South Burnett Queensland

The South Burnett is located about 2 to 3 hours drive north-west of Brisbane and roughly 2 hours  from the Sunshine Coast.
The South Burnett Region covers an area 8,399 square kilometres (3,243 sq mi), containing an estimated resident population of over 30,000.

The region is probably best known for peanuts (Kingaroy is famous as the "Peanut Capital of Australia!"), the Bunya Mountains National Park and wineries.

Towns are a short distance apart in a small area, making it very easy to explore on a day trip or on a weekend.

Towns in the South Burnett

Kingaroy Benarkin Blackbutt Boondooma Brooklands Bunya Mountains Cherbourg Cloyna Coolabunia Durong Ficks Crossing Goodger Hivesville Inverlaw Kumbia

Maidenwell Memerambi Moffatdale Mondure Murgon Nanango Proston Taabinga Tingoora Wheatlands Windera Wondai Wooroolin Wooroonden

Australian Beer

The history of Australian beer starts very early in Australia's colonial history. Captain Cook brought beer with him on his ship Endeavour as a means of preserving drinking water. On 1 August 1768 as Captain Cook was fitting out the Endeavour for its voyage, Nathaniel Hulme wrote to Joseph Banks recommending that he take -

Joseph Banks old $5.00 note

"a quantity of Molasses and Turpentine, in order to brew Beer with, for your daily drink, when your Water becomes bad. … Brewing Beer at sea will be peculiarly useful in case you should have stinking water on board; for I find by Experience that the smell of stinking water will be entirely destroyed by the process of fermentation."

— Letter to Joseph Banks 1768

Beer was still being consumed on board 2 years later in 1770 when Cook was the first European to discover the east coast of Australia.

The first (official) brewer in Australia was John Boston who brewed a beverage from Indian corn bittered with cape gooseberry leaves. It is likely though that beer was brewed unofficially much earlier. The first pub, the Mason Arms was opened in 1796 in Parramatta by James Larra, a freed convict.

James Squire was the first to successfully cultivate hops in 1804. The Government Gazette from 1806 mentions that he was awarded a cow from the government herd for his efforts. Squire also opened a pub and brewed beer.

Brewing rapidly expanded in all the Australian colonies. By 1871 there were 126 breweries in Victoria alone which at the time had a population of only 800,000.



Melbourne, 24 July 1953. The liquor licensing laws of the day obliged public bars to close at 6 p.m. The ensuing rush to the bar to beat the clock for a drink before heading home for dinner became known as the "six o'clock swill".

It's a sad fact of life but beer will never taste quite as good as it does in a pub.

Helping to ensure  that you might literally never leave your house again, a Japanese company have created the Beer Jug Jokki Hour, a glass that gives you the ability to add a pub-style head of foam to your beer.

The trick is to fill your mug 3/4 full or more and then press the non-battery operated switch to create a fresh head of foam.

All you need now is a healthy supply of your favourite brew, a pool table and a foul-smelling bathroom and you're pretty much set.

South Africans Abroad

 

 

Australia is the third most popular country for South Africans living abroad.
According to the latest statistics, there were roughly 159,020 South African-born expatriates living in Australia, making it the third most popular country for South Africans who live abroad.
The year-on-year increment has doubled between 2006/07 and 2009/13, with a little under 13,000 new permanent additions granted Australian visas (majority via the skilled route, 89% to be precise) in 2009/13.
Interestingly enough, the median age of South African-born migrants is 38 years old, while the labour force participation rate was 76%, which is considerably higher than the national average of 65%.
Contrary to popular belief, New South Wales was the most popular state for South Africa born residents in Australia at the time of the last Census in 2006.

In the 2012-13 Australian Commonwealth Budget announced in May, the government had good news for South Africans hoping to migrate to the country.  The financial plan outlined a targeted increase in numbers accepted on the Migration Program to support Australian regions and sectors with acute skills shortages.

