*
Adelaide: one of Australia's smaller
state capitals set on a narrow coastal
plain between the Mt Lofty Ranges and
Gulf St Vincent.  In this area: the
Festival Centre, Victor Harbour, the
Zoological Gardens, Rymill Park, the
Central Market, the River Torrens.
*
Alice Springs: one of the only large
towns in central Australia.  Many
tourists visit this town on their way
to outback sites such as Uluru.  Of
interest: the Telegraph Reserve, Todd
River, the Oasis Motel.
*
Ayers Rock: largest monolith in the
world. This magnificent rock has
special significance for the local
aboriginal people who know it as
'Uluru'. Noted for its spectacular
colour changes during the day. Yulara
Resort is about 25 kilometres away.
*
Barossa Valley: a wine-growing area
just north-west of Adelaide, including
the towns Tanunda and Nuriootpa.
*
Birdsville: the end of the famous
Birdsville Track, where many unwary
tourists have perished from thirst.
Things to see: the Birdsville Track,
the racecourse, the Birdsville Hotel,
the Artesian bore.
*
Bourke: this is the service centre for
a vast area of sheep country and is
reputed to be the world's largest
railhead for shipment of wool. Located
on the Darling River in North-western
New South Wales. Interesting spots in
town: the police station, the Cobb &
Co. sign, the Fort Bourke Stockade,
the courthouse.
*
Brisbane: the capital city of 
Queensland, the site of Expo 88. In 
the area: Lone Pine Sanctuary, the 
Story Bridge, Stradbroke Island, the
Gabba cricket ground, New Farm Park, 
the Gateway Bridge.
*
Broken Hill: one of Australia's main 
sources of silver, lead, and zinc.  
Surrounded by grazing properties and
desert. Also called the Silver City.
Of interest: the Silver City Express,
Menindee Lakes, the BHP office, Morgan
mine tours, the Flying Doctor base.
*
Broome: situated at the southern tip
of the Kimberley region, this coastal
town has a colourful history, when
over 400 luggers sailed in its
pearling fleet. Not to be missed: the
Little White Church, Streeters Jetty,
pearling luggers, Chinatown, the
crocodile farm.
*
Bundaberg: north of Brisbane and close
to Fraser Island where sand mining was
stopped in 1975, to the delight of the
any surfers and fishermen who go
there. Birthplace of Bert Hinkler, a 
famous Australian aviator. Of further 
interest: Hinkler House Museum, the 
Rum Distillery, Dream Time Reptile 
Reserve, the sugar mill, the
Antiquatorium, Versatile Toft 
machinery factory.
*
Byron Bay: the most easterly point on 
the Australian mainland.  A popular 
tourist spot, famous for its 
lighthouse and surfing beaches. 
*
Canberra: Australia's capital city,
with many notable buildings including 
the new parliament house and many
foreign embassies.  Also in the city:
Lake Burley Griffin, the National 
Library, the High Court, the Mint.
*
Ceduna: a small coastal town set on 
Denial Bay in South Australia. The
fishing fleet here is noted for big
catches of whiting.  The OTC earth 
station, 34 kilometres to the north 
links Australia with Asia, Africa and 
Europe.  Also in the area: the port at
Thevenard, the McKenzie Ruin, Yumbarra
Recreation Park.
*
Name: Chook
Home: Echuca
Age: 11
Height: 120 cm
Weight: 35 kg
Notes: a funny little boy who although
he has the best parents you could
possibly imagine, is always running
away from home, or, since he never
goes anywhere without his roller
skates, rolling away from home. Has a
squeaky voice which gives him his
name. Tells great jokes.
*
Coober Pedy: The world's largest opal
mining centre, where most people live
in the cool of  underground houses.
Opal was first discovered here in
1911.
*
Cyclone Ada: hit the Barrier Reef in
1970, killing 13 people and causing
$12 million worth of damage.
*
Cyclone Althea: struck Townsville in
1971. Flooding and winds caused by the
cyclone killed three people.
*
Cyclone Cathy: lashed settlements on
the Gulf of Carpentaria in 1984 with
wind gusts of up to 280 km/h. One
person died.
*
Cyclone Hazel: drowned a fishing crew
of 15 off Carnarvon in March 1979.
*
Cyclone Tracy: destroyed Darwin in
1974. 50 people were killed and 17
more were lost at sea.
*
Cyclone Wanda: hit Brisbane in 1974,
causing $68 million worth of damage.
*
Darwin: the capital of the northern
territory, hit by bombing during World
War II and by cyclone Tracy in 1974.
