1.The Dingo Fence or Dog Fence is a pest-exclusion fence that was built in Australia during the 1880s and finished in 1885, to keep dingoes out of the relatively fertile south-east part of the continent (where they had largely been exterminated) and protect the sheep flocks of southern Queensland. It is one of the longest structures in the world and is the world's longest fence. It stretches 5,614 km (3,488 mi) from Jimbour on the Darling Downs near Dalby through thousands of kilometres of arid land ending west of Eyre peninsula on cliffs of the Nullarbor Plain above the Great Australian Bight (131° 40’ E), near Nundroo. It has been partly successful, though dingoes can still be found in parts of the southern states. Although the fence has helped reduce losses of sheep to predators, this has been countered by holes in fences found in the 1990s to which dingo offspring have passed through and due to increased pasture competition from rabbits and kangaroos.
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(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0e/Sturt_National_Park3_-_Dingo_Fence_-_CameronsCorner.jpg/180px-Sturt_National_Park3_-_Dingo_Fence_-_CameronsCorner.jpg)
Text from http://en.wikipedia.org
2.Which world's largest reptile can be found in Australia? Give the details of the species and illustrate.
The biggest reptile in the world is Saltwater Crocodile.These creatures are found on the northern coast of Australia and inland for up to 100 kms or more. The Saltwater Crocodile has been reported to grow to lengths of 7 metres!, but the average size of a Saltwater Crocodile is 4 metres long.They reproduce in the wet season, with the female crocodile laying up to 60 eggs at a time. When the crocodiles are born, only a very small number of these survive in the wild and grow to be adult crocodiles.
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(http://animal.discovery.com/reptiles/crocodile/pictures/crocodile-picture.jpg)
Text from http://www.australianfauna.com
Australian Animals
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3.What kind of goverment does Australia have? Who is the present Prime Minister?
Australia was declared a federation in 1901 with the concurrence of the British Parliament, and now has a Federal Government, six State Governments and two Territories which are largely self-governing.
Kevin Michael Rudd was sworn in as the 26th Prime Minister of Australia on 3 December 2007.
http://www.pm.gov.au/sites/default/files/image/image_library/_DSC3418.jpg
Mr Rudd was born in the country town of Nambour in Queensland in 1957, the son of a share farmer and a nurse. Mr Rudd was educated at the Eumundi Primary School, Marist College Ashgrove and Nambour State High School, where he was Dux of the school. He joined the Australian Labor Party at the age of 15 in 1972.
Prior to entering Parliament in 1998, Mr Rudd worked as a diplomat, as a senior official in the Queensland Government, and as a consultant helping Australian firms to establish and build their business links in China and in Taiwan.
The Australian system of government has its beginnings in two great democratic traditions. Following British settlement in 1788, the Westminster model was used as the basis of government in the six separate colonies established across the continent in the 19th century. When those colonies met to discuss the formation of a national government in 1890 they opted for a relationship between the national and state governments similar to that of the United States. At the same time they opted to retain the Westminster model as the basis for the legislature, the executive government and the judiciary at the national and state level. The American tradition is expressed through a written constitution defining the powers of the national government.
The first prime Minister was Lord Hopetoun.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND PARLIAMENT
The form of government at the national level corresponds largely with the British democratic tradition. The federal legislature consists of a House of Representatives of 147 members representing individual electorates in all States and Territories and elected on a preferential voting system, and a Senate consisting of 12 representatives from each State and two from each Territory elected through proportional representation.
The party with the majority in the House of Representatives provides a ministry from its members in the House of Representatives and the Senate, with the Prime Minister traditionally coming from the House of Representatives. Membership in the House of Representatives is divided between two major groupings, the Australian Labor Party and a coalition of the Liberal Party and therural-based National Party. Elections must be held every three years, but may be held more frequently with the consent of the Governor-General.
The Senate is more diverse in its membership. The two major groupings provide the majority of members. However, the Australian Democrats, and recently other minor parties, have held the balance of power for most of the past 20 years. If the Government fails to command a majority in the House of Representatives it must ask the Governor-General to authorise an election or resign. It need not, however, command a majority in the Senate. Senators are generally elected for six-year terms.
