Australia a little taste of heaven





France has traditionally been the largest consumer of its own wines. However, wine consumption has been dropping in France for over 40 odd years. During the decade of the 1990s, per capita consumption dropped by nearly 20 percent.

Australia and France both make very good wine, but their respective wine making cultures are at opposite extremes. In Australia, wine makers must go to university and learn the science of wine making. After graduation, some are expected to make wine in a foreign country in order to further develop their abilities. Once acquiring a vast body of knowledge, they return to Australia and further contribute to the local knowledge pool. The wine maker's knowledge is then tested in a variety of national wine shows where blind tastings are used to assess quality and award prizes.



The recognized wine producing areas in France are regulated by the Institut National des Appellations d'Origine – INAO in acronym. Every appellation in France is defined by INAO, in regards to the individual regions particular wine "character". If a wine fails to meet the INAO's strict criteria it is declassified into a lower appellation or even into Vin de Pays or Vin de Table.


Map of the principal wine regions in France


Whereas Australian wine making culture emphasises science and allows the freedom to use it, French wine making culture revolves around inflexible classification systems that define wineries as inferior and superior. In 1855, Bordeaux wineries were ranked in classes titled First Growth, Second Growth, Third Growth, Fourth Growth and Fifth growth. In 150 years, only Mouton Rothschild has been able to change its rank. In 1973, it was promoted from Second to First growth.

The Appellation label is a classification system designed to protect established brands. The Appellation label was created in 1935 and has strict rules about permitted grape varieties, yields, alcohol content, cultivation, maturation practices, and labelling procedures. If a wine maker follows the rules of their respective Appellation, then they are allowed to use the Appellation label. If they don't follow the rules then they can't use the label.



By forcing all wine makers in a specific region to make wine in the same way, it becomes much easier for the region to become famous for a specific style. If the region is famous, then all the winemakers in the region also benefit. Furthermore, if each region is famous for a particular style, then different regions of France have no need to compete with each other. It is very much a group first philosophy that allows all individuals in the group to benefit from the group's success.

Although the Appellation system helps marketing, the side effect is that it reduces quality. The system is incredibly harsh on innovation, and leaves no scope for the winemaker to adapt techniques to deal with micro-climatic variances from year to year. Basically, the French wine maker is nothing more than a robot following inflexible rules. There is no need for them to be educated. There is no need to learn new theories. No need to experiment. No need to worry about competition. In fact, there isn't even a need for French winemakers to clean their vats. The lack of cleanliness is reflected in many French wines, which taste of an extremely dirty winery.




Due to obvious problems with the Appellation label, in 1979 the French created the less restrictive Vin De Pays label. Although the VDP label allows scope for wine making expertise, in the eyes of the French consumer, a Vin De Pay wine signals that the wine is of inferior quality. (Entrenched interests in the French industry work hard to maintain that perception.) Consequently, the Vin De Pay wine sells for a low price and so further reinforces negative perceptions about the label - to the delight of those who use the Appellation label.

 Unlike Australia, France does not have a culture of national wine shows that allow new wineries to gain recognition. As a result, French wine bottles never display awards as do Australian wine bottles. Plain and simply, French wineries have no way of going up in status.



Australians appreciate the marketing benefits of the Appellation system and have worked to create regional promotions. They have not; however, agreed to follow a uniform set of rules or regulations and probably never would. 

French wine originated in the 6th century BC, with the colonization of Southern Gaul and by Greek settlers.




Aussie Soldiers








The Special Air Service Regiment, officially abbreviated SASR but commonly known as the SAS, is a special forces unit of the Australian Army.



The Australian Special Air Service was established on 25 July 1957 as the 1st Special Air Service Company.



Only 16% of applicants will pass the SASR selection course.



Since their beginnings in 1964, the SASR has lost more men in training than in combat due to the nature of their training regime



SASR Squadrons rotated through Vietnam on one year long deployments until the last Squadron was withdrawn in October 1971. During its time in Vietnam the Regiment was extremely successful in the reconnaissance role. To their enemies, members of the regiment were known as the 'phantoms of the jungle' due to their field craft.



The Australian and New Zealand SAS killed at least 492 and as many as 598 and losing only two men killed in action and three fatalities from friendly fire.








Rugby League All stars Game 2012








Rugby League Indigenous Allstars Game 2012 will be held at Skilled Park on February 4.



The All Stars Festival, celebrating the indigenous participation across Rugby League, will take place on Friday, February 3, at Burleigh Bears Junior Rugby League Oval.



NRL in collaboration with QRL, CRL, NSWRL and ARL Indigenous Council.





All Star Christopher Sandow Visits his home town of Cherbourg QLD

The All Stars Festival will feature the best of the Indigenous Club players who will display their skills in a clash between the Koori and Murri at Burleigh Bears’ Bob Singh Oval during the latter half of the day.



Also, former captain of the Indigenous team, Preston Campbell, whose brainchild is the indigenous All Stars, will present away 2012 Indigenous All Stars player including their Women’s team.






SANTA IS COMING










In 1958, the governments of Canada and the United States created a bi-national air defense command for North America called the North American Aerospace Defense Command, also known as NORAD, which then took on the tradition of tracking Santa.







Since that time, NORAD men, women, family and friends have selflessly volunteered their time to personally respond to phone calls and emails from children all around the world. In addition, we now track Santa using the Internet. Millions of people who want to know Santa’s whereabouts now visit the NORAD Tracks Santa website.








Aussie Aboriginal Language







At the time of European settlement in Australia in the 1700s, Indigenous people across the continent spoke an estimated 250 languages. Some of these are still spoken today, but most have become extinct or are in danger of disappearing.





However, in the past 30 years, Australian governments, educators and researchers have been developing programs and strategies to maintain and preserve Australia’s Indigenous linguistic heritage and to support those who continue to speak Indigenous languages or those who wish to revive Indigenous languages.



Many words from Indigenous languages, especially the names of places and animals, have passed into general Australian English usage and form an important part of contemporary Australian identity. The name of Australia’s capital city, Canberra, comes from an Indigenous word meaning ‘meeting place’.







David R Horton is the creator of the Interactive Indigenous Language Map for the ABC.

Click on the Map Below

























Viva Le Aussie Mate!






Over 45,000 Australians lost their lives on French soil in the First and Second World Wars, more than in any other country in the world.

The legacy of Australian involvement on French soil plays an important role in our bilateral relationship with France.








The Aussies named one of the main streets in the town of Peronne, Roo de Kanga, a deviation of Kangaroo, it is still named that today in their honour



France and Australia have a close relationship founded on historical contacts, shared values of democracy and human rights, substantial commercial links, and a keen interest in each other's culture.



