Melbourne Cup Spring Racing Carnival 2022

The Melbourne Cup is Australia's major Thoroughbred horse race. Billed as The race that stops a nation, it is a race for three-year-olds and over, over a distance of 3,200 metres. It is the richest and most prestigious "two-mile" handicap in the world, and one of the richest turf races in the world. The total prize money for the 2013 race is A$6.2 million, plus a hand made 2340 gram gold trophy valued at $175,000

Australia each year may stop to watch the Melbourne Cup, but for the rest of the Spring Racing Carnival Melbournians party hard.
The fun starts in September and doesn’t end until mid-November. Flemington Racecourse is the stage for Derby Day, the Melbourne Cup, and Oaks Day.

Derby Day opens the carnival with racing for the real purists and off-field fashions in traditional black and white.

The Melbourne Cup is on the first Tuesday in November, it is by far the biggest event of the carnival.
This is a public holiday for Melbournians, who flock for the fun atmosphere, as much as the nation-stopping race at 3.00pm.  Car-boot breakfast parties are a must, or pre purchase a ticket for live music, champagne and canapés, at one of the many elegant functions on course.

There’s only a two days of rest and sobering up, before partying at Oaks Day, or ladies' day, where the main attraction is on racetrack fashion. The following Saturday, the kids can show off their style at Stakes Day,which closes the Melbourne Cup Carnival.

 

Australian Capital Cities

NASA photo from space of Australia's Capital Cities at night

A lot of visitors to Australia are surprised by how big the country really is. It's actually the sixth largest country in the world and has a land mass very similar to that of the mainland of the USA. Australia covers over 7,600,000 square kilometres while the USA covers just over 7,800,000 square kilometres.

Due to it's size the country has many varied climate regions similar to the USA, from deserts to snow capped mountains and tropical rainforests.

There are eight capital cities in Australia, all of which function at a sub-national level. Canberra also serves as the national capital. Melbourne was the national capital from the Federation of Australia in 1901 until 1927, when the seat of national government was moved to the newly created city of Canberra.

In each capital city, local judicial, administrative and legislative duties are performed for the jurisdiction. In the case of state and territory capital cities, they also happen to be the most populous city in their respective jurisdiction.

CANBERRA ( Australian Capital Territory )

Canberra  is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall.

SYDNEY ( New South Wales )

Sydney is the largest and most populous city in Australia with a population of approx 4,575,000 and is the state capital of New South Wales.

MELBOURNE

Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia after Sydney, with approx  4,077,000.

BRISBANE ( Queensland )

Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million.

ADELAIDE ( South Australia )

Adelaide  is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of South Australia, and is the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.28 million

PERTH ( Western Australia )

Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of 1,700,000.

DARWIN ( Northern Territory )

Darwin  is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 124,800, 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.

HOBART ( Tasmania )

Hobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Founded in 1804 as a penal colony Hobart is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney.  In 2009, the city had a greater area population of approximately 212,000.

Port Arthur Tasmania

Port Arthur is one of Australia’s Best Known Historical sites, receiving over 250,000 visitors each year.

Port Arthur is also one of Australia's most significant heritage areas and the open air museum is officially Tasmania's top tourist attraction.
Port Arthur is located approximately 60 km south east of the state capital, Hobart, on the Tasman Peninsula.

From 1833, until 1853, it was the destination for the hardest of convicted British and Irish criminals, those who were secondary offenders having re-offended after their arrival in Australia. Rebellious personalities from other convict stations were also sent here, a quite undesirable punishment. In addition Port Arthur had some of the strictest security measures of the British penal system.

Port Arthur was sold as an inescapable prison, much like the later Alcatraz Island in the United States. Some prisoners were not discouraged by this, and tried to escape.

On the road between Hobart and Port Arthur the Tasman Peninsula and it’s famous coastal features can’t be missed. The Remarkable Cave is called that because when the tide is low enough and you can stand at the mouth of the cave you can see the shape of Tasmania through to the other end’s opening.

The Tasman Arch is also situated on the Tasman Peninsula in close proximity to the Remarkable Cave. This one of natures marvels on how over the years the waves have eroded the softer layers of rock from below and the stronger top layers are still withstanding the forces of nature. The famous Blow Hole is also here

On 28 April 1996, Martin Bryant went on a killing spree at Port Arthur, murdering 35 people and wounding 21 more before being captured by the Special Operations Group of the Tasmania Police. This led to a national ban on semi-automatic shotguns and rifles.