Places to see: the Beaufort Darwin
Centre, Melville Island, Diamond Beach
Casino, the Chinese Temple, the
Sheraton Hotel.
*
Derby: a small town which serves as
the administrative centre for the West
Kimberley region.  The Prison Tree, a
large hollow boab (or baobab) tree, is
situated seven  kilometres from town.
Other interesting features of the
area: Myall's Bore (a 120 metre long
cattle trough), the Cultural Centre,
flying fox colonies at Tunnel Creek.
*
Diamond Beach Casino: located in
Darwin, Northern Territory
*
Dingo: wild dog brought to Australia
by Aboriginal settlers thousands of
years ago, and still common in outback
areas like Alice Springs.
*
Name: Dodgie, Derryn
Home: Tanunda
Age: 23
Height: 145 cm
Weight: 62 kg
Notes: watch out for this bloke -
count your fingers after you've
shaken his hand. Never pays his debts
or bills unless he is forced to.
Wears pink suits with a purple tie
and smokes foul-smelling cigars.
Lives near the Orlando Winery where
he attends all the wine-tastings but
never actually buys any wine. Has an
equally dodgy brother, Desmond, who
lives in Southport.
*
Dolphins: these marine mammals are
scientifically grouped with the
toothed whales but the larger of  the
13 common species found in Australian
waters rarely exceeds 4 metres in
length.  Dolphins can often be seen
near the beach at Monkey Mia in
Western Australia and are trained to
perform at Sea World near the Gold
Coast in southern Queensland.
*
Dubbo: a large regional city on the
Macquarie River, the region is noted
for agricultural products such as
wheat and wool.  Site of the Western
Plains Zoo.  Other interesting spots:
the Old Dubbo Gaol, Dunoon Farm,
Jinchilla Gardens, Yarrabar Pottery.
*
Eastern Quoll: a small black or fawn
mammal with white spots. Eats small
animals and some grasses and fruit.
Inhabits dry forest and scrub areas
throughout Tasmania. Also called the
native cat.
*
Echuca: a small but busy border town
on the Murray River. Once Australia's
largest inland port, it is now well
known for historic buildings and
paddle steamers.  In the area: Moama
(across the bridge), Alambee Auto
Museum, the Bridge Hotel.
*
Name: Fairy Floss
Home: Echuca
Age: 8
Height: 95 cm
Weight: 27 kg
Notes: Chook's little sister, who
sometimes runs away from home, too,
dragging her security blanket behind
her. Never wears shoes. Has a huge
appetite. Is very good with animals,
usually having a rat or two or a
crab in her pocket, and can cuddle
even the most savage of dogs. Her
nickname is taken from the appearance
of her hair.
*
Name: Finn, Fergus and Frank:
Home: Derby
Age: 57
Height: 172 cm
Weight: 74 kg
Notes: the famous Finn brothers,
twins, and the greatest fishermen in
Australia. Well known for their
television show, Something Is Fishy,
and for their regular successes
in national fishing competitions.
*
Fish, Freshwater (1): Some of
Australia's notable freshwater
fish and habitats include:
Australian Bass, streams of the east
coast, especially suited to those of
far northern New South Wales.
Dawson River Salmon is found in the
Queensland coastal streams as far
north as the Burdekin River.
Eastern Archer-Fish, Townsville area.
Golden Perch or Yellowbelly, western
Queensland and New South Wales.
*
Fish, Freshwater (2): Some of
Australia's notable freshwater 
fish and habitats include:
Gulf Archer-Fish, rivers of the Gulf
of Carpentaria and New Guinea.
Lungfish, native to the Burnett and
Mary Rivers of southern Queensland.
Mouth Almighty occurs in the northern
coastal streams of Queensland.
Murray Cod, inland waterways of New 
South Wales and southern Queensland.
Southern Sunfish, only found on Fraser,
Stradbroke and Moreton islands.
*
Floral Emblems: Australia - the Wattle
New South Wales - Waratah
Northern Territory - Sturt's Desert Rose
Queensland - Cooktown Orchid
South Australia - Sturt's Desert Pea
Tasmania - Tasmanian Blue Gum
Victoria - Pink Heath
Western Australia - Mangles' Kangaroo Paw
*
Geelong: Victoria's largest regional
city is situated on Corio Bay near
Melbourne.  Notable features of this
area: Queens Park Golf Course, Dennys
Lascelles Wool Store, Buckley's Falls,
the Botanical Gardens.
*
The Gold Coast: one of Australia's
most popular tourist spots, including
the towns Southport, Tweed Heads and
Coolangatta.  In the area: Jupiters
casino, Tweed Heads Leagues Club,
Sea World dolphin park.
