Image 1/25

@ Canberra, Australian Capital Territory
VIOLA begins her walkabout in New South Wales!

Image 2/25

@ Living on the Edge

Blue And Copper 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.

Image 3/25

@ Cliff Hanger
"So who was Lord Howe, anyway?" queried Bill. "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."
Cliff Hanger
The Blue Mountains, NSW.

Image 4/25

@ Maroubra, Sydney
"Did you know the name New South Wales came from the journal of Lieutenant James Cook -- later Captain Cook -- who sailed up the east coast of Australia in 1770. He thought that the land looked like the south coast of Wales," said Beck.
"Huh!" responded VIOLA. "He saw kangaroos boinging about on the beach and -- and -- banana trees and thought, 'Oh, this reminds me of Porthcawl'!"
"Don't be silly. Anyway, he first named it 'New Wales' but then changed the name in his journal to 'New South Wales'.
Maroubra, Sydney
Maroubra, Sydney

Image 5/25

@ Coogee, NSW
"What's your favourite Tim Tam flavour, VIOLA?"
"I can't decide, Dave! Perhaps Dark Chocolate Mint? Or the Caramel? Then the Sweet Wishes Honeycomb is lovely too! How about yourself?"
Dave thought about it. "I have three favourites. Rum & Raisin, White chocolate and the Original Tim Tam!"
Coogee, NSW
Coogee, in residential Sydney, is a very popular beach with large stretches of sand and inlet ocean pools.

Image 6/25

@ Sydney Opera House, Australia
"Are you looking forward to the snags at the sausage sizzle tonight, VIOLA?" asked Katrice.
"Can you translate that, please, Katrice?"
"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!"
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.

Image 7/25

@ New Year, Sydney
"Something I found out just now, Trinity! Paul Hogan, or Mick Dundee in Crocodile Dundee was once employed as a painter on the Sydney Harbour Bridge."
Trinity laughed. "We like Mick Dundee, don't we, VIOLA? 'That's not a knife. That's a knife.' "
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.

Image 8/25

@ Slumbering Sydney
"Something I found out just now, Ariilina! Paul Hogan, or Mick Dundee in Crocodile Dundee was once employed as a painter on the Sydney Harbour Bridge."
Ariilina laughed. "We like Mick Dundee, don't we, VIOLA? 'That's not a knife. That's a knife.' "
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.

Image 9/25

@ Sails in Silhouette
"Today's trivia question, VIOLA! What unofficial national anthem is often played in pubs and AFL matches across Australia?"
VIOLA thoughtfully munched a TimTam. "What's AFL, Addie?"
"The Australian Football League! You must have come across it by now!"
VIOLA dropped his TimTam wrapper in a bin. "Oh. What was the question again?"
Sails in Silhouette
The famous "sails" of the iconic Sydney Opera House against a backdrop of the setting sun.

Image 10/25

@ Landmark Lighthouse
"Something I found out just now, coda! Paul Hogan, or Mick Dundee in Crocodile Dundee was once employed as a painter on the Sydney Harbour Bridge."
coda laughed. "We like Mick Dundee, don't we, VIOLA? 'That's not a knife. That's a knife.' "
Landmark Lighthouse
This historic and distinctive landmark stands atop a rocky cliff, guarding the entrance to Sydney Harbour.

Image 11/25

@ Fireworks over the Harbour
I still don't understand the significance of displaying a big prawn, VIOLA. I can get a FS prawn from the Mystery Boxes if I really want to look at 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!

Image 12/25

@ Anzac Bridge, Sydney
"Okay, VIOLA! The name of the unofficial national anthem that is often played in pubs and AFL matches across Australia?"
"Waltzing Matilda?" hazarded VIOLA.
Munich 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, Munich!"

Image 13/25

@ Bridge, Sydney Harbour
"Today's trivia question, VIOLA! What unofficial national anthem is often played in pubs and AFL matches across Australia?"
VIOLA thoughtfully munched a TimTam. "What's AFL, Julian?"
"The Australian Football League! You must have come across it by now!"
VIOLA dropped his TimTam wrapper in a bin. "Oh. What was the question again?"
Bridge, Sydney Harbour
Due to its shape, it is affectionately referred to as the "Coathanger" by Sydney residents!