The Great Barrier Reef Australia

The Great Barrier Reef in Australia is the world's largest reef system, composed of over 2,900 individual reefs, and 900 islands stretching for over 2,600 kilometres (1,600 mi) over an area of approximately 344,400 square kilometres (133,000 sq mi)
Over 99 percent of the World Heritage Area falls within the boundaries of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.
The reef is located in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland in north-east Australia.

Some Facts
Tourism to the reef generates approximately AU$ 4-5 billion per year.

Has 130 species of sharks and rays The smallest and largest sharks in the world have been seen on the reef: The Dogfish (less than 30cm), and the Whale Shark (up to 21m)

Thirty species of whales, dolphins, and porpoises have been recorded in the Great
Barrier Reef.

Home to approx 13,000 dugong (Australia's entire dugong population is
about 90 000)

Six species of sea turtles come to the reef to breed.

215 species of birds (including 22 species of seabirds and 32 species of shorebirds) visit the reef or nest or roost on the islands.

Seventeen species of sea snake live on the Great Barrier Reef.

More than 1,500 fish species live on the reef.

360 species of hard coral.

One third of the world's soft corals.

5000 - 8000 species of molluscs (eg. shells)

400 - 500 species of marine algae

600 species of echinoderm (eg.starfish, sea urchins)

The Great Barrier Reef can be seen from outer space and is the world's biggest single structure made by living organisms. 
This reef structure is composed of and built by billions of tiny organisms, known as coral polyps.


The Great Barrier Reef has long been known to and used by the Aboriginal Australian and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and is an important part of local groups' cultures and spirituality. The reef is a very popular destination for tourists, especially in the Whitsunday Islands and Cairns regions.

Australia Vs New Zealand

New Zealand Armed Forces

 New Zealand defence story.
by David Blake

 It's well known that New Zealand's defence force is less than intimidating on a world scale.


Less well known is that our woefully inadequate defence spending, and sometimes isolationist foreign policy, could be jeopardising our trade links with key partners such as the US and Australia.

New Zealand defence spending has always been low by international standards, both in actual terms and as a percentage of GDP. A 2005 parliament briefing report shows New Zealand consistently spends less than the US, UK, Australia and Canada, spending less than one per cent of GDP between 2003-2004. Yet Defence Minister Wayne Mapp said in May this year that our defence budget is about right.

So what? New Zealand's physical isolation and happy-go-lucky nature will protect us from harm, you say? If not, our disarming sense of humour and all-round likeability... then surely our friends will come to our aid?

New Zealand Army reserves

While the threat of military aggression from another state is unlikely, New Zealand's lack of military prowess may be costing us in terms of trade negotiations and privilege if we are perceived to be unwilling or unable to pull our weight in maintaining global peace and security.

Recent criticisms from visiting geopolitical commentator, George Friedman, echo concerns made by policy analysts here and overseas.


Friedman says New Zealand's perception that it can pick and choose whether to engage in military operations, such as the Iraq war, and still expect to be listened to in trade talks with the US is naive.

By contrast, he says that Australia has obtained its privileged position of strategic ally with the US through a long-term commitment to military assistance and cooperation.

So New Zealand's joke of a defence force might not be so funny after all, especially from the point of view of some of our closest friends and allies.

New Zealand Airforce

In the 1970s, the international community imposed boycotts on South Africa in protest against its apartheid system. While most countries, including Australia, joined the boycotts, New Zealand continued to send the All Blacks on rugby tours and continued to receive Springbok tours to New Zealand.


Aside from maintaining sporting relations with white South Africa and devaluing the ANZUS treaty, the nature of New Zealand's international relations can be inferred from their bid for the 2003 rugby World Cup.

When stripping New Zealand of its right, the IRB issued a statement declaring:

"Generous accommodations made by RWCL to meet the needs and problems of the NZRU were repaid with consistent failures and wholly inappropriate behaviour. Despite this, the Council determined to give full and fair hearing to New Zealand's position and to its most recent submissions. However, the outstanding Australian proposal held an attraction, a professionalism and a logic which were irresistible. "

Is it time that we gave up our independent foreign policy aspirations and toed the line for our trading partners?