Each Minister of State is responsible to Parliament for the operation of a department, in some cases jointly with other ministers. The amalgamation of departments in the past decade has resulted in the assignment of responsibilities in the larger departments to a portfolio minister, assisted by one or more ministers within the same portfolio. There are many statutory agencies, corporations, tribunals and commissions in the federal public sector, all responsible to particular ministers.
Australia is one of the few countries to adopt compulsory voting at the national and state level and to have a permanent electoral commission charged with overseeing fair elections and regular redistribution of the boundaries of electorates for the House of Representatives. This ensures, as nearly as practicable, the same number of electors in each electorate. The Australian Electoral Commission also administers public funding provisions for registered political parties and eligible independents.
STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT
State governments have basically similar institutions to their federal counterpart. Each has its own Governor with powers similar to those of the Governor-General, also exercised on the advice of the Government. Each has an upper and lower House of Parliament, except for Queensland which has only one House. All operate on the British system of cabinet government. The Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory also have their own governments and legislatures, but their powers are less than those of state governments.
In the almost 100 years since federation, increasing powers have been transferred to the Federal Government or shared between the States and the Federal Government. The taxing power,passed to the Federal Government 50 years ago, has generated regular consultations on the distribution of revenue and other matters between the Federal and State Governments. Councils and conferences of ministers are frequent and cover agriculture, education, housing, employment, minerals and energy, transport and legal matters. Commissions have also been set up to advise on the allocation of federal grants to the States in such areas as education and road construction.
The Council of Australian Governments representing the Federal Government and the heads of all States and Territories has taken a number of initiatives to rationalise intergovernmental decision making since its formation in 1992 as a forum for ongoing discussions on national matters. It has endorsed strategies on ecologically sustainable development and greenhouse gas emissions.
The six States contain more than 850 local government areas. They are controlled by elected councils and are regulated by state Acts of Parliament. Responsibility for administering local amenities such as roads, water supply, sewerage and electricity often lies with statutory authorities established by State Governments.
Finance for their activities is increasingly obtained through grants from the Federal and State Governments.
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Text from http://www.about-australia.com
4.The Deepest lake in Australia is Lake St Clair and the Murray River is the longest river in Australia at 2520km, combining with the Darling and Upper Darling Rivers to form the Murray-Darling basin. The Murray Darling extends over 15% of the continent, and serving 4 States and the ACT with water. The Murray also supports about 1/3 of Australia's agricultural production, supports 50% of Australia's sheep and croplands, and 25% of beef and dairy herds, contains about 62% of the country's irrigated land and supplies 50% of South Australia's water.
(http://www.lakestclairflyfishing.com/images/StClairFlats.jpg)Lake St Clair.
(http://www.rafting.co.uk/images/clip_image002_083.jpg)The Murray river.
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Text from http://www.australianexplorer.com
5.‘Advance Australia Fair’ is the national anthem of Australia. A revised version of a late nineteenth century patriotic song, it was officially declared the national anthem on 19 April 1984.
The composer
Peter Dodds McCormick, a Scot, composed ‘Advance Australia Fair’ under the pen-name ‘Amicus’ (amicus is the Latin word for ‘friend’). It was first performed in Sydney on Saint Andrew’s Day, 1878. An amended version was also sung by a choir of 10,000 at the inauguration of the Commonwealth of Australia on 1 January, 1901. In 1907, the Australian Government awarded McCormick £100 for his composition. Peter McCormick died in 1916 and ‘Advance Australia Fair’ became free of copyright in 1966. The Commonwealth of Australia, however, does copyright the officially proclaimed lyrics and particular arrangements of music. Non-commercial public use of the anthem is permitted, but commercial use requires permission.
Some of the original words of the song have been changed for the official version. ‘Australia’s sons let us rejoice’ was the original first line; this has been replaced with ‘Australians all let us rejoice’. In the third verse of the original song, two lines were changed—‘To make our youthful Commonwealth’ became ‘To make this Commonwealth of ours’, and ‘For loyal sons beyond the seas’ became ‘For those who’ve come across the seas’.
