreds of kilograms.

Last month a man was killed by a five-metre crocodile while diving near Darwin, 5 days after a British snorkeler was taken and killed by a croc.

But Manolis does not think culling is the answer. "It's people being sensible," he said.

lady cop · Post by **lady cop** » Thu Oct 20, 2005 11:06 am

and don't forget to pet a platypus....they are very cute, just watch out for the poison spurs on back legs :yh_bigsmi

abbey · Post by **abbey** » Thu Oct 20, 2005 1:00 pm

No, it's the Marsupials you have to watch, sneaky litle buggers, they carry

stones in their pouches and pelt you when you're not looking. :wah:

CARLA · Post by **CARLA** » Thu Oct 20, 2005 8:44 pm

Bothwell,

Get that TAMIFLU shot before leaving should take care of the bird flu thing. Better wear protective clothing and beware of these lovely creatures.

The sweet Funnel Spider, the friendly Brown Snake one of the deadlest snakes in the world

, and my favorite the Great White Shark.. other than that you should have smashing time.. I will be waiting for a complete report on how you survived this trip..:wah: :wah: I hope you have a lovely time.

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Bothwell · Post by **Bothwell** » Fri Oct 21, 2005 1:47 am

Obviously I am aware Carla of the 3 species above and will teat them with the contempt they deserve. I know as a california bird that the great white holds no terrors for you:D

What i paricularly like about the funnel web is that it is described as "Aggressive" what does this mean, will it come up to me in a bar and pick a fight, does it go around shouting abuse at people, queue jump, run red lights etc , it's 3 inches long with enough venom to stop a horse in it's tracks course it's bloody agressive

orangesox1 · Post by **orangesox1** » Fri Oct 21, 2005 2:30 am

Well, I'v deciced it's to dangerous over her and I'm moving. Anyone with accomodation for me and three teenages call, I'm packing now before I'm attacked by something terrible.

I haven't left my bed since Bothwell started this thread:-3 I think theres a snake under there.

Alfred · Post by **Alfred** » Fri Oct 21, 2005 3:49 am

Don't let the bed bugs bite!

flangalistic · Post by **flangalistic** » Fri Oct 21, 2005 5:15 am

How on Earth do Australians survive? I thought Africa was a dangerous place. All we have are lions, hippos, crocs, buffalo, hyenas etc.

orangesox1 · Post by **orangesox1** » Fri Oct 21, 2005 5:30 am

flangalistic wrote: How on Earth do Australians survive? I thought Africa was a dangerous place. All we have are lions, hippos, crocs, buffalo, hyenas etc.

To be honest, I have been out all day in the State emergency flood boat, we had to cross a flooded river that was out in the bush to get to someones house. We had to disembark frequently from the boat and enter the flood water which was coming staight out of the bush so that we could pull the boat through the shallow areas and clear the grass from the prop.

while standing hip deep in flood water holding on to the boat, I couldn't help but think of this thread and wonder where all the spiders and snakes had gone, someone once told me they wouldn't be on the flood rescue boat crew because everything living tries to get ionto the boat. Well I didn't see any thing, and the only thing that bite me was a green any that must have climbed up inside my pants.

Have you seen our ants? There huge:D

flangalistic · Post by **flangalistic** » Fri Oct 21, 2005 6:35 am

"Dangerous South American fire ants have invaded one of Australia's largest cities, and officials are concerned the insects will migrate farther. The fire ant has a savage bite that can kill people who suffer allergic reactions to its venom, the Queensland State Department of Primary Industries said Tuesday. The ant can also cause root damage to some crops, the department said. Ian Douglas, the department's manager of emergency response, said three sites in the state capital Brisbane have been infested with thousands of fire ants, and there have been hundreds of suspected sightings. Some people have been stung by the ants, but no deaths have been reported, he said. The ants look like normal garden variety ants, ranging in size from a tenth of an inch to around a quarter inch - but they are more aggressive than most of their cousins, Mr. Douglas said. ''If the nest is disturbed they tend to fly out very aggressively to protect the nest,'' and their bite leaves a circular pattern on the skin, Douglas is quoted by The Associated Press as saying."

Bothwell · Post by **Bothwell** » Fri Oct 21, 2005 7:15 am

Oh marvellous I can add ants to the list:(

abbey · Post by **abbey** » Fri Oct 21, 2005 8:06 am

Bothwell wrote: Oh marvellous I can add ants to the list:(Maybe you should abandon the idea and bugger off to Florida instead. :sneaky:

lady cop · Post by **lady cop** » Fri Oct 21, 2005 8:14 am

abbey wrote: Maybe you should abandon the idea and bugger off to Florida instead. :sneaky:i suggested that, but it's business, he must attend! florida will seem like disney world after OZ! :-6 Abbey your post count has a 666 in it, better fix that! LOL

Join Date: Nov 2004

Posts: 4,666

flangalistic · Post by **flangalistic** » Fri Oct 21, 2005 8:20 am

abbey wrote: Maybe you should abandon the idea and bugger off to Florida instead. :sneaky:

Oz doesn't get huricanes, does it?

Bothwell · Post by **Bothwell** » Fri Oct 21, 2005 9:05 am

Maybe you should abandon the idea and bugger off to Florida instead.

mmmm that has been suggested from certain quarters, unforunately the International Conference on Neutron Scattering is in Sydney and although I will do my utmost to persuade the 2000 or so beardie scientists who are attending to switch to Florida I may prove unsuccessful:)

CARLA · Post by **CARLA** » Fri Oct 21, 2005 12:37 pm

BOTHWELL,

You will be safe just stay indoors up high, and never go out at night, don't walk in the grass, don't pick flowers and for heaven sake man stay off the PIERS !!..:wah: :wah:

Oh here is the imfamous DINGO beware it is a WOLF in a dog suit..

They eat babies..!!

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Alfred · Post by **Alfred** » Fri Oct 21, 2005 5:31 pm

you don't need to add ants to your list as you'll be in sydney.

it is i who must worry about the ants as i live in Brisbane :-3 .

as for hurricanes or cyclones etc. i only know of 3, one which hit north Queensland, one which hit darwin and one wich went through Western Australia.

i don't know if sydneys ever come close to being hit by a cyclone, but they got an earthquake once.

lady cop · Post by **lady cop** » Fri Oct 21, 2005 6:51 pm

so honey, if you go out to the reef to snorkel don't worry about the white sharks...but do watch out for the highly venomous blue-ringed octopus....they are attracted to Englishmen.

.....