Have you ever thought what happens to sick or injured koalas? Enter the world’s first Koala Hospital. Like humans those living around the Port Macquarie region of New South Wales are taken by koala ambulance to the Koala Hospital.
In 1973, Jean and Max Starr began caring for sick and injured koalas in there home. Soon however they realised the problem was much bigger than they had to offer and a purpose built koala hospital began construction which has now grown into a specialist world renown research facility. Today, the hospital comprises of a treatment room, 8 intensive care units, 6 outdoor intensive care units and 33 rehabilitation yards.
When a rescued koala is brought into the hospital via ambulance they are named. The name they are given is divided into two parts — the first name is after the home range in which they are found and their second name is after the person that found them. For example if I found an injured koala, they would be named Sydney Max. A koalas name is particularly important as if a koala is to be returned to the wild, they must return to their original home range and if this information is in their name there is no confusion.
In 1986, John Williamson country singer was at the Koala Hospital when a rescue koala was brought in and was so impressed with the work done that he wrote a song about Australia’s dying koalas — Goodbye Blinky Bill and donated the royalties to the hospital. This generosity has provided John Williamson Wing and allowed the hospital to expand its support for koalas and its research.
There are three main reason 200- 250 koalas each year are brought to the hospital are:
Disease
Motor Vehicle Accidents
Dog Attacks
If you ever get the opportunity add The Koala Hosptital to your to-do list. While you can take a self guided tour at anytime of day feeding time at 3pm is an amazing experience.
Today is Australia day. To celebrate I would like to share my A-Z of Australian things. Although far from a complete list it is fun way to share Australia. Included in the list are:
Animals
Birds
Food
Inventions
Items
Places
Treasures
A:Aboriginal Art – Paintings by indigenous Australian often using a dot design.
Anzac biscuits – Australian biscuits eaten by our troops on the shores of Gallipoli hence the name. They are made from rolled oats, golden syrup, coconut and butter.
B: Beaches – Australia is known for its sandy beaches. The most famous being Sydney’s Bondi Beach.
Bondi Beach Photo Credit: Google Images
Black Box Flight Recorder – The black box voice and data recorder was invented in Australia.
Beetroot – Your typical Aussie hamburger include beetroot, lettuce and tomato.
Baby Safety Capsule – Developed in 1984 to make sure babies and small children could be safely locked into a seatbelt.
C: Cockatoo – There are 21 varieties of Cockatoos in the world and all can be found in Australia. In my area the Sulphur-Crested Cockatoo is common and are often seen on the ground in groups looking for food.
Caramello Koalas – Small Australian chocolate bar
Photo Credit: Cadbury
D:Dual FlushToilet – Toilet with two flush buttons—able to flush either a half or full load of water dependent on amount required.
Dame Edna – Australian iconic entertainer known for her
Didgeridoo – An wind instrument, invented by Aboriginals and originally found only in Northern Australia. It is thought to be the oldest musical instrument in the world.
E: Emu – Australian flightless bird
Esky – Portable coolers keeping food and drink cool in the Australian sun.
Electric Drill – originally invented to drill through rock this technology was later adapted to household use.
F: Fair Dinkum – Aussie slang meaning true or fair. Used when wanting someone to believe you.
Fridge – In 854 the first mechanical ice making machine was invented in Australia that lead to the development of the refrigerator—”fridge.”
G: Great Barrier Reef – World’s largest coral reef covering 2,300 kilometres off Queensland
Photo Credit: Google Images
G’day Mate – Australian welcome
Google Maps – 2003-4 Australian’s Lars and Jens Rasmussen developed the platform that developed into Google Maps.
H: Holden cars – Holden is an Australian automaker based in South Australia. With limited choice for cars in the early days many families had a Holden.
I: Icy Pole – Famous Australian water ice block
Photo Credit: Peters Icecream
J: Jackaroo/Jillaroo – Male and Female workers on a cattle or sheep station in Australia.
Jumbuck – name for sheep in Waltzing Matilda.
K: Kangaroo – One of Australia’s most iconic marsupials
Koala – small bear-like herbivorous marsupial that eats gum leaves.
Photo Credit: Google Images
L: Lamingtons – Spongy butter cake coated in chocolate sauce and rolled in coconut.
Long wearing Contact Lens – Were developed by the CSIRO as the original ones couldn’t stay in day and night for long periods.
M: Melbourne Cup – “The race that stops the nation” is the richest two-mile handicap horse race in the world. Run the first Tuesday in November, it is a public holiday in Melbourne.
Meat Pie – The meat pie is an Australian icon. Traditionally it is pastry filled with beef and gravy just big enough to fit into your hand, making it easy to eat on the go.
Macadamia – A tree nut specific to Australia with a creamy texture.
N: Nullabor Plains – 1200 kilometre stretch of desert runs from South Australia in the east to Western Australia. Its name means no trees, just flat mostly straight road. In fact, the Nullabor holds the record for the worlds stretch of straight bitumen 146.6 kilkometres.
New South Wales – My home state between Queensland and Victoria.
O: Opera House – Multi-purpose entertaining venue on Sydney Harbour. A white building during festivities it is changed dramatically using lights.
Outback – The Outback is the large, remote, arid space that covers a Australia. Usually covered in red soil.
P: Platypus – Unique Australian mammal that looks like a cross between a duck and beaver
Credit: Gambassa
Plastic Banknotes – Invented by the CSIRO, making bank notes tougher and reducing their ability to be counterfeited.
Powerboard -Invented in 1972 allows multiple electrical devices to be powered from one electrical socket.
Q:Quokka – Australian macropod about the size of a cat found on Rottnest Island off Perth
Photo Credit: Google Images
Quoll – Carnivorous Australian marsupial first seen by Captain Cook in 1770.