Save Australia

When the shearing sheds are silent and the stock camps fallen quiet

When the gidgee coals no longer glow across the outback night

And the bush is forced to hang a sign, '. Gone broke and won't be back'

And spirits fear to find a way beyond the beaten track

When harvesters stand derelict upon the wind swept plains

And brave hearts pin their hopes no more on chance of loving rains

When a hundred outback settlements are ghost towns overnight

When we've lost the drive and heart we had to once more see us right

When 'Pioneer' means a stereo and 'Digger' some backhoe

And the 'Outback' is behind the house. there's nowhere else to go

And 'Anzac' is a biscuit brand and probably foreign owned

And education really means brainwashed and neatly cloned

When you have to bake a loaf of bread to make a decent crust

And our heritage once enshrined in gold is crumbling to dust

And old folk pay their camping fees on land for which they fought

And fishing is a great escape; this is until you're caught

When you see our kids swearing in the street and substance blood shot eyes

And the soaring crime and hopeless hearts is no longer a surprise

When the name of RM Williams is a yuppie clothing brand

Not a product of our heritage that grew up off the land

When offering a hand makes people think you'll end their fate

And two dogs meeting in the street is what you call a 'Mate'

When 'Political Correctness' has replaced all common sense

When you're forced to see it their way, there's no sitting on the fence

Yes one day you might find yourself an outcast in this land

Perhaps your heart will tell you then, ' I should have made a stand'

Just go and ask the farmers that should remove all doubt

Then join the swelling ranks who say, '. Don't sell Australia out'

The Wiggles

The Wiggles for several years now have hovered around the top of the BRW's top 10 list of Australia's richest entertainers,with earnings of $45 million in 2009 and taking out third spot in 2010 with earnings of $33.5 million from live performances, merchandising and television endorsements.

 Who would have thought? Throwing two former preschool teachers, a rock band keyboardist and a singer together, to create the world's most famous pop band for toddlers.

They have earned seventeen gold, twelve platinum, three double-platinum, and ten multi-platinum awards for sales of over 17 million DVDs and four million CDs.

2006 Australian export of the year award

The Wiggles are a children's group formed in Sydney, Australia in 1991. Their original members were Anthony Field, Phillip Wilcher, Murray Cook, Greg Page, and Jeff Fatt. Wilcher left the group after their first album. In 2006, Page was forced to retire from the group due to illness and was replaced by understudy Sam Moran.

Source: Peter Nicholson http://nicholsoncartoons.com.au/

Their debut performance was at a pre-school in Randwick. They busked at Circular Quay, performing for crowds disembarking from Manly Ferry, and toured in Westfield shopping centres. They performed at pre-schools, for small audiences of 300-400 people,and were promoted by local playgroups or nursing mothers' associations with whom they split their proceeds.

The Wiggles first album in Australia, cost approximately A$4,000 to produce and it sold 100,000 copies in 1991.

In 1993, Field, Cook, and Page, along with Fatt, decided to give up teaching for a year to focus on performing full-time to see if they could make a living out of it.

The Wiggles created thirteen episodes of a self-produced television series, which they funded from their tours and video sales. They sold the program to Australia's Channel Seven, and then moved it to the ABC in 1998 and to the Disney Channel in 1999. and the rest as they say is history.


Characters

Dorothy the Dinosaur
Dorothy is a rososaurus, a yellow-spotted herbivorous green dinosaur with surprisingly scary teeth.

Captain Feathersword
Captain Feathersword, "the friendly pirate", wears a hat, patch, and puffy shirt and wields a "feathery saber.

Henry the Octopus
Henry the Octopus, who directs an underwater band, likes to sing and to breakdance with his eight legs.

Wags the Dog
Wags is a tall, brown, furry dog with floppy ears and a happy face.

Australian tourism

China is forecast to become Australia’s largest inbound tourism market.

In 2010, over 450,000 Chinese visitors spent $3 billion in Australia, which was 20 percent more than the year before.

China's youth are getting ready to have fun downunder!

By 2013 Australia expects to welcome one million Chinese visitors a year, making China the single largest tourism market for Australia.

Over 5,885,000 Tourists visited Australia in 2010 according to the Australian Bureau of statistics.

The average international visitor consumes around $4,005 of Australian tourism services.

There was strong growth from China and South Korea. Arrivals from these markets grew by 24 per cent, and 18.2 per cent, respectively.

Arrivals from Japan grew by 12.0 per cent in a slight rebound from 2009, when the H1N1 influenza outbreak led to a significant decline for this market.

Japanese tourists still love to visit iconic places, like Bondi beach and the Gold Coast

China overtook the United Kingdom to become Australia’s most valuable inbound market in 2010.

Australian Tourism advertisment in China

Tourism could help balance Australia's economic dependence, on the China resources trade, and also revive regional destinations, that are suffering from a decline in Japanese tourists

Worlds most dangerous spider

Spider in mans ear "gross"

Worlds most dangerous spider, would easily be the Australian funnel web, it is one of the three most dangerous spiders in the world and are regarded  to be the most dangerous and deadliest.

Australian funnel-web spiders are venomous spiders of the family Hexathelidae, represented by an estimated 40 species of Hadronyche and the sole species of the genus Atrax, A. robustus, commonly known as the Sydney funnel-web spider.