*
Name: Germsquasher, Gerald
Home: Canberra
Age: 20
Height: 190 cm
Weight: 73 kg
Notes: a snappy businessman who is
always wearing a freshly dry-cleaned
suit, of which he owns at least 200.
Travels by plane on business trips,
tapping away on his lap-top computer.
A terrible hypochondriac, he will
never sit on a toilet seat, or use a
knife and fork, without bringing from
his pocket a small spray-can of
disinfectant.
*
Name: Godscarer, Godfrey "Gung-Ho"
Home: Launceston
Age: 38
Height: 155 cm
Weight: 52 kg
Notes: a silly little man who is
always doing reckless things.  He is
very rich, and can afford to buy all
the dangerous toys that he wants, and
they always soon end up broken, and so
does Godfrey. His wife, Dagmar, is a
doctor - that's why he married her.
*
Name: Goodfellow, Rufus
Home: Alice Springs
Age: 47
Height: 210 cm
Weight: 62 kg
Notes: a well-meaning bloke who always
seems to get things wrong. Prefers the
outback. Wears bushman's clothes and
hat, and talks "real slow".  Loves
beer, meat pies, and pavlova,
sometimes together.
*
Hinkler, Herbert John Louis (Bert): a
famous aviator born in 1892 in
Bundaberg, Queensland.  His record
breaking flight from Britain to
Australia took just over 15 days  and
in 1931 he flew 3200 kilometres across
the Atlantic.
*
Hobart: the capital city of the island
state of Tasmania.  Site of the Wrest
Point Casino, and the end of the
popular Sydney to Hobart yacht race.
Also around the city: the Shot Tower
at Taroona, the Post Office Museum,
Battery Point, St David's Park, the
University of Tasmania, Tasman Bridge.
*
Kakadu national park: Australia's
popular top end national park where
tourists are warned to beware of
crocodiles when swimming. One of its
major towns is Jabiru. In the
district: Nourlangie, the Yellow Water
Lagoon.
*
Kalgoorlie: in the heart of Western
Australia's richest gold mining area.
A very dry place in Australia's
outback. Interesting places in the
area include: Australia House, the
statue of Paddy Hannan, Boulder Block
Road mine, the Golden Mile scenic
drive, Hainault tourist mine, the
Flying Doctor base, Mt Charlotte.
*
Launceston: Tasmania's second largest
city, where the Tamar, North Esk, and
South Esk Rivers meet.  Of interest:
the Penny Royal Powder Mill, the Tamar
River, Cataract Gorge, the City Park
and Zoo.
*
Lumholtz's Tree Kangaroo: brown to
blackish with a long furry tail. Its
front limbs are longer and stronger
than is usual with kangaroos so that
it can climb. Eats leaves and fruit.
Inhabits an area of rainforest on the
central Queensland coast.
*
Margaret River: on the south-western
corner of Australia, famous for its
surfing spots.
*
Melbourne: The capital city of 
Victoria, on the Yarra River.  Known
as the home of Australian rules 
football, which attracts the largest 
crowds in Australian sport. Nearby 
beaches are popular with fishermen,
surfers, and picnickers. Of special
interest: the Cricket Ground, Bells
Beach, the city trams, Tullamarine
airport.
*
Name: Moaner, Martha
Home: Dapto
Age: 19
Height: 140 cm
Weight: 140 kg
Notes: a roly-poly girl who complains 
about everybody and eats everything 
she can get her hands on. Wears bright 
dresses that make her look like a hot 
air balloon. Watches television all 
day when she can find nobody to
grumble to.
*
Monkey Mia: on the clear blue waters
of Shark Bay, in Western Australia,
near the town of Carnarvon. This is
the home of scores of friendly
dolphins which regularly swim into
the shallows to mingle with people
near the beach.
*
Mount Isa: the most important
commercial and industrial centre in
north-west Queensland, including one
of the biggest silver-lead mines in 
the world.  In this area: the Rotary 
Mining Museum, the silver smelter
stack, Lake Moondarra, Birri Beach.
*
Mountain Pygmy Possum: a tiny grey
mammal with a long tail that it can
use to carry lengths of grass for nest
building. Eats fruit, seeds, and
insects. Lives in areas of the Snowy
Mountains that are covered with snow
in winter.
*
Newcastle: a major port and industrial
city with a long tradition of steel
making. Within easy walking distance 
of the city's centre is Nobby's
Headland and popular surfing beaches.  