Dialogue and practical cooperation between France and Australia has been strengthening on many fronts in recent years, including on key global security issues such as arms control and disarmament, non-proliferation and counter-terrorism. The Pacific region, where both countries have direct interests, continues to be an important focus of bilateral engagement. Commercial links are substantial and France is an increasingly important source of direct investment and technology, including in the defence sector, for Australia. Cooperation in the surveillance of valuable fisheries resources is also an area of ongoing bilateral activity.





Members of French Navy Ship La Fayette, onboard HMAS Sydney.


In 2008, it was announced that France and Australia would strengthen their defence cooperation further in the Pacific region.

The Australian Embassy in Paris administers the Australia–France Foundation, which promotes cultural exchanges between the two countries and publishes a quarterly newsletter 'L'Australie en France' promoting Australian activities in France. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's Cultural Awards Scheme has also promoted cultural relations between Australia and France.







French Tourists enjoy a traditional Australian Xmas Day at the beach


Tourist links between the two countries are significant, with over 400,000 Australians visiting France each year. Approx 102,000 visitor visas were granted to French nationals to visit Australia in 2009 – 10, making France the 10th largest source of visitor visa grants, and 1,867 student visas were granted. A working holiday-maker agreement signed between the two countries in November 2003 makes it easier for young French and Australian people to spend time in each other's countries. In 2009–10, about 7000 Australian working holiday visas were granted to French nationals, making France the 7th largest source of working holiday visitors, and 483 were granted to Australians.




Queenslanders





People from the southern states of Australia sometimes refer to Queensland as "The Deep North", in allusion to the Deep South of the United States and the socio-political stereotype associated with it. This was notably the case during the 1970s and early 1980s, when Joh Bjelke-Petersen was Premier, and again in the 1990s, when Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party from Queensland became a significant force in Australian politics.











The rivalry between the states of New South Wales and Queensland goes back over 100 years, stemming from the attitude that New South Wales was the "Mother Colony" while Queensland was viewed as a poorer cousin.





A Deep North Stereotype


This rivalry has been played out through sport over the years. In Queensland there has been a general ill-feeling over the number of sports people leaving their home state for New South Wales, particularly rugby league football players who left to play for the richer Sydney clubs. These players would then play against Queensland in interstate matches. In 1980, as a solution to this problem, the Rugby League State of Origin was created to allow Queensland players to play for their original state. This sporting contest played three times a year now exemplifies this rivalry, dominating the media and public attention in those two states during the series.









A Queenslander is born of the festering hatred, resentment, jealousy and perceived injustice, done to them by New South Wales Rugby League (blues), through out history, only those who have been crushed beneath a tyrannical oppressor's heel, can truly know this feeling.





Ah mate here we go a bloody ‘gain

The Blues are whinging and they’re crying

It makes you flaming sick ya know

But it’s a trick we just ain’t buying.



They reckon they have rookies

Who will never make the grade

We know they never had a chance

No matter who they bloody played.



The time draws near, they start to shake

That self doubt will rise again

It will grow on their subconscious

And play havoc with their brain.



Take note how people that you work with

Start avoiding all your crew

Then you realise what is happening

Their skin is turning slimy blue.



Mate this is State Of Origin

It’s a feeling you can’t hide

That tingling through your body

That unbending Queensland pride.



Your guts begin a churning

The sweat pours from your brow.

There is no sitting on the fence

It’s time to take that Queensland vow.



And the Blues they just don’t get it

They can’t understand that pride

How we can love this state so much

Just how we feel deep down inside.


The battle lines are slowly drawn

You know just what I mean

You are either with us or against us

There is bugger all in between.



So bring it on you Roaches

Feel the hatred and the fear

The battle ground will run with blood

Then you will hear our victory cheer.

“QUEENSLANDER”



Bondi Beach backpacker vs celebrity




Year after year, thousands of backpackers, travellers, visitors, even locals converge on the golden sands of Bondi Beach to spend Christmas Day at one of Sydney’s iconic beaches. Decked out in bold red Santa hats and proudly wearing Christmas decorations around bikinis, girl elves in short red skirts and men in Santa costumes are common sightings.





Beachgoers park their decorated Christmas trees next to their beach towels, pose for photographs in the front of the surf, even take on to surfboards in their best Christmas beachwear.



Bondi Beach, what better place to find yourself during 100-plus-degree temperatures in Australia, than along Sydney’s iconic beach.

Bondi beach is also a haven for backpackers, with lots of hostels and bed and breakfast accommodation.







Bondi Beach is one of Australia's most famous beaches and among the world's most well-known beaches. The beach is roughly a kilometre long and is patrolled by TV celebrity lifeguards.

Bondi Rescue is an Australian factual television program which is broadcast on Channel Ten. The program follows the day to day life of the lifeguards at work patrolling Bondi Beach.

Bondi Rescue is also broadcast in the UK, the Republic of Ireland, New Zealand, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Germany, the Netherlands, Turkey, Italy, Belgium, Hong Kong and worldwide on National Geographic Adventure.




Bondi beach is the closest beach to the Sydney city centre (8kms), this south facing beach can attract more than 40,000 visitors on a typical summer weekend.

Offering topless sunbathing, swimming and great surfing for boards and bodies, the beach is popular with Australians as well as international tourists.
One of many celebrities who visit our fair shores, Snoop Dogg enjoys a leisurely stroll along Bondi Beach





Bondi Beach lifeguards perform around 2,500 rescues over the summer period, dealing with lost children, shark scares, sexual deviants, and thieves on the beach in addition to watching the water. Every once in a while celebrities such as Snoop Dogg,  Paris Hilton, Kim Kardashian, Russell Crowe, Richard Branson, Hugh Grant, Zac Efron, Rowan Atkinson, David Hasslehoff, and the Indian Cricket Team also make appearances on their shores.







In 2007, the Guinness World Record for the largest swimsuit photo shoot was set at Bondi Beach, with 1,010 women wearing bikinis taking Bondi Beach is patrolled 365 days a year






DON'T FORGET - Always swim between the flags





The Australian Constitution WTF?




What is the Australian Constitution?  it's been around for more than 100 years, but have you ever taken the time to actually read the Australian Constitution?




Australias Deadly snakes





The Fierce snakes venom is at least 200 - 400 times more toxic than a common cobra. Just a single bite from this snake contains enough venom to kill 100 human adults or 150,000 mice.






The Fierce Snake also known as the Inland Taipan and Small Scaled Snake, is native to Australia and is regarded as one of the most venomous land snake in the world based on LD50 values in mice.



Its venom consists mostly of neurotoxins, which is a toxin that acts specifically on nerve cells, the common effect being paralysis, which sets in very rapidly.



The Fierce Snake is native to the arid regions of central Australia. Its range extends from the southeast part of the Northern Territory into west Queensland. The snake can also be found north of Lake Eyre and to the west of the split of the Murray River, Darling River, and Murrumbidgee River.





