Australian Alphabetics - again Quiz

Answer: Churches

Adelaide is mainly flat and is the fifth largest city in Australia. It sometimes suffers from very dry and hot conditions due to winds blowing off the Nullabor Plain in Western Australia. Just to the east of Adelaide is the world-respected wine growing region of the Barossa Valley. Adelaide is also renowned for its annual Festival of Arts.

Answer: Centenary Bridge

The Centenary Bridge spans the Brisbane River at Jindalee, and provides one of two main links between Brisbane and the outer western suburbs, the city of Ipswich and beyond. During the flood, an ex-Royal Australian Navy barge, the "Koala", broke loose and rammed against the bridge. The structure of the bridge was assessed as being under threat, and the barge was subsequently dynamited.

Answer: American

Yes, Walter was indeed an American. Why did Australia decide to put its capital in the middle of what was described as a "large sheep paddock" in the middle of rural New South Wales? Because Sydney and Melbourne couldn't stop bickering amongst themselves as to who was better and should therefore have been the capital.

The lake in the middle of Canberra was named after Burley Griffin. Presumably he was also paid for his efforts!

Answer: It was the first Australian mainland site to be bombed by the Japanese.

Darwin was the first part of the Australian mainland to be attacked by air. In total, the Japanese bombed Darwin 64 separate times. During the war other towns in northern Australia were attacked. Bombs were dropped on Broome, Derby, Katherine, Port Hedland, Townsville and Wyndham. General Macarthur was stationed in Brisbane, as a matter of interest.

Answer: Burke and Wills

Burke and Wills were the first explorers to cross the continent from north to south, starting in 1860. They died on the return journey. They returned to the base camp at Cooper's Creek in April 1861, only to find that the man (Brahe) who had been awaiting their long overdue return had left only hours earlier, presumably assuming they had perished. Blaxland, Wentworth and Lawson surveyed a route across the Blue Mountains, which lie to the west of Sydney, in 1813.

They survived. Friedrich Wilhelm Ludwig Leichhardt was a Prussian explorer who, through what is generally considered more good fortune than good management, successfully made a return journey from Queensland to the Northern Territory in 1884.

His journey made possible the settlement of eastern and central Queensland. From his fame he easily financed a more adventurous scheme, to travel East to West. Malaria struck the whole party who were forced to return as they were not carrying any quinine.

In 1847 he set off from Queensland on another exploration and was never heard from again. Ironically, many of the rescue parties found good quality land in the north of the continent. Captain James Cook was an Englishman who charted the East coast of Australia on behalf of Britain in 1770.

He survived the return trip only to later be killed by Hawaiian natives in 1778.

Answer: Rugby League

Although Melbourne is a stronghold of Australian Rules Football (AFL), the Melbourne Storm is the only Victorian-based team in the NRL (National Rugby League) competition. I mentioned equivalent in the question as in the case of Rugby Union, teams from Australia compete against teams from New Zealand and South Africa.

Answer: Ballarat

The Eureka Stockade was a short revolt by gold miners against harassment by a corrupt Police force, who would repeatedly ask miners to show their digging licences many times a day. The miners disliked the cost of the licences and the jailing of their fellow diggers.

In Australian history, it is the only example of an armed rebellion leading to law reform and as such, Eureka is considered by some historians to be the country's birthplace of democracy. The Southern Cross flag continues to be used as a symbol of protest in Australia.

Answer: Sydney to Hobart yacht race

The Sydney to Hobart yacht race commenced in 1945. As the name suggests, yachts depart Sydney Harbour and sail down the East coast and across the treacherous waters of Bass Strait, eventually arriving at Constitution Dock in Hobart. It is one of the most highly regarded offshore yacht races in the world and attracts many yachts from other countries. Largely dependant upon the weather conditions, the race may be won in less than two days, but has on occasion taken more than four days to complete.

In 1998, severe bad weather hit the fleet after it had departed Sydney. In all, six sailors died. 115 yachts started the race, but only 43 finished.

Answer: Stradbroke Island

Stradbroke Island is part of the State of Queensland, and is therefore policed by that State. Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Island and Norfolk Island all have self-government, however, police services are provided by the A.F.P. (Australian Federal Police).