Other places to visit: the BHP 
steelworks, the Maritime Museum, 
Blackbutt Reserve, the Prince of 
Wales, Garden City shopping centre.
*
Normanton: Small town in the south-
west of the Cape York area known for 
its unusual old railway service, the  
Gulflander, which has been  in service 
since 1891. In this area: the 'Purple 
Pub', Landsborough Street, the old
QANTAS terminal.
*
Opal: This non-crystalline gemstone 
consists of silica.  The towns of 
Lightning Ridge, Andamooka, and White
Cliffs are major centres for opal
mining but Coober Pedy, in South
Australia produces more opal than 
anywhere else in the world.
*
The Outback: an Australian name for
the more remote areas of the country, 
mostly the dry inland places like
Bourke, but isolated sections of the 
coastline such as near Normanton may 
be considered outback, too. 
*
Perth: the capital city of Western 
Australia, on the Swan River, which is 
popular with sailors and windsurfers.
Nearby Fremantle hosted the America's 
Cup yacht race in 1987. Interesting 
points: the WACA cricket grounds,
Rottnest Island, Scarborough Beach,
the Refinery at Kwinana, City Clipper 
buses.
*
Port Arthur: formerly an infamous 
penal settlement this is now an
important tourist attraction where the 
ruins of the prison buildings still 
stand.  Interesting spots: the Isle of 
the Dead, Eaglehawk Neck, the Bush 
Mill, the Model Prison, the old
Asylum.
*
Port Hedland: a remote town on the
north-western coast of Australia. A
centre for surrounding grazing
properties and popular with fishermen
and tourists.
*
POSTCODES: Adelaide 5000
Alice Springs 0870  Ayers Rock 0872
Birdsville 4482  Bourke 2840
Brisbane 4000  Broken Hill 2880
Broome 6725  Bundaberg 4670
Byron Bay 2481  Canberra 2601
Ceduna 5690  Coober Pedy 5723
Darwin 0800  Derby 6728  Dubbo 2830
Echuca 3564  Geelong 3220
Hobart 7000  Kalgoorlie 6430
Launceston 7250  Melbourne 3000
Mount Isa 4825  Newcastle 2300
Normanton 4890  Perth 6000
Port Arthur 7182  South Molle 4741
Strahan 7468  Sydney 2000
Tanunda 5352  Thredbo 2627
Townsville 4810  Weipa 4874
Wollongong 2500
*
Quokka: a medium-sized kangaroo-like
mammal with thick tough reddish-grey
fur. Eats wattles and other plants.
Lives in sandy areas in the extreme
south-west of the continent, notably
on Rottnest Island where they are
becoming a tourist attraction. One of
the many Australian kangaroos and
wallabies referred to as a pademelon.
*
Riverina: the area along the Murray
River between New South Wales and
Victoria.
*
Royal Flying Doctor Service: was
founded by John Flynn in 1928.  This
service allows doctors in remote parts
of Australia to fly in small planes to
treat patients or bring them to
hospital.  The invention of the pedal
radio by Alfred Traeger was vital to
starting the service. Bases include
Kalgoorlie, Mount Isa, Derby, Alice
Springs, Broken Hill, Hobart,
Meekatharra, Carnarvon, Port Hedland,
Port Augusta, Wyndham, Charleville and
Cairns.
*
Name: Saltywhiskers, Samuel
Home: Port Arthur
Age: unknown
Height: 155 cm
Weight: 68 kg
Notes: an old seadog who is constantly
sailing around the southern coast in
his leaky red and white boat. Drinks a
bottle of rum a day and swears when he
he is drunk. Hates the tropics. Never
goes further north than Byron Bay.
*
Shipping Disasters: Australia has
suffered many shipping disasters.
Here is some brief information
about a few of them:
Paringa sank in Bass Strait
Goorangai sank, Port Phillip Bay VIC
Awahou vanished out of Sydney NSW
Noongah foundered off Smoky Cape NSW
Voyager sank near Jervis Bay NSW
Cherry Venture beached, Teewah QLD
Blythe Star sank South West Cape TAS
Sygna aground at Stockton Beach NSW
Lake Illawarra hit Tasman Bridge TAS
*
South Molle Island: a holiday resort
situated in the heart of the
Whitsunday Passage, eight kilometres
from Shute Harbour.  Worth seeing in
the area: toad races, marlin fishing,
the fish sanctuary.
*
Spotted Cuscus: a small monkey-like
mammal with thick woolly grey fur and a
long curly tail. Eats fruits, flowers
and leaves, and possibly meat, too.