How ‘Advance Australia Fair’ became the national anthem
The official anthem was ‘God Save the Queen’ (or ‘King’) from 1788 to 1974, although numerous commercial and official competitions were held over the years to find a substitute. The first was held in 1840.
John Dunmore Lang, who published an ‘Australian Anthem’ and an ‘Australian Hymn’ in 1826, was an early advocate of a distinctively Australian anthem. Carl Linger of South Australia wrote ‘The Song of Australia’ in 1860, and it was suggested to the Prime Minister in 1929 as a possible national anthem.
The issue of a truly national anthem was raised persistently before the 1956 Olympic Games, which were held in Melbourne. ‘Advance Australia Fair’ and ‘Waltzing Matilda’ were the two songs most strongly favoured then as the new anthem. ‘Waltzing Matilda’ was composed in 1895, with lyrics by one of Australia’s best known poets, AB ‘Banjo’ Paterson.
On Australia Day, 26 January, in 1972, the number of entries (more than 400) received in an Australia-wide national anthem quest gave an indication of the interest in a new anthem.
Exactly a year later a government-sponsored competition was announced, which drew 2500 entries for the words and 1300 for the music. The judges selected six entries for the words, but rejected all the musical entries.
The polls and what followed
The quest for an Australian national anthem continued. In 1974 a public opinion poll sampled an estimated 60 000 people to select from three possible anthems: ‘Advance Australia Fair’, ‘Waltzing Matilda’ and ‘Song of Australia’. ‘Advance Australia Fair’ polled 51.4 per cent. Following this result the then Prime Minister, Gough Whitlam, announced that ‘Advance Australia Fair’ would be the national anthem, except on specifically Royal occasions, when both it and ‘God Save the Queen’ would be played.
In 1976, after a change of government, ‘God Save the Queen’ was reinstated for Royal, vice-regal, defence and loyal toast occasions, with ‘Advance Australia Fair’ to be played on all other official occasions.
In May 1977, however, a national poll was conducted to ascertain the public choice of a national song. This time more than seven million people were issued with ballot papers. The results were: ‘Advance Australia Fair’ 43.2 per cent, ‘Waltzing Matilda’ 28.3 per cent, ‘God Save the Queen’ 18.7 per cent and ‘Song of Australia’ 9.6 per cent. Despite the poll results, adoption of the new national anthem met widespread opposition.
It was not until April 1984 that the Governor-General issued a proclamation that ‘God Save the Queen’ was designated the Royal Anthem, to be played at public engagements in Australia attended by the members of the Royal family. ‘Advance Australia Fair’ was finally declared to be the Australian national anthem.
Usually ‘God Save the Queen’ is played at the start of Royal functions and ‘Advance Australia Fair’ at the end, unless it is more appropriate to play both anthems at the start. ‘Advance Australia Fair’ is played at all other official functions.
Australian national anthem video
Lyrics
ADVANCE AUSTRALIA FAIR
Australians all let us rejoice,
For we are young and free;
We’ve golden soil and wealth for toil;
Our home is girt by sea;
Our land abounds in nature’s gifts
Of beauty rich and rare;
In history’s page, let every stage
Advance Australia Fair.
In joyful strains then let us sing,
Advance Australia Fair.
Beneath our radiant Southern Cross
We’ll toil with hearts and hands;
To make this Commonwealth of ours
Renowned of all the lands;
For those who’ve come across the seas
We’ve boundless plains to share;
With courage let us all combine
To Advance Australia Fair.
In joyful strains then let us sing,
Advance Australia Fair.
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Text from http://www.dfat.gov.au
6.The flag of Australia is the national flag of Australia. Its original design was chosen in 1901 from entries in a worldwide competition held following Federation. It was first flown in Melbourne on 3 September 1901. A slightly different design was approved by King Edward VII in 1902. Over the next few years, the exact specifications of the flag were changed several times both intentionally and as a result of confusion. The current specifications were formally gazetted in 1934, and in 1954 the flag became recognised by parliamentary statute as the "Australian National Flag".