The Fierce Snake consumes mostly rodents, small mammals and birds. It kills with a single accurate bite, then retreats while waiting for the prey to die before returning to safely consume its meal.






Red Bellied Black Snake

On average two to three Australians die annually from snake bite, with eastern browns accounting for about half of those deaths.


Queenslanders have been warned of high numbers of deadly eastern brown snakes this summer of 2011-2012, after a woman died from a snake bite in the state's southwest town of Warwick this month.

The woman had been working in her garden at Wheatvale near Warwick on Wednesday night when she was bitten several times by the snake.



King Brown

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare statistics show 1750 Australians were hospitalised for snake bites in 2002-05 but only two to three die annually from snakes.





Brown Snake






George Cann (1897–1965) entertained crowds when he worked at a snake pit called ‘The Loop’ in La Perouse from 1920 until the 1960s. He was a legendary collector of snakes from areas around Sydney and, it is said, could catch up to 40 snakes in a day. In his yard, he created large pits that were used to house his snake collection. He was the curator of reptiles at the Taronga Park Zoo for 20 years, and died of a stroke in 1965.




Brisbanes best Irish Pub






Irish Murphy's Pub, is known for its awesome live entertainment, and is perfectly placed right in the middle of Brisbane CBD near the Brisbane Casino.  It has regular live music, fantastic food, friendly staff and casual atmosphere, Irish Murphy's is one of the best Pub/nightclub in the city by far.









Irish Murphy's has music during the day and at night, with  live bands and DJ sets. They have great specials, promotions and giveaways on offer all week.



It has a  large menu, ample seating and cheap priced drinks (compared to other establishments), Irish Murphy's will guarantee you and your friends a great night out.




Crocodile Attacks in Australia





A backpacker in Australia got the fright of his life when a massive crocodile he was "teasing" suddenly exploded from the water and nearly sank its teeth into him.


The 16 foot-long Australian saltwater crocodile came within an arm’s length of inflicting serious damage to the tourist, if not killing him. Novon Mashiah, 27, an Israeli backpacker, spotted the big crocodile during a fishing trip in the Northern Territory.

Determined to have a picture taken of himself with the crocodile, he posed while leaning out of the back of his fishing boat, pointing towards the predator.

"I began playing with it for a photo,'' Mr Mashiah said. "I was pointing at it when it suddenly jumped up at me - I didn't realise that crocs were so aggressive.''

The "saltie" – which experts believe probably approached the boat in search of a free feed of fish – propelled itself out of the water with terrifying speed. After narrowly missing its prey, it smashed into the side of the small metal boat before plunging back into the water.















Saltwater Crocodile Attacks!

During the Japanese retreat in the Battle of Ramree Island on February 19, 1945, saltwater crocodile attacks may have been responsible for the deaths of 400 Japanese soldiers. British soldiers encircled the swampland through which the Japanese were retreating, resigning the Japanese to a night in the mangroves which was home to thousands of saltwater crocodiles. The Ramree saltwater crocodile attacks are listed under the heading "The Greatest Disaster Suffered from Animals" in The Guinness Book of Records.













 February 2009: A five year old boy is taken by a large Australian crocodile in the Daintree River (far north Queensland), in front of his brother.



March 2009: An eleven year old girl is taken by a large saltwater crocodile while swimming at Black Jungle Billabong near Darwin, in front of her friends. (The Black Jungle Reserve is accessible strictly by permit only. This is not a public swimming area or in any way monitored.) Her remains are found later on the river bank.














In April 2009 Twenty-year-old local man taken by a crocodile while swimming with his brother at night in the Daly River about 150km south of Darwin, Australia.





Most recently a Feb 2011 a boy 14, has been missing since he was attacked while playing in a creek, 400km east of Darwin. His three brothers saw a saltwater crocodile attack him.



Crocodile attacks is likely to revive calls to allow safari crocodile hunting, observers said. Killing saltwater crocodiles has been strictly restricted since 1971 when the animals were near extinction. But with more than 80,000 saltwater crocodiles now in the Northern Territory, many political groups have called for the ban to be lifted.


Crocodile attacks on average, kill one person a year in Australia, in comparison three people a year die from bee stings, and thousands from smoking and car accidents so as long as you take some sensible precautions there is no need to worry a crocodile attack may ruin your Australian holiday.



Crocodile attacks occur between late September and January when crocodiles are hungry after the dry season and are preparing to breed, and most victims had been under the influence of alcohol, and swimming at times and in places that most sensible people would avoid.



Recent heavy rains in the north of Australia, has flooded water courses and brought the saltwater crocodiles into inland areas not normally known to have them.






 Yowie Aussie Big Foot



Old Bungaree a Gunedah aboriginal said at one time there were tribes of them,  and they were the original inhabitants of the country-he said they were the old race of blacks,  and the blacks used to fight and the blacks always beat them but the yahoo always made away being faster runners.









A supposedly tailless, five-foot tall ape photographed in Venezuela by François de Loys, a Swiss geologist, sometime around 1920. The picture caused an uproar in the scientific community, because only monkeys, not apes, are believed to inhabit the Americas. If genuine, the finding of such an ape would have thrown into confusion the accepted theory of primate evolution.


Yowies is the term for an unidentified hominid reputed to lurk in the Australian wilderness. It is an Australian crypt id similar to the Himalayan Yeti and the North American Bigfoot

Yowies origin (also "Yowie-Whowie" and yahoo) may lie in a mythological character in native Australian Aboriginal folklore. This creature's characteristics and legend are sometimes interchangeable with those of the bunyip. According to some writers, reports of yowie-type creatures are common in the legends and stories of Australian Aboriginal tribes, particularly those of the eastern states of Australia.







Yowies according to the Aborigines, the sounds emitted by these 'hairy people' varies from grunts to howling. They wandered the remoter forest regions of the eastern mountains ranges, often in small family groups, sometimes in pairs or singularly, sleeping in caves, rock overhangs or in open forest depending upon weather conditions.






Yowies were known to make fire, manufacture crude stone and wooden tools and killing animals for food, as well as feeding upon nuts, roots and berries. They were to be territorial by nature, regarding any place in which they were temporarily in occupation of as if their own, chasing out any rival groups of their own kind, and also any Aborigines who chanced to wander into their territory.







Yowies were first sighted by a white man was released in the local Newspapers in a small country town we now know as Sydney. During the 1800's numerous reports followed through out NSW and also the rest of the country. The 1800's were a buzz with sightings of the creature around the country. Newspapers and magazines began writing about people's encounters as they were reported. In most of these reports, the creature was always described as "an ape" or "ape-like man." The same descriptions given today.

