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Australia

SimonD said:
You really have to see the area for yourself to truly understand how much the soldiers suffered. I find it ironic that the greatest victory (with the least amount of dead) was the final withdrawal. Not that I am saying you haven't, just that reading books about what happen does not capture what an incredible moment it was in our history.
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I cant speak for the New Zealanders involved, but from an Australian perspective the thing that seems to have motivated them was a terrible fear of letting themselves down, their mates down and their country down.

Like others have mentioned, I too want to visit the area and see what these guys put up with, and what they were trying to achieve, and more importantly say thank you.

I think it is the least I can do for a bunch of guys who created such a source of inspiration and enduring legend
 
gumboot said:
I've always liked Terry Pratchett's description of Australia:

"Everything that isn't poisonous is venomous"

(Or perhaps the other way around).

In all seriousness I look forward to visiting Australia in November for the first time. :D
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The Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) keeps even more nasties from arriving in Oz. They have a book out:

AQIS guidelines for airline and aircraft operators arriving in Australia

9. Aircraft disinsection


Regulation 23 of the Australian Quarantine Regulations 2000 states:

The commander of an overseas aircraft (or, if the commander is not the operator of the aircraft, the operator of the aircraft) must make arrangements for the disinsection of the aircraft in a manner, and within a time, approved by a Director of Quarantine.​

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines 'disinsection' as the 'procedure whereby health measures are taken to control or kill the insect vectors, of human diseases present in baggage, cargo, containers, conveyances, goods and postal parcels'. For example, insect vectors include mosquitos. AQIS administers disinsection requirements on behalf of DoHA.
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In other words, when your plane arrives in Australia they jump aboard and give everything a good going over with the Mortein and kill everything but the passengers, mostly.

This is the last time you will be safe in Australia. From this point on, everything that bites you is trying to kill you, horribly.


;)
 
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MG1962 said:
I cant speak for the New Zealanders involved, but from an Australian perspective the thing that seems to have motivated them was a terrible fear of letting themselves down, their mates down and their country down.
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I must confess that I have been speaking out of turn on behalf of the Kiwis. I hope a son or daughter of Aotearoa will enlighten us all.



MG1962 said:
Like others have mentioned, I too want to visit the area and see what these guys put up with, and what they were trying to achieve, and more importantly say thank you.

I think it is the least I can do for a bunch of guys who created such a source of inspiration and enduring legend
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Spoken like a true ANZAC.
 
MG1962 said:
I cant speak for the New Zealanders involved, but from an Australian perspective the thing that seems to have motivated them was a terrible fear of letting themselves down, their mates down and their country down.

Like others have mentioned, I too want to visit the area and see what these guys put up with, and what they were trying to achieve, and more importantly say thank you.

I think it is the least I can do for a bunch of guys who created such a source of inspiration and enduring legend
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The diggers never seem to lose their 'humaness' (if that's a word). They never really saw the Turks as the enemy, just another bunch of poor buggers who were forced into the same terrible conditions as they were.

One of my favorite songs

The Band Played Waltzing Matilda (Eric Bogle)

When I was a young man I carried me pack
And I lived the free life of the rover
From the Murray's green basin to the dusty outback
I waltzed my Matilda all over

Then in 1915 my country said: Son,
It's time to stop rambling, there's work to be done
So they gave me a tin hat and they gave me a gun
And they sent me away to the war

And the band played Waltzing Matilda
When the ship pulled away from the quay
And amid all the tears, flag waving and cheers
We sailed off for Gallipoli

It well I remember that terrible day
When our blood stained the sand and the water
And how in that hell they call Suvla Bay
We were butchered like lambs at the slaughter

Johnny Turk, he was ready, he primed himself well
He rained us with bullets, and he showered us with shell
And in five minutes flat, we were all blown to hell
He nearly blew us back home to Australia

And the band played Waltzing Matilda
When we stopped to bury our slain
Well we buried ours and the Turks buried theirs
Then it started all over again

Oh those that were living just tried to survive
In that mad world of blood, death and fire
And for ten weary weeks I kept myself alive
While around me the corpses piled higher

Then a big Turkish shell knocked me arse over head
And when I awoke in me hospital bed
And saw what it had done, I wished I was dead
I never knew there was worse things than dying

Oh no more I'll go Waltzing Matilda
All around the green bush far and near
For to hump tent and pegs, a man needs both legs
No more waltzing Matilda for me