The standout feature of the Budget was an increase of 5,000 places in the Migration Program from 185,000 places in 2011‑12 to 190,000 for 2012-13 made up of 129,250 skilled stream places, 60,185 family stream places and 565 special eligibility places.  Minister for Immigration and Citizenship Chris Bowen MP said the increase “comes in the context of significant skills gaps in both the short and medium term in certain sectors of our patchwork economy” and that skilled migrants “are complementing rather than competing with our domestic labour force.”
International removals company, Anglo Pacific, has already noticed a surge in enquiries for Australian 2012, up 15% to date for the same period in 2011.  The Company attributed this rise to the Australian Government’s other latest initiative – Skill Select.  Combine this with the increase in allocations on the Migration Program and Anglo Pacific could be in for a very busy year shipping personal belongings down under.

Gday Australia

G’day is a shortened form of ‘Good Day’ and it is the equivalent of ‘Hello. Mate means friend or buddy and it can be used to address your friend or a total stranger by saying G'day mate! So, everyone can be your mate in Australia.

We should all say G'day more often, in general. Just the simple act of smiling or laughing can make you happier.

But even better: say G'day to a stranger. Too often we brush past strangers without a glance, or a straight or scowling face. At best, we might give people a tolerant little smile, to show that we are not mean. Usually most of us try to avoid any eye contact at all.
Try this instead: look strangers in the eye, and give them a big G'day. In most cases, you’ll get a hello or G'day in return. The more you smile, the more smiles you’ll see in return.
End result? A happier world. So simple!



 

Sheilas

Today, women make up just over half of Australia’s total population. More women than men are now educated at secondary schools and universities, and more women than men graduate from university with bachelor degrees. In 2006, women accounted for 54.8 per cent of all tertiary education students and 47.5 per cent of all students enrolled in vocational education and training courses. The majority were enrolled in management and commerce, society and culture, and food, hospitality and personal services courses.
Almost 4.8 million women were in some form of paid employment.

In the late 19th century, as Australia entered a period of prosperity, employment opportunities for women started to increase. However, around half of the female workforce was still employed in domestic service for very little pay. Women started campaigning for a range of social and political reforms, including access to universities and the right to vote and stand for parliament. By 1881, they had gained entry to all three universities then in existence (Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney). Between 1895 and 1908, all state governments granted women the vote and, from 1902, women had the right to stand for federal parliament and vote in federal elections.

By 1943, there were around 800 000 women in the workforce.

Australian Aboriginal women share an interdependent relationship with the men playing a dominant role in child rearing and food gathering and sharing the roles of healers, law makers, performers, painters and custodians of traditional ways. Women maintain their traditional knowledge through ceremony and more recently through their paintings.

Today, rather than being an insult, “Sheila” is widely regarded as a Aussie slang word for a woman.

An ‘alright sort of a sheila’ would therefore denote a pretty good woman!

Australia is very much a multicultural country, 25 per cent of Australians were born overseas; the five largest immigrant groups were those from the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Italy, Vietnam, and China.

Timeline


1895: Women vote for the first time in an Australian election (South Australia)


1902: Commonwealth Franchise Act passed, enabling all women (with the exception of Aboriginal women in some states) to stand for federal parliament and vote in federal elections.

1921: Edith Cowan above becomes the first woman elected to an Australian parliament (in Western Australia)

1943: Dame Enid Lyons and Senator Dorothy Tangney above become the first women elected to Federal Parliament

1947: Jessie Street appointed as the Australian representative to the newly established United Nations Commission on the Status of Women

1966: Bar on married women as permanent employees in the federal public service abolished

1969: Equal pay determination by the Commonwealth Conciliation and Arbitration Commission introduces the principle of ‘equal pay for work of equal value’

1983: Australia ratifies the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women


1984: Federal Sex Discrimination Act passed, to implement the UN Convention domestically

1988: Prime Minister launches the first National Agenda for Women, based on the UN Nairobi Forward-Looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women

1989: Rosemary Follett becomes the first female head of a government in Australia when she is elected Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory

1992: Justice Elizabeth Evatt, President of the Australian Law Reform Commission, becomes the first Australian elected to the UN Human Rights Committee

1999: Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Act introduced into parliament on 22 September, replacing the Affirmative Action Act 1986

2010: Australia's first female Prime Minister Julia Gillard.

Tasmanian Tigers

The Tasmanian Tiger, Thylacinus cynocephalus, was a large, carnivorous (meat-eating) marsupial that is probably extinct. It is not closely related to the tiger.