The flag is a defaced Blue Ensign: a blue field with the Union Flag in the canton (upper hoist quarter), and a large white seven-pointed star known as the Commonwealth Star in the lower hoist quarter. The fly contains a representation of the Southern Cross constellation, made up of five white stars – one small five-pointed star and four, larger, seven-pointed stars.
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b9/Flag_of_Australia.svg/200px-Flag_of_Australia.svg.png)
The flag of Australia is legally defined in the Flags Act 1953. In addition there are other official flags representing Australia, its people and core functions of government.
The Australian flag uses three prominent symbols: the Union Jack, the Commonwealth Star (also the Federation Star) and the Southern Cross (or Crux).
The Union Flag is thought locally to symbolise Australia's history as six British colonies and the principles upon which the Australian Federation is based,although a more historic view sees its inclusion in the design as demonstrating loyalty to the British Empire.
The Commonwealth Star originally had only six points, representing the six federating colonies. However, this changed in 1908 when a seventh point was added to symbolise the Territory of Papua and any future territories.The Commonwealth Star does not have any relation to Beta Centauri, despite that star's coincidental location in the sky and its brightness.
The Southern Cross is one of the most distinctive constellations visible in the Southern Hemisphere,and has been used to represent Australia since the early days of British settlement.Ivor Evans, one of the flag's designers, intended the Southern Cross to refer also to the four moral virtues ascribed to the four main stars by Dante: justice, prudence, temperance and fortitude.The number of points on the stars of the Southern Cross on today's Australian flag differs from the original competition-winning design, on which they ranged between five and nine points each, representing their relative brightness in the night sky.In order to simplify manufacture, the British Admiralty standardised the four larger outer stars at seven points each, leaving the smaller middle star with five points.
A complete specification for the current design was published in the Commonwealth Gazette in 1934.
Text from http://en.wikipedia.org 12.02.2010
7.The name Australia is derived from the Latin australis, meaning "southern". Legends of an "unknown land of the south" (terra australis incognita) date back to Roman times and were commonplace in medieval geography but were not based on any documented knowledge of the continent.
The first recorded use of the word Australia in English was in 1625 in "A note of Australia del Espíritu Santo, written by Master Hakluyt" and published by Samuel Purchas in Hakluytus Posthumus.The Dutch adjectival form Australische was used by Dutch East India Company officials in Batavia to refer to the newly discovered land to the south in 1638. Australia was used in a 1693 translation of Les Aventures de Jacques Sadeur dans la Découverte et le Voyage de la Terre Australe, a 1676 French novel by Gabriel de Foigny under the pen-name Jacques Sadeur.Alexander Dalrymple then used it in An Historical Collection of Voyages and Discoveries in the South Pacific Ocean (1771), to refer to the entire South Pacific region. In 1793, George Shaw and Sir James Smith published Zoology and Botany of New Holland, in which they wrote of "the vast island, or rather continent, of Australia, Australasia or New Holland".It also appeared on a 1799 chart by James Wilson.
The name Australia was popularised by Matthew Flinders who, as early as 1804, pushed for the name to be formally adopted. When preparing his manuscript and charts for his 1814 A Voyage to Terra Australis he was persuaded by his patron, Sir Joseph Banks, to use the term Terra Australis as this was the name most familiar to the public. Flinders did so, but allowed himself the footnote:
"Had I permitted myself any innovation on the original term, it would have been to convert it to Australia; as being more agreeable to the ear, and an assimilation to the names of the other great portions of the earth."
This is the only occurrence of the word Australia in that text; but in Appendix III, Robert Brown's General remarks, geographical and systematical, on the botany of Terra Australis, Brown makes use of the adjectival form Australian throughout,this being the first known use of that form.Despite popular conception, the book was not instrumental in the adoption of the name: the name came gradually to be accepted over the following ten years.Lachlan Macquarie, a Governor of New South Wales, subsequently used the word in his dispatches to England, and on 12 December 1817 recommended to the Colonial Office that it be formally adopted.In 1824, the Admiralty agreed that the continent should be known officially as Australia.
