The size of Australia

[gavo]

 

 

[Banksia boi]

And it hardly ever rains and most things are almost half price for foriegn visitors(well historically,but depends on the exchange rate),just like living in heaven.

OOOphs thats New Zealands slogan,a slice of heaven,and it is that too! )

[Admin Jaap]

Sydney is more like hell now...

[gavo]

Sydney is more like hell now...

 

 

AAAhh, whats a bit of dust, it is spring cleaning time

[df2]

I have friends that live outside Sydney, that I went to college with. Bull, as he was known, has often invited me to visit. I only have one thing to say when he asks,,,

I am not going to a place that has spiders the size of my hands, deadly snakes, poisonous lizards, sharks, jellies, crocodiles. I mean really, is there anything that's not nasty there? Every time I turn on National Geographic or the Wildlife channel I see another reason I'm not going to Australia.

 

The only thing I have to worry about here in good ole New England is an occasional Black Bear and some idiot cager on her cell phone.

 

PS. that map thumbnail just about sums it up.

[gavo]

I have friends that live outside Sydney, that I went to college with. Bull, as he was known, has often invited me to visit. I only have one thing to say when he asks,,,

I am not going to a place that has spiders the size of my hands, deadly snakes, poisonous lizards, sharks, jellies, crocodiles. I mean really, is there anything that's not nasty there? Every time I turn on National Geographic or the Wildlife channel I see another reason I'm not going to Australia.

 

The only thing I have to worry about here in good ole New England is an occasional Black Bear and some idiot cager on her cell phone.

 

PS. that map thumbnail just about sums it up.

 

hey I'd rather face any of the above than a black bear, well maybe not the croc

[Steve G.]

hey I'd rather face any of the above than a black bear, well maybe not the croc

 

 

A black bear is not something to worry about. We used to get them in our back yard all the time. It's the grizzly bear that will take you out in a heart beat. But they are way out there.

My brother took a 1 yr stint in Brisbane to run a glass shop. He was blown away by the 'interference' to humans just doing regular stuff from the 'local' fauna. Like the time he wanted to take a short cut through a field back to the shop, the guys said, not to because of the 'brownies', I guess nasty snakes. Then there was the time the regional manager came by, asked Dave if he'd ever heard of a funnel web spider, Dave said "no??" The guy casually pulled off his shoe, and crushed a well developed and occupied nest right beside Dave's sandaled feet under the desk. Hew mentioned the literally hundereds of miles of incredible sea shore with nobody on them, then around a corner, a mass of people within 2 giant red flags, with safety patrols on seadoos, life guards, and even a helicopter watching the safety of the mop, with nobody on the other side of the flags!

Yup, I'll take on a 100ib black bear any day.

 

Steve

[mznyc]

Um, when I saw this guy in the yard I didn't go out and try to hug him !

[Steve G.]

Um, when I saw this guy in the yard I didn't go out and try to hug him !

 

 

No problem, chuck a rock at him!

 

Steve

[gavo]

A black bear is not something to worry about. We used to get them in our back yard all the time. It's the grizzly bear that will take you out in a heart beat. But they are way out there.

My brother took a 1 yr stint in Brisbane to run a glass shop. He was blown away by the 'interference' to humans just doing regular stuff from the 'local' fauna. Like the time he wanted to take a short cut through a field back to the shop, the guys said, not to because of the 'brownies', I guess nasty snakes. Then there was the time the regional manager came by, asked Dave if he'd ever heard of a funnel web spider, Dave said "no??" The guy casually pulled off his shoe, and crushed a well developed and occupied nest right beside Dave's sandaled feet under the desk. Hew mentioned the literally hundereds of miles of incredible sea shore with nobody on them, then around a corner, a mass of people within 2 giant red flags, with safety patrols on seadoos, life guards, and even a helicopter watching the safety of the mop, with nobody on the other side of the flags!

Yup, I'll take on a 100ib black bear any day.

 

Steve

Yes but the red flag thing is more about protecting over confident people from drowning themselves( mostly tourists) it's easier and cheaper if they are all in the same spot but I'll have to admit you can meet a snake just about anywhere, but if u leave them alone they don't normally bother you. Most people get bitten when the try to kill the snake

[mznyc]

No problem, chuck a rock at him!

 

Steve

 

Doesn't always work.This female would not leave, with me and a friend,both of us over six feet,yelling,banging pots,spraying with a hose,AND throwing rocks (had a couple direct hits),Wasn't until SHE was bored that she meandered off.Most likely had cubs in the area,have seen several in the yard over the last few seasons.

Just don't want people to believe any one tactic will work on all animals.That can lead to an unfortunate contact .Just because Black Bears are statistically non-threatening (had a fatality here in the Catskills a few years ago) you have to factor in the unknown.Cubs,hunger,sickness,...bad bear,

[Steve G.]

Doesn't always work.This female would not leave, with me and a friend,both of us over six feet,yelling,banging pots,spraying with a hose,AND throwing rocks (had a couple direct hits),Wasn't until SHE was bored that she meandered off.Most likely had cubs in the area,have seen several in the yard over the last few seasons.

Just don't want people to believe any one tactic will work on all animals.That can lead to an unfortunate contact .Just because Black Bears are statistically non-threatening (had a fatality here in the Catskills a few years ago) you have to factor in the unknown.Cubs,hunger,sickness,...bad bear,

 

 

OK, I'll give you that one. I could also fall down my stairs today. I'll take my chances with a black bear over an Australian Brown Snake.

 

Steve

[ferguzzi]

Shit, all we have to worry about is rain.

I wouldn't mind a bear, just for a bit of excitement.

[pete roper]

Somewhere on one of our computers we have a pic of my neigbor holding up a 5ft Brown we had in the back yard a few years ago but I can't currently find it!

 

Snakes aren'r really a worry, yeah, they can and will kill you, but they don't want to interact with us any more than we want to interact with them. Bungendore is the Tiger Snake capital of Oz! The buggers are everywhere and at this time of year they can be agressive because they are fiercely territorial and this is the breeding season, I believe they are vivaporous as well and the little ones are born with a full compliment of venom! Just be sensible, don't go wandering through long grass in summer with bare feet, make a lot of noise and if you do see one? Turn around and walk away! Easy.

 

As for spiders? Bash 'em with a shoe! Good lord! What a bunch of softcoques!

 

Also all of these things there are anti-venennes for. I don't think you can sow yer head back on after it's been torn off by a bloody great bear!!!!! :-)=).

 

Pete

[Guest ratchethack]

Snakes, spiders, crocs and bears?! Pah!

 

Why, I'd sooner share a lifeboat on the open ocean with a whole boatload of 'em -- and throw in a bunyip to two for good measure -- than share a cab cross town with just one o' these:

 

"I'm from The Government,

 

 

. . .and I'm here to help!"

 

They're insidious, crafty, vicious, and relentless. They smile for photo ops, even as they suck the lifeblood out o' entire populations at once.

 

And there's no antivenin for their deadly poisonous bite.

 

As if that weren't enough, they're VIVIPAROUS to boot!