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@ Canberra, Australian Capital Territory
Mac begins his walkabout in New South Wales!

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@ Living on the Edge

Navy Flower Power Egg
The first painted eggs came from Mesopotamia, and because eggs were forbidden food during Lent, people painted eggs while Lent was being observed—after Lent, they would eat the eggs on Easter Day.

Beautifully decorated eggs “pysanka” are associated with Ukraine, and the oldest painted egg that was unearthed in northern Ukraine is dated to the end of the 17th century.

Living on the Edge
A cliff edge in the Blue Mountains National Park, New South Wales.

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@ Cliff Hanger
I wonder if we will run into the man from Snowy River or his mountain pony while we are here, Mac!
Cliff Hanger
The Blue Mountains, NSW.

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@ Maroubra, Sydney
Blimey, they grow big cockroaches down here Mac, don't they? Fortunately I don't see any in this scene!
Maroubra, Sydney
Maroubra, Sydney

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@ Coogee, NSW
C'mon Mac, put that camera away and grab your surfboard and shades, because Bondi Beach is where all the cool dudes hang!
Coogee, NSW
Coogee, in residential Sydney, is a very popular beach with large stretches of sand and inlet ocean pools.

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@ Sydney Opera House, Australia
"Did you know the Sydney Harbour Bridge has a little twin, Mac?" asked Snickerdoodle.
"How little? And where?" responded Mac.
"It's the Tyne Bridge in Newcastle on Tyne, England. Both bridges were designed by the same London firm and both were built by the same Middlesbrough contractors. The one in Newcastle opened in 1928, four years earlier than the Sydney Harbour Bridge, simply because it's so much smaller, i.e. 1,276 feet in total length (389 m) compared to the 3,770 feet (1149 m) of the Sydney one."
Sydney Opera House, Australia
In Sydney harbour stands the world-famous Sydney Opera House, the multi-venue performing arts theatre, a masterpiece of 20th-century architecture. Queen Elizabeth ll officially opened the theater on Oct. 20 1973. On 28 June 2007, the Sydney Opera House became a Unesco World Heritage Site.

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@ New Year, Sydney
"Are you looking forward to the snags at the sausage sizzle tonight, Mac?" asked Maybelle.
"Can you translate that, please, Maybelle?"
"Are you looking forward to a barbecued sausage wrapped in bread, with fried onions and other trimmings? Apparently the best snags are found in Nowra, so we're in the right State!"
New Year, Sydney
A blaze of firework bursts light up the sea and Sydney's iconic harbour bridge in this display to celebrate the arrival of the New Year.

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@ Slumbering Sydney
"So who was Lord Howe, anyway?" queried fire fox. "Some fuddy-duddy octogenarian in the Westminster House of Lords?"
"No, not at all -- or rather, I don't know about fuddy-duddy or his age, but he was an Admiral in the British Navy at that time."
Slumbering Sydney
The Opera House stands out as a landmark in this dark night scene. The Sydney Harbour Bridge can be seen on the far left.

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@ Sails in Silhouette
I wonder if we will run into the man from Snowy River or his mountain pony while we are here, Mac!
Sails in Silhouette
The famous "sails" of the iconic Sydney Opera House against a backdrop of the setting sun.

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@ Landmark Lighthouse
C'mon Mac, put that camera away and grab your surfboard and shades, because Bondi Beach is where all the cool dudes hang!
Landmark Lighthouse
This historic and distinctive landmark stands atop a rocky cliff, guarding the entrance to Sydney Harbour.

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@ Fireworks over the Harbour
"Did you know the Sydney Harbour Bridge has a little twin, Mac?" asked Sweetie.
"How little? And where?" responded Mac.
"It's the Tyne Bridge in Newcastle on Tyne, England. Both bridges were designed by the same London firm and both were built by the same Middlesbrough contractors. The one in Newcastle opened in 1928, four years earlier than the Sydney Harbour Bridge, simply because it's so much smaller, i.e. 1,276 feet in total length (389 m) compared to the 3,770 feet (1149 m) of the Sydney one."
Fireworks over the Harbour
The night sky is lit up in shades of fuchsia and blue as huge fireworks enhance the celebrations for the New Year!

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@ Anzac Bridge, Sydney
Blimey, they grow big cockroaches down here Mac, don't they? Fortunately I don't see any in this scene!

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@ Bridge, Sydney Harbour
Mac was groaning and clutching his tum.
"Whatever is the matter?" queried Choose a name.
"When I said I would like a burger at lunchtime, the waiter asked me if I wanted it with 'the lot'. Of course, I said, 'yes, please!' The burger came with salad, sauce, pickled beetroot, a fried egg—oh, and a huge slice of pineapple!"
Bridge, Sydney Harbour
Due to its shape, it is affectionately referred to as the "Coathanger" by Sydney residents!

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@ Oceanides Sea Nymphs
Mac was groaning and clutching his tum.
"Whatever is the matter?" queried Zoe.
"When I said I would like a burger at lunchtime, the waiter asked me if I wanted it with 'the lot'. Of course, I said, 'yes, please!' The burger came with salad, sauce, pickled beetroot, a fried egg—oh, and a huge slice of pineapple!"
Oceanides Sea Nymphs
Oceanides by Helen Leete, installed in 1997, refers to the sea nymphs of Greek mythology which were often part human and part sea-creature. They represent bathers enjoying the sea and sun at Manly Beach, Sydney, NSW.