The word Australia in Australian English is pronounced [əˈstɹæɪljə, -liə].Since early in the 20th century, the country has been sometimes referred to locally and internationally as Oz.N5 Aussie is common colloquially as an adjective and also as a noun referring to an Australian.
Text from http://en.wikipedia.org 12.02.2010
8.Australia's national floral emblem is the golden wattle (Acacia pycnantha Benth.).
When in flower, the golden wattle displays the national colours, green and gold.
As one species of a large genus of flora growing across Australia, the golden wattle is a symbol of unity.
Wattle is ideally suited to withstand Australia's droughts, winds and bushfires. The resilience of wattle represents the spirit of the Australian people.
In recent times, the golden wattle has been used as a symbol of remembrance and reflection. On national days of mourning, for example, Australians are invited to wear a sprig of wattle.
The golden wattle has been used in the design of Australian stamps and many awards in the Australian honours system. A single wattle flower is the emblem of the Order of Australia.
(http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/symbols/images/wattle.jpg)
National Wattle Day
The first day of September is National Wattle Day. It builds on a long unofficial tradition of wearing the wattle blossom on 1 September. The day was introduced in 1913 by an association called the Wattle Day League and formally recognised on 23 June 1992.
Australians can celebrate their floral heritage each Wattle Day by planting wattles.
Text from http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/ 12.02.2010
9.Australian Tree Frog
One of the most popular pets in the world, the Australian tree frog, is a fascinating amphibian. The Australian green tree frog, has a vivid shade of green and is known by many names like, green tree frog, White's tree frog and Dumpy tree frog. The article presented below bares all about the Australian tree frogs.
The Australian tree frog, or the 'litoria caerulea', is originally a native of Australia and New Guinea, though the pet trade has transported it far and wide. It has successfully adapted to New Zealand as well as United States. The Australian tree frog is a fascinating creature that can survive both on land as well as in water. Let us find out more about the Australian tree frog's habitat, feeding habits and conservation status.
Australian Green Tree Frog Facts File
The Australian tree frog is one of the largest member of its species and can reach up to 10cms in length. Their life spans are also longer than most of their frog cousins and can reach between 16 to 20 years in captivity. In the wild, their lives are smaller due to predation. They are docile and hence make good exotic house pets.
An amazing, less known fact about the Australian tree frog is that its soft, green skin secretes compounds with antiviral and antibacterial properties. Their skin color ranges anything between light green and dark green, and can sometimes appear brownish or olive green. Their colors depend on the local temperature and the color of their surrounding environment, as it is supposed to give them an effective camouflage. Some Australian tree frogs have small, white spots on their skin.
The Australian tree frogs have large discs at the end of their toes. These allow them a firm grip, when they climb on vertical surfaces. Their webbed limbs allow them to cling to branches and trees and it is not uncommon to find them stuck on grass or leaves. The Australian tree frog can be found in a wide range of eye colors; red, yellow, brown, green, silver or gold.
(http://www.mrnussbaum.com/gamesimages/frog/atf.gif)
Being amphibians, they have lungs, but they mostly absorb oxygen through their skin (only if the skin is moist). The main disadvantage of this constantly wet skin is that it is the prime breeding requirement of pathogens and this increases the risk of infections. The Australian tree frog however, is prepared for this eventuality, where it secretes peptides to destroy these pathogens.
The Australian tree frog is a nocturnal amphibian. They come out only at night or the late evenings, to hunt, feed and mate. During the day, they find dark, moist areas to sleep in. They are not seen at all during the winter.
Australian Green Tree Frog Habitat
The Australian tree frog can be found in the northern and eastern regions of Australia. They can be easily found in forests (near some water source) and can also survive in swamps and grasslands. They are also known to inhabit household water sources, like sinks and toilets. They can also easily survive in areas of high human populations. As they can tolerate human inhabitation in their natural habitats, they can survive longer, unlike the other threatened and endangered species that are losing populations due to loss of habitats.