One such beast, was reported in a Sydney newspaper, to have been caught and taken back to England

and sold to a Yorkshire circus for 2000 pound



For 25 years, Rex Gilroy has trekked some of Australia's most rugged country in his search for the Yowie, or Great Hairy man.


Yowie research has shown, there are at least two known kinds of Yowie in Australia. There are the large Yowie that are normally between 6-10ft and the smaller, yet fully-grown variety that is roughly 4-5ft.



Darwin Australia's Gateway to Asia







Darwin is the only Australian city featured in recently-released Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2012. According to Lonely Planet, Darwin offers a “pumping nocturnal scene, magical markets and restaurants, and world-class wilderness areas just down the road, today Darwin is the triumph of Australia’s Top End”.







The Larrakia people also known as the saltwater people and are the Aboriginal traditional owners of Darwin






The Aboriginal people of the Larrakia language group are the first inhabitants of the greater Darwin area. They had trading routes with Southeast Asia, and imported goods from as far afield as South and Western Australia. Established songlines penetrated throughout the country, allowing stories and histories to be told and retold along the routes.



Darwin is closer to the capitals of five other countries than to the capital of Australia.



Canberra (Australia) 3,137 kilometres (1,949 mi)

Dili (East Timor) is 656 km (408 mi)

Port Moresby (Papua New Guinea) is 1,818 km (1,130 mi)

Jakarta (Indonesia) is 2,700 km (1,678 mi)

Bandar Seri Begawan (Brunei) is 2,607 km (1,620 mi)

Melekeok (Palau) is 2,247 km (1,396 mi) from Darwin.



Singapore is only slightly farther away at 3,350 km (2,082 mi), as is Manila (Philippines) at 3,206 km (1,992 mi), and Honiara (Solomon Islands) at 3,198 km (1,987 mi). Ambon, Indonesia, is only 881 km (547 mi) away from Darwin.



Darwin is perfectly positioned to give a competitive edge to any business or industry that relies on fast, efficient transport. Trade with Asia is of growing importance to Australia, and accounts for almost 50 per cent of Australia's merchandise shipments. Already, several large Australian companies have established operations in Darwin.









The region, like the rest of the Top End, has a tropical climate, with a wet and a dry season. It receives heavy rainfall during the Wet, and is well known for its spectacular lightning.





Camel rides on Cable Beach




Darwin is one of the fastest growing capital cities in Australia, it has a population of approx 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities.







Families and friends gather with their chairs, blankets and eskies at the Mindil Markets.




Aussie Russians G'day Comrade

Celebration of maslenitsa in Mebourne Australia


Maslenitsa Russian Ма́сленица, Ukrainian Ма́сляниця, Belarusian Ма́сьленіца, also known as Butter Week, Pancake week or Cheesefare Week, is a Russian religious and folk holiday. Maslenitsa has a dual ancestry: pagan and Christian. In Slavic mythology, Maslenitsa is a sun festival, celebrating the imminent end of the winter.



Russian arts festivals and events are popular in Australia. The 150th anniversary of Pushkin's death was commemorated with poetry festivals in 1987 and a range of Russian cultural and social organisations are active in the major cities of Melbourne and Sydney. The Russian Connection provides an independent and comprehensive guide to cultural events and occasions with a Russian flavour in Australia. The organisation promotes Russian cultural activities such as art exhibitions, ballet, classical music, concerts, festivals, children's events, movies, musicals, lectures, opera, and theatre. The Russian Connection is continually expanding with the recent addition of a catalogue of new Russian literature and Russian language movies available from various public libraries.













The Myer shopping chain, still a dominant power in the Australian retail sector, was founded by early Russian speaking Jewish immigrant Sidney Myer in Melbourne, his first store set up as the 'Myer Emporium'. He supported new Russian emigres to Melbourne for as long as he lived.





The 2006 Census revealed Australia had a Russian-born population of 15,354. Most Russian-born residents live in Melbourne (5,407) or Sydney (5,367). A significant portion of Russian-born residents are women (62%), and most (69%) had arrived in Australia no earlier than 1990. Also at the 2006 Census 67,055 Australian residents declared that they had Russian ancestry, either alone or in combination with one other ancestry.



Whereas previously the majority of Russian immigrants were Jews, in recent years Jewish emigration has been less evident. Notable Russian emigrates include boxer Kostya Tszyu  Костя Цзю and pole vault champion Tatiana Grigorieva Татьяна Григорьева, who won a silver medal in the 2000 Sydney Olympics.





Kostya Tszyu Костя Цзю holds both Russian and Australian citizenship and is a four-time world Junior Welterweight champion, including a period of time as the Undisputed Junior Welterweight Champion.










Sydney's Bondi Beach is a popular area for Russian migrants, with several restaurants and specialist shops catering to their needs. The Australian Russian community is served nationally by Russian language radio broadcasting team at SBS Special Broadcasting Service Government radio station which broadcasts in 58 community languages.



According to Russian Federal State Statistics Service there are about 1200 Russians who left Russia for Australia from 2000 to 2008. Roughly 170 Russians leave Russia for Australia every year, Australian industries and business owners, are hoping that more will arrive, bringing their much needed skills with them.







Australia and Russia are both members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum. The Australian Minister for Trade stated in October 2008 that Australia supports Russia's application to join the World Trade Organization.







Australia–Russia relations date back to 1807, when the Russian warship Neva arrived in Sydney as part of its circumnavigation of the globe. Consular relations between Australia and the Russian Empire were established in 1857. Diplomatic relations between Australia and the Soviet Union were established in 1942, and the first Australian embassy opened in 1943.



Peter the Great was familiar with New Holland through his connections with the Dutch, and the Empire in the 18th century tried several times, unsuccessfully, to reach the Australian continent.



Contacts between Russia and Australia date back to 1803, when Secretary of State for the Colonies Lord Hobart wrote to Governor of New South Wales Philip Gidley King in relation to the first Russian circumnavigation of the globe by Adam Johann von Krusenstern and Yuri Lisyansky. As the Russian and British empires were allies in the war against Napoleon, the Russian warship Neva, with Captain Ludwig von Hagemeister at the helm, was able to sail into Port Jackson on 16 June 1807. Hagemeister and the ship's officers were extended the utmost courtesy by Governor William Bligh, with the Governor inviting the Russians to Government House for dinner and a ball. This was the beginning of personal contacts between Russians and Australians, and Russian ships would continue to visit Australian shores, particularly as a stop on their way to supplying the Empire's North American colonies.



Australia Week in Moscow


Most recently in 2008, Australian-Russian bilateral trade exceeded more than US$1 billion for the first time. Russia imported US$1.029 billion worth of goods and services from Australia in 2008, while its exports to Australia were valued at US$82 million, bringing the total to US$1,111 billion. According to the Russian Federal Customs Service, trade with Australia accounted for 0.2% of all Russian foreign trade in 2008.