Habitat and Extinction: The Tasmanian Tiger lived in dry eucalyptus forests, wetlands, and grasslands in continental Australia, Tasmania, and New Guinea. It went extinct in mainland Australia about 2,000 years ago due to competition from dingoes. In Tasmania, the Tasmanian Tiger went extinct in 1936 after being killed in large numbers by sheep farmers who settled in Tasmania (the Tasmanian Tiger ate a lot of sheep). The last known Tasmanian Tiger, named Benjamin, died in captivity at the Hobart Zoo. Despite its supposed extinction, there are a few unconfirmed Tasmanian Tiger sightings each year in Tasmania.

   Anatomy: The Tasmanian Tiger was 6 feet (1.8 m) long, including the tail, and weighed about 65 pounds (30 kg). This mammal had light brown fur with a series of black stripes along the back from the base of the tail almost to the shoulders. The tail was long and stiff; it could not wag like the tail of a dog. The skull was large and its jaws could open 120 degrees, wider than any other mammal.   Diet: The Tasmanian Tiger was a carnivore who hunted at night and at dusk and dawn. It ate wallabies, rabbits, sheep, poultry, goats, and other animals. It was a solitary hunter who used its keen sense of smell to find its prey. Although it wasn't a fast runner, it had great stamina, and pursued its prey until the victim was exhausted.   Reproduction: Females had a rear-facing pouch in which the tiny immature young lived for many months, drinking the female's milk.

Big Cats

Sightings of exotic big cats in Australia began more than 100 years ago. The New South Wales State Government reported in 2003 that it was "more likely than not" that there was a colony of exotic big cats living in the bush near Sydney.

Gippsland phantom cat

In the Gippsland region of south-eastern Victoria, the origin of the cats is claimed to be American World War II airmen who brought cougars with them as mascots and released them in the Australian Bush. Photographic evidence is often difficult to interpret.

Grampians puma

A study by Deakin University concluded that a big cat population in the Grampians mountain range is "beyond reasonable doubt".

Blue Mountains Panther

The Blue Mountains Panther is a phantom cat reported in sightings in the Blue Mountains area, west of Sydney, New South Wales for over a century. Speculation about the Blue Mountains Panther includes the theory that it is descended from either circus or zoo escapees, or is a descendant of a military mascot.
Video footage showing a large black cat near Lithgow was examined by a group of seven zoo, museum, parks and agriculture staff, who concluded that it was a large domestic cat (2–3 times normal size) based partly on its morphology and partly on the behaviour of a nearby normal-sized domestic cat.

Tantanoola Tiger

The region around Tantanoola, a town in the south-east of South Australia was supposed to have been the stalking ground of The Tantanoola Tiger during the late nineteenth century. In 1895 an animal believed to be the Tantanoola Tiger was shot and identified as an Assyrian wolf. It was stuffed and remains on display in the Tantanoola Hotel.

A few bits of circumstantial evidence suggest to some that feral cats in Australia are now reaching enormous sizes, equivalent to that of a small leopard

Sunshine Coast big cats

There have been some claims that "Big Cats" have stalked the hinterland of the Sunshine Coast  Queensland since early in the 19th century. These claims have been met with scepticism.

Worlds longest Fish

 

 

This one is a really strange looking fish. Growing to 17 metres in length this would have to be the worlds longest fish. The oarfish prefers deep oceanic waters but is sometimes found in estuaries and bays and washed up on beaches during violent storms and heavy swells. It is long and slender and a shiny silver colour with a orange dorsal fin,and is one of  the worlds longest fish.


In days past, it was believed that a swimming oarfish would 'row' with its pelvic fins in a circular motion, hence the common name.  Unfortunately folk tales aren't always true.  The strange pelvic fins are now believed to be used for taste perception not locomotion

Allegedly this Photograph shows US servicemen in Laos during the Vietnam War with a captured Mekong Dragon, Phaya Naga, Mekong Naga or enormously overgrown eel. It is widely circulated in Laos. However, the photograph was actually taken in 1996 and shows a Giant Oarfish, found on the shore of the Pacific Ocean near San Diego, California. This extremely rare specimen was 23 ft (7.0 m) long and weighed 300 lb (140 kg).



An Oarfish on the beach at Busselton, Western Australia, 8 November 2003. The fish was spotted at dusk on consecutive days. On the second day it beached itself but was returned to the water by onlookers. The fish swam away, apparently unharmed.