Funnel web spiders are medium-to-large in size, with body lengths ranging from 1 cm to 5 cm (0.4" to 2"). They are darkly coloured, ranging from black to blue-black to plum to brown, with a glossy, hairless carapace covering the front part of the body.



There have been 27 recorded deaths in Australia in the last 100 years from spider bites. Bites from Sydney funnel-web spiders have caused 13 deaths (seven in children),although since the introduction of antivenoms there have been no deaths from funnel web spider bites.

"The Australian Reptile Park is still the sole supplier of all snake and funnel web venom for the antivenom program here in Australia, saving approximately 300 lives here each year, they also save about a "1000 lives in New Guinea annually."

Wandering funnel-webs spiders often fall into backyard swimming pools and they can stay alive for hours.

Funnel-webs have been known to survive 24-30 hours under water.

They are mostly terrestrial spiders, favouring habitat with moist sand and clays. They typically build silk-lined tubular burrow retreats with collapsed "tunnels" or open "funnel" entrances from which irregular trip lines radiate out over the ground.

The Sydney Funnel-web Spider, is found from Newcastle to Nowra and west as far as Lithgow in New South Wales.

Other Funnel-web spiders live in the moist forest regions of the east coast and highlands of Australia from Tasmania to north Queensland. They are also found in the drier open forests of the Western Slopes of the Great Dividing Range and South Australia's Gulf ranges.

There is known to be at least one species found all over Papua New Guinea as well.

All suspected bites by any funnel-web spider should be regarded as potentially dangerous and treated accordingly.

Spider bites usually take place on a limb. A pressure bandage should be applied as soon as possible after a bite has occurred. This should be applied as tightly as for a sprained ankle, starting from the bitten area and binding the entire limb above the bite. A rigid splint should be bound onto the limb to prevent limb movement. The patient should be kept as quiet as possible and medical attention sought. If possible, keep the spider for positive identification.

Australia Citizenship Test

Australia Citizenship Test
 
The Australian citizenship test is a test applicants for Australian citizenship who also meet the basic requirements for citizenship are required to take. It has been introduced in 2007 to assess the applicants' adequate knowledge of Australia, the responsibilities and privileges of citizenship and basic knowledge of the English language.

You can become a Australian citizen by answering all of the latest 2011 test questions below

80% correct is a pass 

 

How many slabs can you fit in the back of a Holden Ute while also

allowing room for your cattle dog?

When packing an Esky, do you put the ice or the beer in first?

Is the traditional Aussie Christmas dinner:

a) At least two roasted meats with roast vegetables, followed by a

pudding you could use as a cannonball. And a sweaty ham. sitting in 40C heat.

b) A seafood buffet followed by a barbie, with rather a lot of booze.

And sweaty ham. In 40C heat.

c) Both of the above, one at lunchtime and one at dinnertime. Weather

continues fine.

How many beers in a slab?

Does "yeah-nah" mean "Yes and no" or "Maybe" or "Yes I understand but

no I don't agree"?

The phrases "strewth" and "flamin' dingo" can be attributed to which TV

character?

a) Toadie from Neighbours

b) Alf from Home & Away

c) Agro from Agro's Cartoon Connection

d) Sgt. Tom Croydon from Blue Heelers

When cooking a barbecue do you turn the sausages:

a) Once or twice

b) As often as necessary to cook

c) After each stubby

d) Until charcoal?

Name three of the Daddo brothers.

Who was the original lead singer of AC/DC?

Which option describes your ideal summer afternoon:

a) Drinking beer a mate's place

b) Drinking beer at the beach

c) Drinking beer watching the cricket/footy

d) Drinking beer at a mate's place while watching the cricket before

going to the beach?

Would you eat pineapple on pizza?

Would you eat egg on a pizza?

How many cans of beer did David Boon consume on a plane trip from

Australia to England?

How many stubbies is it from Brissy to the Gold Coast in a Torana

travelling at 120km/h?

Who are Scott and Charlene?

 

How do you apply your tomato sauce to a pie?

a) Squirt and spread with finger

b) Sauce injection straight into the middle?

If the police raided your home would you:

a) Allow them to rummage through your personal items

b) Phone up the nearest talkback radio shock jock and complain

c) Put a written complaint in to John Howard and hope that he answers

it personally?

Which Australian Prime Minister held the world record for drinking a

yardie full of beer the fastest?

Have you ever had/do you have a mullet?

Thongs are:

a) Skimpy underwear

b) Casual footwear

c) They're called jandals, bro?