In September 2007 President Vladimir Putin became the first encumbent Russian leader to visit Australia for the APEC summit in Sydney. On 7 September 2007, head of Rosatom Sergey Kiriyenko and Australian Minister of Foreign Affairs Alexander Downer, in the presence of Prime Minister John Howard and President Putin, signed the Agreement between the Government of Australia and the Government of the Russian Federation on Cooperation in the Use of Nuclear Energy for Peaceful Purposes.




Muster Time



Musters in Australia, usually involve cattle, sheep or horses, but may also include goats, camels, buffalo or other animals. Mustering may be conducted for a variety of reasons including routine livestock health checks and treatments, branding, shearing, lamb marking, sale, feeding and transport or droving to another location. Mustering is a long, difficult and sometimes dangerous job, especially on the vast Australian cattle stations of the Top End, 'The Falls' (gorge) country of the Great Dividing Range and the ranches of the western United States. The group of animals gathered in a muster is referred to as a "mob" in Australia and a "herd" in North America.

Aussies muster their livestock, with various vehicles, horses or with aircraft.














Cowboys in Australia are called stockmen or jackaroos. Women are called jillaroos.

Australian Aboriginal cowboys played a large part in the life of Top End cattle stations. These men and women are splendid stockmen and are an integral part of the musters. Mustering in the Top End is conducted during the dry season from April to September when additional stockmen will be employed for the purpose. Initially, mustering here involved having stock camps where about three to seven ringers under a head stockman or overseer rode out with the horses to the area to be mustered.











The musterers started early each day by bringing up the hobbled horses, saddling up and then spending a long day mustering, branding, castrating and drafting the cattle. These long days were hard on man and beast with each having to contend with the heat, dust and flies. The men endured camping on the ground and had a monotonous diet of meals that were cooked on an open fire, usually by an unskilled cook.









Australian cowboys chase aggressive, rogue bulls or buffalo in the Top End of Australia, and they are captured using specially converted 4WD ‘bull catcher’ vehicles to bring them down prior to their transportation. This work can be very dangerous and requires great skill and agility on the part of the stockmen involved. Sometimes professional bull catchers, who were paid per beast captured, were used for this work.







A 'bang-tail muster’ is conducted to accurately account for cattle on large properties by cutting the tail brush before their release. Thus those with long tails have not previously been counted.



Musters usually involve cattle, sheep or horses, but may also include goats, camels, buffalo or other animals. Mustering may be conducted for a variety of reasons including routine livestock health checks and treatments, branding, shearing, lamb marking, sale, feeding and transport or droving to another location. Mustering is a long, difficult and sometimes dangerous job, especially on the vast Australian cattle stations of the Top End, 'The Falls' (gorge) country of the Great Dividing Range and the ranches of the western United States. The group of animals gathered in a muster is referred to as a "mob" in Australia and a "herd" in North America.



If you want to be a Australian cowboy, you'll be working very long days from sunrise to sunset, often seven days a week, and the work will be hot and dusty.











Working  at a cattle station


Cattle station work is officially the most dangerous job in Australia, with the most injuries and deaths per year.

You need to pull your weight, and there is no room for petty gripes or for whingers.

You will be working hard from sunrise to sunset, often seven days a week, and the work will be really hot and dusty.

No vegetarians, as food consists of minimal fruit and Veg, your diet will be meat, meat and rationed water.





Cattle stations are remote and isolated. Think hard about whether this really sounds like you, because the last thing they need during mustering is a worker who wants leave after two days, it will not happen.





Australia's Deadly Spider pain in the bum







Redbacks are considered one of the most dangerous spiders in Australia.The Redback spider has a neurotoxic venom which is toxic to humans with bites causing severe pain. There is an antivenom for Redback bites which is commercially available.



Throughout Australian history, only 14 deaths from redbacks have been recorded. However thousands of people are bitten each year across Australia,  bites generally occur as a result of a person placing a hand or other body part too close to the web, such as when reaching into dark holes or wall cavities. Bites can also occur if a spider has hidden in clothes or shoes.







Bites from Redback spiders are generally characterised by extreme pain and severe swelling. The bite may be painful from the start, but sometimes only feels like a pinprick or mild burning sensation. Within an hour victims generally develop more severe local pain with local swelling and sometimes goosebumps. Pain, swelling and redness spread proximally from the site. Systemic envenoming is heralded by swollen or tender regional lymph nodes; associated features include malaise, nausea, vomiting, abdominal or chest pain, generalised sweating, headache, fever, hypertension and tremor.

Rare complications include seizure, coma, pulmonary edema, respiratory failure or localised skin infection. Severe pain can persist for over 24 hours after being bitten





Redbacks usually prey on insects but they can capture larger animals that become entangled in the web including king crickets, trapdoor spiders, and small lizards. Commonly prey stealing occurs where larger females take food items stored in other spiders' webs. Most commonly, ants stray into the web. Redback spiders are known for deadly poison and lightning speed.














There was a red-back on the toilet seat

When I was there last night,

I didn't see him in the dark,

But boy! I felt his bite!

I jumped high up into the air,

And when I hit the ground,

That crafty red-back spider

Wasn't nowhere to be found.



There was a red-back on the toilet seat

When I was there last night,

I didn't see him in the dark,

But boy! I felt his bite!

And now I'm ere in hospital,

A sad and sorry plight,

And I curse the red-back spider

On the toilet seat last night.



Rushed in to the missus,

Told her just where I'd been bit,

She grabbed the cut-throat razor blade,

And I nearly took a fit.

I said "Just forget what's on your mind,

And call a doctor please,

'Cause I've got a feeling that your cure

Is worse than the disease."



There was a red-back on the toilet seat

When I was there last night,

I didn't see him in the dark,

But boy! I felt his bite!

And now I'm ere in hospital,

A sad and sorry plight,

And I curse the red-back spider

On the toilet seat last night.



I can't lay down, I can't sit up,

And I don't know what to do,

And all the nurses think it's funny,

But that's not my point of view.

I tell you it's embarrassing,

(And that's to say the least)

That I'm too sick to eat a bite,

While that spider had a feast!



There was a red-back on the toilet seat

When I was there last night,

I didn't see him in the dark,

But boy! I felt his bite!

And now I'm ere in hospital,

A sad and sorry plight,

And I curse the red-back spider

On the toilet seat last night.



And when I get back home again,

I tell you what I'll do,

I'll make that red-back suffer

For the pain I'm going through.

I've had so many needles

That I'm looking like a sieve,

And I promise you that spider

Hasn't very long to live!



There was a red-back on the toilet seat

When I was there last night,

I didn't see him in the dark,

But boy! I felt his bite!

And now I'm ere in hospital,

A sad and sorry plight,

And I curse the red-back spider

On the toilet seat last night.