Photo Credit: Wikipeadia
Queensland– Australian state north of New south Wales.
R: Rotary Clothes Hoist – Clothes line that raises and lowers as well as swings around in the wind.
Rottnest Island – 18 kilometres off Perth, it is home to Quokkas, pristine beaches and world-class surf.
S: Sydney Harbour Bridge – The world’s largest steel arch bridge and connects Sydney to the north shore. I travel across it everyday on my way to work and never tire of the sight.
Surf Life Savers – Australians classics that keep our beaches safe by rescuing swimmers in difficulty
Photo Credit: Google Images
Surf Ski – Australian invention to assist in saving lives see above photo
Speedos – Australian men’s swimmers—sometimes colloquially referred to as “budgie smugglers.”
Splayd – Australian invention that combines the spoon fork and knife
T: Tim Tams – Iconic Arnott’s biscuits that involves two layers of chocolate biscuits joined together with chocolate cream and covered in chocolate.
U: Ugg Boots –Unisex sheep skin boot with fleece on the inside.
Uluru –Also known as Ayers Rock is a large sandstone rock in the Northern Territory.
Photo Credit: Google Images
Ultrasounds – Invented in Australia through work with the Department of Health.
V: Vegemite – Sandwich spread most Australians won’t travel without and most of the rest of the world try but find it very bitter. Below is the original ad that explains alot.
http://youtu.be/0yA98MujNeM
Victoria – Southern State of Australia on the East Coast—Capital is Melbourne.
W: Wiggles – The original Wiggles —children’s entertainers—are Australian.
Photo Credit: Wiggles
Wine casks – Wine casks are an Australian invention to carry large amounts of wine in a plastic bladder with a simple pouring spout
Wi-Fi Hotspots – Wi Fi technology was invented in Australia through research at the CSIRO.
X: XXXX Beer – Famous brand of Queensland beer
Y: Yackandandah – Small tourist town near the New South Wales and Victorian border
Z: Zeehan – Former silver and gold mining town in Tasmania
Back in September 2015 I was surprised to hear the story of Chris The Sheep, as it had never occurred to me that his could happen. Chris was found wandering in the bush on the border between New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory, his fleece so massive he could barely walk or see. The size of his fleece makes professionals estimate that Chris had wandered around in the bush not shewn for about 6 years possibly after wandering off from previous owners.
When Chris was spotted the RSPCA ( Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) was called in to get him help. They organised a rescue team and for Australian Champion Shearer Ian Elkins to shear him. After two shearing passes, a new world record was set for the heaviest fleece — 40.45 kilograms or 88 pounds. The previous record holder was New Zealand with a 28.9 kilogram fleece. Due to the damage that carrying this amount of wool around can have on a sheep’s tiny body let’s hope this record is not broken again.
After weeks of preparation the Coates Hire Sydney 500 starts today at Sydney Olympic Park. I was lucky enough to spend a few hours yesterday watching the last practice event. I took many photos from various angles and vantage points however in the end photographing cars speeding at over 200 kilometres an hour isn’t easy to get right.
The action continues off track down the centre with many displays and car style shops and merchandising vans. There was literally something there for most tastes.
I love this clever use for old toilets at the entrance to the local sewerage works at Dorrigo, New South Wales. It brought a smile to my face but I am not sure if it is because of my Australian sense of humour.
Let me know your thoughts and any other unusual ways you have seen old toilets used.
Imagine that tomorrow, all of your duties and obligations evaporate for the day. You get the day all to yourself, to do anything you please. What types of fun activities would make your day?
I believe taking time out to recharge and celebrate ME Time is important for mental health. This week I have been lucky enough to have a week of ME Time without any duties or obligations doing whatever I feel like for the day. It is liberating and relaxing. I am spending the week in Port Macquarie New South Wales, an area I first visited as a 10-year-old child. So how do I plan to spend my days when I don’t have my usual busy schedule to contend with. No problem. Below is a list of my options most of which I have already done:
Build a sand castle
Celebrate days off with a glass of champagne
Catch up on my blogging
Colour in
Do a crossword puzzle
Draw
Enjoy the winter sunshine
Explore new areas
Gather ideas for Inspiring Max
Listen to different bird calls
Play a board game
Play solitaire with cards
Read a romantic comedy
Reconnect with what it was like living in regional New South Wales
Relive childhood memories
Sleep in
Smell the ocean
Smell the flowers beginning to burst as Spring is around the corner
Swim
Visit regional art galleries
Walk on beach
Watch a girly movie
Work on my book
It has been a great week staying in one place, catching up with myself and expand my experience of my amazing homeland, Australia.
What subject keeps you coming back? This week, show us your muse.
Australia is my muse. I love my country and love to share its beauty and uniqueness with the world. Unfortunately many people only get to visit us virtually due to the distance.
Many opportunities can be found to study the forces of nature in the Blue Mountains, Australia. More information on this beautiful area can be found here.
XXXX Island—once known as Pumpkin Island—in 2012 was the 6th most expensive island in the world. This was the time XXXX beer took out a lease to use the island for beer promotion. Described as the blokiest place in Australia—XXXX Island is open to men and women. You cannot buy a holiday here however, the only way to spend time on the island is to win a place. The key is to enter a competition and write in 25 words or less why you want to spend 4 days there. XXXX Island on Keppel Bay is natural, rustic and not luxurious but definitely full of fun. There appears to be something for everyone as long as you are happy to cook your own food and drink XXXX Gold. The island accommodates 24 guests and 4 staff. As there are no power points on the island to recharge anything or to straighten or blow dry one’s hair you are guaranteed to slow down from the rat race. I’m good with either so bring it on—better start practising my writing skills and enter. You never know. Let me know what you think.
