Tag Archives: Australia

Australian Water Dragon

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Australian Water Dragon

Australian water dragons are the dragons of Down Under.

  • Australian water dragons are semi-aquatic lizards native to Australia’s eastern states, and they can be found near various water sources.
  • Two subspecies of Australian water dragons go by the name of ‘eastern water dragon’ and ‘Gippsland water dragon’.
  • The scientific name of the Australian water dragon is Intellagama lesueurii, and it has been previously known as Physignathus lesueurii.
  • Australian water dragons are from the family Agamidae, the family of dragon or iguanian lizards, and they are the solitary member of the Intellagama genus.
  • Australian water dragons are adaptive swimmers and climbers, and they feature a long tail that they use to swim in the water.

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  • Australian water dragons grow to lengths of 60 to 100 centimetres (24 to 40 inches) in length and they weigh between 0.5 to 1 kilogram (1.1 to 2.2 pounds).
  • Australian water dragons are typically coloured a combination of black, green-grey, yellow, and brown, and they have obvious spikes at the back of the head, that become smaller and less obvious down the back and the tail.
  • Eggs of Australian water dragons are laid in quantities of six to eighteen, in holes they dig in soil or sand, and temperature determines the gender of the young.
  • The diet of Australian water dragons consists of insects, spiders, worms and occasionally rodents, fruit and vegetation.
  • Australian water dragons can stay under water for 30 to 90 minutes without needing air, and often camouflage themselves among foliage or escape into the water, to hide from predators.
Bibliography:
Australian Water Dragon, 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_water_dragon
Eastern Water Dragon, 2010, Australian Reptile Park, http://www.reptilepark.com.au/animalprofile.asp?id=83
Water Dragon, 2013, A-Z Animals, http://a-z-animals.com/animals/water-dragon/

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Pademelon

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Pademelon

Have you ever heard of a pademelon?

  • Pademelons are nocturnal marsupials that generally live in bushland habitats in coastal areas, and are native to Australia and some nearby islands, including Papua New Guinea.
  • The scientific name of a pademelon is Thylogale, and it is from the family Macropodidae, the family of kangaroos and wallabies.
  • Pademelons are very similar to their cousins, the kangaroo and wallaby, although they are of a smaller size, and have a comparatively larger diameter tail, that also has a shorter length.
  • Pademelons generally make their home in thick bush, jungle, forests and scrubby habitats, as well as swampy areas, and they usually spend their time alone.
  • There are seven species of pademelon, and the colour of their fur is usually a combination of brown, red, black and grey.

Pademelon, Animal, Ten Random Facts, Mammal, Marsupial, Australia, Flickr

Pademelon
Image courtesy of JJ Harrison/Flickr
  •  Pademelons have a life span of four to eight years, and historically they were hunted by early settlers and indigenous Australians, for both meat and fur.
  • The height of pademelons typically range from 42 to 52 centimetres (16.5 to 20.5 inches) and they weigh 3.5 to 12 kilograms (7.7 to 26 pounds).
  • The diet of pademelons consists primarily of vegetation such as grass, leaves, berries and shoots, and they are preyed on by foxes and dogs.
  • A female pademelon has a pouch that holds its baby once born, and the baby, called a ‘joey’, only leaves the pouch after six months of age.
  • While three species of pademelons are listed as ‘least concern’, four of the species, located in Papua New Guinea, are listed as vulnerable or endangered, and numbers have been declining, mostly due to hunting for food purposes and loss of habitat.
Bibliography:
Pademelon, 2013, A-Z Animals, http://a-z-animals.com/animals/pademelon/
Pademelon, 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pademelon

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Lamington

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Lamington

Sit down and eat a nice lamington.