Lives in rainforest trees in the tip of
Cape York Peninsula.
*
STD Codes: Adelaide 08
Alice Springs 089
Birdsville 0071  Bourke 068
Brisbane 07  Broken Hill 080
Broome 091  Bundaberg 071
Byron Bay 066  Canberra 06
Ceduna 086   Coober Pedy 086
Darwin 089  Derby 091  Dubbo 068
Echuca 054 Geelong 052 Hobart 002
Gold Coast 075  Kakadu 089
Kalgoorlie 090  Launceston 003
Melbourne 03  Mount Isa 077
Newcastle 049  Normanton 077
Perth 09  Port Arthur 002
South Molle 079  Strahan 004
Sydney 02 Tanunda 085 Thredbo 064
Townsville 077  Uluru 089
Weipa 070  Wollongong 042
*
Strahan: a small port in Macquarie
Harbour on Tasmania's west coast. A
good starting point for launch cruises
up the Gordon River into the famous
wilderness and huon pine areas.  Things
to see: Water Tower Hill, Sarah Island,
Hogarth Falls, the abalone and shark
boats.
*
Sydney: the largest city in Australia,
and the capital of New South Wales,
with its magnificent harbour. Landmarks
include the Opera House, the Harbour
Bridge, and its many famous beaches,
of which Bondi and Manly are the most
famous.  Also around the city: the
Powerhouse Museum, the offices of
Reckon Software.
*
Tanunda: a small town in the Barossa
valley, Australia's most famous wine
producing area. The German influence
in this area is seen in its many
shops, signs and Lutheran churches.
Also of interest in the area: Chateau
Tanunda, Orlando winery, Chateau
Lyndoch, Angaston.
*
Thredbo: one of this country's many
popular snowfields, and one of the
coldest places in Australia.  Of
interest: the hydro electric scheme,
tourist chalets and chairlifts,
spectacular mountain scenery.
*
Name: Tipmaster, Alvin
Home: Melbourne
Age: 56
Height: 210 cm
Weight: 84 kg
Notes: a bit of a know-all who loves
to give advice. He will always tell
you things that you already know, and
things that you don't want to know,
but be careful if you seek his advice
about something you really need to
know, because he is usually wrong.
Travels around the country betting on
horses, and usually loses.  Is very
clumsy, and has lots of silly little
accidents.
*
Name: Telltale, Wendy
Home: Geelong
Age: 16
Height: 148 cm
Weight: 50 kg
Notes: an excitable girl who cannot
keep anything to herself. Loves rock
music and Australian Rules Football,
wears blue jeans and sneakers. Has a
manic fear of insects of all kinds and
thunderstorms.
*
Townsville: a northern Queensland city
with its own university, popular with
tourists on their way to the barrier
reef.  Features of the area: local
rainforests, Barrier Reef Wonderland,
Ross River Meatworks, Castle Hill.
*
Uluru: largest monolith in the world.
This magnificent rock has special
significance for the local aboriginal
people. Known for its spectacular
colour changes during the day.  Also
known by its European name 'Ayers
Rock'.  Yulara Resort is about 25
kilometres away.
*
Victor Harbour: a holiday resort south
of Adelaide, popular with fishermen
and surfers.
*
Name: Waxhead, Wiry Wayne
Home: Byron Bay
Age: 28
Height: 185 cm
Weight: 78 kg
Notes: a keen surfboard rider and
windsurfer.  Wears fluoro boardshorts
and dark sunnies everywhere, even in
bed.  Once a year he goes on a surfing
trip to Western Australia in his old
kombi van.
*
Weipa: near the tip of Cape York in
Queensland.  The site of the biggest
bauxite mine in the world.  Popular
stop-over for boats fishing in the
Gulf of Carpentaria.
*
Wollongong: this heavily
industrialised area including Port
Kembla forms the third largest city in
New South Wales with one of the
largest steelworks in the country.
Also in the district: Symbio Animal
Gardens, the lighthouse, grass skiing
at Jamberoo, Kembla Grange racecourse.
*
Wrest Point Casino is located in
Hobart, Tasmania.
*
Name: Yolanda Yuppie
Home: Perth
Age: 36
Height: 176 cm
Weight: 55 kg
Notes: a bundle of crazy energy who
drives around the place at ridiculous
speeds in her red sports car.  Thinks
everyone and everything is "rad".
Lives on sprouts and mung beans but
has a weakness for chocolates.  Always
wears lime green lipstick, pink bib
and brace overalls, and black plastic
shoes.
*
Name:
Home:
Age:
Height:
Weight:
Notes:
*

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