On which Ashes tour did Warney's hair look the best?

a) 1993

b)1997

c) 2001 or

d 2005?

What is someone is more likely to die of.

1) Red Back Spider

2) Great White Shark

3) Victorian Police Officer

4) King Brown Snake

5) Your missus after a big night

6) Dropbear?

How many times must a steak be turned on a conventional four-burner

barbie?

Can you sing along to Cold Chisel's Khe Sahn?

Explain both the "follow-on" and "LBW" rules in cricket and discuss the

pros and cons for the third umpire decisions in the latter....

Name at least 5 items that must be taken to a BBQ.

Who is current Australian test cricket captain:

a) Ricky Ponting

b) Don Bradman

c) John Howard

d) Makybe Diva?

Is it best to take a sick day on:

a) When the cricket's on?

b) When the cricket's on?

c) When the cricket's on?

What animal is on the Bundaberg Rum bottle?

What is the difference between a pot and a middy of beer?

What are Budgie smugglers?

Did you cry when Molly died on a Country Practice? 

A "Hoppoate" is:

a) A breed of kangaroo

b) A kind of Australian "wedgie"

c) A disgraced Rugby League player? 

What does having a 'chunder' mean? 

When you were young did you prefer the Hills Hoist over any swing set?

What do the following terms mean:

a) Mate?

b) Maate?

c) Maaaaaaate?

Best Aussie name is what?

a) Cheryl

b) Charlene

c) Bazza

d) Thommo

e) Shazza

What does the terminology 'True Blue' mean?

Game of Thrones stars Aussie wrestler

Game of Thrones is an American medieval fantasy television series created for HBO starring Sean Bean, Lena Headey Jack Gleeson and Aussie wrestler Conan Stevens.

Anticipation for the series was described by various media outlets as extremely high, with a dedicated fan base closely following the show's development. By April 2011 multiple entertainment news outlets had described it as the most highly awaited television series of 2011.

The premiere episode attracted 2.2 million viewers its initial airing on April 17 in the U.S

Conan Stevens is an Australian professional wrestler, actor and scriptwriter. He is 7' 1/4" in height.

In Game of Thrones he is playing the role of Gregor Clegane. He made himself known to the fan community and to the series producers early in the development of the series and lobbied for the role, gaining fan support due to his enthusiasm for the project. He auditioned for the part of Khal Drogo in the pilot so as to put his name in circulation for Gregor when auditioning for the series itself took place.

Game of Thrones is about seven noble families who fight for control of the mythical land of Westeros. Political and sexual intrigue is pervasive. The dominant families are the Houses Stark, Lannister, and Baratheon. Robert Baratheon, King of Westeros, asks his old friend Eddard, Lord Stark, to serve as Hand of the King, or highest official.
Secretly warned that the previous Hand was assassinated, Eddard accepts in order to investigate further. Meanwhile the Queen's family, the Lannisters, may be hatching a plot to take power.

Across the sea, the last members of the previous and deposed ruling family, the Targaryens, are also scheming to regain the throne. The friction between these clans, and with the remaining great Houses Greyjoy, Tully, Arryn, and Tyrell, leads to full-scale war. All while a very ancient evil awakens in the farthest North. Amidst the war and political confusion, a neglected military order of misfits, the Night's Watch, is all that stands between the realms of men and icy horrors beyond.

Conan Stevens feature Films


"The Hobbit" - Azog (in Production)

"Mystic Blade" - Butch (post production)

"Largo Wynch 2" - Nazachov's Bodyguard

"True Legend" - Kungfu/Action. Stunt Actor. International cinema

"E Tim Tai Nae" - Action/Comedy. Stunt Actor. Thai cinema

"Chandni Chowk To China" - Action. Principle Role/Stunts. International cinema

"Drona" - Action/Fantasy. Stunt Actor. Prosthetics and wire work. Indian cinema

“Som Tam” - Action. Principle role/Stunts. Thai cinema.

“Bangkok Adrenaline” - Action/Comedy. Principle comedy role/Stunts. Thai cinema

“Hanuman, The White Monkey Warrior” - Action. Stunt actor. Thai cinema

“Bodyguard 2” - Action/Comedy. Stunt actor. Thai cinema

“L'ile Aux Tresors” (“Treasured Island”) - Comedy/Action. Stunt actor. French cinema

“Powerkids” by Baa Ram Ewe. Drama/Action. Stunt actor. Thai cinema

“Man-Thing” (Marvel Comics) - Horror. Played as Man-thing. Full suit work/Stunts. International cinema.


Script Writer (Produced Movies)
"Bangkok Adrenaline" - feature length action/comedy. Thai cinema/International DVD