Answer: Football, Meat Pies, Kangaroos and Holden Cars

Syllable for syllable! "Football, Meat Pies, Kangaroos and Holden Cars". "Baseball, Hot Dogs, Apple Pie and Chevrolet". Hmmm, look or sound familiar? That's because the General-Motors Holden adverts of 1974 were a direct rip-off of the Chevrolet adverts from America. "Slip, Slop, Slap" was a Government campaign commenced in the 1970s to warn against the perils of sun cancer.

The full jingle went "Slip Slop Slap, Slip on a shirt, slop on sunscreen and slap on a hat, In the sun this summer say, Slip Slop Slap". "C'mon Aussie C'mon" is the jingle that was used when World Series Cricket invaded our screens in the late 70s and changed the cricket world forever.

It was re-recorded by Australian Idol runner-up, Shannon Noll. "Life! Be In It" was another Government campaign to raise the awareness of Australians regarding the benefits of regular exercise.

It didn't work with the author!

Answer: He was the first man to climb Mt Kosciuszko, and named it after himself

The first man to climb Mt Kosciuszko was Polish explorer Paul Strzelecki, in 1840. He later wrote "Although in a foreign country, on foreign ground, I could not refrain from giving it the name Mount Kosciuszko". Kosciuszko was indeed George Washington's chief engineer during the War of Independence, and also contributed as a strategic advisor to the American victory at the Battle of Saratoga in 1777.

He also oversaw the construction of fortifications for the Continental Army. In 1783 he was granted U.S. citizenship, a pension and the rank of Brigadier General. Returning to Poland the following year, he led an uprising and a 1794 rebellion for Polish independence, but was hurt in battle, and jailed for two years.

He died in 1817. The United States showed it's appreciation for Kosciuszko by giving his name to towns in Mississippi and Texas, a county in Indiana, and an island in Alaska (sans the 'Z', a spelling also used in Australia). New York has a bridge bearing his name which is crowned with the emblems of both the U.S. and Poland. Ironically, although nearly every Australian could name their country's highest mountain, few would have any idea as to the origins of its name.

Answer: Former Test Cricket Captain

No player named Lamington is recorded as playing Test Cricket for any country, let alone Australia and being its captain. The Right Honourable Charles Wallace Alexander Napier Cochrane Baillie, Baron Lamington, GCMG, was Governor of Queensland from 9 April 1896 to 19 December 1901.

It is generally accepted that the Lamington, a chocolate icing and coconut covered sponge cake, usually made in the shape of a large cube, was named after the Baron or his wife. Lamington National Park (named after the same guy, not surprisingly!) is in Queensland, just inside the New South Wales border.

A place of exquisite beauty, the park is also the site of a piece of Australian heroism. In 1937, and against a backdrop of some of the most inaccessible rainforest in the country, Bernard O'Reilly used his bush skills to single-handedly search for and rescue the survivors of the Stinson plane crash.

Answer: The Westgate Bridge collapsed

This remains Australia's worst industrial accident, in which 35 workmen were killed. Two spans of the bridge under construction, which was of a 'box girder' design, 2,000+ tons worth, fell 150 feet into the mud of the Yarra River. The subsequent Royal Commission found that "There can be no doubt that the particular action which precipitated the collapse of span 10-11 was the removal of a number of bolts from a transverse splice in the upper flange plating near to mid-span.

The bolts were removed in an attempt to straighten out a buckle which had occurred in one of the eight panels which constitute the upper flange.

The buckle in turn, had been caused by the application of kentledge in an attempt to overcome difficulties caused by errors in camber". Regrettably, there had been a similar accident in Milford Haven, Wales, only some months earlier.

Answer: It is bordered by the Tasman Sea, the Arafura Sea and the Gulf of Carpentaria

The Northern Territory is bordered by the TIMOR Sea, the Arafura Sea and the Gulf of Carpentaria. The Tasman Sea is a marginal sea of the South Pacific Ocean, situated between Australia and New Zealand. As for the other statements, they are all true!

Answer: Have a slash

Isn't that nice? I shall withhold my comments regarding "Have a slash" except to say it means to go to the toilet to do number ones!

Answer: The Fremantle Doctor

The Roaring Forties are credited with creating the favourable conditions that have made nearby Margaret River a world famous surfing location. Perth was named after the County of Perth in Scotland in 1829, by Captain James Stirling. It hosted the 1962 Commonwealth Games, the first time the games had been held in Australia.