  • A lamington is a sweet snack that is primarily cake-based, and it is generally eaten for morning tea, afternoon tea or at a high tea.
  • Lamingtons are traditionally a vanilla sponge cake, cut into squares, that are coated in a chocolate sauce, and then covered in shredded and dried coconut (known as desiccated coconut).
  • Lamingtons may be halved and layered, with cream or jam in between, and can come in a variety of flavours, such as strawberry or lemon.
  • The shape of lamingtons can vary, and are often a rectangular block in shape, although they are traditionally square.
  • Lamingtons were invented sometime between 1896 to 1901 in Toowoomba, Brisbane or Ipswich in Queensland, Australia, and are said to have been served to the then Queensland Governor, Lord Lamington and/or his wife.
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Lamington
Image courtesy of fugzu/Flickr
  • In mid 2011, the Guinness World Record for the largest lamington was created in Australia’s Toowoomba, in Queensland, and it weighed 2361 kilograms (5205 pounds), and was said to be the size of 45,000 standard size ones.
  • The exact story of the invention of the lamington is disputed, as it may have been accidental, by dropping a cake in a chocolate mixture, or purposeful.
  • Lamingtons are symbolic food icons of Australia, and as such, are often made for and eaten on Australia Day, the nation’s special day.
  • The first known published lamington recipe appeared in a Sydney newspaper in late 1901, and while the size of the blocks is not specified in the recipe, they are commonly cut into 4 to 5 cm (1.6 to 2 inches) cubes.
  • A national day for Lamingtons in Australia, has been designated as July the 21st, and the cake has often been used as a fundraiser for various clubs, schools and other groups.
Bibliography:
Halmagyi E, A Brief History of Lamingtons, 2015, Fast Ed, http://www.fast-ed.com.au/a-brief-history-of-lamingtons/
History, n.d, Australian Lamington Official Website, http://australianlamingtons.blogspot.com.au/p/history-of-world-famous-australian.html
Lamington, 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamington

 

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Cadbury Heroes and Cadbury Favourites

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Cadbury Heroes and Cadbury Favourites

Which chocolate in the Cadbury Heroes or Favourites box is your favourite?

  • The confectionery, Cadbury ‘Heroes’ and Cadbury ‘Favourites’ are an assortment of chocolates that are usually packaged in a purple box or tin.
  • ‘Cadbury Heroes’ were originally known as ‘Cadbury Miniature Heroes’, and the chocolates are made by the Cadbury confectionery company.
  • ‘Cadbury Heroes’ is the British version of the confectionery product, while the Australian and New Zealand version is known as ‘Cadbury Favourites’.
  • Cadbury Heroes and Cadbury Favourites contain smaller versions of popular Cadbury chocolate bars, while boxes of these are available in small and large sizes.
  • The production of Cadbury Heroes is said to have been prompted by a similar confectionery assortment created by the Mars company, known as ‘Celebrations’.

Cadbury Favourites

  • Cadbury Favourites contain a different assortment of chocolates to the Cadbury Heroes chocolates; and the former has a wider selection.
  • Popular chocolates that have been featured in the assortments of Cadbury Heroes and/or Cadbury Favourites include Crunchies, Twirls, Dairy Milks, Dreams, Picnics, Time Outs, Boosts, Eclairs and Cherry Ripes.
  • Cadbury Favourites and Cadbury Heroes were released in 1998 and 1999 respectively, and quickly became a hit among chocolate fans.
  • Cadbury Heroes and Cadbury Favourites range from 7 to 12 varieties of chocolate per box, and they are available in packages that contain generally between 300 and 800 grams (10.5 and 28 ounces) of mini chocolate bars.
  • In 2008, the British Cadbury Heroes swapped their popular Crunchie chocolates, as well as Dreams, for other less popular chocolates, causing much outrage by the public.
Bibliography:
Cadbury Heroes, n.d, Cadbury, https://www.cadbury.co.uk/products/Heroes-2410?p=2410
Heroes (Confectionary), 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heroes_(confectionery)
Smillie S, Heroes to Zeroes, 2008, The Guardian, http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2008/dec/19/cadbury-heroes-picnic-dream-bournville

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Leafy Seadragon

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Leafy Seadragon

Let’s play ‘Hide and Seek’. Can you find the leafy seadragon?