 

Wombats Aussie Badger

Wombats have a lack of fear meaning that they may display acts of aggression if provoked, or if they are simply in a bad mood. Its sheer weight makes a charging wild wombat capable of knocking an average-sized adult over, and their sharp teeth and powerful jaws can inflict severe wounds.

Wombats are marsupials and herbivores; their diet consists mostly of grasses, sedges, herbs, bark and roots.

The name wombat comes from the aborigines that originally inhabited the Sydney area. Wombats were often called badgers by early settlers because of their size and habit. Because of this, localities such as Badger Creek, Victoria and Badger Corner, Tasmania were named after the wombat.

Wombats dig extensive burrow systems with rodent-like front teeth and powerful claws. One distinctive adaptation of wombats is their backwards pouch. The advantage of a backwards-facing pouch is that when digging, the wombat does not gather dirt in its pouch over its young. Although mainly crepuscular and nocturnal, wombats also venture out to feed on cool or overcast days. They are not commonly seen, but leave ample evidence of their passage, treating fences as minor inconveniences to be gone through or under, and leaving distinctive cubic faeces.

Wombat Stew

As the Wombat is a huge keg of prime muscle with a high fat content, there could be a lucrative trade in raising them for the abattoir.

However farming them is difficult as if they are enclosed, they will tunnel their way to freedom. Like fellow escape artists the Kangaroo and the Echidna, any enclosure of a Wombat requires a much greater financial investment than that required of a cow, horse or sheep. Such an investment would unlikely deliver a return as so few Australians would be willing to eat them.

source:Convict Creations






Wombat Casserole

1.5kg Wombat meat
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 pkg. baby carrots
6 potatoes, quartered
1 small pkg. lentils
1 can tomato juice
Sliced celery
Onions
Green beans
Method:

Place all ingredients in casserole dish and cover with foil. Bake at 180 degrees celsius for 12 hours. Eat hearty.

Wombats are a protected species throughout Australia

 

Tasmanian Devil or Taz

The Tasmanian devil is the largest surviving carnivorous marsupial in Australia.

.

It is characterised by its stocky and muscular build, black fur, pungent odour, extremely loud and disturbing screech, keen sense of smell, and ferocity when feeding.

Taz Tasmanian devil color in

Unusually for a marsupial, its forelegs are slightly longer than its hind legs. The fur is usually black, although irregular white patches on the chest and rump are common.

The Tasmanian devil is found in the wild only in the Australian island state of Tasmania. It`s large head and neck allow it to generate the strongest bite per unit body mass of any living mammal, and it hunts prey and scavenges, as well as eating household products if humans are living nearby. Although it is usually solitary, it sometimes eats with other devils and defecates in a communal location.

Devil facial tumour

Since the late 1990s, devil facial tumour disease has drastically reduced the devil population and now threatens the survival of the species, which in May 2009 was declared to be endangered.

The Tasmanian devil is probably best known internationally as the inspiration for the Looney Tunes cartoon character the Tasmanian Devil, or "Taz"

Australian wines versus French

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 Greek settlers.

Australia Travel Tips

Sharks and crocodiles

Shark attacks in Australia are very rare, however may be fatal. Shark netting on Australian beaches deter sharks, but you can further reduce your risk by always swimming between the flags on patrolled beaches and not swimming at dusk or evening. Avoid swimming alone, a long way offshore, at river mouths or along drop-offs to deeper water.
Crocodiles live in rivers and coastal estuaries across northern Australia, often changing habitat via sea. When travelling near crocodile habitats, observe safety signs and don’t swim in rivers, estuaries, tidal rivers, deep pools or mangrove shores. Also seek expert advice about crocodiles before camping, fishing or boating.





 

Popular Australian destinations

Include the coastal cities of Sydney and Melbourne, as well as other high profile destinations including regional Queensland, the Gold Coast and the Great Barrier Reef, the world's largest reef. Uluru and the Australian outback are other popular locations, as is Tasmanian wilderness. The unique Australian wildlife is also another significant point of interest in the country's tourism.

 

 

 

Sun Protection

In Australia the sun is very strong and deadly, just one prolonged day in the sun without protection, could be fatal or cause long term permanent damage to your body.
These real stats below dont lie.( Google them if you like.)