Australian Green Tree Frog Feeding Habits
As the Australian tree frog is not equipped with incisor teeth, it cannot tear apart its prey. It needs to feed on food, that can fit in its mouth. Hence, its diet consists of insects, such as spiders, cockroaches, flies and crickets, and small animals, such as other frogs, bats and sometimes even mice. For the smaller prey, they use their sticky tongues to shoot at the close range prey. For larger prey, they pounce on the prey and force it into their mouths with their hands. These predators also have some natural predators that feed on them. Their native predators are snakes, lizards and some birds, while their non native predators are cats and dogs.
Australian Green Tree Frog Conservation Status
The Australian law protects the Australian tree frog by giving it a protected status. The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) however, gives it a 'least concern' status. The broad range of habitats that the Australian tree frog can survive in and their long life expectancy ensures that this frog will not lose population, unless some external factors come into play. They have good amount of food, good amount of land, a long life and no over-hunting threat from predators. It doesn't look like they need any attention just yet.
Australian Green Tree Frog as a Pet
The Australian tree frog is really a very popular pet, especially in those circles, that favor exotic pets. They are extremely docile and are the perfect dash of green in our usual 'un-green' (pun intended) homes. Their long life expectancy and the natural resistance to diseases, is an added bonus. Their only problem as pets is their tendency to become obese. Over feeding and lack of exercise results in a fat problem for the Australian tree frogs. Their weight gain problems have resulted in the name, 'Dumpy tree frog'.
For all the animal lovers who don't find frogs disgusting, the Australian tree frog is a gentle, docile and beautiful pet. Personally, I think they are 'soooo' cute. If you like them, just as much as me, get an Australian green tree frog as a pet. Just remember to feed them in moderate amounts and let them loose for exercise, every once in a while. I bet you, they'll croak for you, whenever you're not around.
The frog who sings when asked:
Text from http://www.buzzle.com/ 12.02.2010
10.AC/DC are an Australian rock band formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Although the band are commonly classified as hard rock and are considered a pioneer of heavy metal,they have always classified their music as rock and roll.
AC/DC underwent several line-up changes before releasing their first album, High Voltage, in 1975. Membership remained stable until bassist Mark Evans was replaced by Cliff Williams in 1977 for the album Powerage. The band recorded their highly successful album Highway to Hell in 1979. Lead singer and co-songwriter Bon Scott died on 19 February 1980, after a night of heavy alcohol consumption. The group briefly considered disbanding, but soon ex-Geordie singer Brian Johnson was selected to replace Scott. Later that year, the band released their best-selling album, Back in Black.
The band's next album, For Those About to Rock We Salute You, was their first album to reach number one in the United States. AC/DC declined in popularity soon after drummer Phil Rudd was fired in 1983 and was replaced by future Dio drummer Simon Wright, though the band resurged in the early 1990s with the release of The Razor's Edge. Phil Rudd returned in 1994 (after Chris Slade, whom was with the band from 1990–1994, was asked to leave in favour of him) and contributed to the band's 1995 album Ballbreaker. Stiff Upper Lip was released in 2000 and was well received by critics. Since then, the band has stayed the same with the 1980-1983 lineup. The band's most recent album, Black Ice, was released on 20 October 2008. It was their biggest hit on the charts since "For Those About to Rock, reaching #1 on all the charts eventually.AC/DC's newest studio album, AC/DC: Iron Man 2 is set to release on April 19, 2010.
As of 2008, AC/DC have sold more than 200 million albums worldwide,including 71 million albums in the United States.Back in Black has sold an estimated 45 million units worldwide, making it the highest-selling album by any band and the 2nd highest-selling album in history, behind Thriller by Michael Jackson. The album has sold 22 million in the US alone, where it is the fifth-highest-selling album.AC/DC ranked fourth on VH1's list of the "100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock" and was named the seventh "Greatest Heavy Metal Band of All Time" by MTV.In 2004, the band was ranked number 72 in the Rolling Stone list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time".
More in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AC/DC
AC/DC live at Donnington:
12.02.2010
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