  • Leafy seadragons are aquatic animals native to the southern coast of Australia, and are found in water with maximum depths of 50 metres (164 feet).
  • ‘Leafy seadragons’ are also known as ‘Glauert’s seadragon’ and ‘leafies’, and Australia’s state of South Australia has them as its marine animal emblem.
  • Though it is related, a leafy seadragon is not a seahorse, but a species of seadragon, and it has the scientific name Phycodurus eques, being from the family Syngnathidae, the family of seahorses and pipefish.
  • The typical length of leafy seadragons ranges from 20 to 35 centimetres (8 to 14 inches), and they tend to be a yellow and green colour with black patches.
  • The diet of leafy seadragons typically consists of plankton, shrimp and fish larvae, which are consumed via an intriguing, long cylindrical snout using a suction force.
Leafy Seadragon, Pet, Yellow, Aquatic, Water, Ten Random Facts, Flickr, Animal, Marine
Leafy Seadragon
Image courtesy of VirtualWolf/Flickr
  • In the leafy seadragon reproduction process, females produce pink eggs, numbering around 250, that are transferred to males, who carry the eggs on a special patch on their tail until they hatch, and during the process, the eggs change colour.
  • Leafy seadragons have many appendages that form on their body that look like leafy branches, and these cause the fish to be camouflaged by having the appearance of seaweed.
  • On average, only one in twenty leafy seadragons survive until adulthood, and when they do, they have a lifespan of two to ten years.
  • Leafy seadragons are listed as ‘near threatened’ due to loss of habitat from pollution and accidental catching by commercial fisheries, as well as their collection for the pet industry, and they are now a protected species.
  • Leafy seadragons are slow movers, swimming via their transparent fins and appearing to drift like seaweed, although they are sometimes stationary for days.
Bibliography:
Leafy Seadragon, 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leafy_seadragon
Leafy and Weedy Seadragons, 2015, National Geographic, http://animals.nationalgeographic.com.au/animals/fish/sea-dragon/
Sea Dragon, 2013, A-Z Animals, http://a-z-animals.com/animals/sea-dragon/

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Australasian Snapper

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Australasian Snapper

A snappy Australasian snapper.

  • Australasian snappers are fish native to the ocean near Australia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Philippines, Taiwan and New Zealand.
  • ‘Australasian snappers’ are also known as ‘silver seabreams’, ‘snappers’, ‘cocknies’, ‘pinkies’, ‘queens’, ‘schnappers’ and ‘ruggers’.
  • The scientific name of an Australasian snapper is Pagrus auratus, from the family Sparidae, the family of sea bream, and despite its common name, it is not technically a snapper.
  • Australasian snappers can be found in waters near the coast, around underwater rocky landscapes, among reefs, and in depths of up to 200 metres (656 feet).
  • The lifespan of Australasian snappers can reach from 40 to 54 years; and young females may develop into males by adulthoood, although this is not common in some areas.

Australasian Snapper, Animal, Fish, Cut, Dead, Food, Two, Pink, Ten Random Facts, New Year, Seafood, Culinary, Australia

  • Australasian snappers generally grow between 40 to 130 centimetres (16 to 51 inches) in length, and weigh between 10 to 20 kilograms (22 to 44 pounds).
  • Australasian snappers are among the most commonly eaten fish by humans in countries where they are found nearby, such as Australia.
  • The diet of Australasian snappers generally consists of crabs, shrimp, starfish, other fish, sea urchins and shellfish.
  • Australasian snappers can have scales ranging from red, pink, grey, silver or gold in colour, and mature adults develop an obvious hump on the top of their head.
  • Australasian snappers often cannot be legally caught for human consumption if they are less than 35 centimetres (14 inches) in length; and this is to prevent over-fishing so as not to damage the population of fish.
Bibliography:
Snapper, 2014, PIRSA Fisheries, http://www.pir.sa.gov.au/fisheries/recreational_fishing/target_species/snapper
Snapper, Pagrus auratus (Bloch & Schneider, 1801), 2014, Australian Museum, http://australianmuseum.net.au/Snapper-Pagrus-auratus-Bloch-Schneider-1801
Silver Seabream, n.d, FishBase, http://fishbase.sinica.edu.tw/summary/6426
Australasian Snapper, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australasian_snapper

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