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@ Relax By The Water
Oh look ... you won a pet!
Relax By The Water
This looks like the perfect place to relax after a day of walking around museums. Here there is soft white sand, enough perfect rocks for sitting on, and inviting water to dip into and cool off. Bring a snack and some water, and enjoy the views while giving your sore feet a break.

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@ Sunset at Shelly Beach
"Did you know the Sydney Harbour Bridge has a little twin, Mac?" asked Mulrey.
"How little? And where?" responded Mac.
"It's the Tyne Bridge in Newcastle on Tyne, England. Both bridges were designed by the same London firm and both were built by the same Middlesbrough contractors. The one in Newcastle opened in 1928, four years earlier than the Sydney Harbour Bridge, simply because it's so much smaller, i.e. 1,276 feet in total length (389 m) compared to the 3,770 feet (1149 m) of the Sydney one."
Sunset at Shelly Beach
Sunset, Shelly Beach, NSW

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@ Rural Postbox
I wonder if we will run into the man from Snowy River or his mountain pony while we are here, Mac!
Rural Postbox
A sturdy makeshift postbox set up in the hinterland of Byron Bay.

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@ Tweed Heads, NSW
"Are you looking forward to the snags at the sausage sizzle tonight, Mac?" asked Wisp.
"Can you translate that, please, Wisp?"
"Are you looking forward to a barbecued sausage wrapped in bread, with fried onions and other trimmings? Apparently the best snags are found in Nowra, so we're in the right State!"
Tweed Heads, NSW
Where rainforest meets ocean! Tweed Heads is right next to the border with Queensland and offers all you could wish for a quintessential Australian holiday, whether it be hiking, kayaking or surfing!

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@ Chinwagging pelicans
"Did you know that Sydney was named after an 18th century British Home Secretary? Originally the settlement was called Sydney Cove," remarked Mac.
"I'd like to have a city named after me," mused Lunaray.
Mac snorted. "A city called Lunaray! Get away with you!"
Chinwagging pelicans
These Australian pelicans are enjoying the scene below -- one wonders what they are talking about! It is a distinctive bird, large, with black wings and a long pink bill measuring nearly 20 inches (49 cm).

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@ Green tree frog
"Our tour guide says that the first European to come ashore in 1770 in what is now Sydney, was the cabin boy, who jumped from the boat onto the sands of Botany Bay," remarked fire fox.
Mac chuckled. "I bet that really annoyed the important big-wigs behind him who wanted that distinction!"
"Yes! Still, I guess you have to have someone to hang onto the rope so the boat doesn't float away."
Green tree frog
Not to be confused with the green frog cakes in South Australia!

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@ Skink on the Brink
"Okay, Mac! The name of the unofficial national anthem that is often played in pubs and AFL matches across Australia?"
"Waltzing Matilda?" hazarded Mac.
Symphony sighed. "It's a little bit more modern than that. The song is It’s A Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ‘N’ Roll) by AC/DC—a band that was formed in Sydney, and incidentally is pronounced Acca Dacca here."
"That's a lot of information to take in all at once, Symphony!"
Skink on the Brink
The pink-tongued skink cyclodomorphus gerrardii can be found in the Blue Mountains region of New South Wales and upwards to Cairns in Queensland.

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@ Iridescent Ibis
I wonder if we will run into the man from Snowy River or his mountain pony while we are here, Mac!
Iridescent Ibis
The straw-necked ibis, named after its distinctive pale, spiky feathers down its neck, is found throughout Australia, except it avoids the arid interior environment.

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@ Little Pied Cormorant
"Today's trivia question, Mac! What unofficial national anthem is often played in pubs and AFL matches across Australia?"
Mac thoughtfully munched a TimTam. "What's AFL, Aunt Bee?"
"The Australian Football League! You must have come across it by now!"
Mac dropped his TimTam wrapper in a bin. "Oh. What was the question again?"
Little Pied Cormorant
This is a very common bird on Australia waterways, fresh or saltwater. Its main diet is crayfish and other crustaceans.

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@ Sunset Silhouette
"That's interesting, Mac—the oldest skeleton found in Australia was at Lake Mungo in New South Wales. It is believed to be 38,000 years old and is the skeleton of a female," intoned Scaredy Cat.
"So did they find out whodunnit?" asked Mac.

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@ Canberra ACT at night
Mac has now completed his walkabout in New South Wales! As he prepares to go home, he receives a wonderful gift!
Skateboarding Goanna, Black
Hey! Hi, how are you? I am just goanna go for a skate, hehe. I love my new skateboard, and it is such a lovely day the sun is shining; I have my new hat on my head, though I don’t need it to protect me from the sun, it is rather stylish. Let’s race over to the barbecue; I like mine rare, how about you?


Mac has enjoyed his walkabout in New South Wales, but it is time to go home now! "Walkabout" is over now, but there will be more events in PnF soon!