Bart Cummings Horse Racing Legend







Bart Cummings Aussie Legend

Australians are known around the world as mad racing enthusiasts, hosting thousands of different races each year.



In Australian racing,  there will never be another trainer like Bart Cummings. The “Cups King” has more wins to his name than any other trainer in the history of Australian racing.



Bart is a absolute legend in Australian sport, with a training feat to date of 12 Melbourne Cup winners and 5 quinellas.

In the 1965-1966 season Bart Cummings received his first Trainer’s Premiership after winning seven Cups, setting a training record in the Australian racing history. He quinellaed the Melbourne and Adelaide Cups and won the Caulfield, Sandown, Sydney, Brisbane and Queen’s Cups.





Barts first Melbourne cup winner in 1965 was Light Fingers ridden by Roy Higgins




Here is a list of just some of his achievements.





1958-59

2 Stakes races won.

SAJC SA Derby Stormy Passage



1959-60

4 Stakes races won.

VATC Underwood Stakes Trellios

VRC LKS Mackinnon Stakes Trellios



1960-61

4 Stakes races won.



1961-62

1 Stakes races won.



1962-63

3 Stakes races won.

AJC Chipping Norton Stakes The Dip



1963-64

5 Stakes races won.

VATC 1000 Guineas Anna Rose



1964-65

12 Stakes races won.

SAJC SA Derby Ziema

VRC Oaks Light Fingers

AJC Oaks Light Fingers



1965-66

17 Stakes races won.

VRC Melbourne Cup Light Fingers

VATC Merson Cooper Stks Storm Queen

VRC Sires Produce Stks Storm Queen

STC Golden Slipper Stks Storm Queen

AJC Champagne Stks Storm Queen



1966-67

24 Stakes races won.

SAJC SA Derby Peculator

VATC Caulfield Guineas Storm Queen

VATC Toorak Hcp Galilee

VATC Caulfield Cup Galilee

VRC Melbourne Cup Galilee

VRC George Adams Hcp Storm Queen

VRC Lightning Stakes Storm Queen

AJC Sydney Cup Galilee

SAJC Adelaide Cup Fulmen

QTC Brisbane Cup Fulmen



1967-68

16 Stakes races won.

SAJC SA Oaks My Lady Fair

VRC Melbourne Cup Red Handed

VRC Australian Cup Arctic Coast

AJC Oaks Lowland



1968-69

15 Stakes races won.

VATC Invitation Stakes Joking

VATC Underwood Stakes Lowland

AJC Sydney Cup Lowland

AJC Queen Elizabeth Stakes Lowland



1969-70

15 Stakes races won.

SAJC SA Derby Paradigm

VATC Caulfield Cup Big Philou

VATC Oakleigh Plate Arello

AJC Oaks Gay Poss

SAJC Adelaide Cup Tavel



1970-71

16 Stakes races won.

VATC Caulfield Stakes Gay Poss

VRC Lks Mackinnon Stakes Voleur

VRC Oaks Sanderae

VATC Futurity Stakes Silver Spade

SAJC Adelaide Cup Laelia



1971-72

10 Stakes races won.

VRC Newmarket H'cap Crown

VRC Sires' Produce Stakes Century



1972-73

20 Stakes races won.

MVRC Freeway (Manikato) Stakes Century

SAJC SA Derby Dayana

VRC Victorian Derby Dayana

WATC WA Derby Dayana

WATC Australian Derby Dayana

WATC Perth Cup Dayana

VRC Newmarket H'cap Century

VRC Australian Cup Gladman

STC Golden Slipper Stakes Tontonan

AJC Sires' Produce Stakes Tontonan

SAJC Goodwood H'cap Wise Virgin



1973-74

33 Stakes races won.

MVRC WS Cox Plate Taj Rossi

VRC Craven 'A' Stakes Century

VRC Victorian Derby Taj Rossi

VRC George Adams H'cap Taj Rossi

WATC WA Derby Asgard

WATC Karrakatta Plate Vain Prince

WATC Australian Derby Leica Lover

VRC Lightning Stakes Century

VATC Oakleigh Plate Tontonan

VRC Sires' Produce Stakes Skyjack

AJC Australasian Champion Stakes Asgard

AJC Doncaster H'cap Tontonan

AJC The Galaxy Starglow

AJC Oaks Leilani

AJC All-Aged Stakes Tontonan



1974-75

45 Stakes races won.

AJC Flight Stakes Cap d'Antibes

VATC Caulfield Guineas Kenmark

VATC Toorak H'cap Leilani

VATC Caulfield Cup Leilani

VRC Lks Mackinnon Stakes Leilani `

VRC Melbourne Cup Think Big

VRC Oaks Leica Show

VRC George Adams H'cap Skyjack

WATC WA Derby Bottled Sunshine

MVRC William Reid Stakes Leica Show

VATC CF Orr Stakes Leilani

VRC Lightning Stakes Cap d'Antibes

VATC Futurity Stakes Martindale

VATC Blue Diamond Stakes Lord Dudley

VRC Newmarket H'cap Cap d'Antibes

VRC Sires' Produce Stakes Lord Dudley

VRC Australian Cup Leilani

SAJC Goodwood H'cap Kenmark

QTC Queensland Derby Bottled Sunshine

QTC Brisbane Cup Herminia



1975-76

31 Stakes races won.

MVRC Freeway (Manikato) Stakes Lord Dudley

VATC Marlboro (Vic Health) Cup Cap d'Antibes

SAJC SA Derby Prince Of All

VRC Melbourne Cup Think Big

MVRC William Reid Stakes Lord Dudley

VRC Australian Cup Lord Dudley

STC Golden Slipper Stakes Vivarchi

AJC Champagne Stakes Vivarchi



1976-77

27 Stakes races won.

AJC Epsom H'cap La Neige

AJC Flight Stakes Apollua

SAJC SA Derby Vacuum

VRC Craven 'A' Stakes Maybe Mahal

VRC Lks Mackinnon Stakes Gold And Black

VRC George Adams H'cap Maybe Mahal

VRC Lightning Stakes Maybe Mahal

VRC Sires' Produce Stakes Bold Zest

VRC Australian Cup Ngawyni

AJC Doncaster H'cap Just Ideal

AJC Queen Eliz Stakes Ngawyni

SAJC Goodwood H'cap Romantic Dream

BTC Doomben '10,000' Maybe Mahal



1977-78

32 Stakes races won.

STC Canterbury Guineas Belmura Lad

AJC Flight Stakes Sun Sally

AJC Derby Belmura Lad

SAJC SA Derby Stormy Rex

VATC Caulfield Cup Ming Dynasty

VRC Victorian Derby Stormy Rex

VRC Melbourne Cup Gold And Black

WATC WA Derby Stormy Rex

WATC Marlboro '50,000' Stormy Rex

VRC Lightning Stakes Maybe Mahal

VRC Newmarket H'cap Maybe Mahal

VRC Australian Cup Ming Dynasty

AJC Doncaster H'cap Maybe Mahal

AJC The Galaxy Luskin Star

AJC Oaks Invade

AJC Queen Elizabeth Stakes Ming Dynasty



1978-79

18 Stakes races won.

AJC Metropolitan H'cap Ming Dynasty

VATC Caulfield Stakes Lloyd Boy

VRC Newmarket Hcp Better Beyond

STC Golden Slipper Stakes Century Miss



1979-80

13 Stakes races won.

VRC Melbourne Cup Hyperno

WATC WA Derby Lloyd's Gold

VRC Australian Cup Ming Dynasty

STC Rosemount Classic Stage Hit



1980-81

15 Stakes races won.

VATC Caulfield Stakes Hyperno

VATC Caulfield Cup Ming Dynasty

VRC Mackinnon Stakes Belmura Lad

VRC Newmarket H'cap Elounda Bay

VRC Australian Cup Hyperno

STC Rawson Stakes Hyperno

STC Rosemount Classic Cordon Rose



1981-82

22 Stakes races won.

AJC Spring Champion Stakes Best Western

AJC Metropolitan H'cap Belmura Lad

VRC Lks Mackinnon Stakes Belmura Lad

STC Rosemount Classic Sheraco

STC Storm Queen Stakes Sheraco

AJC Oaks Sheraco



1982-83

16 Stakes races won.

VRC Pure-Pac Stakes Foregone Conclusion

SAJC Australasian Oaks Royal Regatta

STC Tancred Stakes Trissaro



1983-84 18 Stakes races won.

