Tag Archives: Australia

10 Things I Never Thought I'd Do in Australia

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Here are ten things I never thought I’d do in Australia along with a few pictures:

  1. Get Locked up in Gaol (pronounced jail) or Come Face-to-Face with Ned Kelly
    At the Old Melbourne Gaol you can come face-to-face with the death mask of Ned Kelly, the infamous Australian bushranger.  After his capture in 1878 Kelly was held and later hung, here at the Melbourne Gaol.  Kelly was a famous bushranger, which is to Australia what Jesse James and the outlaws of the Wild West were to America.  Kelly’s fearless acts in defiance of the police made him an icon and a legend, much like Jesse James, and Kelly has been portrayed in almost every form of media imaginable.  On screen, the part of Ned Kelly has been played by the likes of Mick Jagger and Heath Ledger.

    You can also experience getting locked up in the city watch house, just like all the other drunks and disturbers of the peace who were held there before the place was moved to a new facility in the mid-1990’s.  There are still all the original poems and artwork scratched in the cells of the watch house.

  2. Eat Emu & Saltwater Crocodile Pizza
    Australia has a great deal of animals that aren’t normally found in other parts of the world, many of which can be eaten.  Next to our hostel in The Rocks neighborhood in Sydney, was the Australian Hotel, one of the oldest pubs in the city with a great selection of beers.  It is also home to some fabulous pizzas, including the emu and saltwater crocodile pizzas that I tried.  Emu meat is a red meat that is similar in flavor and texture to beef.  Saltwater crocodile meat is sort of like chicken, but not as heavy.  The pizzas were delicious!
  3. Watch Australian Football (aka footy) While Having a Meat Pie
    When we were grabbing lunch one day in the Gold Coast we caught a few minutes of a footy game on TV–it was fast and physical.  After watching the game I wanted to know more about the sport and to see it live.  Having had no previous exposure to Australian football I was very excited to check out this ‘new’ sport.  Well, the sport has been around for over 150 years Continue reading →

Four Things Everyone Should Know About Australia

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Total Reading Time: 5 Minutes

After two weeks of practicing how to say ‘G’day mate’ in my best Australian accent and listening exclusively to Men at Work’s “Land Down Under”, I felt fully prepared to hug some koalas, wrestle crocodiles, and fight Russell Crowe.

Instead I had to settle for some innovative architecture, kangaroo steaks, a lot of flashy utes (think El Camino), Melbourne’s stellar transit system, Sydney’s beautiful harbor, Australian football (gotta love footy!), and witnessing the march of the world’s smallest penguins.

Here is a short post on a few things about Australia that everyone should know:

  1. Foster’s is Not Australian for Beer
    When you hear the name Foster’s you think of those 25 ounce oil cans and that catchy slogan in a thick Aussie accent (pronunciation tip: Aussie= Ozzie).  Well, it turns out nobody drinks the stuff in Australia.  You’d be hard pressed to find it in a restaurant- it’s just not served.  It’s just as bad in Australia as it is in the United States.  What you have here is an Australian company with a good marketing team, not a good beer.  The Foster’s group is a large company that produces and distributes many different wines, spirits, and beers, including the Foster’s brand we all know.  If you are looking for a good Australian beer, give James Squire a try.
  2. Sydney is Not the Capital
    I think this one would have stumped a lot of people on that show, “Are you smarter than a 5th Grader”.  Many people are surprised that Sydney isn’t the capital of Australia since it’s Australia most famous city (don’t let the Melbournians hear me say this).  The real capital of Australia is Canberra.  It is about four hours southwest of Sydney.  Canberra was chosen as a compromise between Melbourne and Sydney in 1908 (those two never got along).  If Nemo had been swimming to Canberra perhaps it would be more well-known.
  3. Every Australian Does Not Have a Kangaroo For a Pet, and They Don’t Wrestle Crocodiles
    Contrary to popular belief every Australian does not have a kangaroo for a pet.  That’s not to say that no one does, but its not that common.  Actually, Continue reading →