Meridae'n

Props go to Charlatan for this idea. It's in the Canadian forum, but I thought I'd blatantly steal it as it was a cool idea. Seeing as though we have alot of others parouse our little area, thought we could chuck up some cool shite about our islands...


1) We have 8 of the top ten most deadly arachnids in the world. More accurately, we have 8 of the top 8 most deadly arachnids in the world. Funny considering nearly every person owns and regularily wears thongs...

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What's easier to believe: that a guy was born without sex in the manner of several Greek demigods and grew up to be able to transmute liquids and alter his body density yet couldn't escape government execution, or that three freemasons in a vehicle made with aluminum foil in an era before digital technology escaped our atmosphere, landing on the moon, broadcasted from there, and then flew back without burning up?

Charlatan

All props should be redirected to Nancy... she was the one who suggested I make the one in Canada based on her thread in Europe...

...as for the arachnids... that is the #1 reason my wife won't let me take a job in Australia.


Interesting NZ fact... The tuatara is the only living dinosaur and has a third eye on the top of its head. It is featured on kiwi money...

__________________
"My hands are on fire. Hands are on fire. Ain't got no more time for all you charlatans and liars."
- Old Man Luedecke

Meridae'n

Well, top work Nancy then!

3) New Zealand doesn't have any snakes at all, or sheep without ulcers.

__________________
What's easier to believe: that a guy was born without sex in the manner of several Greek demigods and grew up to be able to transmute liquids and alter his body density yet couldn't escape government execution, or that three freemasons in a vehicle made with aluminum foil in an era before digital technology escaped our atmosphere, landing on the moon, broadcasted from there, and then flew back without burning up?

cchris

4) There is more Australian territory under the sea than above it.

Our territory extends 200 kilometres beyond our shores. It includes Heard, Macquarie, Norfolk, Lord Howe, Cocos-Keeling, and Christmas Islands, their surrounding waters, and a large part of Antarctica.

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There's a fine line between participation and mockery

cinnles

I wonder how many interesting facts we could post about the platypus alone?

We have the coolest animal ever.

Mr.Deflok

New Zealand isn't a state of Australia!

Ella

Errrmm...I don't think we said it was!

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"Afterwards, the universe will explode for your pleasure."

slimshaydee

australia has the 10 dealiest snakes in the world, according to http://snake.fol.nl/Page2.html

Meridae'n

The longest straight bit of road here is about 130km long, near the Nullabor... and it's piss fucking boring.

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What's easier to believe: that a guy was born without sex in the manner of several Greek demigods and grew up to be able to transmute liquids and alter his body density yet couldn't escape government execution, or that three freemasons in a vehicle made with aluminum foil in an era before digital technology escaped our atmosphere, landing on the moon, broadcasted from there, and then flew back without burning up?

Mr.Deflok

Many Americans do.

Ella

Oh dear, Mr. Deflok. That is a little sad!

Break these laws in Melbourne and they stick a dog up ya:

It's an offence to drive a dog or goat harnessed or attached to a vehicle in a public place (Summary Offences Act 1966)

Flying kites or playing a game in public which annoys another person (Summary Offences Act 1966)

Sing an obscene song, tune or ballad within earshot of someone (Summary Offences Act 1966)

Advertise a reward for the return of lost or stolen goods stating that no questions will be asked (Crimes Act 1958)

Have an article of disguise without a lawful excuse (Vagrancy Act 1966)

Leave a motor vehicle unattended with keys in ignition, motor running or doors unlocked (Road Safety Regulations 1999)

Carry out unauthorised rain making operations - that is the 'seeding or nucleating of clouds by artificial means from a manned aircraft' (Rain making Control Act 1966)

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"Afterwards, the universe will explode for your pleasure."

Meridae'n

Deniliquin has the biggest rice mill in the world, and the only canal that flows under a river.

__________________
What's easier to believe: that a guy was born without sex in the manner of several Greek demigods and grew up to be able to transmute liquids and alter his body density yet couldn't escape government execution, or that three freemasons in a vehicle made with aluminum foil in an era before digital technology escaped our atmosphere, landing on the moon, broadcasted from there, and then flew back without burning up?

hulk

Perth has the largest central city park in the world. Yay!