Answer: Boeing 727

The acronym Qantas stands for "Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services". Understandably, it probably is one of the most mis-spelled words in the english speaking world, as many people want to insert a 'U' into it! The Boeing 727 was a jet commonly used in Australia in the days when the country had a two airline internal system (two, believe it or not!) which was serviced by TAA (Trans-Australia Airlines) and Ansett Airlines. Both airlines had fleets made up of 727's and McDonnell-Douglas DC-9s. Of course, at the same time, Qantas existed, but was not allowed to fly Australian passengers between Australian cities.

It was only an overseas airline and as such, due to Australia's remoteness, it required long-haul aircraft such as the 707 and 747 (and later the 767 and the A-310 Airbus). Since the collapse of Ansett and changes to the aviation industry in this country (including TAA being taken over by Qantas) the airline is now able to fly internally. Of course, by time these changes occurred, the 727 had long since been superseded in terms of it's usefulness and efficiency, and therefore withdrawn from service.

Answer: The Crown of Thorns Starfish

The Crown of Thorns Starfish feeds on living coral tissue. Its name is derived from the covering of sharp spines on its upper surface. In the 1970s, the starfish reached a density at which it was eating corals faster than the coral could grow and reproduce. No oil rigs have been constructed on the reef (or can be, as in 1981 the reef was inscripted as a World Heritage site).

The SS Cherry Venture was a freighter that beached on Double Island Point, many kilometres south of the reef, and has never posed a danger. Scuba divers, to date, have not been a significant issue.

Answer: The Coathanger

So called the Coathanger because of its shape, the Sydney Harbour Bridge was opened in 1932. It was as much a symbol of 'having made it' to immigrants arriving in Australia as the Statue of Liberty was to those who arrived in America. It is the world's largest (but not longest) steel arch bridge.

A fact well known to middle-aged and older Australians is that Paul Hogan worked as a rigger on the bridge prior to abandoning the job in favour of his television (and later, movie) career.

Answer: Rockhampton

Rockhampton is located in Central Queensland on the Fitzroy River. The city markets itself as the Beef Capital of Australia. Rockingham is located in Western Australia, Rockdale in Victoria and Rocklea is a suburb of Brisbane, the capital of Queensland.

Answer: Ayers Rock

Named Ayers Rock in 1873, and renamed Uluru in 1977, the rock and surrounding land was returned to the Aboriginal people in 1985. Orange in colour by day, Uluru is comprised of arkosic sandstone, which has the appearance at sunset of changing from red to purple.

In 1987 Uluru and the surrounding Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park was given world heritage listing. The area is the setting for the mystery that surrounds the disappearance of baby Azaria Chamberlain in August 1980. The mystery is the subject of a number of films, including "Evil Angels" starring Meryl Streep.

Answer: U2

The song is the second track on the U2 album "Rattle And Hum". It is a poetic rendition of the difficulties faced by convicts as regards the British penal system. Van Diemen's Land was named after Anthony van Diemen, of the Dutch East India Company, the man responsible for sending Abel Tasman on his voyage of discovery in 1642. Van Diemen's Land was later renamed in honour of Tasman himself.

Answer: Wahoo

Wahoo does not occur in Australia, but is found in 8 different states in the U.S.! Woolloomoolloo is a suburb of Sydney, as is Woolloongabba a suburb of Brisbane (anyone reading this who follows Test Cricket would recognise it straight away). Wonglepong is small town near the Queensland/New South Wales border.

Answer: Neil Finn

Neil Finn was a member of Split Enz, and after their breakup he went onto form Crowded House. Yothu Yindi had a few hits, the largest of which were "Djapana" and "Treaty". Tim Finn, a founder member of Split Enz, is Neil's brother. Iva Davies is the lead singer of Icehouse. Glenn Shorrock was the lead singer of the Little River Band.

Answer: Taronga Western Plains Zoo

Dubbo is located in central western New South Wales on the Newell Highway. Taronga Park Zoo is located in Sydney. Alma Park Zoo is located just to the north of Brisbane, and slightly further north in Queensland is Australia Zoo, best known for being owned and run by the Crocodile Hunter, Steve Irwin.