Thread: Here's some Australia questions:

(1) What is the aboriginal peoples' situation in Australia?
(2) What is "typical" Australian cuisine -- at home?
(3) Is the abundance of dangerous creatures overplayed?
(4) I suppose "the bush" is overdone in American cinema?
(5) What are common outdoor activities in Australia? How's the fishing?
(6) Do all the girls look like Elle MacPherson?
(7) What is really unique about Australia and Aussies?


Justin

8) How do you pronounce 'Qantas'? (...and what does it mean?)

-whatever

-Lou

I guess we might have to wait awhile for an Aussie to log on.

Justin

Ok easy one first. Qantas is pronounced "Quant" (as in quantum) "Ass" (as in ... um... ass!). It's an acronym for Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services Ltd. It started life the Queensland Outback town of Winton, I think.

OK, now the toughies:

1. Aboriginal people in Australia have had a pretty rough trot. Remote Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory have child mortality rates as high as developing and third world nations, and some of the worst health statistics in the world.

They've been disposessed of their land and culture in a systematic and ruthless way for the past 200 - odd years. They have alcohol, crime and domestic violence issues as a consequence.

Having said that (and the above are generalisations), I work with an Aboriginal maths lecturer - the first Aboriginal to hold a PhD in mathematics in Australia. It's 2007, and while I admire his achievement, I think it's a sad indictment on our country that he's the only one.

Anyway, there's a lot more I could say, but I won't. It makes me angry to think we treat members of our society in this way.

2. Australian cuisine has been influenced by immigration over the years. Used to be, and still is in some parts, very traditional UK type food - roast dinners etc. Nowadays, particularly in the more cosmopolitan centers, the food ranges from traditional Greek, Italian, Mexican, US, Asian, Indian, Indigenous (bush tucker) etc., through to fusions of these.

I'll have to get back to you on the other questions - gotta go shopping...

James.

Hmmmm, bush tucker. Now THAT sounds intriguing! What exactly would one find on a steaming, heaping plate of bush tucker??


Scott

Originally Posted by honedright

Hmmmm, bush tucker. Now THAT sounds intriguing! What exactly would one find on a steaming, heaping plate of bush tucker??


Scott

Bush tucker is aboriginal food right? ----- I think I learned this on the Discovery channel -- or was it from Steve Irwin ? --- or there is this other crocodile guy with black hair and beard , walks around barefooted everywhere --maybe it was him.


Justin

Originally Posted by jaegerhund

(1) What is the aboriginal peoples' situation in Australia?
(2) What is "typical" Australian cuisine -- at home?
(3) Is the abundance of dangerous creatures overplayed?
(4) I suppose "the bush" is overdone in American cinema?
(5) What are common outdoor activities in Australia? How's the fishing?
(6) Do all the girls look like Elle MacPherson?
(7) What is really unique about Australia and Aussies?


Justin

Hi Justin some very good questions there and I shall attempt to give my own thoughts as I'm sure the other guys will chime in as well.

(1) The aboriginal situation is a very sad and sorry state of affairs, for which it's a bit hard to truly comment on, as it's such a sensitive issue. I'm sure what ever I said could be taken the wrong way so I shall just say nothing more except that the situation is very frustrating for everyone.

(2) Typical Aussie cuisine, Hungry Jacks, McDonald's, Pizza, and a slab of beer to wash it down with. Really though we have a pretty good way of life with our food, lots of fresh seafood, fish,prawns,oysters, crab etc. All the beef and lamb you could ever want, a plethora of fresh fruit and veggies of every variety. And in my opinion some of the best red and white wines in the world.

(3) The abundance of wild and dangerous creatures is not really over played. Sure we have them all, and they certainly are everywhere, but we simply grow up with them, and of course are taught the early dangers from child hood. We are always aware of our surroundings and what could be lurking under that old piece of sheet iron. This season alone I myself have had six or seven baby brown snakes found in my office. Now these snakes are more deadly than the adults because they cannot control their poison levels at a young age. Because of the severe drought we are having at the moment across most of this country in one form or another, the animals and creepy crawlies are becoming more desperate for water. In the case of the snakes in my own office, they have just slithered into the cool looking for refreshment. Mind you they were dealt with accordingly when they were found. But in regards to snakes for instance you guys have your rattlers, and I don't see much diff there. But yes most of our wild animals and creepy crawlies are deadly in one way or another, but we just get on with it.

(4) I'm not sure how the Aussie bush is done in American cinema. By that do you mean we still have kangaroos jumping down the main street? The bush for us Aussies is very unique and beautiful and also very diverse. Australia is a big big country with it's own different weather from North to South East to West. I guess thankfully we are not all like Steve Irwin getting around in our khaki's .

(5) I would say our outdoor activities would be pretty similar to yours in the US. We are very much a sports orientated country where we play a few different sports to you, Rugby, Aussie Rules, Cricket, to name but three. We all enjoy our outdoors in so many different ways. The fishing here is ohh so good if thats what your into, and you can always carry a line with you and just chuck it in when ever the mood takes you, at least on the coast anyway.

(6) Do all the girls look like Elle MacPherson? YEP SURE DO We are pretty lucky in that department I reckon.

(7)What is really unique with Australia and us Aussies? Well I think I have just answered that above, along with our ability to be fairly laid back and be able to laugh at almost everything. We are a very multi cultural, and not afraid to chip in when help is needed. Overall I think yes we are still the lucky country.

And for Lou "Qantas" is pronounced Kwontas. "QANTAS", is an acronym for "Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services."

John

Thanks John.

About the bush --- I guess what most Americans know about Australia is the bush but I reckon a small population actually lives in the bush.

Where I live we do have our dangerous animals as well --- some rattlers, water mocassins, copperheads, coral snakes -- alligators aren't a real problem, black widow spiders. I think Florida has some of the highest shark attack numbers in the world (mostly BULL sHARKS). The west/northwest has the Mountain Lions and Brown Bears.

What kind of freshwater fishing do you guys do?

Justin

Originally Posted by honedright

Hmmmm, bush tucker. Now THAT sounds intriguing! What exactly would one find on a steaming, heaping plate of bush tucker??


Scott

Well, there'd be a bit of Skippy (kangaroo), nuts and berries indigenous to Australia. Native herbs play a big role in modern bush tucker too - certain types of eucalyptus, I think we have a native lemongrass type herb.

There's also things like witchety grubs, goanna (lizard), crocodile, I've even eaten Emu. When I lived in the Northern Territory I ate some sugar ants - pretty good if you can forget you're eating ants...

James.

Originally Posted by jaegerhund

Thanks John.

About the bush --- I guess what most Americans know about Australia is the bush but I reckon a small population actually lives in the bush.

Where I live we do have our dangerous animals as well --- some rattlers, water mocassins, copperheads, coral snakes -- alligators aren't a real problem, black widow spiders. I think Florida has some of the highest shark attack numbers in the world (mostly BULL sHARKS). The west/northwest has the Mountain Lions and Brown Bears.

What kind of freshwater fishing do you guys do?

Justin

Yeah - if you look at demographic maps of Australia you see that the majority of the population live along the eastern and south-eastern coasts. The number of people who live in the bush is small in comparison, and very sparse. They've also been dwindling in recent times, as bigger agricultural businesses start up (and drought) and drive the smaller farmers off the land and into the cities. At the moment some parts of the bush are having a bit of a resurgence in numbers, mainly due to the commodities boom, so mining companies are repopulating certain areas with "fly in, fly out" workers.

I'm not a massive fisherman, but I know a few guys who go fly fishing for trout I think.

James.