__________________
"'There's a tendency among the press to attribute the creation of a game to a single person,' says Warren Spector, creator of Thief and Deus Ex."
-- From an IGN game review.

StiNg

most americans are stupid, most of the world knows that fact any way

Latch

Easy Killer, I wouldn't say most.. there's a thread on this in GD, so I won't repeat it.. but saying most is pretty damning.

apeman

yep ... let's go with something fairer like "significant minority" for the moment

i know 2 facts about New Zealand:
1) i am going over there next week so i just wanted to say hello in this bit of tfp (and cop some abuse for going there not Oz no doubt)
2) Palmerston North has more cafes per head of population than any other place in NZ

it didn't say "101 interesting facts ..." did it?

__________________
pain is inevitable but misery is optional - stick a geranium in your hat and be happy

killaudio

Fact 1
Nelson, New Zealand has a place knows as "the brook valley" where it rains all the time and is almost always dark.
In other words: Its dark, and raining, all the time.
Fact 2
The drinking age is 18. (true story, really it is)

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Thats tops

Ella

And now NZ even have an Olympic gold medal! Roy and HG gave them heaps on The Dream tonight. They took it like champs.

__________________
"Afterwards, the universe will explode for your pleasure."

tiltedbc

I was reading my Time Almanac 2004 book about New Zealand and it says that Parliament legalized prostitution in June 2003.

Is this true, and how has that worked out? This is something I think we should do in Canada.

nickt

I just returned from the US and Canada and people there were shocked at some of the stuff we take for granted back here...

For example:

1. Prostitution is legal in Australia (dont think it has ever been illegal!)
2. Voting is compulsory insofar as you get a fine if you dont show up and get your name ticked off the list.
3. It snows in Australia every year!
4. We do not get hanged for possession of marijuana!
5. Billionaires do not become the leader of the country...we have what is called a parliamentary democracy.
6. We have freeways and traffic jams.
7. Our regular unleaded is 95 Octane and our premium unleaded (eg: Shell Optimax) is 98 Octane (compared with 87 and 93 in the US and Canada from memory)
8. We have skyscrapers "downtown" and suburbs where people live. We do not ALL live on farms with kangaroos in our backyard (although some of us do) the majority of Australians live in the city.
9. Sydney has almost 5 million people and Melbourne has almost 4 million people.
10. Melbourne hosts the Australian Open (Tennis), the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix, and the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix annually, hosted the Olympic Games in 1956 and is hosting the Commonwealth Games in 2006 and even Canadians still dont know where it is or how big it is!!!
11. We have McDonalds, KFC, Burger King, Quiznos, Subway, Starbucks, Levis, Nike, Reebok etc etc etc...just like you have over there!!!
12. Drinking age is 18 and always has been as far as I know!
13. Driving age is also 18 in most states (17 in others).
14. The new 400hp Pontiac GTO (which I saw advertised in Times Square) is made in Melbourne and is called a Holden Monaro. It is the two door version of our most popular car, the Holden Commodore.

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AND WHERE..........

...is the Batman?

nickt

By the way, there is a highway in the Northern Territory which has no speed limit!

Bet you guys didn't know that!

__________________
AND WHERE..........

...is the Batman?

tiltedbc

I saw a TV show about massive trucks that drive on the highway and they're like highs-speed trains rather than trucks. Had a cool name that I can't remember. Other things..

- Bikini tops are optional at the beach.
- People go to the beach for a Christmas barbeque.
- there are more sheep in NZ than people
- vortex of water spins the opposite direction in the southern hemispere
- you call gum "chewies" (girls I met did anyway).
- Aus had the second highest medal count at the 2004 olympics based on total population (per-capita). Cuba was #1. Canada was #18. USA was #19.

What do you mean that you aren't "hanged for possession of marijuana". Are you killed in some other fashion? Or is it legal to carry small amounts or even grow legally? This IS getting interesting now....

Latch

But no Taco Bell*

*that's no Taco Bell in or around Geelong/Melbourne area. If anyone knows of one.. TELL ME!

