Emu Australia

"Major emu migrations occur about one year in seven. 

"The southward movement of tens of thousands of emus in certain seasons is one of Australia's greatest examples of wildlife migration

The Emus’ migration routes are also influenced by climate. As they can find more food in humid regions the birds wander always to places were rain was falling down recently. It’s not yet clear how Emus orientate themselves and can detect rain from several hundred kilometers away. Researchers believe this is a combination of sighting distant rain cloud formations, smelling rain, and hearing the far-off sound of thunder from distances the human ear cannot.

In Western.Australia, the 100-year-old fence, now called the State Barrier Fence, is the longest manmade structure in the state and is visible from space. It runs for 1170km through the state's southwest, from the Zuytdorp cliffs north of Kalbarri to east of Ravensthorpe.
Originally erected to keep rabbits from spreading westward, the fence is undergoing a multi-million dollar upgrade to protect more agricultural lands in the southwest from 'pest' species, including wild dogs, dingos, emus and kangaroos. It includes major plans for a new barrier, up to 700km long, through pristine woodlands leading down to Esperance, and $5 million has been put aside for that.

Viv Read, invasive species director for WA's agriculture department, says the plan is a response to the region's farmers, who complain of a rising incidence of wild dog attacks and crop damage from flocks of emus. "Extending the fence is a non-lethal way of controlling vermin and the alternative is baiting, shooting or trapping.
"The primary purpose and major benefit of the State Barrier Fence is to minimise emu impact on cropping areas," Viv says. "Major emu migrations occur about one year in seven. 


   

Whitsunday Islands

The Whitsundays 74 Island Wonders, located in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef, on the tropical coast of Queensland, Australia.
with the area being one of the most popular yachting destinations in the Southern Hemisphere.
Explore from the bow of a sailboat… cruise through the islands and drop anchor for a quick snorkel and wake up to a sunrise over world famous Whitehaven Beach. Or enjoy the spoils of a mainland resort with Coral Sea views at Airlie Beach, yet another 74 island wonder.

The Whitsunday Islands are a collection of continental islands of various sizes off the central coast of Queensland, Australia, situated between just south of Bowen and to the north of Mackay, some 900 kilometres (560 mi) north of Brisbane.
The island group is centred on Whitsunday Island, while the group's commercial centre is Hamilton Island.

The traditional owners of the area are the Ngaro People and the Gia People (Birri Gubba Language Group), the Juru Clan of which has the only recognised Native Title in the Region

Racial Discrimination in Australia

 

The Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (RDA) is a statute passed by the Australian Parliament during the Prime Ministership of Labor Gough Whitlam.



The RDA makes racial discrimination unlawful in Australia.

All across Australia, there are people and organisations doing great things to reduce and prevent racism. Many schools, students and teachers have already demonstrated their commitment to countering racism through their involvement in developing and implementing anti-racism education initiatives.

The Racism. It Stops with Me campaign isn’t about reinventing the wheel: they want to learn from past achievements and challenges. Their consultations have told them that it’s often the people working on the ground within local communities or specific environments who have the best understanding of the issues and ideas of how to overcome them. They believe that the most effective way to make a difference in the incidence of racism is to encourage and coordinate these efforts.
Over the next three years, we will:

• Ask organisations to commit to the campaign and develop their own anti-racism activities
• Ask individuals to become part of a community of people who are committed to leading by example
• Offer advice and assistance to supporters in implementing their anti-racism activities
• Provide a central coordination point for activities happening across Australia
• Develop materials to assist in the promotion of anti-racism messages
• Develop education tools for a range of audiences
• Share good practice examples for others to learn from and build on
• Facilitate linkages and partnerships between our supporter organisations.

By doing this, we hope to create a culture where people are able to identify racism and have the confidence and tools to act appropriately when it does occur. 

New Anti-Hate Spray puts the power of hate removal in your hands. Specifically formulated to combat racism, homophobia and any other discrimination, Anti-Hate Spray will leave your community clean and hate free.

Australia today is a multiethnic society and the product of more than two centuries of immigration. Laws forbid racial and other forms of discrimination and protect freedom of religion.

Although the majority of the population are Australian born, more than 75% of Australians identified with an ancestry other than Australian in the 2011 Census. About 2% of Australians come from Indigenous backgrounds and about 43% have at least one parent who has born overseas. 30% of the population were born in another country. Of the overseas born, the major countries of birth are England, New Zealand and China. About 8.5% of Australians were born in non-English speaking countries. In all, Australians come from over 200 birthplaces.

What is vilification on the basis of race or religion?

Vilification is different from discrimination. While discrimination involves unfair treatment, vilification is a public act that incites others to hate you or your group (or have serious contempt for, or severely ridicule you) because of your race or religion.
This sort of hatred can show up in a number of ways including hate speeches, leaflets, graffiti, websites, public abuse or media remarks.

Example

• Posters and graffiti inciting hatred of Jewish people are put up outside a synagogue.
• A spectator at a football match urges supporters to abuse a Muslim woman and to take off her hijab (veil).

 

 

Finding Nemo

Clown fish are found on the offshore islands of north-western Western Australia and from the northern Great Barrier Reef, Queensland.

Clownfish are typically very bright, orange fish that have three white stripes, one at the head, middle and tail. If you look really closely, you may notice that there are thin black lines around the white stripes. Also, the tips of their fins have a thin black rounded stripe.

Clownfish can grow to be from 2 to 5 inches long. The males tend to be significantly smaller than the females. However, there are various types of clownfish that range in colours from blue to yellow.

Clownfish live in a "symbiotic" relationship with certain anemones. This means they benefit from living with the sea anemone, and the sea anemone benefits from the presence of the clownfish. They are the only fish that are able to live in sea anemones and not get stung by their tentacles. Clownfish are very active fish and are extremely aggressive. Because they are quite active, the clownfish are thought to be "clowning around". They defend their territory and the sea anemone that they live in. Clownfish eat the leftovers from fish on the anemone and algae. The leftovers include copepods, isopods and zooplankton.

Clownfish have a few ocean predators, but their greatest threat is humans. People who catch clownfish and keep them as pets in aquariums are making a mistake. There are only ten out of more than one thousand types of anemone that are able to host these fish. Many people put the fish in a tank with the wrong anemone. In captivity, the clownfish can live from 3 to 5 years. In the wild, they live 6 to 10 years.