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

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@ Living on the Edge

White Daisy 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
"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 Tango.
Viola 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."
Cliff Hanger
The Blue Mountains, NSW.

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@ Maroubra, 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.
Sunny 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, Sunny!"
Maroubra, Sydney
Maroubra, Sydney

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@ Coogee, NSW
"So who was Lord Howe, anyway?" queried Choose a name. "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."
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
"Try this Violet Crumble bar, Viola! It's a honeycomb centre wrapped in chocolate."
"It sounds like a Crunchie, smokey! Is it violet flavoured?"
"No, but the wrapper's violet coloured. I think it's nicer than Crunchie!"
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
Blimey, they grow big cockroaches down here Viola, don't they? Fortunately I don't see any in this scene!
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
Blimey, they grow big cockroaches down here Viola, don't they? Fortunately I don't see any in this scene!
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
"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 Flicka.
"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'.
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
Viola was groaning and clutching her tum.
"Whatever is the matter?" queried Sam.
"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!"
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
"Try this Violet Crumble bar, Viola! It's a honeycomb centre wrapped in chocolate."
"It sounds like a Crunchie, Woolly! Is it violet flavoured?"
"No, but the wrapper's violet coloured. I think it's nicer than Crunchie!"
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
"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 Azure.
Viola 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."

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@ Bridge, Sydney Harbour
No, I don't want to visit the Sydney Opera House Viola. Opera just sounds like fingers on a chalkboard to me. Can't we visit Tamworth instead?
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
I wonder if we will run into the man from Snowy River or his mountain pony while we are here, Viola!
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
"What's your favourite Tim Tam flavour, Viola?"
"I can't decide, BOB! Perhaps Dark Chocolate Mint? Or the Caramel? Then the Sweet Wishes Honeycomb is lovely too! How about yourself?"
BOB thought about it. "I have three favourites. Rum & Raisin, White chocolate and the Original Tim Tam!"
Sunset at Shelly Beach
Sunset, Shelly Beach, NSW

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@ Rural Postbox
"Try this Violet Crumble bar, Viola! It's a honeycomb centre wrapped in chocolate."
"It sounds like a Crunchie, Pumpkaboo! Is it violet flavoured?"
"No, but the wrapper's violet coloured. I think it's nicer than Crunchie!"
Rural Postbox
A sturdy makeshift postbox set up in the hinterland of Byron Bay.

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@ Tweed Heads, NSW
"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, Starlight?"
"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?"
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
"Are you looking forward to the snags at the sausage sizzle tonight, Viola?" asked Sweetheart.
"Can you translate that, please, Sweetheart?"
"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!"
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
"Are you looking forward to the snags at the sausage sizzle tonight, Viola?" asked Sir Barkey Barksalot.
"Can you translate that, please, Sir Barkey Barksalot?"
"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!"
Green tree frog
Not to be confused with the green frog cakes in South Australia!

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@ Skink on the Brink
No, I don't want to visit the Sydney Opera House Viola. Opera just sounds like fingers on a chalkboard to me. Can't we visit Tamworth instead?
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
"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, FLAPPY! So—was that lady old Mrs Smith, then?"
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
"That's interesting, Viola—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 Munich.
"So did they find out whodunnit?" asked Viola.
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
"Try this Violet Crumble bar, Viola! It's a honeycomb centre wrapped in chocolate."
"It sounds like a Crunchie, Catalina! Is it violet flavoured?"
"No, but the wrapper's violet coloured. I think it's nicer than Crunchie!"

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@ 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! "Walkabout" is over now, but there will be more events in PnF soon!