They collected the wounded, the crippled, the maimed
And they shipped us back home to Australia
The armless, the legless, the blind and the insane
Those proud wounded heroes of Suvla

And when the ship pulled into Circular Quay
I looked at the place where me legs used to be
And thank Christ there was no one there waiting for me
To grieve and to mourn and to pity

And the Band played Waltzing Matilda
When they carried us down the gangway
Oh nobody cheered, they just stood there and stared
Then they turned all their faces away

Now every April I sit on my porch
And I watch the parade pass before me
I see my old comrades, how proudly they march
Renewing their dreams of past glories
I see the old men all tired, stiff and worn
Those weary old heroes of a forgotten war
And the young people ask "What are they marching for?"
And I ask myself the same question

And the band plays Waltzing Matilda
And the old men still answer the call
But year after year, their numbers get fewer
Someday, no one will march there at all
Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda
Who'll come a-Waltzing Matilda with me?
And their ghosts may be heard as they march by the billabong
So who'll come a-Waltzing Matilda with me?
 
SimonD said:
The diggers never seem to lose their 'humaness' (if that's a word). They never really saw the Turks as the enemy, just another bunch of poor buggers who were forced into the same terrible conditions as they were.

One of my favorite songs

The Band Played Waltzing Matilda (Eric Bogle)

<polite snip>
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It's very moving. I hope people overseas have access to a performance of it.
 
What a great country, so many places worth a look. Near Injune the gullies have petrified wood sticking out of the ground and on one dry barren hill all the shale type rocks are full of fossil, mainly fern and sticks but who knows what else. West behind Mt Hutton is an area called Hidden Springs. Holes form in the ground like wells,easy to step into amongst the grass. The dingo fence goes through the area. (hoping Dave will refine the fence details for all the people not up with how big that is) The Canarvan National Park is worth a mention, one area has sand stone with holes that were buried jumbled trees washed in by a giant event. These holes were used to stuff deceased natives and the bones are still there, that is not shown to the tourist and the place is crawling with brown coats(park rangers) and little wallabies. (can't have a shot in there) Wild rugged scenery with a pansy camping park.
 
In December last year, in a thread in R & P, I expressed curiosity about whether Hebrew was spoken very much in Australia.

gtc was kind enough to offer this advice:


gtc said:
If you like Bagels, then I'd recommend a trip to Glick's Bakery on Carlisle Street almost opposite Balaclava station. You could ask them what they speak.
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I have taken this advice and discovered that the bagels are delicious and that Hebrew, as well as for religious observances, is preserved fairly well in the community, particularly by the senior folk. The spoken language sounds like a creek running over some rocks to me. Members of the jewish community apparently also speak 3 zillion other languages, including faultless 'Strayan.

It was a pleasant hour or so, and easy to enjoy for anyone who is hungry, inquisitive and in Melbourne.

Here is Glick's Website.



Shalom

David (the other one)
 
Old Bob said:
What a great country, so many places worth a look.
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A few posters have mentioned that they intend to visit. I hope we can convince them to talk their friends into coming down as well.



Old Bob said:
Near Injune the gullies have petrified wood sticking out of the ground and on one dry barren hill all the shale type rocks are full of fossils. Mainly fern and sticks, but who knows what else?

West, behind Mt Hutton, is an area called Hidden Springs. Holes form in the ground like wells; easy to step into amongst the grass. The dingo fence goes through the area. (hoping Dave will refine the fence details for all the people not up with how big that is)
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My pleasure, as always.

The Dingo Fence - the world's longest fence.


It is one of the longest structures on the planet, and the world's longest fence. It stretches 5,320 km (3,306 mi) from Jimbour on the Darling Downs near Dalby through thousands of miles of arid country to the Eyre peninsula on the Great Australian Bight.

The fence is 180 cm (5.9 ft) high made of wire mesh, and extends for 30 cm (1.0 ft) underground. The fence line on both sides is cleared to a 5 m (5.5 yd) width. Star pickets are spaced every 9 m (9.8 yd)
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Now THAT is a fence.



Old Bob said:
The Carnarvon National Park is worth a mention. One area has sandstone with holes that were buried jumbled trees washed in by a giant event. These holes were used to stuff deceased natives and the bones are still there. That is not shown to the tourists and the place is crawling with brown coats (park rangers) and little wallabies.
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This picture of the Carnarvon Gorge is from Real Travel. They has more.