MrFlux

You poor bastard, right now is a terrible time to be in New Zealand. Especially Palmy.

Apparently (although I think we may have now been beaten) the Sky Tower is the largest free-standing building in the Southern Hemisphere.

We have an curiously large amount of native birds, insects and lizards, but with the exception of two species of bat, we have no native non-marine mammals. Also, many of our native birds are flightless, because they had no natural predators.

The Giant Weta is an insect we have that can grow to weigh more than a sparrow.


Ugly fucker, innit?

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flux (n.)
Medicine. The discharge of large quantities of fluid material from the body, especially the discharge of watery feces from the intestines.

nickt

We do so have a Taco Bell!!!

From memroy, there is one on Maroondah Highway in Ringwood and there is also one on Queens Parade in North Fitzry/Clifton Hill (just outside the CBD).

I should be a Taxi driver in Melbourne!!!

By the way, the name for those big trucks is formally "Road Trains", but they have other colloquial names which I cant recall.

__________________
AND WHERE..........

...is the Batman?

nickt

See above re the Road Trains...

We dont get killed for possession of marijuana...nor do we go to prison most times!!! Possession of less than 5 grams warrants confiscation in most cases, and if you are an unlucky bastard you'll get put on probabtion (ie: it goes on your record). I think being caught with over thirty grams constitutes possession with intent to traffic - that's when you are in the shit!

Oh and from memory growing marijuana for personal use is ok too, something like up to 5 marijuana plants is ok.

Anyone from Oz, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong!

P.S. Gum is called "chewie" almost everywhere (as in CHEWing gum), bikini tops are VERY optional on some beaches and compulsory on others and it is bloody HOT over Christmas!!!

__________________
AND WHERE..........

...is the Batman?

killaudio

also our school holidays are 6-8 weeks over christmas...and "college" is called university, high school has 5 years middle school 2 years and primary school has 6 years. we start school at age 4 or 5 in NZ.

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Thats tops

slimshaydee

high school has 6 years and primary school has 7 years...

Meridae'n

It's legal to have sex when you're 16 as long as ur partner is no more than 2 years your senior... open slather at 17.

__________________
What's easier to believe: that a guy was born without sex in the manner of several Greek demigods and grew up to be able to transmute liquids and alter his body density yet couldn't escape government execution, or that three freemasons in a vehicle made with aluminum foil in an era before digital technology escaped our atmosphere, landing on the moon, broadcasted from there, and then flew back without burning up?

powser85

not everyone in Australia has cable, as i'm lead to believe Americans do...

tacho

Most Americans are from the rest of the world. I wouldn't call them stupid, not at all. Very rash statement!

molloby

And you dredged up a 2 month old thread to tell him so?

Edit: An interesting thread, however.

Latch

Really? Awesome.... I'll have to track them down... thanks heaps!

Mr_Wall

Australia has more snow then Switzerland... or was it Sweden???

archer

The big banana is not a one off concept.
We just go nuts for "big" shit.

We have:

• 3 Big Apples (take that New York)
• Big Axe
• Big banana
• Big Barramundi
• Big Boxing Croc
• Big Bull
• Big bunch of bananas
• Big Captain Cook
• Big Cassowary
• Big Coffee Pot
• Big Croc
• Big Easel
• Big Elephants
• Big Galah
• Big Gold Pannier
• Big Golden Guitar
• Big Kangaroo
• Big Koala
• Big Koalas
• Big Lobster
• Big Macadamia
• Big Marlin
• Big Match Sticks
• Big Merino
• Big Murray Cod
• Big Ned Kelly
• Big Orange x2
• Big Oyster
• Big Peanut
• Big Penguin
• Big Pineapple x2
• Big Potato
• Big Prawn
• Big Ram
• Big Rocking Horse
• Big Scotsman
• Big Sundial
• Big Tasmanian Devil
• Big Truck
• Big Wheelbarrow
• Big Winch
• Big Wine Cask
• Big Wool Bales

See TravelMate for more info, including bigness ratings.

octopus

In regards to fact 1...
I would like you to produce some evidence to suggest that this is a fact.
I live in Nelson and I do not believe this to be fact.