VATC Underwood Stakes Trissaro

AJC Epsom H'cap Cool River

VRC Victorian Derby Bounty Hawk

VRC Oaks Taj Eclipse

WATC Western Mail Classic Bounty Hawk

WATC Australian Derby Bounty Hawk

AJC Derby Prolific

AJC Sydney Cup Trissaro

SAJC Goodwood H'cap Leica Planet



1984-85

9 Stakes races won.

VATC Underwood Stakes Bounty Hawk

VRC Lks Mackinnon Stakes Bounty Hawk

VRC Australian Cup Noble Peer

STC George Ryder Stakes Hula Drum



1985-86

6 Stakes races won.

VRC Lightning Stakes Hula Chief

AJC Doncaster H'cap Hula Chief

SAJC Adelaide Cup Mr Lomondy



1986-87

16 Stakes races won.

VRC Gadsden Stakes Taj Quillo

STC George Ryder Stakes Campaign King

AJC All-Aged Stakes Campaign King

AJC Champagne Stakes Sky Chase

SAJC SA Derby Sharks Fin

QTC Queensland Oaks Round The World

BTC Doomben '10,000' Broad Reach



1987-88

28 Stakes races won.

AJC George Main Stakes Campaign King

AJC Spring Champion Stales Beau Zam

VRC Victorian Derby Omnicorp

STC Rawson Stakes Beau Zam

STC Rosehill Guineas Sky Chase

STC George Ryder Stakes Campaign King

STC Tancred-International Stakes Beau Zam

AJC Derby Beau Zam

AJC Champagne Stakes Full And By

BTC Doomben '10,000' Campaign King

QTC Stradbroke H'cap Campaign King



1988-89

23 Stakes races won.

VATC Caulfield Stakes Sky Chase

SAJC Australasian Oaks Stapleton Lass

STC Rawson Stakes Beau Zam

STC Orlando Classic Red Express

AJC Sires' Produce Stakes Reganza

QTC Sires' Produce Stakes Zamoff

QTC Stradbroke H'cap Robian Steel



1989-90

20 Stakes races won.

AJC Spring Champion Stales Stylish Century

VACT 1000 Guineas Tristanagh

VRC Oaks Tristanagh

VRC Newmarket H'cap Gold Trump

STC Canterbury Guineas Interstellar

STC Rosehill Guineas Solar Circle



1990-91

15 Stakes races won.

VATC Show Day Cup Submariner

AJC George Main Stakes Shaftesbury Avenue

VRC Melbourne Cup Kingston Rule

VRC Oaks Weekend Delight

VRC Honda Stakes Shaftesbury Avenue

VRC Lightning Stakes Shaftesbury Avenue

VRC Newmarket H'cap Shaftesbury Avenue

AJC All-Aged Stakes Shaftesbury Avenue

SAJC SA Derby Shiva's Revenge



1991-92

24 Stakes races won.

VATC Caulfield Stakes Shaftesbury Avenue

VATC 1000 Guineas Richfield Lady

VATC Caulfield Cup Let's Elope

VRC Lks Mackinnon Stakes Let's Elope

VRC Melbourne Cup Let's Elope

VRC Oaks Richfield Lady

WATC WA Oaks India's Dream

VATC CF Orr Stakes Let's Elope

VRC Australian Cup Let's Elope

VATC Blue Diamond Stakes Riva Diva



1992-93

12 Stakes races won.

VRC Gadsden Stakes Unspoken Word

SAJC Australasian Oaks Our Tristalight

SAJC SA Oaks Our Tristalight

QTC Stradbroke H'cap Never Undercharge



1993-94

15 Stakes races won.

MVRC Manikato Stakes Never Undercharge

SAJC Australasian Oaks Tristalove



1994-95

9 Stakes races won.

AJC Flight Stakes Danarani

AJC Derby Ivory's Irish



1995-96

10 Stakes races won.

VRC Australian Cup Saintly



1996-97

21 Stakes races won.

AJC Flight Stakes Dashing Eagle

VATC Caulfield Guineas Alfa

VATC 1000 Guineas Dashing Eagle

MVRC WS Cox Plate Saintly

VRC Melbourne Cup Saintly

VATC CF Orr Stakes Saintly

STC Storm Queen Stakes Danendri

AJC Oaks Danendri

QTC Stradbroke H'cap Dane Ripper



1997-98

9 Stakes races won.

MVRC WS Cox Plate Dane Ripper

VRC Chrysler Stakes Catalan Opening

VRC Australian Cup Dane Ripper

AJC Doncaster Handicap Catalan Opening



1998-99

9 Stakes races won.

MVRC Manikato Stakes Dane Ripper



1999-2000

13 Stakes races won.

AJC Epsom Handicap Allez Suez

VRC Mackinnon Stakes Rogan Josh

VRC Melbourne Cup Rogan Josh



2000-2001

2 Stakes races won.



2001-2002

5 Stakes races won.

VATC 1000 Guineas Magical Miss

VRC Oaks Magical Miss



2002-2003

1 Stakes races won.



2003-2004

2 Stakes races won.



2004-2005

5 Stakes races won.



2005-2006

15 Stakes races won.

MRC Caulfield Guineas God's Own



2006-2007

11 Stakes races won.

MRC Caulfield Guineas Wonderful World

TC Queensland Derby Empires Choice



2007-2008

8 Stakes races won.

VRC Mackinnon Stakes Sirmione

VRC Australian Cup Sirmione



2008-2009

4 Stakes races won.

VRC Melbourne Cup Viewed

VRC Classic Swick

AJC Derby Roman Emperor

QTC Winter Stakes Russeting



2009-2010

15 Stakes races won.

VRC Toorak Handicap Allez Wonder

MRC Caulfield Cup Viewed

MVRC Cox Plate So You Think

VRC Oaks Faint Perfume

Crown Australian Guineas Rock Classic

STC Vinery Stud Stakes Faint Perfume

Queensland Derby Dariana



2010-2011

10 Stakes races won.

Underwood Stakes So You Think

Yalumba Stakes So You Think

MVRC Cox Plate So You Think

VRC MacKinnon Stakes So You Think



To be continued........







The Great Aussie Bite






The Great Australian Bight is a large bight, or open bay, off the central and western portions of the southern coastline of mainland Australia.

The Bight's boundaries are from Cape Pasley, Western Australia, to Cape Carnot, South Australia - a distance of 1,160 km or 720 miles.







The coast line of the Great Australian Bight is characterised by cliff faces (up to 60 m high), surfing beaches and rock platforms, ideal for whale-watching.




Cape Le Grand National Park




The waters of the Great Australian Bight, despite being relatively shallow, are not fertile. While most continental shelves are rich in sea life and make popular fishing areas, the barren deserts north of the bight have very little rainfall, and what there is mostly flows inland, to dissipate underground or in salt lakes. In consequence, the Great Australian Bight receives very little of the runoff that fertilises most continental shelves and is essentially a marine desert. It is probably best noted for the large number of sharks that frequent its coastal waters, as well as the increasing numbers of Southern Right Whales that migrate within the region.





40 Tonne Southern Right Whale VS Sailing Boat