Carnarvon%20gorge.jpg



Old Bob said:
Wild rugged scenery with a pansy camping park.
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Where else would pansies go, if not to a camping park? ;)


Cheers Bob,

Dave
 
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Akhenaten said:
You are correct.


Upper image of Darwin Harbour © Members@Lycos
[qimg]http://www.yvonneclaireadams.com/HostedStuff/DarwinTides.jpg[/qimg]

Here is another beach photo - Mindil Beach, Darwin.
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Australia’s remote northern state capital Darwin is a great place to visit. The Mindil Beach markets are a must where you can enjoy great Asian food while watching a spectacular sunset from the beach. The markets are only open during the dry season (May – October) which is the best time to visit anyway. In the wet it buckets down for days on end with some great lightning shows – according to wiki 1,634 lightning strikes were recorded in the space of a few hours in 2002. You can’t go swimming in the sea either during the wet because of the deadly box jelly fish. You want to be pretty careful where you swim anyway because of the crocodiles. The fishing is great in the sea and rivers – you don’t have to go far to try for a barramundi.. It’s also a great staging place for a visit to the world heritage listed Kakadu National Park.
 
SimonD said:
The diggers never seem to lose their 'humaness' (if that's a word). They never really saw the Turks as the enemy, just another bunch of poor buggers who were forced into the same terrible conditions as they were.
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I think that is an extremely good point. And one of the reasons I think ANZAC day has resonated through the Australian physic for so many generations.

It is not jingoistic chest thumping, but a very somber and sad reflection of war and the sacrifices that come from it. The Turks got sucked into the war. And although we were there by choice, many had no real idea why except to shoot Turks.

One group who do often get over looked in this campaign are the Indian troops. Although they were not put on the line very much, they suffered horendous losses in their logistics rolls
 
MG1962 said:
One group who do often get over looked in this campaign are the Indian troops. Although they were not put on the line very much, they suffered horendous losses in their logistics rolls
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Simpson spent most of his 'free' time with the Indian troops, who refered to him as 'Bahadur' - the bravest of the brave.
 
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"The Far shore" No I haven't read it. Many of the snippets come down as family stories and in most cases are true ,perhaps slanted a bit with time. My Grand Parents lived in Harrietville (little gold town NE Victoria) A Beveridge woman (of the Beveridge Brothers _Kiddmans of Victoria) used to feed and shelter Ned Kelly. He would come in after dark get feed clothes washed and have a sleep then take off before dawn. The whole town knew except the copper. He rode through the mountains out of sight. (no dobbers then) My Grand Parents eloped, walking from Omeo to Harrietville over the mountains highest Bogong 6508ft Hothom 6306ft. 80 miles. One horse two people and a rifle, no roads then. Not that it matters but we live south of Gympie at North Arm only 60 klicks down the road. Call our place "Casper Downs" but thats another story. Must thank Dave from us all for the pictures and info. (My computer hates me)
 
Sideroxylon said:
Australia’s remote northern state capital Darwin is a great place to visit. The Mindil Beach markets are a must where you can enjoy great Asian food while watching a spectacular sunset from the beach. The markets are only open during the dry season (May – October) which is the best time to visit anyway. In the wet it buckets down for days on end with some great lightning shows – according to wiki 1,634 lightning strikes were recorded in the space of a few hours in 2002. You can’t go swimming in the sea either during the wet because of the deadly box jelly fish. You want to be pretty careful where you swim anyway because of the crocodiles. The fishing is great in the sea and rivers – you don’t have to go far to try for a barramundi.. It’s also a great staging place for a visit to the world heritage listed Kakadu National Park.
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That's the spirit! What a great post; informative and descriptive with links to further reading. Thank you.

Just one point though. As I've previously mentioned, swimming in the sea puts one at less risk from the crocodiles because the sharks eat most of them. Sharks with box jellyfish in their mouths, and when they chase you they shoot box jell . . .


Soz.
 
The beenleigh rum distillery was knocked down due to termite infestation, :(

Luckily some other mob bought the name and built new premises on the grounds behind that and is producing the rum now.

Its a lot better than the former eye-watering, throat-burning, so-called liquid.
(oh, how i miss it :drool:)
 
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