In regards to fact 2...
Yip, it's true... More fool the twits in parliament that allowed that bill to be passed...


Prostitution has always been legal in New Zealand. It was soliciting for prostitution that was illegal. The law changes in 2003 allowed for a more controlled environment in which the industry could operate. Effectively this legalised soliciting and opened the doors for registered brothels and knock shops.
There was a long period of heated public debate during the years leading up to the "Prostitution Reform Bill" and the subject still remains very hot in some circles. It has not been long enough for the authorities or independants to research the full social impact of such a law change.


This is a little of an understatement.
There are more than TEN times as many sheep as there are people...


In addition to that, The New Zealand Giant Weta is the largest insect in the world, and the pregnant Giant Weta has been recorded as the heaviest insect in the world.



And while I am on a roll...

A small township called Motueka, 40 minutes drive north west of Nelson, is the only place in the world where they grow the famous "Green Bullet Hops" that are an ingredient in the just as famous Steinlager Beer. You Americans have heard of Steiny... right...

We grow the worlds best Kiwifruit... So good in fact that almost all of the fruit is exported. The fruit available for local market is in such short supply that we import Kiwifruit grown in California to supplement the local market demand. Stupid eh...

It was probably a New Zealander, Richard William Pearse who took the world’s first flight -nearly two years before the Wright Brothers in the United States (this however cannot be proved). On 31 March 1902 Pearse managed to fly his home-made aircraft 91 metres in a field near Timaru. That might upset a few of our American friends...

There are more golf courses in New Zealand per capita of population, than any other country in the world (over 400 golf courses for 3.8 million people).

Auckland has the largest number of boats per head of population than any other city in the world.

New Zealand is the first country in the world to see each new day.

Wellington has more cafes and restaurants per capita than New York.

The old Government Building in Wellington is the largest wooden structure in the southern hemisphere (8200 square metres).

Nelson was the first city in the world to formalise the eight-hour working day.

The Hector’s Dolphin (the world’s smallest marine dolphin), and the world’s rarest sea lion, the Hooker’s sea lion, are only found in New Zealand waters.

New Zealand is home to the world’s only flightless parrot, the Kakapo.

The oldest living genus of reptile is the native New Zealand Tuatara. Tuataras have a life expectancy of 300 years. It is estimated that Tuataras can be traced back 190 million years to the Mesozoic era. The Tuatara does not have 3 eyes as someone above said.

Waikoropupu Springs near Nelson are reputedly the clearest fresh water springs in the world, with an outflow of approximately 2,160 million litres of water every 24 hours.

A New Zealander invented the tear back velcro-strip, the pop-lid on a self sealing paint tin, the child-proof pill bottle and the crinkle in your hairpins so that they don’t fall out!

A New Zealand archbishop’s son invented the totaliser machine used for racing and sports betting. Go figure...



Well, thats my 22.5 cents worth for the day... Thanks for listening...

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Error. File not found. Should I fake it? (Y/N)

Latch

wow............

Meridae'n

Albury is home to Australia's longest bridge over fresh water. Hurts like the first time doesn't it...

__________________
What's easier to believe: that a guy was born without sex in the manner of several Greek demigods and grew up to be able to transmute liquids and alter his body density yet couldn't escape government execution, or that three freemasons in a vehicle made with aluminum foil in an era before digital technology escaped our atmosphere, landing on the moon, broadcasted from there, and then flew back without burning up?

snowy

Wow. I must say this thread was incredibly informative. I learned more about Australia and New Zealand than I ever cared to know. Well, perhaps not quite. I think my project for my travel writing class will take care of the rest (I have to write a fifteen page paper about a theoretical three week trip to a destination of my choice--I chose to take a car trip of NZ).

As for the comment that most Americans are stupid, I think you'd find that about 52% of the voting population is, at least, and I think you'd also find other Americans, like myself, agreeing that some of our fellow countrymen are not exactly the brightest of folks.

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If I am not better, at least I am different. --Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Janey

Yes, they do say a lot of things...