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Here are some weird and interesting facts about
Australia
Did you know that..........
 When it is daytime in Ireland
it is nightime in Australia. When it is winter in Ireland it is Summer in Australia. It
would not be unusual to find a family eating their Christmas dinner on the beach!
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| An Akubra is a special
Australian hat with a broad rim, usually made of hide. Cattle farmers and other outdoor
workers wear an Akubra for protection against burning by the sun.
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| The world's oldest Flower in
the world was found in a fossil near Melbourne. It is called the Koonwarra plant, and it
has two leaves and one flower. It is believed to be 120 million years old.
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| The world's fastest growing
tree is the Australian Eucalyptus. It can grow up to 10 metres in one year.
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| Australia
is not connected by land to any other country and so it had developed its own wildlife.
The kangaroo, the koala, the emu and the kookaburra are among the creatures found only in
Australia.
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| Britain discovered Australia
and as a result used it as a place of imprisonment for thousands of convicts and political
prisoners. About 160,000 of Britain's unwanted were shipped out there. Many died on the
high seas during the eight month journey.
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| Of the 160,000, about 45,000
were Irish, leaders of the rebellions and risings of 1848 and 1867. After serving their
sentence many settled down to a life of farming in Australia. Today a large part of
Australia's population is of Irish and British descent.
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| Australia has a "flying doctor"
service, which provides emergency medical care to people who live in the
"outback". Without such a service many isolated people would die.
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| There are actually four types of Boomerang - the
"hook", the "hunter", "the club", "the V". All
were used for hunting and warfare. Only one of the four will return when thrown - The
Hunter. |
| Dideriedoos are instruments common to Aboriginal. The
playing of the Dideriedoo has been proved to have definite health benefits . It stimulates
the mind, enhances blood circulation, and is great for stress relief. It is played as
background music in some doctors surgeries .
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| Australia is the smallest
continent in the world but the sixth largest country in the world.
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