Great Southern Land Trivia Quiz

Answer: Atlantic Ocean

The Tasman Sea separates the east coast of Australia from New Zealand, the Indian Ocean lies between Western Australia and Africa, and the Arafura Sea borders part of the coast of the Northern Territory. Other major bodies of water surrounding Australia are the Pacific Ocean, Southern Ocean, Coral Sea, Timor Sea, Torres Strait and the Gulf of Carpentaria.

Answer: Tony Bullimore

Tony Bullimore was rescued by the Royal Australian Navy frigate, HMAS Adelaide on the 9th January, 1997. Bullimore's boat, Exide Challenger, was capsized in the Southern Ocean and all reports were that he was 'lost'.
Bullimore survived in the hull of the capsized yacht (eating his one remaining bar of chocolate) before hearing rescue team members knocking on its hull trying to locate the 'lost' sailor.

Gerry Roufs and Thierry Dubois also competed in the same race with Gerry Roufs losing his life and Thierry Dubois being rescued just prior to Bullimore. Steve Fossett was more known for his record attempts in the air rather than the sea.

Answer: Port Jackson

Port Jackson is also made up of Tank Stream, Middle Harbour, Iron Cove Creek, Duck River, Parramatta River, Lane Cove River and Johnstons Creek. The Sydney Harbour anti-submarine boom net was constructed in 1942. In May of 1942 one of three Japanese midget submarines attempting to enter the harbour became tangled in the net. Rather than being caught, and unable to untangle themselves, the crew detonated charges and destroyed the submarine, also killing themselves.

The same submarine is on permanent display at the Australian War Memorial.

The boom net was destroyed at the end of World War II.

Answer: Byron Bay

Byron Bay, whilst closer to Brisbane than Sydney, is a part of New South Wales. Captain James Cook named Byron Bay after John Byron, grandfather of (poet) Lord Byron and circumnavigator of the world. The bay was officially named Byron Bay in 1894. It was previously known as Cavvanbah to the local indigenous communities.

Shark Bay and Coral Bay are in the north west of Australia and Botany Bay was the site of the first landing of James Cook on the HMS Endeavour in April 1770. It was planned as the first penal colony in Australia. This did not eventuate - it was established in January 1788 further north at Port Jackson, where the City of Sydney is now located.

Answer: Robert Bogucki

August 1999: The initial search for 33-year-old Robert Bogucki was called off by local authorities after twelve days, but specialist trackers were hired by Bogucki's family to continue the search. Bogucki was found 400km from where he originally set off - on a "spiritual quest" - by a news helicopter. He survived by eating flowers and plants, and lost 20kg during his ordeal.

Robert O'Hara Burke and William Wills were explorers who traversed Australia from Melbourne to the Gulf of Carpentaria where they attempted return to whence they had come. It was one of the more well-equipped expeditions ever mounted but both died at Cooper Creek on the return journey some time in 1861. Tony Bullimore was found lost at sea in 1997 during the Vendée Globe (round-the-world single-handed) yacht race.

Answer: Eric Edgar Cooke

Eric Edgar Cooke, also known as The Night Caller, terrorised the city of Perth between 1959 and 1963. Cooke's choice of victims and killing methods were completely random and unrelated. He was captured when police found a rifle in the bushes and proved it had been used in a particular murder. They replaced the rifle in the bush where it was found and watched it until its owner came to retrieve it. Cars, stolen and returned to their owners without their knowledge, were found to have been used in several hit and runs.

It is also interesting to note that after Cooke was hanged, his remains were buried on top of those of the last woman hanged in Western Australia (1906).

David Birnie, along with his wife, Catherine, murdered four women in the 1980s. David was found dead in his jail cell in 2005 after hanging himself and Catherine (in 2010) became the third woman in Australian history to have her papers marked as 'never to be released'. Ivan Milat is known for the 'Backpacker Murders' occurring in New South Wales in the 1990s.

Answer: Cockatoo Island

Cockatoo Island is the largest island in Sydney Harbour and has previously been an imperial prison, industrial school, reformatory and jail. Prison buildings on the island have been nominated for World Heritage listing and a public camping ground has been opened for visitors. Cockatoo Island is one of the best places to watch the New Years Eve fireworks display in Sydney Harbour.

Rottnest Island is off the coast of Western Australia and was used as an internment camp in both World Wars I and II. Kangaroo Island is a tourist and farming island off the coast of South Australia and is Australia's third largest island. Tasmania is an Australian island state and is located off the south coast of Victoria and is the 26th largest island in the world.

Answer: Wollemi Pine

The Wollemi Pine was assumed extinct until 1994 when it was found in Wollemi National Park by a bushwalker. The Wollemi Pine grows to 40 metres high with a trunk diameter of just over one metre. It is estimated that some of the trees found date back 100 years. Very few people are able to see the tree in the wild as it is such a rare species, although several propagated plants are available for viewing throughout Australia and countries including (but not limited to) the UK, Belgium, Germany, Japan and Canada.

The Wollemi Pine has been listed under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and also the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995.

Jarrah and Karri tree forests are a common sight in the south of Western Australia. Boab trees can be mainly found in northern Australia.

Answer: Bushfires wiped out houses and took human lives

The Black Saturday bushfires are recorded as one of Australia's highest ever loss of life from a bushfire. 173 people died and 414 were injured in over 400 fires occurring in Victoria over the few days surrounding Saturday 7th February 2009.

Temperatures in the mid to high 40s (Celsius) and winds over 100 kilometres per hour helped to fan the flames over a large area north-east of Melbourne. Strong south-westerly winds in the evening caused fire fronts which burned towards previously unharmed towns. Over 2000 homes were destroyed in 78 townships. With so many fires, many different sources were to blame including (but not limited to) arson, falling or clashing of power lines, and lightning. Most fires were finally extinguished towards the end of March, 2009.

Answer: Dreamtime

Aboriginal belief is that all life (including human and animal) is linked and can be traced to the great spirit ancestors of the Dreamtime. Aboriginal people continue to recognise the Dreamtime through song and dance. Didgeridoos and clapsticks accompany chanting in tales told of early times and bringing that power to aid in their daily lives.