yum yum!

Hello readers! Hope you are all enjoying a sunny weekend, with mouth-watering dishes on the family table. Talking of delicious aliments, did you know that aboriginal people relished kangaroo, lizard and event wallaby meat and loved to nibble on cooked snakes and moths? Stomach churning it may well be, but it is a list of some food types that native Australians used to live on before white settlers arrived. Of course nowadays kangaroo, wallaby, crocodile, and emu are all considered specialities and Australian seafood is a much sought-after export. The macadamia nut is a very native aussie crop. Bush tucker foods also remain mostly a novelty, food which was devoured mostly by aborigines and early settlers. For more information on what exactly bush tucker consists of, check out: http://www.teachers.ash.org.au/bushtucker/

Wish you all a great weekend, and lovely meals! Tuck in!

Fire destruction

Here is a video of the damage caused by the fires, which I wrote about in an older post. My thoughts are with all those that have suffered as a consequence of this devastating disaster.

The Great Barrier Reef

This week, my keen Oz goers, I will be dipping my toes into the Great Barrier Reef. Located just off the east coast of Australia, the world’s biggest coral reef ecosystem is in fact so huge, that it can be viewed from space. It covers an area of 300,000 km² and boasts over 3000 reefs, some measuring 10,000 hectares in size. Due to human interference, there has been much pollution caused in the reefs and various organizations are striving to protect these beautiful areas rich with flora and fauna. The reefs are mostly made up of coral, which are also home to most of the living organisms in these areas. You can tell whether you are dealing with live or dead coral by the colour – if it is white then it’s dead, if it is coloured however, then it is alive. Many ships have become victims of the vast coral around Australia, including Captain Cook’s vessel. 30 shipwrecks can be found around this area. The Great Barrier Reef thrives with life, an exciting array of wildlife can be found here, including different species of fish, birds and molluscs. Sadly, more and more animals are declining in number, so the workers of the park are trying to raise awareness and protect these wonderful creatures. To learn more about this breathtaking part of the world, please go to: http://www.cultureandrecreation.gov.au/articles/greatbarrierreef/ Have a G’day!

Devastating Fires

The worst fires in the history of the continent scorched through the south-east state of Victoria in early February. Police suspect arson attacks to have set off the bush fires in the first place, which have a death toll now of 210 people. Thousands have lost their homes and the fires are also putting the wildlife of the area at risk. The strong wind and high temperatures are making the situation even worse in the area as firefighters strive to contain the flames and lessen the destruction. Although fire forces from three different areas are joining the huge efforts, it is still a question when the blazes will burn out.

For some imagery of the devastation go to: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/gallery/2009/feb/10/australia?picture=343037991

Welcome!

G’day all!

Welcome to my blog, Culture Down Under, all about the wonderful world of Australia. Hopefully you will be reading articles that interest YOU and that you get something out of. I will be striving to make it exciting and up-to-date, but most of all, enjoyable to read! If you have any comments or suggestions (or even criticisms:) do not hesitate to let me know! So please, have a gander at my blog and tell me your opinion!

Enjoy reading!