In areas, the southern ocean blows through many subterranean caves, resulting in blowholes up to several hundred metres from the coast.



The much more generally accepted name in Australia for the adjoining waterbody is the Southern Ocean rather than the Indian Ocean. Much of the Bight lies due south of the expansive Nullarbor Plain, which straddles the two Australian states of South Australia and Western Australia.









The settlements existing along the coastline of the Bight, such as Ceduna and Eucla have facilities to access the bight. Some other locations on the Eyre Highway or located on the Nullarbor do not have facilities or easy access.





Eucla






Groote Eylandt






Groote Eylandt lies approximately 50 km from the Northern Territory mainland and eastern coast of Arnhem Land (approximately 630 km from Darwin), opposite Blue Mud Bay. The island measures approximately 50 km from east to west and 60 km north—south, a total area of 2,326.1 km². It is generally quite low-lying, with an average height above sea level of 15 m, although Central Hill reaches an elevation of 219 meters.









It was named by the explorer Abel Tasman in 1644 and is Dutch for "Large Island" in a now-archaic spelling (nowadays it would be spelled Groot Eiland).





Tourism

The island has until recently been open to the public only with permission, and the local Aboriginal Land Council did not encourage tourism.



Groote Eylandt is part of the Arnhem Land Aboriginal Reserve. GEMCO, a BHP Billiton subsidiary, operates a large manganese mine near the community of Angurugu. In operation since the early 1960s, the mine produces more than 3.8 million tonnes annually - about a quarter of the world's total.



It is the homeland of, and is owned by, the Anindilyakwa people (who still speak the isolated Anindilyakwa language).







Dugong Beach Resort is working with the Anindilyakwa speaking people, helping to organise a diverse range of tours that will enhance your Groote Eylandt experience.



Groote Eylandt is a fantastic spot for fishing, with queen fish, trevally, tuna, billfish, mackerel, barracuda and many reef species in abundance.

The elusive, world famous Barramundi, growing to more than a metre in length inhabits the waters of Groote will certainly test your angling skills.



Sports Fishing Adventures: The best fishing holidays in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific. You can save time and many by using our experience and knowledge.




Aboriginal Explorer Bungaree



Bungaree (1775 - 24 November 1832) was an Aboriginal Australian from the Broken Bay area, who was known as an explorer, entertainer, and Aboriginal community leader. He became a familiar sight in colonial Sydney, dressed in a succession of military and naval uniforms that had been given to him. His distinctive outfits and notoriety within colonial society, as well as his gift for humour and mimicry, especially his impressions of past and present governors, made him a popular subject for portrait painters.



Bungaree first came to prominence in 1798, when he accompanied Matthew Flinders on a coastal survey as an interpreter, guide and negotiator with local indigenous groups.







He later accompanied Flinders on his circumnavigation of Australia between 1801 and 1803. Flinders was the cartographer of the first complete map of Australia, filling in the gaps from previous cartographic expeditions,and was the most prominent advocate for naming the continent "Australia". Flinders noted that Bungaree was "a worthy and brave fellow" who, on more than one occasion, saved the expedition.



Bungaree continued his association with exploratory voyages when he accompanied Phillip Parker King to north-western Australia in 1817.







In 1815, Governor Lachlan Macquarie dubbed Bungaree "Chief of the Broken Bay Tribe" and presented him with 15 acres (61,000 m2) of land on George’s Head. He was also known by the titles "King of Port Jackson" and "King of the Blacks". Bungaree spent the rest of his life ceremonially welcoming visitors to Australia, educating people about Aboriginal culture (especially boomerang throwing), and soliciting tribute. He died at Garden Island on 24 November 1832 and was buried in Rose Bay.Obituaries of him were carried in the Sydney Gazette and the Australian.



Bongaree in Queensland is named after him.








 Aussie Busines




Six Australian companies have been named amongst the world’s 100 most sustainable corporations.Six Australian based companies were included in the 2011 Corporate Knights Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations list, with the Westpac Banking Corporation and Origin Energy LTD leading the Australian contingent at number 18 and 19 respectively.



The Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World has been produced annually since 2005 by ‘clean capitalism’ magazine Corporate Knights. The list is announced each year during the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Corporate Knights says as with the past editions of the Global 100, the aim was to highlight the global corporations which have been most proactive in managing environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues.







Corporate Knights says The Global 100 companies deserve to be recognized, because they are models for the art of the possible, living proof of how billion dollar entities can squeeze more wealth from less material resources while honouring the social contract.

Inclusion in the list is assessed on a number of factors, which include energy, carbon, water and waste productivity, leadership diversity, transparency, sustainable remuneration practices and innovation capacity.






Westpac, the top ranked Australian company and the only Australian bank to make the list, has made the list 5 times since it began in 2005.