Every year, in Australia skin cancers account for around 80% of all newly diagnosed cancers

between 95 and 99% of skin cancers are caused by exposure to the sun.

Always wear a shirt, hat, sunglasses and SPF 30+ sunscreen lotion, even on cloudy days. If spending the whole day outdoors, reapply sunscreen regularly. Stay out of the sun during the middle of the day when the sun is strongest. Make sure you drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration.



 

Australia’s beautiful beaches can hold hidden dangers in the form of strong currents called rips. Avoid them by always swimming between the red and yellow flags - they mark the safest place to swim on the beach. Lifesavers wearing red and yellow uniforms generally patrol beaches during the warmer months of October to April, but some of the most popular beaches are patrolled all-year round. Never swim alone, at night, under the influence of alcohol or directly after a meal. Always check water depth before diving in and never run and dive into the water from the beach.


 

 

The poisonous animals – snakes, spiders, marine stingers

 Marine stingers are present in tropical waters from November to April. During this time you can only swim within stinger-resistant enclosures, which are set up on the most popular beaches. You will also need to wear protective clothing when swimming, snorkeling or diving on the outer Great Barrier Reef. Always observe warning signs. When bushwalking or hiking, you can avoid snake and spider bites by wearing protective footwear and using your common sense. If bitten, seek immediate medical attention. Deaths from snake bites are extremely rare and there have been few deaths from spider bites since anti venoms were made available in 1981.

Travelling in remote Australia

 Driving through Australia’s remote and rugged areas requires thorough preparation. Before embarking on a 4WD or outback journey, ensure you have a roadworthy vehicle fitted with GPS and two spare tyres. You’ll also need good maps, extra food, water and fuel and an emergency plan. Plan your route carefully and notify a third party of your expected arrival. Check road conditions before beginning your journey, stay with your vehicle if it breaks down and avoid travelling in extreme heat conditions. If driving a conventional vehicle through remote areas, drive slowly on unsealed, dusty or narrow roads and always check road conditions before turning off major roads. Mobile phones have limited coverage in remote areas, so check your phone provider for coverage.

Bushwalking or hiking in wilderness

When planning a bushwalk or hike, check the length and difficulty of the walk and consider using a local guide for long or challenging walks. If walking without a guide, tell someone where you’re going and when you expect to return. Wear protective footwear, a hat, sunscreen and insect repellent and take wet weather gear, a topographic map and plenty of water. When walking, read maps and signs, stay on the track, behind safety barriers and away from cliff edges. Don’t feed or play with native animals, as you might get scratched or bitten. Plan walking in summer months carefully and avoid challenging hikes when the sun is too intense.

Visas

All visitors to Australia, apart from New Zealanders, require advance permission to enter the country. For most countries, a full visa is required, but holders of certain passports from some OECD and some East Asian countries are able to apply for the simpler Electronic Travel Authority which enables one to apply and be granted a visa.

 

Crocodile dive

You don't have to get a car or a bus from Darwin to this excellent attraction. If you're staying in the city you can walk to Crocosaurus Cove, and meet the friendly folk at the admissions desk.
Once inside, it's bigger than it looks, because it's spread over 3-4 floors.
Crocosaurus Cove has some of the largest Saltwater Crocodiles on the planet on display.
With aquarium style viewing, you can see crocs like nowhere else in the Northern Territory.


 There are huge crocs in separate tanks, which you can see into from underneath.
Then of course there is the awesome cage of death, in which you can be lowered into a croc tank and then try to get the crocs to attack you.

Crocosaurus Cove is a lot better than we thought it would be, we were expecting somethnig a bit more cheesey, but the the kids loved feeding the little jumping crocs and the many reptiles they have, it is a very unique place to visit.
Crocosaurus Cove is so entertaining for everyone, day and night. After swimming in a cage with the big crocs you can feed the baby crocs. By night you can hire a room upstairs where there are big viewing windows in which the big crocs come up and swim, they also bring out snakes and reptiles for you to hold . Trully worth a visit when you visit Darwin.

 

58 Mitchell Street, Darwin City

(Corner of Mitchell & Peel Street)

Tel: (+61) 08 8981 7522

Fax: (+61) 08 8941 5522

Email: info@croccove.com

Open every day 9am - 6pm

Except Christmas Day