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

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@ Living on the Edge

Purple Flower Power Egg
My pets are in awe of these beautiful eggs—they would love to try to paint their own one year. Easter and spring are times of joy as the earth awakens, plants are pushing forth from the soil, and the days are becoming warmer. Many baby animals are born in the spring, and life is burgeoning. May these eggs bring you joy and be a reminder of the earth renewing itself.

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

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@ Cliff Hanger
"Did you know the Sydney Harbour Bridge has a little twin, Iko?" asked Melinda.
"How little? And where?" responded Iko.
"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."
Cliff Hanger
The Blue Mountains, NSW.

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@ Maroubra, Sydney
"Try this Violet Crumble bar, Iko! It's a honeycomb centre wrapped in chocolate."
"It sounds like a Crunchie, Hadee Nidmorth! Is it violet flavoured?"
"No, but the wrapper's violet coloured. I think it's nicer than Crunchie!"
Maroubra, Sydney
Maroubra, Sydney

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@ Coogee, NSW
"Are you looking forward to the snags at the sausage sizzle tonight, Iko?" asked Rudy.
"Can you translate that, please, Rudy?"
"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!"
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
I still don't understand the significance of displaying a big prawn, Iko. I can get a FS prawn from the Mystery Boxes if I really want to look at 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
"That's interesting, Iko—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 Koo.
"So did they find out whodunnit?" asked Iko.
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
"Try this Violet Crumble bar, Iko! It's a honeycomb centre wrapped in chocolate."
"It sounds like a Crunchie, Eric! Is it violet flavoured?"
"No, but the wrapper's violet coloured. I think it's nicer than Crunchie!"
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
"Wow, listen to this, Iko! 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, Getaway! So—was that lady old Mrs Smith, then?"
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
"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 sammy.
Iko 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."
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
"What's the most easterly part of New South Wales, Aunt Dora?"
"Um -- the bit closest to Queensland? -- Byron Bay?"
"Yes and no," responded Iko. "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."
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
I wonder if we will run into the man from Snowy River or his mountain pony while we are here, Iko!

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@ Bridge, Sydney Harbour
"Try this Violet Crumble bar, Iko! It's a honeycomb centre wrapped in chocolate."
"It sounds like a Crunchie, Finn! Is it violet flavoured?"
"No, but the wrapper's violet coloured. I think it's nicer than Crunchie!"
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
"Did you know the Sydney Harbour Bridge has a little twin, Iko?" asked Eric.
"How little? And where?" responded Iko.
"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."
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
"Today's trivia question, Iko! What unofficial national anthem is often played in pubs and AFL matches across Australia?"
Iko thoughtfully munched a TimTam. "What's AFL, Zoe?"
"The Australian Football League! You must have come across it by now!"
Iko dropped his TimTam wrapper in a bin. "Oh. What was the question again?"
Sunset at Shelly Beach
Sunset, Shelly Beach, NSW

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@ Rural Postbox
"Something I found out just now, Buzzz! Paul Hogan, or Mick Dundee in Crocodile Dundee was once employed as a painter on the Sydney Harbour Bridge."
Buzzz laughed. "We like Mick Dundee, don't we, Iko? 'That's not a knife. That's a knife.' "
Rural Postbox
A sturdy makeshift postbox set up in the hinterland of Byron Bay.

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@ Tweed Heads, NSW
"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 FINN.
"Huh!" responded Iko. "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'.
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
"So who was Lord Howe, anyway?" queried Hoot. "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."
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 Choose a name.
Iko 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
"What's the most easterly part of New South Wales, Violet Flame?"
"Um -- the bit closest to Queensland? -- Byron Bay?"
"Yes and no," responded Iko. "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."
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
"Try this Violet Crumble bar, Iko! It's a honeycomb centre wrapped in chocolate."
"It sounds like a Crunchie, Mia! Is it violet flavoured?"
"No, but the wrapper's violet coloured. I think it's nicer than Crunchie!"
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
Blimey, they grow big cockroaches down here Iko, don't they? Fortunately I don't see any in this scene!
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
"Okay, Iko! The name of the unofficial national anthem that is often played in pubs and AFL matches across Australia?"
"Waltzing Matilda?" hazarded Iko.
Luminous 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, Luminous!"

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@ Canberra ACT at night
Iko 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?


Iko has enjoyed his 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!