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

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@ 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.

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@ Cliff Hanger
"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 Cashmere.
"Huh!" responded Nellie. "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'.
Cliff Hanger
The Blue Mountains, NSW.

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@ Maroubra, Sydney
"Did you know that Sydney was named after an 18th century British Home Secretary? Originally the settlement was called Sydney Cove," remarked Nellie.
"I'd like to have a city named after me," mused Daisy.
Nellie snorted. "A city called Daisy! Get away with you!"
Maroubra, Sydney
Maroubra, Sydney

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@ Coogee, NSW
"Did you know the Sydney Harbour Bridge has a little twin, Nellie?" asked Saphira.
"How little? And where?" responded Nellie.
"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."
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
"Today's trivia question, Nellie! What unofficial national anthem is often played in pubs and AFL matches across Australia?"
Nellie thoughtfully munched a TimTam. "What's AFL, coda?"
"The Australian Football League! You must have come across it by now!"
Nellie dropped his TimTam wrapper in a bin. "Oh. What was the question again?"
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
"Try this Violet Crumble bar, Nellie! It's a honeycomb centre wrapped in chocolate."
"It sounds like a Crunchie, Alex! Is it violet flavoured?"
"No, but the wrapper's violet coloured. I think it's nicer than Crunchie!"
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
No, I don't want to visit the Sydney Opera House Nellie. Opera just sounds like fingers on a chalkboard to me. Can't we visit Tamworth instead?
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
Nellie was groaning and clutching her 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!"
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
Nellie was groaning and clutching her tum.
"Whatever is the matter?" queried Coco.
"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
"That's interesting, Nellie—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 Max.
"So did they find out whodunnit?" asked Nellie.
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
"Did you know the Sydney Harbour Bridge has a little twin, Nellie?" asked Kitty.
"How little? And where?" responded Nellie.
"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."

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@ Bridge, Sydney Harbour
"Okay, Nellie! The name of the unofficial national anthem that is often played in pubs and AFL matches across Australia?"
"Waltzing Matilda?" hazarded Nellie.
pinky pie 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, pinky pie!"
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
"Try this Violet Crumble bar, Nellie! It's a honeycomb centre wrapped in chocolate."
"It sounds like a Crunchie, Lucky! Is it violet flavoured?"
"No, but the wrapper's violet coloured. I think it's nicer than Crunchie!"
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
"Would you like a barbecue-flavoured Shape, Nellie?" queried moo moo.
Nellie 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, Nellie! The Cheddar flavour is a rectangle, Chicken is oval with a crimped edge and Cheese & Bacon is a sort of pillow shape."
Sunset at Shelly Beach
Sunset, Shelly Beach, NSW

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@ Rural Postbox
No, I don't want to visit the Sydney Opera House Nellie. Opera just sounds like fingers on a chalkboard to me. Can't we visit Tamworth instead?
Rural Postbox
A sturdy makeshift postbox set up in the hinterland of Byron Bay.

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@ Tweed Heads, NSW
I wonder if we will run into the man from Snowy River or his mountain pony while we are here, Nellie!
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
"Today's trivia question, Nellie! What unofficial national anthem is often played in pubs and AFL matches across Australia?"
Nellie thoughtfully munched a TimTam. "What's AFL, Orpheus?"
"The Australian Football League! You must have come across it by now!"
Nellie dropped his TimTam wrapper in a bin. "Oh. What was the question again?"
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
"Would you like a barbecue-flavoured Shape, Nellie?" queried Artic.
Nellie 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, Nellie! The Cheddar flavour is a rectangle, Chicken is oval with a crimped edge and Cheese & Bacon is a sort of pillow shape."
Green tree frog
Not to be confused with the green frog cakes in South Australia!

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@ Skink on the Brink
"Did you know that Sydney was named after an 18th century British Home Secretary? Originally the settlement was called Sydney Cove," remarked Nellie.
"I'd like to have a city named after me," mused Mollie.
Nellie snorted. "A city called Mollie! Get away with you!"
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, Nellie! 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, Whalerus! 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
"Are you looking forward to the snags at the sausage sizzle tonight, Nellie?" asked Yozaria.
"Can you translate that, please, Yozaria?"
"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!"
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
"Something I found out just now, Choose a name! Paul Hogan, or Mick Dundee in Crocodile Dundee was once employed as a painter on the Sydney Harbour Bridge."
Choose a name laughed. "We like Mick Dundee, don't we, Nellie? 'That's not a knife. That's a knife.' "

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@ Canberra ACT at night
Nellie 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?


Nellie 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!