Image 14/25

@ Oceanides Sea Nymphs
"What's the most easterly part of New South Wales, Firefly?"
"Um -- the bit closest to Queensland? -- Byron Bay?"
"Yes and no," responded VIOLA. "Cape Byron is the most easterly point on the mainland, but Lord Howe Island, 360 miles (580 km) east of the continent, also belongs to New South Wales. It's roughly parallel with Port Macquarie."
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.

Image 15/25

@ 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.

Image 16/25

@ Sunset at Shelly Beach
"What's your favourite Tim Tam flavour, VIOLA?"
"I can't decide, Violetta! Perhaps Dark Chocolate Mint? Or the Caramel? Then the Sweet Wishes Honeycomb is lovely too! How about yourself?"
Violetta thought about it. "I have three favourites. Rum & Raisin, White chocolate and the Original Tim Tam!"
Sunset at Shelly Beach
Sunset, Shelly Beach, NSW

Image 17/25

@ Rural Postbox
"Would you like a barbecue-flavoured Shape, VIOLA?" queried Ada.
VIOLA accepted with thanks and examined her little biscuit. "It's got six sides. Why don't they call it a Hexagon, rather than a Shape?"
"Oh no—they're all different, VIOLA! The Cheddar flavour is a rectangle, Chicken is oval with a crimped edge and Cheese & Bacon is a sort of pillow shape."
Rural Postbox
A sturdy makeshift postbox set up in the hinterland of Byron Bay.

Image 18/25

@ Tweed Heads, NSW
I still don't understand the significance of displaying a big prawn, VIOLA. I can get a FS prawn from the Mystery Boxes if I really want to look at one!
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!

Image 19/25

@ Chinwagging pelicans
"The time zones are quite complicated and varied in Australia, Chocolate!"
"How so, VIOLA?"
"There's a town in New South Wales called Broken Hill which does not adhere to the region’s time zone. Instead, it uses ACST, Australian Central Standard Time, which is 30 minutes behind the rest of the state!"
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).

Image 20/25

@ Green tree frog
I still don't understand the significance of displaying a big prawn, VIOLA. I can get a FS prawn from the Mystery Boxes if I really want to look at one!
Green tree frog
Not to be confused with the green frog cakes in South Australia!

Image 21/25

@ Skink on the Brink
"Okay, VIOLA! The name of the unofficial national anthem that is often played in pubs and AFL matches across Australia?"
"Waltzing Matilda?" hazarded VIOLA.
Pika 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, Pika!"
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.

Image 22/25

@ Iridescent Ibis
"What's your favourite Tim Tam flavour, VIOLA?"
"I can't decide, Rosie! Perhaps Dark Chocolate Mint? Or the Caramel? Then the Sweet Wishes Honeycomb is lovely too! How about yourself?"
Rosie thought about it. "I have three favourites. Rum & Raisin, White chocolate and the Original Tim Tam!"
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.

Image 23/25

@ Little Pied Cormorant
"Wow, listen to this, VIOLA! In the 1830s, the story goes, a Sydney housewife threw out some rotting Tasmanian apples into the garden. They took root and grew, becoming the start of all the Granny Smith apples in the world."
"That's certainly an amazing tale, Audrey! So—was that lady old Mrs Smith, then?"
Little Pied Cormorant
This is a very common bird on Australia waterways, fresh or saltwater. Its main diet is crayfish and other crustaceans.

Image 24/25

@ Sunset Silhouette
"What's your favourite Tim Tam flavour, VIOLA?"
"I can't decide, Eton! Perhaps Dark Chocolate Mint? Or the Caramel? Then the Sweet Wishes Honeycomb is lovely too! How about yourself?"
Eton thought about it. "I have three favourites. Rum & Raisin, White chocolate and the Original Tim Tam!"

Image 25/25

@ Canberra ACT at night
VIOLA has now completed her walkabout in New South Wales! As she prepares to go home, she 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?


VIOLA has enjoyed her walkabout in New South Wales, but it is time to go home now! Please select another pet as visitor, so it can also enjoy an Australian Walkabout!